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A federal appeals court stayed the execution of Scott Panetti in Texas on Wednesday. He was scheduled to die for murdering his mother and father-in-law. Panetti is mentally ill and his case is focused attention on capital punishment and mental illness.

Manfred Karg's 19-year-old son, a convert to Islam, is one of at least 60 Germans killed fighting alongside ISIS militants. Karg says efforts to stop the flow to Syria and Iraq are taking too long.

Carved zigzag marks on a shell found more than a century ago have drawn new interest from archaeologists. The half-million-year-old lines aren't from an animal, and might be art from Homo erectus.

U.S. airstrikes helped save thousands from the Yazidi community in northern Iraq in August. But the group says the Islamic State has seized many Yazidi women and is selling them as sex slaves.

For each famous name given, change either the first or last letter of the last name to a new letter, and rearrange the result to name a country.

Separatists in eastern Ukraine hold their own elections Sunday as part of an effort to create an independent state. Meanwhile, fighting for control of Donetsk's airport continues, despite a ceasefire.

NPR's Kelly McEvers speaks with Washington Post contributor Souad Mekhennet. The Post broke the news about the identity of "Jihadi John,

Gov. John Kasich is being sworn in for a second term, and his inaugural party will essentially become a black-tie tailgate. There will be big-screen TVs for guests who don't want to miss the game.

Melissa Block speaks with Kevin Fedarko of Outside Magazine for a remembrance of conservationist and outdoorsman Martin Litton. He died Sunday at his home in California at the age of 97.

The premier left-wing party of Mexican politics — which brought gay marriage to the capital and favors abortion rights — is crumbling. An elder statesman resigned, saying the PRD has lost its leftist identity and the party has been damaged by its association with a mayor accused of involvement in the killing of 43 college students.

Known only by his first name, Honduran singer Aurelio has been making music for a decade. Yet, Aurelio is not only known for his raspy voice and catchy cumbia melodies, but for his tireless work promoting the rights of his own people — the Garifuna. Now, the former parliament member is out with his latest album Landini.

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.

Chief Justice Roy Moore is trying to prevent same-sex marriage from taking hold in his state despite a ruling from a federal judge that would allow it. A hearing is scheduled in Mobile Thursday.

An updated look at this year's Senate races and why we might not know who has won control of the Senate on Election Day.

Melissa Block talks with Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota about his party's plan now that they've won the Senate.

A highly sensitive blood test for Ebola exists, so why isn't it being used to test all returning health workers from West Africa? Because the virus isn't in the blood in the first stages of infection.

Many say that the Malta Summit between U.S. President George H.W. Bush and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev — which took place 25 years ago Wednesday — marked the end of the Cold War.

Ebola isn't the first dangerous microbe to spur calls for quarantine in American cities. But as New York City's experience with drug-resistant tuberculosis suggests, isolation isn't always best.

One man's quest for the perfect loaf took him to Paris, Berlin, California and Kansas. What he learned can't easily be captured in words. It's a feeling in your fingers that comes from experience.

Novelist Gabrielle Zelvin reviews Meg Wolitzer's new young adult book, Belzhar.

A Senate Judiciary subcommittee dropped "human rights" and "civil rights" from its name last month, sparking some controversy. But does the congressional name game even matter?

Five years after an earthquake leveled Haiti's capital, killing more than 100,000 people and leaving millions homeless, Port au Prince is being resurrected. High-rises stand where previous buildings were reduced to rubble in the temblor. However, thousands of people still are without permanent housing.

In a case before the Supreme Court Monday, an Arizona town maintains that Good News Community Church's signs are temporary directional signs for events, and thus limited to 6 square feet.

It's easy to pick basketball's frontrunners. But Slate.com's Mike Pesca tells NPR's Rachel Martin the interesting story is about the worst teams in the NBA, and why being bad might be a good strategy.

This fall, CBS launched the first sports talk show with all female commentators. NPR's Rachel Martin talks to panelist Amy Trask about the show, and the evolving role of women in sports journalism.