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Ten years after a cascading power outage across a broad section of the U.S. and Canada, utility operators and regulators are concerned about another blackout scenario: a massive cyberattack that could threaten the U.S. electric grid.

When civil rights worker Jack Hansan traveled to Washington to participate in the march, the fear of violence breaking out was very real. But the father of four knew he had to be there, not just to witness history, but also to play a part in changing it.

Along with submissions for our Weekly Innovation post, we've also received ideas for things that haven't been created yet, things that NPR readers want to see become a reality (like reversible tattoos or steering wheel fans). As we look ahead to 2014, here are our favorite ideas of the past year.

Rodney Scott's legendary South Carolina barbecue cookhouse went up in flames last year, so friends of the pit master cooked up a plan to help him rebuild. Scott is now making a comeback with his Bar-B-Que in Exile Tour and bringing people together with his whole hog barbecue.

The only road into Valdez, Alaska, was reopened on Wednesday after an avalanche closed the city off from all highway traffic for nearly two weeks. Melissa Block speaks with Valdez City Manager John Hozey, who helped coordinate clean-up efforts for the city's more than 4,000 residents.

The Puente Hills Landfill received waste from all over Los Angeles County for more than 50 years, and eventually grew higher than 500 feet. But with the site's closure, the trash won't just disappear.

As Oklahoma enters its fourth year of sustained drought, some farmers expect the harvest to be so bad they'll end up calling their insurance agents and declaring this year a total loss. StateImpact Oklahoma's Joe Wertz reports that some are calling this the worst drought since the '50s — or even since the Dust Bowl.

A new breed of tech company is offering mobile apps to help drivers using public, metered parking spots sell them to the highest bidder. But in San Francisco, city officials want to put a stop to it.

In some ways, the House majority leader is the most significant Republican incumbent ousted in a primary since the intraparty rebellion by conservative hardliners began five years ago.

Before foreign ministers gathered in Geneva, the prospect for progress on reducing tensions appeared to be be slim. But afterward, Secretary of State John Kerry said differences had been narrowed.

As President Obama begins a week of diplomacy overseas, he faces domestic and international challenges. Steve Inskeep talks to contributor Cokie Roberts and Russia expert Stephen Sestanovich.

California Rep. Henry Waxman, elected in 1974 in Watergate's aftermath, has announced his retirement. The Democrat leaves behind one of the most substantive legislative records in the House's recent history, and was instrumental in the passage of the Affordable Care Act.

Steve Inskeep talks to former Senate Majority leader and top U.S. diplomatic envoy George Mitchell about the stakes for a negotiated peace between Israel and the Palestinians — and the importance of continued diplomatic leadership by the U.S. in the Middle East and beyond. Mitchell publishes a three-part series of editorials on the topic this week in the "Boston Globe."

It's no secret that men dominate the top positions in Silicon Valley. But there are areas of the tech industry with lots of women: marketing and PR. Their contributions are often key, but overlooked.

The U.S. plans to give up oversight of the nonprofit that manages Internet names and addresses. Technology reporter Gauthem Nagesh of The Wall Street Journal explains what this means for the Internet.

During presidential debate nights, people in Miami may not congregate around giant screens at restaurants and bars, Super Bowl-style, as they do in…

Three one-act plays recently performed in Beirut are based on the actual words of Syrians. The show was performed in a bunkerlike space to replicate the conditions artists making such work endure. The actress could not be named. A TV series also takes on Syrian politics — Top Goon is an ensemble of finger puppets who lampoon President Bashar Assad. The filmmakers are also anonymous. To be caught with one of these puppets might be worse than being caught with a stinger missile.

Young voters overwhelmingly supported Barack Obama in each of the past two presidential elections. Making sure they don't vote Democratic again is a top priority for national Republicans. Some young conservatives offer their ideas about what the GOP needs to do to win over their generation.

There were big NBA playoff games Friday night, plus a potentially game-changing injury for the Oklahoma City Thunder. Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon talks to NPR's Tom Goldman for the sports news of the week.

Gangsters in Karachi are a little different from the American variety. They often control armed groups linked to political parties. Uzair Baloch is known as the don of Karachi's Lyari slum. But ask him if he's a gangster, and he'll laugh. He says he's a politician and a social worker.