Michele Kelemen
Michele Kelemen has been with NPR for two decades, starting as NPR's Moscow bureau chief and now covering the State Department and Washington's diplomatic corps. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered.
As Diplomatic Correspondent, Kelemen has traveled with Secretaries of State from Colin Powell to Mike Pompeo and everyone in between. She reports on the Trump administration's "America First" foreign policy and before that the Obama and Bush administration's diplomatic agendas. She was part of the NPR team that won the 2007 Alfred I. DuPont-Columbia University Award for coverage of the war in Iraq.
As NPR's Moscow bureau chief, Kelemen chronicled the end of the Yeltsin era and Vladimir Putin's consolidation of power. She recounted the terrible toll of the latest war in Chechnya, while also reporting on a lighter side of Russia, with stories about modern day Russian literature and sports.
Kelemen came to NPR in September 1998, after eight years working for the Voice of America. There, she learned the ropes as a news writer, newscaster and show host.
Michele earned her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master's degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies in Russian and East European Affairs and International Economics.
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The Trump administration announced that the U.S. will leave the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, raising fears of a new arms race. Trump blamed Russia for violating the Cold War-era pact.
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Carlos Vecchio, who doesn't have access to Venezuela's embassy, represents national assembly leader Juan Guaido, who the U.S. and other countries back as they pressure Nicolas Maduro to step aside.
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The State Department says Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro can't expel U.S. diplomats since it no longer recognizes him as the nation's leader. But where does that leave the U.S. personnel?
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The U.S. and North Korea are working out the details for a possible second summit between President Trump and Kim Jong Un.
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The department said it "is taking steps to make additional funds available to pay employee salaries." State has 75,000, including nearly 50,000 local hires, most of whom have been receiving pay. -
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is warning the U.N. that Iran's missile program is "out of control." He's trying to build up more pressure on Iran, though some critics say that is a dangerous approach.
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From Fox & Friends to the State Department, and now possibly to the United Nations. President Trump says he will nominate the former journalist to be America's next U.N. ambassador.
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A month ago U.S. officials called for a cease-fire in Yemen — a country on the brink of famine under a Saudi-led offensive. But that call doesn't appear as strong, as Saudis try to take more ground.
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Former UNICEF official Baquer Namazi was detained in Iran nearly three years ago. His son is urging Tehran to let his 82-year-old father leave the country for medical treatment.
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Eritrea was once dubbed the North Korea of Africa. Now, the United Nations is lifting sanctions on it following a peace deal between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
