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During the Vietnam War, more than 58,000 Americans died, as well as more than 2 million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians.

War And Foreign Policy Through The Eyes Of Vietnam Veterans

3:25pm January 30, 2013

by NPR Staff

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmed Sen. John Kerry as the next secretary of state. Former Sen. Chuck Hagel is set to become the next secretary of defense. Critics and supporters of the men point to their service in Vietnam as a critical qualification.

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A man sells surveillance cameras at the main electronics market in Tienhe district, Guangzhou, in southern China's Guangdong province, on Aug. 8.

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In China, The Government Isn't The Only Spy Game In Town

10:44am January 30, 2013

by Frank Langfitt

Increasingly, China's surveillance state has extended to include Chinese individuals spying on one another. Former journalist Qi Hong has helped ordinary citizens and government officials alike detect bugs and hidden cameras planted by others. In one year, his bug hunt turned up more than 300 devices for a hundred friends.

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The use of security cameras such as these, looking out over Tiananmen Square in Beijing, is on the rise in China. Critics say the government is using them to discourage dissidents.

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In China, Beware: A Camera May Be Watching You

8:16pm January 29, 2013

by Frank Langfitt

There are an estimated 20 million to 30 million surveillance cameras in China — or about one for every 43 people. Officials say the cameras help fight crime and maintain "social stability." But critics say the government uses them to monitor and intimidate dissidents.

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The Challenges To Democracy In Egypt

6:24pm January 29, 2013

Egypt's defense minister warned that the rising conflicts and chaos in the country could result in "the collapse of the state." Ongoing violence highlights the continued tensions between the government and the opposition, and raises questions about the prospects of Egypt's transition into a democracy.

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Tunisia's Salafis: 'A Danger' Or Preachers Of God's Law?

8:36am January 29, 2013

by Leila Fadel

Critics call the country's Salafis a threat to the ideals of economic prosperity, civil liberties and gender equality. The Salafis insist that only their rigid interpretation of Islamic law can govern Muslims. Their stand puts Tunisia's moderate Islamist leaders in a difficult position.

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Timbuktu Freed From Islamist Fighters

8:36am January 29, 2013

by Ofeibea Quist-Arcton

In the West African nation of Mali, residents of Timbuktu were cheering in the streets Monday, after the city was liberated by French and Malian forces after months under the harsh rule of Islamist fighters. In a final act of cultural warfare before fleeing Timbuktu, the rebels are reported to have set fire to libraries housing priceless manuscripts.

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U.S. troops in Afghanistan appear to have mixed feelings about the decision lifting the ban on women in combat positions. Some women already operate in combat zones. Hospital Corpsman Shannon Crowley is shown here with her Marine Corps team in Musa Qala,

Women In Combat: What Do Troops In Afghanistan Think?

8:17pm January 28, 2013

by Sean Carberry

Opinions are mixed. Women are already in dangerous places handling difficult assignments. But some troops, both men and women, say they think few women will want to take combat positions, and they question whether women will be able to meet the current physical standards.

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Visitors take in a re-created scene at the massacre museum at Vietnam's My Lai village. Researcher Nick Turse says atrocities of all kinds were more common in the Vietnam War than most Americans believe.

'Anything That Moves': Civilians And The Vietnam War

4:06pm January 28, 2013

In a new book, Nick Turse says the pressure on U.S. forces to produce a body count during the Vietnam War led to mass civilian deaths. "The idea," he says, "was that the Vietnamese, they weren't really people."

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Egypt's Morsi Declares State Of Emergency

10:11am January 28, 2013

Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has declared a state of emergency after a deadly bout of violence over the weekend left at least 50 dead in three cities the Suez Canal.

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Syrian Opposition Fears Waning Western Support

10:11am January 28, 2013

by Deborah Amos

After prodding the Syrian opposition to reorganize into a more inclusive organization, the Obama administration has failed to support the group. France, Britain and other allies of the opposition are channeling their humanitarian aid for Syria through the new coalition. There is a legal impediment holding up U.S. action.

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