World News

Tensions In South China Sea Loom Over Kerry Visit

4:03pm May 17, 2015

by Anthony Kuhn

Secretary of State John Kerry underscored U.S. concerns over China's claim to ownership of disputed islands in the South China Sea, an issue that has strained relations in the region.

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This aerial view shows the effects of gold mining on Peru's rain forest.

Who Did This To Peru's Jungle?

3:53pm May 17, 2015

by Jason Beaubien

When the price of gold skyrocketed, illegal miners flooded into the country's Amazon basin, eager to find even the tiniest bits of the precious metal. Trees and villagers have paid a price.

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Members of Exile Tibetan Women Association protest to demand the immediate release of Gedhun Choekyi Nyima, the 11th Panchen Lama, during a gathering to mark the 20th anniversary of his disappearance, in New Delhi, India, on Sunday.

20 Years After China Seized Boy Monk, Tibetans Call For His Release

3:01pm May 17, 2015

by Scott Neuman

In 1995, Gedhun Choekyi Nyima was designated as the 11th Panchen Lama, Tibetan Buddhism's second-highest spiritual leader. He was promptly detained by Chinese authorities and never heard from again.

Pope Francis greets Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas following a canonization ceremony for four nuns, including two Palestinians, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, on Sunday.

Palestinian Nuns Among Latest Saints Declared By Pope Francis

2:58pm May 17, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Two nuns from 19th-century Palestine were among four sisters who were canonized by the pontiff in a ceremony at St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

President Pierre Nkurunziza makes a brief statement at the presidential palace in Bujumbura, Burundi, on Sunday. In his first appearance since a failed coup against his government, Nkurunziza, didn't mention the unrest.

World News

Burundi's President Makes First Public Appearance Since Coup Attempt

2:48pm May 17, 2015

by Scott Neuman

Pierre Nkurunziza, who narrowly escaped being ousted last week, didn't mention the foiled putsch, but instead talked about the threat from the extremist Islamist group al-Shabab.

4 ISIS Leaders Reportedly Among 32 Killed In U.S. Raid, Airstrikes

2:44pm May 17, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The raid, carried out on Saturday by U.S. forces, killed Abu Sayyaf, a senior commander. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says three other leaders were killed in ground and air operations.

World News

Blogging In Bangladesh Is A Deadly Occupation

10:44am May 17, 2015

Last week men with machetes brutally attacked a blogger on his way to work in Bangladesh. NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Rafida Ahmed, who was attacked in February.

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A photo taken days ago shows alleged on-going reclamation by China of Mischief Reef in the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

Kerry Meets With China's Foreign Minister Over Disputed Islands

7:48pm May 16, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The secretary of state seems unlikely to convince his Chinese counterpart that a diplomatic solution to the regional tug-of-war must be found.

Ice Cold U.S., Russia Relations Put Strain On Nuclear Agreements

7:31pm May 16, 2015

by Corey Flintoff

As relations between the world's two biggest nuclear powers deteriorate, the treaties and dialogue that kept Russia and the U.S. from nuclear war are fraying.

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A Proton-M rocket shown in 2013. The same type of rocket malfunctioned in mid-flight on Saturday and crashed over Siberia carrying a Mexican communications satellite.

Unmanned Russian Rocket Burns Up Carrying Mexican Satellite

1:56pm May 16, 2015

by Scott Neuman

The launch is the latest in a string of failures for the Proton-M rocket, a workhorse for the International Launch Services, a joint Russia-American satellite carrier business.