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Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has nominated a four-star general to take command of U.S. forces in Iraq. Gen. George W. Casey, Jr. would replace Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez. Colleagues say Casey has demonstrated the ability to work closely with U.S. diplomats, a skill that will be needed in Iraq when the U.S. embassy goes into business in July. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

It was a great year for lyricists, says All Songs Considered host Bob Boilen. His favorite albums of the year are proof of that richness.

To Lam, who oversaw police and intelligence operations at a time when rights groups say basic freedoms had been suppressed, was confirmed amid a major reshuffle of the country's top leadership.

The Princeton Review's guide to colleges comes out Tuesday. Colleges fiercely compete to be No. 1 for most of the categories in the guide. That's not the case for the dubious distinction of top party school in the nation.

The Alt.Latino and El Tiny host shares his favorite records of the year, including jazz musicians from across Latin America as well as vocalists inspired by folk, rock and pop whose work defies genre.

The NPR Music editor and All Songs Considered contributor shares her favorite albums of the year, including one that feels like a survival guide to the apocalypse.

New Zealand's bird of the year is not a bird. The long-tailed bat, or pekapeka-tou-roa, won by a wide margin.

Jason Isbell's Southeastern, Kanye West's Yeezus and an assortment of remarkable women dominated the Fresh Air critic's year in listening.

Voting for the USA Mullet Championships is determining who has the best business-in-the-front, party-in-the-back hairstyle in America.

Fresh Air's critic looks back on a fruitful year and lists his favorite music releases of 2011.