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Saturday, May 18, 2013

It's All Politics

Immigration Bill Chugs Along, But Some See Deal-Breakers

The Senate Judiciary Committee meets to work on immigration legislation on May 9.

May 18, 2013 The bipartisan immigration overhaul proposed by the Senate's Gang of Eight has been the target of scores of amendments. So far, the bill has largely held its own, but its prospects for getting through Congress are uncertain.

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Parallels

Afghan Mineral Treasures Stay Buried, Hostages To Uncertainty

An Afghan worker helps excavate part of the mountaintop copper works above the ancient city at Mes Aynak in February. Afghanistan is believed to be sitting on massive mineral and metal deposits. But many obstacles have prevented large-scale mining from getting underway.

May 18, 2013 Afghanistan is believed to be home to world-class mineral deposits, valued at up to $3 trillion and offering hope for the country's economic future. But in the current environment of uncertainty, investors are nervous and it could be many years before Afghanistan strikes pay dirt.

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Commentary

Astronaut Chris Hadfield's Most Excellent Adventure

After a half-year mission at the International Space Station, Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield lands in central Kazakhstan on Tuesday.

May 18, 2013 Hadfield just spent 146 days up at the International Space Station, during which time he performed rock concerts and shared his dazzling photographs with nearly a million Twitter followers.

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Author Interviews

Dan Brown: 'Inferno' Is 'The Book That I Would Want To Read'

Cover of Inferno

May 18, 2013 Dan Brown, author of the blockbuster The Da Vinci Code, is back with his first novel in four years. Inferno follows academic hero Robert Langdon on a chase through Italy as he attempts to avert a biological catastrophe.

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Law

Turning Up The Heat On Civil Rights-Era Cold Cases

Frank Morris (in the apron and visor) stands in front of his shoe shop in Ferriday, La., in the 1950s. He was killed when his shop burned down in 1964.

May 18, 2013 With the death of a possible suspect in one notorious case, activists are weighing the FBI's efforts to tackle cases from the 1950s and '60s. Some are calling for a congressional hearing to see whether the FBI has done enough investigating.

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Author Interviews

'That's That': A Memoir Of Loving And Leaving Northern Ireland

Cover of That's That

May 18, 2013 Colin Broderick's new memoir, That's That, chronicles his childhood in Northern Ireland during the modern-day "Troubles." Broderick says growing up in what was essentially a war zone seemed normal to him at the time.

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Americandy: Sweet Land Of Liberty

Americandy: Sweet Land Of Liberty
Melisa Goh/NPR

We're taking a cross-country tour of candies from around the U.S., sampling hometown sweets that deliver a nostalgic sugar rush.