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A statue of Jesus Christ called "Cristo Rey" is prominently located near the entrance of the Dimitrov neighborhood, which used to be so violent, people joked the Christ was being held up at gunpoint.

A statue of Jesus Christ called "Cristo Rey" is prominently located near the entrance of the Dimitrov neighborhood, which used to be so violent, people joked the Christ was being held up at gunpoint. Juan Carlos for NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Juan Carlos for NPR

Politics & Policy

With A Soft Approach On Gangs, Nicaragua Eschews Violence

by Eyder Peralta

Despite being in one of the most dangerous regions in the world, Nicaragua remains relatively peaceful. Analysts credit its style of policing, which has rejected the iron fist policies of neighbors.

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These scuba divers are among the 2 million tourists who visit the Great Barrier Reef each year. They contribute about $5.6 billion to Australia's economy, according to the Queensland government.

These scuba divers are among the 2 million tourists who visit the Great Barrier Reef each year. They contribute about $5.6 billion to Australia's economy, according to the Queensland government. Steve Dorsey for NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Steve Dorsey for NPR

As Great Barrier Reef Ails, Australia Scrambles To Save It

by Steve Dorsey

One Australian report estimated the reef had lost more than half its coral since 1985. The government is considering a new 35-year plan to rescue the reef, but some say it falls short.

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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud as the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Adel al-Jubeir, listens before a meeting at the Royal Palace in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 11.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry speaks with Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud as the Saudi ambassador to the United States, Adel al-Jubeir, listens before a meeting at the Royal Palace in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia, on Sept. 11. Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images

Marketplace

Why Does Saudi Arabia Seem So Comfortable With Falling Oil Prices?

Normally, the "central banker of oil" would slow production to push up prices. Not so now. Some say it's a geopolitical tactic aimed at Russia and Iran; others say it's just protecting market share.

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Three female members of Turkey's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and an Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighter stand near the front line in Makhmur, in northern Iraq, on Aug. 9. The Turkish and Iraqi Kurds have been fighting together against the Islamic State.

Three female members of Turkey's Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and an Iraqi Kurdish peshmerga fighter stand near the front line in Makhmur, in northern Iraq, on Aug. 9. The Turkish and Iraqi Kurds have been fighting together against the Islamic State. Safin Hamed/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Safin Hamed/AFP/Getty Images

Conflict Zones

Facing The Islamic State Threat, Kurdish Fighters Unite

Kurdish groups have often quarreled among themselves, or at least kept their distance. But Kurds from Iraq and Turkey have been fighting side by side in northern Iraq against the Islamic State.

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U.S. Marines board a C-130 transport plane as they withdraw from Camp Leatherneck, their huge base in southern Afghanistan. This marked the biggest handover yet to the Afghan army, which is facing a tough fight with the Taliban in Helmand province and other parts of southern Afghanistan.

U.S. Marines board a C-130 transport plane as they withdraw from Camp Leatherneck, their huge base in southern Afghanistan. This marked the biggest handover yet to the Afghan army, which is facing a tough fight with the Taliban in Helmand province and other parts of southern Afghanistan. Wakil Koshar/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Wakil Koshar/AFP/Getty Images

Conflict Zones

With Marines Gone, Can The Afghan Army Hold Off The Taliban?

The Marines have departed their biggest base in southern Afghanistan, the scene of heavy fighting throughout the war. This will be one of the main proving grounds for the Afghan army.

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Russia established the Crimean port of Sevastopol in the 18th century. After the Soviet breakup in 1991, Russia and Ukraine shared the naval base. But Russia has now taken the entire base, including Ukrainian ships.

Russia established the Crimean port of Sevastopol in the 18th century. After the Soviet breakup in 1991, Russia and Ukraine shared the naval base. But Russia has now taken the entire base, including Ukrainian ships. Max Avdeev for NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Max Avdeev for NPR

Postcards

In Crimea, Many Signs Of Russia, Few Of Resistance

Russia's takeover of Crimea extends from the flags over government buildings to passports to the labels on wine bottles. Despite the international criticism, many Crimeans are happy to rejoin Moscow.

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French riot policemen force out migrants who were hidden in a truck that was making its way to the ferry terminal in Calais in western France on Wednesday. The cross-Channel port has become the last barrier for economic and political migrants trying to enter Britain illegally.

French riot policemen force out migrants who were hidden in a truck that was making its way to the ferry terminal in Calais in western France on Wednesday. The cross-Channel port has become the last barrier for economic and political migrants trying to enter Britain illegally. Pascal Rossignol/Reuters/Landov hide caption

itoggle caption Pascal Rossignol/Reuters/Landov

Politics & Policy

Stranded In France, Migrants Believe Britain Is The Answer

Migrants from Africa and Afghanistan have poured into Calais, hoping to seek asylum in Britain across the channel. But few succeed, leaving an estimated 2,000 in limbo in the French port city.

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Companies from Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran were among the more than 100 Internet startups at this year's Startup Istanbul event on Sept. 30. It was Iranian entrepreneurs' first time competing on an international stage.

Companies from Jordan, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Iran were among the more than 100 Internet startups at this year's Startup Istanbul event on Sept. 30. It was Iranian entrepreneurs' first time competing on an international stage. Courtesy of Startup Istanbul hide caption

itoggle caption Courtesy of Startup Istanbul

Marketplace

Iranian Entrepreneurs Make Pitches That Are Just Practice, For Now

Young Iranians are brimming with ideas for tech startups. But extensive financial sanctions facing their country prevent them from entering the global marketplace.

