World News

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who faces genocide charges, has applied for a visa to come to the U.S. for the annual United Nations General Assembly next week. The U.S. has not yet said whether he'll be allowed in the country.

Will The U.S. Grant A Visa To Sudan's Indicted Leader?

8:09pm September 20, 2013

by Michele Kelemen

The U.S. is supposed to allow everyone to come to the annual United Nations General Assembly, which opens next week. But Washington has yet to rule on the visa application by Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president who's been indicted on genocide charges by the International Criminal Court.

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Edward Snowden's leaks about the NSA's secret surveillance program have pushed the agency to expedite planned reforms ahead of schedule, according to NSA officials.

The Effects Of The Snowden Leaks Aren't What He Intended

5:24pm September 20, 2013

by Tom Gjelten

Critics of the NSA's secret surveillance hoped the debate that followed Edward Snowden's leaks would prompt the NSA to rethink the operation. Instead, one of the most noticeable effects so far has been a diversion of resources away from intelligence missions toward assessing damage from the leaks.

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The wild population of the golden lion tamarin, which lives only in Brazil's Atlantic Forest, fell to just 200 in the 1970s. Conservationists have helped the species rebound, but the monkeys are still at risk as development encroaches on their remaining h

Beloved Brazilian Monkey Clings To A Shrinking Forest

11:15am September 20, 2013

by NPR Staff

Brazil's Atlantic Forest, home to the golden lion tamarin, was once a massive ecosystem stretching along the Brazilian coast. But centuries of human activity have encroached upon the forest, leaving the future of this tiny, lion-maned monkey in doubt.

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Women in Barcelona check their numbers for Spain's Christmas lottery, named "El Gordo" (Fat One), in 2012.

World News

Good Samaritan Could Get Unclaimed Lotto Jackpot In Spain

6:10am September 20, 2013

by Lauren Frayer

The cashier found the winning $6.3 million ticket last year and turned it in. He could claim the jackpot if authorities don't find the person who purchased it.

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World News

German Voters Expected To Elect Merkel To Third Term

6:10am September 20, 2013

by Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson

If she wins on Sunday, it will put German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the path to becoming the longest-serving female head of government in Europe. But the prospect of another four years with Merkel doesn't appeal to many Europeans outside Germany.

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World News

Iran's New President Mounts A Charm Offensive

6:10am September 20, 2013

Hassan Rouhani ran on a promise of getting his country out from under the weight of sanctions, embargoes and other financial weapons from the West that have crippled that country's economy. Since taking office, he has been striking a more conciliatory note than his predecessor, especially toward the U.S. For more, Renee Montagne talks with Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

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Sudan Leader's Visa Request Puts U.S. In Diplomatic Bind

6:10am September 20, 2013

The president of Sudan wants to travel to New York next week to attend the United Nations General Assembly. But the U.S. doesn't want to grant that visa because he is accused of genocide. Renee Montagne talks to Colum Lynch, a reporter for The Washington Post and Foreign Policy magazine, about why this diplomatic issue.

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World News

Feds Say NYC Building Is A Front For Iran

9:44am September 19, 2013

The U.S. government moved this week to seize a Manhattan skyscraper said to be secretly owned by Iran. To discuss how such targeting of Iran's financial assets fits into the broader strategy of ending its nuclear program, Renee Montagne talks to former White House and Treasury Department official Juan Zarate.

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World News

France Moves To Ban Kids Under 16 From Beauty Pageants

9:44am September 19, 2013

by Eleanor Beardsley

The bill, which the French Senate approved, is aimed at protecting girls from being sexualized. It's part of a larger measure on women's rights. The legislation still must be approved by the lower house of parliament.

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A police officer blocks photos from being taken outside Zhongnanhai, the central headquarters for the Communist Party of China, in Beijing last year.

World News

China's Debate: Must The Party Follow The Constitution?

8:01pm September 18, 2013

by Frank Langfitt

If you demand democracy in China, you can quickly find yourself at odds with the government. So these days, reformers are trying to use the constitution to make the party accountable to the people. But that didn't keep a Shanghai professor from getting suspended.

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