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Around the Nation
2:46 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

Peace Pilgrim's 28-Year Walk For 'A Meaningful Way Of Life'

Originally published on Tue January 8, 2013 2:19 pm

In 1953, Mildred Norman set off from the Rose Bowl parade on New Year's Day with a goal of walking the entire country for peace. She left her given name behind and took up a new identity: Peace Pilgrim.

When Peace Pilgrim started out, the Korean War was still under way, and an ominous threat of a nuclear attack was on the minds of many Americans. And so, with "Peace Pilgrim" written across her chest, she began walking "coast to coast for peace."

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Remembrances
2:28 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

A Tribute To The Remarkable Lives We Lost In 2012

Originally published on Tue January 8, 2013 2:22 pm

In 2012, the nation mourned the deaths of some extremely influential individuals — from singer Whitney Houston to astronaut Neil Armstrong, writer Maurice Sendak and TV personality Dick Clark.

Each year, Talk of the Nation reaches out to colleagues at NPR for help remembering some of the remarkable men and woman who did not make the front page when they died, but whose lives still made a significant impact.

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Africa
2:18 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

Congo Fighting Leaves A Fragile City On Edge

Originally published on Mon December 31, 2012 8:16 pm

Goma, a city on the eastern border of the Congo, has been a magnet for war refugees for nearly two decades. And in an expanding camp for displaced people, called Mugunga I, school principal Emmanuel Kibanja Miteso holds up a three-ring binder that reflects the history of war here.

The pages are a logbook for parent-teacher conferences. Every time fighting flares in the region, people flood into the displacement camps and the roster of names swells in the principal's binder.

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NPR Story
1:49 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

President Obama Speaks On The 'Fiscal Cliff'

Originally published on Mon December 31, 2012 4:58 pm

Republicans and Democrats have until midnight tonight to avoid going off the so-called fiscal cliff. If they can't reach an agreement by then, automatic tax hikes and spending cuts will kick in.

Music Interviews
1:49 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

Miguel: An 'Honest Introduction' To An R&B Star

Credit Courtesy of the artist
Miguel, whose album Kaleidoscope Dream was released in 2012, is nominated for five Grammy Awards.

Originally published on Mon December 31, 2012 7:55 pm

The Two-Way
1:22 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

Coming Up: Obama To Comment On 'Fiscal Cliff' Talks

Originally published on Mon December 31, 2012 10:30 pm

  • NPR's coverage of President Obama's comments on the "fiscal cliff" talks

Update at 9:45 p.m. Deal Reached

Vice President Joe Biden was meeting late Monday with Senate Democrats to brief them on a proposed deal to stop sharp tax increases and spending cuts. A source told NPR the deal with congressional Democratic and Republican leaders includes a mix of both.

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The Salt
1:00 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

Why We Toast: Uncorking A New Year's Tradition

Credit Fox Photos / Getty Images
A happy-looking 1930s couple toasts.

Originally published on Mon December 31, 2012 1:42 pm

The act of toasting feels natural: You lift your arms in affirmation and drink in honor of an occasion or a loved one.

It's what millions will do this week as they ring in the New Year, but why? Like shaking hands or saluting, toasting is a habit with incredibly foggy beginnings, so we here at The Salt decided to dig into it, for the sake of science.

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It's All Politics
12:53 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

Arizona Democrat Kirkpatrick Making Capitol Hill Comeback

Credit Ralph Freso / AP
Rep.-elect Ann Kirkpatrick, D-Ariz., enters a room full of supporters on Election Day, Nov. 6, in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Originally published on Mon December 31, 2012 7:55 pm

She won. She lost. She won again.

Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick will represent Arizona's 1st Congressional District when she returns to Washington this week after sitting out a term. This time around, Kirkpatrick hopes to strengthen her foothold in a swing district, but she's dealing with a tricky electorate.

First elected to the House in 2008, Kirkpatrick turned a red district blue. Then in 2010, the backlash against President Obama and his health care plan hurt her. So, a Republican dentist from Flagstaff took her seat for a term.

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The Two-Way
12:51 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

China Kicks Out 'New York Times' Reporter

Originally published on Mon December 31, 2012 1:56 pm

China has effectively expelled a reporter working for The New York Times by refusing to extend his media credentials, the newspaper said Monday.

The reporter, Chris Buckley, has been forced to leave China, New York Times Executive Editor Jill Abramson said in a statement.

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Krulwich Wonders...
12:26 pm
Mon December 31, 2012

Another Year And I'm Still Here: A New Year's Meditation

Credit Rogier Wieland / Vimeo

Originally published on Tue January 1, 2013 12:17 pm

Updated Jan. 1, 2013: I've added a postscript to this post. You can find it at the bottom of this page.

Look at yourself. Right now.

You are muscle,skin, bone, brain, blood, warmed by energy, and all of you, every cell, even the subsets of those cells, all trillions and trillions of them, are going to tire, waste and depart. In 10 years almost every bit of you will have been replaced by new bits.

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