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California hospitals are mandated to be safe in the event of a major earthquake. The institutions most vulnerable to quake damage are the state's small, rural hospitals. But many say the cost of seismic retrofitting is too expensive. Cy Musiker of member station KQED reports.

Nigerians are burying the dead killed in Friday's explosion of an oil pipeline. About 200 people died in the blast. The deadly fireball apparently occurred when people tried to tap the line for fuel.

The former U.S. poet laureate Stanley Kunitz has died. He was 100. The Pulitzer Prize-winner was known for his expressive verse, social commitment and generosity to young writers. His career spanned three-quarters of a century.

Everyone knows that oil prices are high because demand has boomed in places like China, while supply has remained stagnant or fallen. But some oil analysts are focusing on a different issue: the amount of oil that's being held off the market in storage. These analysts say the oil market has created big incentives to hold on to oil rather then sell it.

With the arrivals of Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito, the Supreme Court shifted to the right, as expected, in its just-completed term. But the shift was less dramatic because Justice Anthony Kennedy assumed a swing role.

Germany, the World Cup host country, lost 2-0 to Italy in a semi-final match Tuesday. The Italians scored twice in the match's waning moments after 118 minutes of scoreless play. The defeat left some German fans in a philosophical mood, looking forward to the next World Cup.

From the "focus" of Roman homes to the chimneys of modern homes, the history of the fireplace is a journey across Europe. Each epoch and culture has had its own method of keeping the home fires lit.

The French-Canadian theatrical company Cirque du Soleil is known for its visually spectacular shows. The company's latest show -- Love -- kicks off Friday night in Las Vegas. It's a fantasy set to 90 minutes of Beatles music.

The chance of owning a home is beyond the reach of millions of Americans. In Minnesota, community groups concerned with affordable housing are joining with prison inmates trying to resurrect careers of their own.

Everyone suddenly wants to learn Mandarin Chinese. The problem is that there are few credentialed teachers. Now the Chinese government is making plans to develop teaching partnerships with U.S. public school districts.