Arwa Gunja

As 2010 winds down, we're getting predictions for what the world will look like in 2011. All week long, we'll be talking with writers, critics, and big thinkers about topics ranging from politics to population, conflict and culture. We speak with Daniel Franklin, executive editor of the Economist and editor of the feature, “The World in 2011,” along with Joanne Lipmann, founding editor-in-cheif of Portfolio Magazine.

In her new book, "The Man Who Invented the Computer," Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jane Smiley introduces us to John Vincent Atanasoff, a physicist and mathematician who, in 1937, invented much of what we know as the modern-day computer. His creation became known as the Atanasoff-Berry Computer, also known as ABC: an invention largely overshadowed by other technological and engineering advancements. 

All this week we're talking with musical artists and experts about their favorite seasonal songs for our annual "Remixing the Holidays" series. First up: Crystal Bowersox. The American Idol runner-up had a whirlwind of a year, from earning national acclaim for her appearance and success on the Fox reality show to her recent release of her new album, "Farmer's Daughter." The 25-year-old singer says she'll be spending her first Christmas with her new family, which includes her husband and son. She talks with us about the music that reminds her of Christmas. 

Richard Holbrooke, the United States Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, passed away yesterday after undergoing a marathon surgery that failed to save his life. He was 69. Across a long career in foreign policy, Holbrooke dedicated his life to brokering peace and stability throughout the world on behalf of the United States.

Carrie Fisher, perhaps best known for her role as Princess Leia in Star Wars, is also something of a real-world Hollywood princess. As the daughter of actress Debbie Reynolds and the late Eddie Fisher, Fisher's entire career and family life have been well documented by the media. In her one-woman show, "Wishful Drinking," Fisher re-tells the stories of her life. A cut-down version of the show premiered Sunday night on HBO. We talk with Carrie Fisher about growing up in a Hollywood family, and whether she's ever outlived the Princess Leia legend.

Senate Republicans blocked what may have been one of the last real attempts to repeal the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy before Republicans take control of the House next year. But all is not lost for those supporting repeal. Yesterday outgoing speaker Nancy Pelosi tweeted: "An army of allies stands ready to pass standalone repeal in House." Currently, Democrats need only two GOP Senators to reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. In January, they will need the support of at least seven Republicans. Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich explains why this is such a crucial moment for Democrats to push through a repeal of the policy.

There's a lot of story lines happening in basketball this season. Which should we be paying attention to? The Miami Heat finally getting into its stride this season? A leader for The New York Knicks? Takeaway Sports Contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin talks about the biggest stories so far in the NBA.

In Pakistan, the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict (CIViC) is calling on the U.S. to acknowledge the number of civilians killed by drone attacks. According to the group, about 1,000 civilians have died in drone-related attacks; the U.S. says few civilians have been killed. We talk with the BBC's Aleem Maqbool, in Islamabad, for more on this story.

House Democrats rebelled Thursday against President Barack Obama's tax cut deal with Republicans, threatening to keep it off the floor. This comes after the House Democratic Caucus met yesterday and approved a motion to reject the provisions of the compromises — most notably the provisions related to the estate tax. Currently the deal struck between the President and Republicans would extend Bush-era tax cuts for the super-rich, and drastically ease the estate tax burden. We speak with the man leading the charge in the House Democratic caucus, Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.). He also weighs in on whether President Obama can count on his support in 2012. 

A soon-to-be-released film about marital drama just won a rare victory. “Blue Valentine,” starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, was initially given an NC-17 rating by the Motion Picture Association of America. The stated reason? Because the film contains “a scene of explicit sexual content.” Many people familiar with the scene described it as a fairly tame sex scene in which William's character receives oral sex. The studio and film's cast and crew appealed the rating, which was changed yesterday by the MPAA. The film is now rated R.

Thirty years ago today, music sensation John Lennon was shot and killed outside the Dakota building where he lived with his wife, Yoko Ono, in New York City. Radio reporter Tom Brook was the first British reporter on the scene. He explains his memory of that day and how Lennon's legacy continues to live on.

In a press conference yesterday, President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to the current deal on tax cuts that has been reached between the White House and Republicans in Congress. If passed, the compromise would extend Bush-era tax cuts for two years, including those for the wealthiest households. It would also extend unemployment benefits for 13 more months and give businesses a major tax break. Economists say the deal would add $900 billion to the deficit over the next two years.

President Obama has already received strong opposition from members of his own party who believe the President is compromising too easily with Republicans. We talk with Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), a member of the Democratic leadership who has come out in opposition to the deal.

After 35 years representing Minnesota constituents in the U.S. House of Representatives, Democratic Rep. Jim Oberstar will empty his office on Capitol Hill at the end of this month. Oberstar currently serves as the chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, a position he has held since 2007. He is one of dozens of incumbents voted out of office earlier this year during midterm elections. What are his thoughts on the eve of his departure?

Among the State Department cables leaked on WikiLeaks and analyzed in The New York Times were messages from the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan about the country's nuclear fuel resources. In a cable dating May 27, 2009, Amb. Anne W. Pateron reported her concern over a stockpile of highly enriched uranium, which had been sitting for years near an aging research nuclear reactor in Pakistan. There was enough to build several “dirty bombs” or, in skilled hands, possibly enough for an actual nuclear bomb.

The cables show that underneath public assurances lie deep clashes over strategic goals on issues like Pakistan’s support for the Afghan Taliban and tolerance of Al Qaida.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon's top leaders said the 17-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" law, which prohibits gay and lesbian armed forces members from openly admitting their sexuality, would not pose a problem if scrapped. A survey conducted among troops showed that over 70 percent wouldn't have a problem serving alongside gay troops. The poll results put new pressure on Republican opponents to repeal the law; President Barack Obama is urging the Senate to do so before adjourning in the next few weeks.

While President Obama has received much criticism for failing to close the Guantánamo Bay prison camp in the first year of his presidency, new classified documents released by WikiLeaks reveal the attempted dealings between the administration and other governments to try and move detainees out of the detention center. In an article in The New York Times, reporter Charlie Savage details attempted deals with Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Lithuania and Albania, among other countries.

Currently 174 inmates remain at the facility: a third of them are from Yemen.

On Thanksgiving, many of us give thanks. On Black Friday, retailers give thanks. Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year; and many stores open before dawn and remain open late into the night to capitalize on the holiday. For the past two years, the economic downturn has hurt Black Friday sales. We're checking in with a few of our listeners to see whether they're super shoppers or shopping cynics.

Millions in Pakistan are still without a home as winter quickly approaches. The BBC's Jill McGivering just returned from one of the most affected regions. McGivering reports that many of the victims say government officials are corrupt and are withholding resources, including blankets, money and shelter. But Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik tells McGivering "this is dishonesty on the part of the people."

Thanksgiving approaches, a holiday full of yearly traditions for families across the country. As Americans begin to prepare turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberries for their Thanksgiving meals, we decided to take look at how our nation's capital celebrates this holiday. It seems that Washington lobbyists have their own special traditions in November, and the food we enjoy each Thanksgiving arrives infused with political influence. 

After the death of two South Korean marines in a North Korean artillery attack on Tuesday, the United States has called on countries in the region to join with the U.S. in a unified diplomatic front. Since that call, China has condemned the attack and Hong Lei, the spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry called for "peace and stability on the Korean peninsula."

China has long been a strategic ally for North Korea, providing much needed food and humanitarian resources, but even the Chinese were taken by surprise by the attacks this week. And they seemed to be in the dark just a few days earlier when reports surfaced about North Korea's new uranium enrichment plant.