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Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan - home to thousands of Syrians fleeing their war-torn country. With no end in sight, the UN announced on Sunday that the number of registered Syrian refugees has reached 1.5 million - and is set to double by the end of the year. Syria's population is 23 million. UNHCR's representative in Jordan, Andrew Harper, said entire towns were fleeing the country. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE TO JORDAN, ANDREW HARPER, SAYING: "We're seeing that number increase by 10,000 plus per day, and we see no let-up in sight." Jordan has taken in more than 530,000 refugees since the start of the conflict, with Zaatari camp alone hosting more than 150,000. The numbers present a huge challenge. (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNHCR REPRESENTATIVE TO JORDAN, ANDREW HARPER, SAYING: "We're talking of basically having to provide the necessary means for the population of the size of many countries around the world. It's a disaster, i

(ROUGH CUT -- NO REPORTER NARRATION) Pope Francis warned the Catholic Church to not close in on itself at a mass to mark Pentecost Sunday (May 19) attended by more than 200,000 people, urging the faithful to be open and present in a new and changing world. "Newness always makes us a bit fearful, because we feel more secure if we have everything under control, if we are the ones who build, programme and plan our lives in accordance with our own ideas," Francis said during the mass in a packed St Peter's Square. He also said the Church should ask itself daily whether it is resisting new challenges or remained "barricaded in ancient structures". The Pentecostal mass marks the day the Church says the Holy Spirit descended on Christ's apostles, or disciples, and is regarded as the birthday of the Church. Later he toured the square in an open-top white vehicle, greeting cheering crowds and kissing young children. Since his election in March as the leader o

Protesters in Taiwan rally against nuclear energy. Hundreds flooded the streets of Taipei on Sunday to demand that the government halt the construction of a controversial nuclear power plant. The facility, already 90 percent complete, has sparked outrage among many Taiwan nationals. The protest comes just ahead of the inauguration of President Ma Ying-jeou. This woman says she is upset that nuclear waste could end up near residential areas. UPSOT STUDENT And this student is saying officials should look into safer forms of alternative energy. Many legislators agree with them - a referendum on the future of the plant could take place later this year. Taiwan already has three nuclear plants which combined produce almost 20 percent of the country's power.

Casting their ballots in Pakistan - finally. One week after the country's general election, residents of this Karachi neighbourhood vote for a new government. Some were prevented from voting on May 11, during what was at times a violent and chaotic ballot. The vote comes a day after a prominent local politician, Zarah Shahid Hussain, was fatally shot outside her home. She was a leading member of Pakistan Tehrik Insaf, a party headed by former cricket star Imran Khan. Supporters denounced the killing and paid tribute to the voters. (SOUNDBITE)(English) SHAH MEHMOOD QURESHI, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF PAKISTAN TEHREEK-E-INSAF, SAYING: "I would like to pay my tribute to the voters of NA-250. Who have come out to vote despite the threats that have been received. Despite the brutal murder of our (provincial) senior vice president Zahra Hussain." A handful of constituencies across the country are holding new votes amid allegations of ballot-riggi

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad repeats a familiar refrain. In an interview with Argentine newspaper Clarin Saturday, Assad again blamed "terrorists" for the civil war in his country and expressed doubts that peace talks could halt the violence. Referring to rebel fighters seeking to force his government out, Assad said he would only meet with unarmed opposition groups. He also insisted he would not resign. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic subtitles with Spanish voiceover translation) SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD SAYING: "We said from the beginning that we are prepared to talk with forces inside or outside of Syria. We don't have a problem with that, but on condition that they do not carry weapons. You cannot carry a weapon and enter into dialogue." Rebels have also expressed scepticism over mediation efforts by the US and Assad ally Russia. The outlook for talks grew dimmer Friday as the US admonished Russia for supplying weapons to Syria and France said it

(ROUGH CUT -- NO REPORTER NARRATION) U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon voiced concern on Sunday (May 19) over North Korea's launch of short-range missiles, urging Pyongyang to refrain from further launches and return to stalled nuclear talks with world powers. Ban, who spoke to Russian state news agency RIA Novosti during a visit to Moscow, called North Korea's launch of three short-range missiles from its east coast on Saturday a "provocative action". "We have been very much concerned about these continuing provocative measures by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Of course you know, I know that South Korea authorities, and all other neighbouring countries must have been following the situation very closely. I have been briefed about this. This time I know that they have launched the three short range missiles. I only hope that DPRK authorities will refrain from taking further such measures. It's time for them to return to the dialogue, to reduce the tensio

(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION) Man is in deep crisis, Pope Francis told a huge crowd of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square for an evening vigil on Saturday (May 18). According to Vatican estimates some 250,000 people packed into St. Peter's Square and nearby streets for the evening prayers ahead of Pentecost Sunday. The faithful broke into cheers and applause as Pope Francis arrived on his open-back jeep and was driven through the crowds to greet them close up. The event itself featured testimonials from Irish writer John Waters and Pakistani minister Paul Bhatti, whose brother, then Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian, was killed by the Taliban in 2011. The pope on Saturday morning held held talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Vatican and earlier in the week issued a strong call for world financial reform, condemning a heartless "dictatorship of the economy" and saying the economic crisis had made life worse fo

(ROUGH CUT ONLY - NO REPORTER NARRATION) Thousands of Chileans took to the streets of downtown Santiago to show their support of legalizing marijuana on Saturday (May 18). An estimated 30,000 people participated in the ninth annual pro-marijuana march. The last cannabis-specific legislation to make it through the Chilean Congress was approved in 2005, after a failed bill was proposed in 2003 partially decriminalizing marijuana for personal and private consumption. The legislation penalised its use in groups and the growth of the plant and its delivery and sale in any form. Support for full legalization has been growing with some 79 percent of respondents in one recent survey in favour of legalizing cannabis.

