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During the Great Depression, many people fled the drought-stricken region that stretched from Nebraska to the Texas panhandle. The struggles of those who stayed are the subject of a book by New York Times reporter Timothy Egan.

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."

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.

Brazilian Bossa Nova legend Sergio Mendes teams up with Black Eyed Peas front man Will.i.am to make hip-hop with a Brazilian flavor. Renee Montagne interviews Mendes and Will.i.am about the album Timeless.

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.

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.

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.

The historian, soon to turn 91, says he always hopes for "a better life... not merely for me, but for all of us," adding: "The only way we can have real peace and happiness in this country and in the world is for everybody to have peace and happiness. And that's what I want."

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?