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The Senate this week pushed through the nomination of Democrat Mel Watt to head the Federal Housing Finance Agency. The FHFA controls Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Watt replaces an official who was a thorn in the side of Democrats, and the move changes the landscape of housing finance reform.

Standing just a few feet away from President Obama and other world leaders, a man on stage at Tuesday's memorial service for Nelson Mandela made what members of the deaf community say were meaningless gestures, not sign language. Now there's word that he's faced murder and other charges in the past.

Fish can absorb toxic chemicals that have been dumped into waterways, but they can also get them from eating plastic. And there's a lot of plastic in the open ocean, which scientists say can act like a sponge, soaking up the chemicals already out there.

NPR's Anthony Kuhn has lived in and covered Asia for the past two decades. He fielded questions about pollution in China, North Korean intrigue, the most fun he's had while reporting, his favorite Asian culinary discovery, and more during his Reddit Ask Me Anything.

A pet reindeer in a pickup truck. The reindeer's name: Velvet Eyes.

Few people have homes where smart appliances talk to each other. A group of companies hopes to develop a "common language" of software to change that. And the firms hope an open standard will address potential security and privacy issues that are bound to arise.

Thanks to films like 'Twelve Years A Slave,' 'Lee Daniels' The Butler' and 'Fruitvale Station,' it's been said that 2013 was the 'Year of the Black film.' But do the Golden Globe nominations support that? Host Michel Martin finds out more from Grantland's film critic Wesley Morris.

Reverend Matthew Crebbin had to comfort shocked residents after the shooting in Newtown, Connecticut that killed 28 people last year. A year later, he speaks with host Michel Martin about the role faith played in keeping the town together.

A pair of con artists and their FBI wrangler go after political corruption in American Hustle, inspired by the Abscam scandal of the '70s. Critic David Edelstein says the film, directed by David O. Russell, is "a bit of a hustle itself" — and still a hell of a ride. (Recommended)

In this week's roundup of top tech conversations and stories: how tech giants are flexing their muscles against government, Twitter's abandoned blocking policy, and how the tech empire is striking back against creeping government surveillance.