Search results for

Farai Chideya talks to Slate contributor Jude Stewart, reporting from Berlin, about an unexpected New Year's Eve tradition in Germany. Every year, tens of millions watch an old British television comedy sketch called "Dinner for One."

The daughter of artist Walter Inglis Anderson lost her home as Katrina ravaged the family's compound. But the return of birds to the Gulf prompts this: "Emily Dickinson said hope is a thing with feathers... I think the birds are like that for me."

Turkey hosts the longest stretch of a new transnational pipeline that will carry oil from the Caspian Sea to the Mediterranean. Construction is nearly a year behind schedule and financial disagreements over the project may cause further delays.

Millions of people enter the United States by avoiding inhabited areas, crossing fragile desert and mountain ecosystems. Often, they burn wood, leave trash and create trails. And pursuing them, the Border Patrol chews up the landscape with motorcycles, ATVs and SUVs.

In North Carolina, tobacco auctions were once festive occasions, where the smell of money competed with the scent of newly dried tobacco. But those days are over. And once-busy auctioneers like Gregg Goins and Steve Nelms are left to adapt to what's next.

For workers with traditional pension plans, this was the year many had to face a harsh reality. About a quarter of a million people saw their pensions turned over to a government corporation, meaning lower benefits in the future.

Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleads guilty to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion charges. Abramoff is at the center of a political corruption scandal that's been growing for more than a year. He is expected to help Justice Department investigators.

Twelve of 13 men are dead in one of the worst mining accidents in years. The White House has promised a full investigation of the disaster. Major questions remain: What sparked the blast that trapped the miners? And why weren't mistaken reports of a miracle rescue corrected more quickly?

The recent mining disaster at West Virginia's Sago Mine has raised new questions about safety in an industry that has long been among the most dangerous in America.

In part two of All Things Considered's look at abortion today, we look at a New Hampshire abortion notification law case before the Supreme Court and public opinion. Then, we take a broader look at other abortion-related cases that might come before the high court in the future.