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In 2002, with rural unrest spreading, Chinese authorities permitted more local elections. Wan Shuguang, a peasant in central China, was elected village chief. He tried to make government more transparent, especially in financial matters. As his three-year term ends, his optimism has ebbed.

The percentage of Evangelical Christian chaplains in the military is higher than their faith's representation in the ranks. The military directs them not to proselytize, but many say that would force them to deny a basic tenet of their faith.

Newsweek says it is retracting its report that a copy of the Quran was flushed down a toilet by U.S. personnel at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, during an interrogation. The original report drew significant criticism from the U.S. government and was blamed for deadly protests in Afghanistan.

In its semi-annual report to Congress, the Treasury Department urges China to overhaul its currency system. Critics accuse Beijing of keeping the value of the yuan artificially low to boost exports.

A new Maine initiative seeks to change the culture of competitiveness for student athletes, especially at the middle and high school level. The project urges coaches and parents to acknowledge negative behaviors surrounding school sports, and make a public pledge to change them.

Satirists Kluger and Slavin come up with a line of movie merchandising for the older Star Wars fans. Since the franchise is now over 25 years old, the veteran fans don't need action figures, they need Depends.

One year ago today, Massachusetts became the first and only state in the nation to allow same-sex couples to marry. Since then, more than 6,000 gay and lesbian couples across the state have taken their marriage vows.

John Allen, Vatican correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter, discusses the growth of the global Catholic church and what the election of a non-traditional, non-European pope would mean for the papacy. More than two-thirds of the world's Catholics live in Africa, Latin America and other countries in the developing world.

Recent comments by two Roman Catholic cardinals have some scientists wondering if the church is changing its position on evolution. For more than half a century, the Vatican has said evolution is compatible with Catholic theology. But now what was thought to be settled doctrine doesn't seem so settled.

Israel masses tanks and troops on the border with the Gaza Strip and is threatening to invade if Palestinian militants continue rocket attacks on Israeli settlers. On Monday, militants launched more rocket and mortar fire, which Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has vowed to stop.