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Forecasters expected the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season to be really busy — the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told Americans to expect between seven and 11 hurricanes. But this year has been one of the quietest on record. Why were the predictions so far off?

Unlike defendants in criminal trials, defendants in U.S. immigration courts aren't constitutionally entitled to an attorney. But New York City is piloting the nation's first government-funded public defender service for immigrants facing deportation.

More and more towns are hosting festivals to bring extra money into the area. But these attractions can be disruptive, and one town in Michigan isn't sure it wants any more. Traverse City is looking at new restrictions to cure "festival fatigue," to the dismay of the business community.

Renewable energy has become a $220 billion a year industry. But to significantly slow climate change, the power of wind, solar and other renewable sources must vastly expand. Some say the tech breakthroughs needed are on the horizon, though a top economist sees a tougher road ahead.

HealthCare.gov is supposed to be mostly fixed by Saturday, but errors in an obscure but crucial form could further disrupt the rollout.

Colorado ski resorts are ramping up efforts to draw skiers from emerging markets like China. About 12 percent of skier visits to the state's ski areas come from overseas. And, with China's growing middle class, Colorado resorts are looking to profit. At one resort, employees are decked in headsets, learning Mandarin Chinese in an effort to improve customer service.

Robert Siegel talks with Peter Wallsten of The Washington Post about the story of Alan Gross, a USAID contractor held in a Cuban prison for the last four years. Gross had been working on a covert project installing internet in a Jewish community in Cuba.

Actor Oscar Isaac disappears into the title role of the new Coen brothers film, Inside Llewyn Davis, a black comedy about a '60s folk singer who just can't make it, no matter what he does. He speaks with NPR's Melissa Block about playing the less-than-likable character.

Every year, as a gift to the American people, the Norwegian Embassy decorates the Christmas tree at Washington, D.C.'s Union Station. This year's tree is decorated with 700 reflective ornaments featuring the man from the painting The Scream by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. This month marks the 150th anniversary of Munch's birth.

The business that transformed the nation is the product of an obscure but hugely influential trade deal — and a cultural struggle over Korean food.