Indonesia's public health industry is being pushed to the brink of collapse as the government tries to implement universal healthcare. When the initiative launched in Jakarta last year, millions were given medical access overnight. But the city's hospitals have been overwhelmed. Some doctors say patient numbers have soared from 300 to 700 every day. Lisa Darawati's twin daughters died in February from respiratory complications. They had been rejected from 10 hospitals which were either too crowded or lacked equipment. Critics say the government has failed to properly spread the programme's message, so patients flock to hospitals rather than going to clinics for referral. Health Minister Nafsiah Mboi says overcrowding is exaggerated. SOUNDBITE: (English) INDONESIA HEALTH MINISTER NAFSIAH MBOI SAYING: "Not many patients have been turned away. More patients have received treatment and good treatment. only few people were turned away an

Police outside the Karachi home of a politician gunned down by unknown assailants. Zahra Shahid Hussain was the senior vice president of the PTI, the same party as Imran Kahn. Hussain who was seriously wounded, died on her way to the hospital Nadir Abdul Leghari heads the Sindh branch of PTI. SOUNDBITE: Nadir Abdul Leghari, President of the Sindh branch of PTI. "A defenseless woman has been killed. And now the security is alert. I can't understand what kind of situation it is going to be. The way this violence is increasing in Pakistan, how will we stop it? People are killed daily, lives are lost daily, and no one is there to question." Grieving relatives and PTI workers gathered outside hospital late in the evening. Hussain's murder comes a day before Pakistan is set to hold a highly contested re-polling at 43 stations in Karachi following last week's general election.

Investigators descended on the site of a train crash that injured dozens in Connecticut. They're searching for clues about what may caused one of the trains to derail and crash into another. U.S. safety officials have lauched a probe into the incident. SOUNDBITE: Earl Weener, National Transportation Safety Board saying: "We will be looking at the braking performance of the train, the conditions of the wheels. We will be looking at the condition of the track and the railbed. We are looking at signaling information, downloading whatever data we can to ascertain whether or not they were operating properly. In terms of the train operation, we will be looking at how the crew behaved and how the crew operated the train." The crash during rushhour on Friday sent 60 people to the hospital. SOUNDBITE: Earl Weener, National Transportation Safety Board, Saying : "We will not be determining the probable cause of the accident while we're here on scene, nor

Fighter jets unleashed clusters of rockets on towns outside Damascus, in this latest video posted to a social media website whose content Reuters cannot independently verify. The air assaults filled the streets of Yabroud with smoke and debris and fires that locals struggled to contain. Douma, another community outside of the capital bore the brunt of the attack which peeled away walls and left many of the buildings still standing, exposed. The hunt for survivors inside uncovered children of all ages --- most of them still covered in dust. It isn't clear at this point, how many people were injured or killed. International efforts to put an end to the violence in Syria have been plagued by diplomatic rifts and stalemates despite mounting concerns about chemical weapons and a soaring death toll.

Clashes broke out between anti-government protesters and riot police in the Turkish border town of Reyhanli on Saturday. Hundreds of protesters gathered in the streets after twin car bomb attacks killed dozens and wounded many more here a week ago. They say the government didn't do enough to prevent the attacks or provide security at the border with Syria. The demonstration began peacefully but descended into confrontation and clashes after riot police blocked the road. Reyhanli has seen an influx of thousands of Syrians fleeing the conflict in their country. Cross-border shelling from Syria into Turkey and the Syrian shooting down of a Turkish warplane has also increased friction between Ankara and Damascus. Ankara has blamed Syrian intelligence for orchestrating the bombings - a claim Syria denies.

Firefighters battle to extinguish the flames in this plane's landing gear. The jet, carrying 140 passengers, caught fire while landing at Moscow's Vnukovo airport on Saturday. A passenger on the aircraft says he saw the plane's wheel burning. (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PLANE PASSENGER DMITRY VISHKEVICH, SAYING: "It turned out that the back left leg of the landing gear was burning, the wheel. The cover was broken. The fire brigade was extinguishing the flames. Some of the people were still evacuating on the ramp, while others were evacuating from the wing." No one was hurt in the incident, the latest in a litany of air traffic accidents in Russia, which holds some of the world's worst air-traffic safety records.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel meets Pope Francis on Saturday and calls for stronger regulation of financial markets to counter the problems that have rocked the global economy. Merkel made a lightning visit to Rome specifically to meet the pontiff and spoke with him privately in his library for 45 minutes, unusually long for a private papal audience. Merkel, the daughter of a Lutheran minister, said she and Francis had spoken mainly about globalisation and the role of Europe in the world. On Thursday, Francis issued a strong call for world financial reform, condemning a heartless "dictatorship of the economy" and saying the economic crisis had made life worse for millions in rich and poor countries. In his first major speech about finance since his election in March, he also urged states to take greater control of their economies and protect the weakest. Merkel gave Francis, who lived briefly in Germany when he was a Jesuit priest, three volumes of poetr