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Immigration lawyers say they're seeing an alarming spike in the number of asylum claims that are being rejected at the earliest stage, known as the credible fear interview.

Eighteen years after the Chernobyl nuclear reactor exploded in Ukraine, there is still a 20-mile radius "forbidden zone" around the plant. Due to high levels of radiation, 135,000 people were evacuated from that area, but now hundreds have returned.

Sen. John Kerry makes an aggressive return to the campaign trail after his first debate with President Bush, which polls indicate he won. The president fights back with strong rhetoric of his own. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

Nepal's king vows to return multiparty democracy, bowing to weeks of protests and international pressure. However, King Gyanendra fell short of a key opposition demand: creating a special constitutional assembly.

Pope John Paul II returns home after spending 10 days at Rome's Gemelli hospital for severe breathing problems. Michele Norris talks to John Allen of the National Catholic Reporter about the latest news from the Vatican. Allen says the Pope seemed alert and in good condition.

Shiite gunmen in Najaf abandon a cease-fire with U.S. forces, as revered Shiite leader Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani returns to the city. Thousands of Sistani's supporters march to Najaf, many cheering the militia's cause. Attacks in Kufa and Najaf kill dozens of marchers. Hear NPR's Ivan Watson.

The U.S. Mint unveils a new design for the nickel. The new coin features a tightly cropped close-up of Thomas Jefferson on the front and an American bison on the back -- marking the buffalo's return to the five-cent coin for the first time since 1938.

The Boy Scouts of America recently reaffirmed its longtime policy of excluding openly gay members. While some praised the group, a growing number of adult Eagle Scouts are returning their badges in protest of the policy, including Kelsey Timmerman, who worries about the moral integrity of the BSA.

Amid new economic challenges, some Italian wine makers turn away from the mass global wine market to develop wines that appeal to specialty markets. The emphasis is on skill and individuality -- and a return to grapes that had fallen out of favor.

The space shuttle Discovery lands at the Kennedy Space Center after a successful visit to the International Space Station. NASA now turns its attention to the launch of Atlantis. That mission may go as early as Aug. 27 and will haul a major addition to the space station.