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The ancient desert town of Timbuktu is under assault in the west African nation of Mali. Islamist forces have taken over much of northern Mali where Timbuktu is located. One group, allied with al-Qaida, has begun systematically destroying Shrines that celebrate ancient Muslim saints. Human Rights Watch Senior Researcher Corinne Dufka talks to Renee Montagne about the destruction.

Host Scott Simon talks sports with ESPN's Howard Bryant about whether this is LeBron James' make-or-break moment and no-hitters in baseball.

When complete, Interstate 69 will provide a direct route from Mexico to Canada through the Midwest. Indiana must build miles of road to complete its leg of the project, but funding for the necessary construction is dwindling.

With the euro-crisis well into its third year, the leaders of the four major eurozone countries tried once again in Rome to reach agreement on how to salvage the single currency. For the first time, the focus shifted away from austerity to growth and job creation. But as NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports, agreement was not reached on how to end the sovereign debt crisis.

Supporters of Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Morsi are in Cairo's Tarir Square celebrating their candidate's win in the presidential election. But questions remain about whether the new president will create an Islamist-dominated government. Soraya Sarhaddi Nelson Guy Raz

The eerie stencil paintings of human hands in Spanish caves might not be from humans at all. New dating methods of the paintings suggest some of the cave art could have been drawn by Neanderthals.

The mortgage giant sought to buy influence in Washington with discounts given to lawmakers and their aides, a new House report concludes. It also says Countrywide may have "skirted the federal bribery statute."

The United Nations Special Representative for children and armed conflict has put the Syrian military and its allied shabiha militias on its "list of shame" this year. The report says that children as young as 9 years old have been killed, arrested, tortured and used as human shields.

Melissa Block talks with New York Times banking reporter Jessica Silver-Greenberg. They discuss JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, and his ties to Washington. Dimon testified on Capitol Hill Wednesday that he could not defend the hedging strategy that resulted in a multibillion dollar trading loss in May.

A scientific journal has finally published the details of how to make mutant forms of bird flu. These viruses were created last year by a lab that's trying to stay ahead of a possible flu pandemic, so that the world can get ready. But the work is highly controversial. The government is grappling with how to manage the risks of this kind of research without blocking scientific progress.