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This week marks the 50th anniversary of Fidel Castro's ascent to power in Cuba. Now, the country faces tough economic times. Many are frustrated by the communist system, but others still feel a sense of pride in and loyalty to the "revolution."

The common view of the Soviet war in Afghanistan was that it was a Soviet territorial grab. But the truth was much more confused, says Gregory Feifer, NPR's Moscow correspondent. He is the author of The Great Gamble, a new history of that conflict.

Israel on Wednesday put military operations on hold for three hours to allow humanitarian workers, food and medical aid to reach Gaza's beleaguered residents.

The pomp and circumstance of the opening of the 111th Congress was overshadowed Tuesday by the brouhaha over Illinois Senate appointee Roland Burris, along with Minnesota's contested Senate seat and the simmering controversy over Barack Obama's reported pick for CIA director.

For the past year, two men — one Israeli, one Palestinian — have been blogging about their lives on opposite sides of the Israeli-Gaza border. Online, they call themselves Hope Man and Peace Man.

Arab foreign ministers met in Cairo to discuss the crisis in Gaza as the Israeli military operation there, as well as Palestinian rocket fire into Israel, continued for a fifth day. But as often happens at Arab League meetings, while the rhetoric was strong, the unity of purpose was scarce.

The year comes to an explosive end in the Middle East. Israel is now in its fifth day of air attacks on Gaza, rejecting a recent ceasefire proposal. The conflict is among the deadliest in recent history. Radio hosts Ray Hanania and Thom Hartmann describe how the fighting has their listeners speaking out.

Helicopter medevac flights in the U.S. killed 28 people in 2008, the most dangerous year on record. Officials say there is no common thread between the crashes, but the number of accidents has drawn the attention of Congress and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's appointment of longtime Chicago Democrat Roland Burris to fill President-elect Obama's Senate seat appears to have little chance of success. But politically, Blagojevich has made a move that could make Democratic leaders uncomfortable.

Powerhouse investor Bernard Madoff allegedly swindled clients to the tune of billions of dollars. As the case unfolds, many wonder how Madoff was able to garner such an elite reputation of trust in the financial world. Money coach Alvin hall and personal finance expert Louis Barajas offer tips on how to avoid scams and discuss potential pitfalls of investing.