Morning Edition for December 31, 2013 : NPR

Despite The Headlines, Chicago's Crime Rate Fell In 2013

Pictures of Chicago residents who have died by gunfire are posted on the city's South Side. Scott Olson/Getty Images hide caption

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Scott Olson/Getty Images

Despite The Headlines, Chicago's Crime Rate Fell In 2013

by Cheryl Corley

Despite The Headlines, Chicago's Crime Rate Fell In 2013

Listen · 5:59 5:59

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New England Town Budgets Feel The Force Of 3 Major Storms

by Tom Porter

New England Town Budgets Feel The Force Of 3 Major Storms

Listen · 2:56 2:56

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Pharrell Williams On Juxtaposition And Seeing Sounds

Pharrell Williams. Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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Courtesy of the artist

Pharrell Williams On Juxtaposition And Seeing Sounds

by NPR Staff

Pharrell Williams On Juxtaposition And Seeing Sounds

Listen · 7:47 7:47

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Would-Be Robber Rejects Victim's Flip Phone

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Kiwi Gardner Gets A Break, Told To 'Go At The Rim'

by Tom Goldman

Kiwi Gardner Gets A Break, Told To 'Go At The Rim'

Listen · 3:59 3:59

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Nothing Focuses The Mind Like The Ultimate Deadline: Death

Could a countdown to death help you lead a more ecstatic life? Daniel Horowitz for NPR hide caption

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Daniel Horowitz for NPR

Nothing Focuses The Mind Like The Ultimate Deadline: Death

by Lulu Miller

Nothing Focuses The Mind Like The Ultimate Deadline: Death

Listen · 8:29 8:29

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Electricity Use Drops In U.S. For 3rd Year In A Row

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Commercial Drone Testing Sites Chosen By FAA

by Ryan Delaney

Commercial Drone Testing Sites Chosen By FAA

Listen · 1:35 1:35

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Connecticut Plagued By Soaring Foreclosure Rate

by Kaomi Goetz

Connecticut Plagued By Soaring Foreclosure Rate

Listen · 3:12 3:12

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Local Brewery Has Starbucks Frothing Over Stout's Name

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Syria To Miss Deadline To Remove Chemical Weapons Stockpile

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What Israel's Release Of Palestinian Prisoners Means For Peace

Freed Palestinian prisoner Omar Masoud served 20 years of a minimum 90-year sentence for killing Ian Feinberg, an Israeli, in 1993. Israel freed Masoud in October as part of a political deal to restart peace negotiations with the Palestinians. Emily Harris/NPR hide caption

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Emily Harris/NPR

Middle East

What Israel's Release Of Palestinian Prisoners Means For Peace

by Emily Harris

What Israel's Release Of Palestinian Prisoners Means For Peace

Listen · 4:04 4:04

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Bon Voyage, Voyager: Old Friends Take Stock

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Space

Bon Voyage, Voyager: Old Friends Take Stock

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Bon Voyage, Voyager: Old Friends Take Stock

Listen · 3:55 3:55

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Blessed Feathers. CJ Foeckler/Courtesy of the artist hide caption

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CJ Foeckler/Courtesy of the artist

Music

Blessed Feathers: Nomadic And Loving It

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National

Giant Peach, Cheese Wedge To Ring In New Year

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In Memoriam 2013: remembering some of the greats who died this year. NPR hide caption

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NPR

Music News

In Memoriam: 2013

by NPR Staff

In Memoriam: 2013

Listen · 3:57 3:57

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Television

'Big Bang Theory' Owes Its Success To Classic TV

by Eric Deggans

'Big Bang Theory' Owes Its Success To Classic TV

Listen · 2:41 2:41

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Number Of The Year

10,000 Year Clock Challenges Approach To Time

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Pop Culture

American Dialect Society To Vote On Word Of The Year

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68 Of 2013's Biggest Pop Songs In 5 Minutes

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Music

68 Of 2013's Biggest Pop Songs In 5 Minutes

by NPR Staff

Here Are 68 Of 2013's Biggest Songs In 5 1/2 Minutes

Listen · 3:20 3:20

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