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Reporting from the Afghan capital Kabul, Morning Edition's Renee Montagne talks to Afghanistan's Deputy Foreign Minister Jawed Ludin about the strategic partnership recently negotiated between the U.S., and the case Afghanistan will be making for future economic support.

Unlike the United States, Germany never had a housing bubble. Its mortgage market is too tightly regulated. But some German banks did lose a lot of money in the financial crisis. The network of institutions called landesbanks have became a cautionary tale about risky investing.

European banks' efforts to clean up their balance sheets could actually end up hurting the continent's already-battered economy, the International Monetary Fund warns. Banks may be afraid to lend, which would hit troubled countries like Italy and Spain hard.

Mitt Romney's superPAC is spending upward of $4 million on TV ads in nine key swing states in its first major media buy of the general election. One ad emphasizes Romney's compassion and generosity. But some say it may overstate the importance of his actions in helping a colleague's daughter.

In Italy, the budgets of state-run museums, archaeological sites and libraries are among the hardest hit by the government's tough austerity measures. One museum director is protesting by systematically burning pieces from his museum.

Back in 2008, Zimbabwe's inflation rate was estimated at 79 billion percent. To cure hyperinflation, Zimbabwe ditched its own currency in favor of U.S. dollars. There's only one problem: Those constantly circulating dollars are now filthy and falling apart.

Indonesia, the country with the world's largest number of active volcanoes, is looking to geothermal energy as a clean and reliable source for the future. But making it economically feasible is a political hot potato.

Many families who lost artwork during the Holocaust have long sought to reclaim their treasures. They could face a new obstacle. Proposed legislation in Congress would protect museums from their claims.

On Tuesday, Wisconsin voters will decide whether Republican Scott Walker becomes just the third governor recalled from office in U.S. history. But as NPR's David Schaper reports, some now wonder whether the intensity of the left has been eclipsed by the resolve of the right.

Banks are often accused of dragging their feet when a homeowner wants to sell for less than the balance on the mortgage. New federal guidelines, though, could now push them to approve those "short sales" faster. But skeptics worry the new rules won't make a big difference.