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The site at Gobekli Tepe, or "Potbelly Hill," on the Urfa plain in southeastern Turkey is believed by some to be the world's first place of worship. This would upend the conventional thought that religion developed as a byproduct of human settlements.

The site at Gobekli Tepe, or "Potbelly Hill," on the Urfa plain in southeastern Turkey is believed by some to be the world's first place of worship. This would upend the conventional thought that religion developed as a byproduct of human settlements. Vincent J. Musi/National Geographic Society/Corbis hide caption

itoggle caption Vincent J. Musi/National Geographic Society/Corbis

Culture

In Southeast Turkey, A Long History Of Bloodshed And Worship

A vast plain near Syria is no stranger to military carnage. But a place known as "Potbelly Hill" holds ruins built in ancient times, possibly for ritual purposes, long before organized religion.

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Iraqi policemen patrol Abu Ghraib, 25 miles west of Baghdad, in June. Islamic State militants have captured many cities and town in western Iraq this year. The government still controls Abu Ghraib, but the militants are nearby and local tribes are also restive.

Iraqi policemen patrol Abu Ghraib, 25 miles west of Baghdad, in June. Islamic State militants have captured many cities and town in western Iraq this year. The government still controls Abu Ghraib, but the militants are nearby and local tribes are also restive. Karim Kadim/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Karim Kadim/AP

Iraq's Abu Ghraib Is Back In The News, Now As A Front-Line Town

A town west of Baghdad and home to a notorious prison, Abu Ghraib is where Iraq troops are bracing for a possible attacks by Islamic State militants. Many local residents feel caught in the middle.

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Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon delivers a statement at the Israel Defense Forces headquarters in Jerusalem in June.

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon delivers a statement at the Israel Defense Forces headquarters in Jerusalem in June. Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images

Politics & Policy

Israel's Defense Minister: Mideast Borders 'Absolutely' Will Change

by NPR Staff

The blunt-talking Moshe Ya'alon says that Syria, Iraq and Libya have all been shattered by fighting in recent years and that the future map of the Middle East will look very different.

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In Mexico City on Wednesday, people march to demand justice for 43 missing students. Mexican authorities ordered the arrest of the mayor of Iguala and his wife in connection with the attack.

In Mexico City on Wednesday, people march to demand justice for 43 missing students. Mexican authorities ordered the arrest of the mayor of Iguala and his wife in connection with the attack. Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Yuri Cortez/AFP/Getty Images

Mexican Prosecutor Says Mayor, Wife Ordered Attack On Students

The mayor of Iguala and his wife, accused of being connected to the disappearance of 43 students, are now fugitives. Thousands of protesters marched in Mexico City demanding justice.

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Passengers ride a cable car that links downtown La Paz with El Alto, Bolivia, in September. The trip costs about 40 cents and takes 10 minutes — compared with 35 cents and a half-hour by minibus.

Passengers ride a cable car that links downtown La Paz with El Alto, Bolivia, in September. The trip costs about 40 cents and takes 10 minutes — compared with 35 cents and a half-hour by minibus. Juan Karita/AP hide caption

itoggle caption Juan Karita/AP

Postcards

High In The Andes, Bolivia's Gondolas In The Sky Ease Congestion

by John Otis

One of Latin America's poorest countries is building the world's longest urban cable car system. The aim is to transform the lives of commuters who battle chronic traffic problems.

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Abdul Sattar Edhi, 86, is an iconic figure in Pakistan who founded and runs the country's best-known charitable group. The Edhi Foundation was robbed of more than $1 million on Sunday, a crime that has provoked outrage.

Abdul Sattar Edhi, 86, is an iconic figure in Pakistan who founded and runs the country's best-known charitable group. The Edhi Foundation was robbed of more than $1 million on Sunday, a crime that has provoked outrage. Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images hide caption

itoggle caption Rizwan Tabassum/AFP/Getty Images

Culture

The Crime That Has Shocked Pakistan

Abdul Sattar Edhi and his foundation are synonymous with humanitarian work in Pakistan. But that didn't keep the foundation from being robbed of more than $1 million, provoking widespread outrage.

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Peshmerga look out from a front-line outpost — a few sandbags, soldiers, and grenades perched on the brow of a hill — to the eastern Iraqi town of Jalula. The Kurdish fighters are grappling with how to combat changing ISIS tactics.

Peshmerga look out from a front-line outpost — a few sandbags, soldiers, and grenades perched on the brow of a hill — to the eastern Iraqi town of Jalula. The Kurdish fighters are grappling with how to combat changing ISIS tactics. Alice Fordham/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Alice Fordham/NPR

Conflict Zones

Ambushes, Mines And Booby Traps: ISIS Militants Change Tack

In northern Iraq, Kurdish fighters have won back territory from the so-called Islamic State only to lose it again. ISIS is using a range of explosives, inflicting heavy Kurdish casualties.

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Adi Asulin stands in the kitchen of her family's remodeled apartment north of Tel Aviv. She saved thousands of dollars by flying to China to buy furnishings and flooring directly from manufacturers.

Adi Asulin stands in the kitchen of her family's remodeled apartment north of Tel Aviv. She saved thousands of dollars by flying to China to buy furnishings and flooring directly from manufacturers. Emily Harris/NPR hide caption

itoggle caption Emily Harris/NPR

Marketplace

Israeli Homes, Decorated With A Shopping Spree In China

Some Israelis are flying to China to buy most everything they need to furnish a home. They say it's cheaper than buying in Israel, though there are also cautionary tales of shopping trips gone wrong.

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