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German Baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau has died — he was 86. Fischer-Dieskau began performing in the 1940s and had a career spanning five decades. He was perhaps best known for his interpretation of Franz Schubert's "Winterreise."

The privately funded, unmanned spacecraft was attempting its first flight to the International Space Station. The spacecraft had a one-second window to take off, and the failed launch means it won't be trying again for at least a few days.

It may seem like a long shot, but that's exactly what Peter Thiel invests in. The Silicon Valley venture capitalist, who co-founded PayPal and was an early investor in Facebook, has said his support for Ron Paul is the best chance for now to encourage a libertarian movement.

Hundreds of Turkish women die each year at the hands of men, often their husband or a family member, and many more are routinely abused. Activists say the police and legal response has been dismal. One group has issued a controversial proposal: arming at-risk women and training them in self-defense.

The Group of Eight is meeting at Camp David this weekend. The setting is leisurely, but there's nothing relaxing about the timing of the summit. While leaders may agree about the need for growth in the debt-ridden European economy, addressing the crisis is easier said than done.

Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng and his family have been cleared to leave China and travel to the U.S. They are scheduled to land in Newark, N.J., on Saturday afternoon. Host Scott Simon talks with NPR's Frank Langfitt about the latest developments.

This week's G-8 summit comes at a time when all of the member countries face tough economic and political problems. Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group, questioned what the G-8 can accomplish in an article for ForeignPolicy.com. Host Scott Simon talks with Bremmer about whether the group still matters.

Zimbabwe's 2008 elections were marred by extreme violence. In the aftermath, the country's two main political parties were forced to share power. Now, elections are once again on the horizon. As Anders Kelto reports, the violence is escalating while many are still trying to heal.

With NASA's help, SpaceX is trying to send the first commercial spaceship to the International Space Station. The launch was aborted Saturday morning, but there will be another opportunity on Tuesday. Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce.

Katie Beckett died Friday morning in the same hospital where she'd once made history. Beckett was 3 years old when her case changed health care law. She was 34 when she died. NPR's Joseph Shapiro explains why she was important to other children with disabilities.