KIOS - Site Search | 91.5 KIOS-FM Omaha Public Radio

Massive government surveillance of Americans' phone and Internet activity is drawing protests from civil liberties groups, but major legal obstacles stand in the way of any full-blown court hearing on the practice. Among them: government claims that national security secrets will be revealed if the cases are allowed to proceed.

5 Things To Know About The NSA's Surveillance Activities

Leaks by Edward Snowden, the former National Security Agency contractor, revealed the agency was monitoring vast amounts of telephone and Internet conversations both in the U.S. and around the world. The revelations have sparked a debate over the scope of the NSA's activities and whether they are legal.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton speaks with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif before the start of two days of closed-door nuclear talks at the U.N. offices in Geneva, Switzerland, on Thursday.

World Headlines: Guarded Optimism As Iran, West Meet Again

In other news, Colombia's president says he will press on with talks with FARC rebels, and Tajikistan's president wins re-election with more than 83 percent of the vote.

Pakistani Taliban chief Hakimullah Mehsud (left) with his commander Wali-ur Rehman in South Waziristan, in October 2009.

Pakistan Slams U.S. Over Drone Strike Against Taliban Chief

The country's interior minister said the attack was aimed at derailing peace talks with the militant group. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said the drone strike was "an attack on regional peace by America."

Crimeans Vote In Secession Referendum

Crimea votes on a referendum that would set the stage for secession from Ukraine. Correspondent Gregory Warner joins NPR's Rachel Martin to describe the atmosphere Simferopol.

Hussein and Suha Abu Khdeir (center), parents of 16-year-old Palestinian victim Mohammed Abu Khdeir, hold posters with their son's portrait after the verdict was read in Jerusalem.

2 Israeli Teens Found Guilty In 2014 Killing Of Palestinian Youth

The teens are expected to be sentenced in January. A ruling on the accused ringleader, 31-year-old Yosef Haim Ben-David, has been delayed.

The Latest On The Hostage Crisis In Mali

NPR's Steven Inskeep speaks with reporter Ofeibea Quist-Arcton to learn more about the hostage crisis at a hotel in Bamako, Mali, and the ensuing siege by special forces.

The U.S. Refugee Screening Process 'Works'

NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with Anne Richard, Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees and Migration, about the screening process refugees go through before entering the United States.

Syrian has come under increasing international pressure in recent days. On Monday, Syrians protested in the capital Damascus against the Arab League's decision to impose sanctions. Syria has also come under sharp criticism from an independent commission that accused the security forces of systematically carrying out abuses against anti-government demonstrators.

Report Says Syrian Forces Have Killed 256 Children

According to the report, the Syrian security forces have been involved in torture, sexual violence and other abuses against unarmed protesters.

Sakina sits with her 18-month-old son, Shafiq, at a women's shelter in Bamiyan, in central Afghanistan, last October. Sakina spent seven months in prison for leaving a forced marriage. The Afghan government recently backed down from a plan to take control of women's shelters, and women's groups are hailing it as a victory.

Afghan Women Fight Back, Preserve Shelters

Women's groups in Afghanistan rose up in protest when the government said it was planning to take control of women's shelters. After months of discussion, the government backed down. The shelters will remain independent and are able to receive money from donors.

Russia's leading political party, United Russia, called for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin (left) and and President Dmitry Medvedev to effectively switch jobs when Russia holds elections next year. Putin previously served as president from 1999-2008.

Will U.S.-Russia Reset Survive A Putin Presidency?

President Obama has invested heavily in a "reset" of relations with Russia. But some believe those ties could be strained if Vladimir Putin again becomes Russia's president.

Search results for