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As Russia swears in a new president, observers question whether the leader, Vladimir Putin's successor, will have real power to chart his own course for the country. He takes over a nation with a booming oil economy, and many serious problems.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has used his country's vast energy wealth to return Moscow to the world stage during his eight years in office. But instead of integrating with the West, as some had hoped, the Kremlin has made its mark by opposing Western policy.

NPR has learned that the Bush administration is pushing for increased military action along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The plan is part of an effort to kill or capture Osama bin Laden and other top al-Qaida leaders by the time the president leaves office.

President Obama has said health care will top his agenda for the next several weeks in hopes of getting a bill through each house of Congress by the august recess. Although he praised lawmakers Wednesday for moving forward on health care overhaul, there is still a long way to go.

President-elect Barack Obama has named John Podesta, Valerie Jarrett and Pete Rauss co-chairs of his transition team. He has also named William Daley, Carol Browner, Federico Pena and Janet Napolitano to his advisory panel. Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel has been offered the job of White House chief of staff.

Just two weeks into President Obama's administration, Russia is moving to reassert its influence over former Soviet republics in Central Asia. Moscow is pushing military cooperation and offering financial aid in what some say is reminiscent of the Kremlin's client-state relationships during the Cold War.

It's hard to remember now, but MTV did once play music videos all day. A new oral history recalls that golden age, and the network's meteoric rise to the top of the music industry.

Millions of Indians celebrated Diwali on Sunday with a Guinness World Record number of bright earthen oil lamps as concerns about air pollution soared in the South Asian country.

When Roya Hakakian moved from Iran to the U.S., she didn't think any poet in her adopted country could top the ones whose work she grew up with. But then she discovered a piece that blew away her prejudices. It was "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke.

Venezuelans replaced Mexicans for the first time on record, according to new figures that show September was the second-highest month for arrests of all nationalities.