(Kamran Jebreili / AP)
The United States has stopped buying Iranian oil, and the European Union is set to do so at the end of next month. There are sanctions on Iran's central bank and punishments for companies that help Iran ship its oil. Experts says Iran's oil exports are now in serious jeopardy.
(John W. Poole / NPR)
A massive mine in the middle of the Gobi is providing opportunities to thousands of young Mongolians, drawing talent from other fields such as tourism. But some complain that foreigners earn more than locals, and those who can't find mining work are striking out on their own as illegal prospectors.
(Amr Nabil / AP)
More than a year after its revolution, Egypt votes for a new president on Wednesday and Thursday. The race is wide open and none of the 12 candidates is expected to get an outright majority. If those forecasts prove true, a runoff will take place next month between the two top vote-getters.
(David Gilkey / NPR)
In 2010, the southern Afghan town of Marjah was a haven for the Taliban and drug traffickers. Today, after a massive effort by the U.S. Marines, the Taliban have fled and the area is relatively peaceful. But many are concerned about Marjah's future once American combat forces leave the area.
(AFP/Getty Images)
The former president is in Egypt to observe its first free presidential election, which begins on Wednesday.
Al-Qaida has had a habit of putting out subtle hints about attacks it's planning. In the wake of the recent airline bombing plot that was foiled, officials are looking back to see if the group telegraphed its intentions.
For months, Spain's borrowing costs have been hovering near levels that sent Greece, Ireland and Portugal into bailouts. Spain will have to cough up nearly $40 billion to pay interest on its debts this year alone. That's many times what's been cut from things like health and education, which has Spaniards so upset. But the only alternative to raising money on markets is simply to stop spending it. Last week, Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy signaled he may simply give up, and try to rely on tax revenue alone.
(Dieter Nagl / AFP/Getty Images)
Yukiya Amano, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said today that Iran has agreed to steps that will let international inspectors learn more about its nuclear program.
(iStockphoto.com)
Data from a mobile phone app shows that people all over the world eat less healthy foods later in the day and at night. Is it a lack of healthy options? A lack of willpower? Whatever the answer, it's not good for our health.
Unless leaders in Europe act quickly, the financial crisis there could drag down the global economy and kill what appears to be a "fragile, extremely uneven" recovery, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development warns.
Chen Guangcheng is settling into his new apartment in New York. But Chen says he is worried about the safety of members of his family left behind in China, and the activists who helped him escape from house arrest and take refuge in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing.
Intense fighting in Lebanon has killed more than a dozen people over the past week. One deadly battle was sparked by the murder of an anti-Syrian Lebanese cleric. The violence is stoking fears that the conflict in Syria is spreading to its neighbors.
A mass tax revolt is under way in Ireland, and hundreds of thousands of people have resolved to break the law and refuse to pay a newly-introduced levy on households. The tax is $125 a year, but protesters say it could lead to larger property taxes in the future.
(Manu Fernandez / AP)
As an austerity move, Spain is considering rearranging its holiday schedule. Holidays that fall on a Tuesday or Thursday tend to become four-day weekends. But now there's a move to mark them on Monday, and limit the weekend to three days.
(Fredrik Persson / AP)
The Muslim Brotherhood was the big winner in Egypt's parliamentary elections several months ago. Now the group has its sights on the presidency. Their candidate, Mohammed Morsi, is trailing in the polls, but will have the group's political machinery behind him in voting this week.
(John Poole / NPR)
Mongolia is now tapping huge natural resources. But they're in the Gobi region, where traditional nomadic herding is under assault and desertification is a major problem. Herders are worried the mines will siphon off already dwindling water supplies, while trucks and roads destroy pastureland.
(Mladen Antonov / AFP/Getty Images)
Chinese activists have often fallen off the radar after leaving their homeland. Activist Chen Guangcheng is now safely in America, but hopes he can still play a role in China, where he fought forced abortions and sought to improve conditions for the disabled.
(Roberta Basile / AFP/Getty Images)
In Italy, the budgets of state-run museums, archaeological sites and libraries are among the hardest hit by the government's tough austerity measures. One museum director is protesting by systematically burning pieces from his museum.
President Obama held a press conference Monday afternoon as NATO wrapped up its Chicago summit. Audie Cornish talks to Scott Horsley for more.
