Around the Nation
3:41 am
Sun September 16, 2012

Still Home Sweet Home More Than A Century Later

Originally published on Sun September 16, 2012 5:36 am

This year, the Homestead Act of 1862 turned 150. That landmark piece of legislation opened up the Western territories to settlement. Almost anybody could receive up to 160 acres for free if they built a house and "improved" the land over the course of five years. Millions took part, and eventually, more than 10 percent of all U.S. land was given away.

A German peasant named Frederick Wohler was one of those early homesteaders. Wohler received the deed to 80 acres of farmland in north-central Kansas 138 years ago this weekend. And today, the Wohlers are still there.

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Around the Nation
3:23 am
Sun September 16, 2012

Many Texans Bereaved Over 'Dead' Voter Purge

Originally published on Sun September 16, 2012 5:36 am

Quite a few Texas voters are seeing dead people in the mirror these days when they go to brush their teeth in the morning.

In Houston, high school nurse Terry Collins got a letter informing her that after 34 years of voting she was off the Harris County rolls. Sorry.

"Friday of last week, I got a letter saying that my voting registration would be revoked because I'm deceased, I'm dead. I was like, 'Oh, no I'm not!' " Collins says.

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Politics
3:21 am
Sun September 16, 2012

Congress Bets On Post-Election Edge, Delaying Action

Originally published on Sun September 16, 2012 5:36 am

Congress roared into town last week after a five-week break. Lawmakers will be heading back home just as quickly this week. They're expected to complete exactly one big item before pulling the plug on this briefest of sessions: a stopgap spending measure that keeps the government from shutting down during the next six months.

Members of both parties prefer tackling the mountain of unfinished business they leave behind only after the November election.

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Africa
3:20 am
Sun September 16, 2012

Rwandan Economy Makes Unlikely Climb In Rank

Credit Tiziana Fabi / AFP/Getty Images
Rwanda's President Paul Kagame at the International Fund for Agricultural Development headquarters in Rome in February. Changes in agriculture have been part of the country's economic growth.

Originally published on Tue September 18, 2012 6:52 am

East Africa is a tough place to do business. Want to open shop in Kenya? Prepare for a month of paper work, surly officials and bribes. To the west, in Rwanda, it's a different story.

"Registering a business takes just a matter of hours. It no longer takes months, weeks, as it used to be," says Rwandan President Paul Kagame.

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The Two-Way
8:43 pm
Sat September 15, 2012

Attackers Of Base In Afghanistan Wore U.S. Uniforms

Originally published on Sat September 15, 2012 6:29 pm

Coalition authorities say the insurgents that attacked British military base Camp Bastion in Afghanistan, which killed two U.S. Marines, were wearing U.S. Army uniforms.

In a statement released by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), they said the attack by the 15 insurgents, who were organized into three teams, was well coordinated and that the insurgents were "trained and rehearsed."

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Music
2:47 pm
Sat September 15, 2012

In South Korea, K-Pop Gets New King

Credit Courtesy of the artist
Korean rapper PSY is responsible for the song Gangam Style, whose flashy and humorous video has brought K-pop to new ears.

Originally published on Tue September 18, 2012 9:24 am

Middle East
1:58 pm
Sat September 15, 2012

Does Middle East Unrest Go Beyond Film?

Originally published on Sat September 15, 2012 2:48 pm

This week, an American-made film mocking Islam sparked violent anti-U.S. protests across the Middle East and beyond. Weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz gets the latest from NPR's Leila Fadel who is in Benghazi, Libya. And while the unrest appears to be abating for now, the question becomes whether the backlash is about something deeper than the film. Raz talks about it with Steven Cook of the Council on Foreign Relations and Rami Khouri of Harvard's Belfer Center.

Pop Culture
1:58 pm
Sat September 15, 2012

Meet 'The Most Interesting Man In The World'

Credit Courtesy of Anderson Group Public Relations
Jonathan Goldsmith plays "The Most Interesting Man in the World" in beer company Dos Equis' ad campaign. The audition, he says, "was a cattle call."

Originally published on Sun September 16, 2012 12:50 am

Author Interviews
1:40 pm
Sat September 15, 2012

Embracing Diversity In A 'Multi-Faith World'

Originally published on Sat September 15, 2012 2:48 pm

Time magazine named author and pastor Brian McLaren one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America.

McLaren has written more than 20 books, and he is a principal figure in the Emerging Church, a Christian movement that rejects the organized and institutional church in favor of a more modern, accepting community.

McLaren's new book is called Why Did Jesus, Moses, the Buddha and Mohammed Cross the Road?: Christian Identity in a Multi-Faith World.

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Politics
1:03 pm
Sat September 15, 2012

Obama Polishes His 'Regular Guy' Image With Beer

Credit Joshua Roberts / Getty Images
President Obama toasts others at the Dubliner Restaurant and Pub in Washington, D.C., on March 17.

Originally published on Sat September 15, 2012 2:48 pm

There's an old shorthand for likeability in politics: "Which candidate would you rather have a beer with?"

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