The U.S. urged NATO allies and other nations during the Chicago summit to make a long-term commitment to Afghanistan once combat forces withdraw in 2014. But many of the European member nations are reeling from the grinding debt crisis, making it hard to justify development and training programs in Afghanistan.
Gregory Jaczko, the controversial head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, is resigning his post. During his tenure he frequently clashed with fellow commissioners and was called a bully. But in announcing his resignation, he didn't mention the internal strife.
The 99th Chelsea Flower Show opens in London on Tuesday. It's the horticultural event of the year, and its roots go even deeper than those 99 years — British horticultural shows have been part of the gardening calendar since the 1870s. Trendspotters at this year's show can expect lots of water-logged foliage after the wettest April in the U.K. record books, and a wary acceptance of a new judging system set to take effect after this year's show.
President Obama held a press conference Monday afternoon as NATO wrapped up its Chicago summit. Audie Cornish talks to Scott Horsley for more.
(Bay Ismoyo / AFP/Getty Images)
Thanks to Facebook and other sites, American troops in Afghanistan are more connected than ever with what's going on back home. But that connectivity has also led to incendiary videos and photos getting posted online. Now, military leadership is taking steps to further educate troops on what is and isn't appropriate for public viewing.
(Vincents Restaurants)
Boiling maple sap down to maple syrup isn't going away anytime soon, but it's getting some new competition from the humble birch. The tapping of the birch trees is a spring tradition in Latvia, but it's starting to catch on elsewhere.
In recent years, critics have questioned the need for a U.S.-European alliance, originally formed to confront the Soviet Union. Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright argues the president and NATO leaders must reaffirm the importance of their union to U.S. security.
The G8 Summit was dominated by talks on how to handle the latest financial setback in Europe. President Obama stood at the center of those talks, knowing that what Europe decides could have a lasting impact on the U.S. economy and his own political future. Host Michel Martin speaks with The Wall Street Journal's Sudeep Reddy.
Disputes over reopening supply routes into Afghanistan and U.S. drone strikes on targets in Pakistan are complicating NATO's efforts to wind down the war.
The death toll from an attack on soldiers rehearsing for a military parade is reportedly approaching 100. Also today, a U.S. Coast Guard instructor was shot and wounded in Yemen.
Astronomy buffs in the western U.S. were treated to an eclipse known as the Ring of Fire over the weekend. Technically, it's an annular solar eclipse, during which time the moon passes between the earth and sun. The moon blocks out much of the sun's light and casts a giant shadow on the earth.
NATO commanders say the mantra of the Afghan alliance has been "in together, out together." That means keeping combat forces in the country through 2014 — even though some member countries like France plan to bring their troops home sooner.
With Pakistani President Zardari given a last-minute invitation to the NATO summit, U.S. and Pakistani officials were scrambling to finish a deal that would allow NATO supply convoys to pass through Pakistani territory on their way to Afghanistan. The convoys have been halted since last November's errant cross-border U.S. airstrikes that left 24 Pakistani soldiers dead.
(Chuck Holmes / NPR)
After the Arab Spring, Saudi rulers still have a firm hand on the country and its oil wealth. But in a country known for its restrictions, many people here are speaking openly about the need for democratic change.
(John W. Poole / NPR)
Mongolia is in the midst of a dramatic economic boom as huge mining operations look to reshape the country. Some predict Mongolia's GDP will double in a decade. But this economic overhaul could put further pressure on Mongolia's traditional way of life.
(Pablo Martinez Monsivais / AP)
World leaders are meeting with President Obama in his hometown of Chicago for a two-day NATO summit focused heavily on Afghanistan.
(Deborah Kogan)
Not a lot is known about Kawasaki disease. It affects children under 4 and is more common in Asia, particularly Japan, but more than 4,000 American children contract it every year. One of its secrets may now be revealed, but it took climate researchers to help spot it.
(Mikhail Voskresensky / Reuters/Landov)
Sergei Magnitsky was a tax lawyer for an investment fund in Russia that was seized by tax police who extracted more than $230 million in illegal refunds for themselves. Magnitsky decided to investigate, was arrested and later died in prison. Now, the government is bringing him to trial "to protect themselves," human rights groups say.
(Manoocher Deghati / AFP/Getty Images)
The former Libyan intelligence officer who was the only person ever convicted in the 1988 Lockerbie, Scotland, bombing has died, according to reports. He was 59.
