September 7, 2010 | NPR · Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's visit to Italy last week has stirred controversy. His remarks on Islam angered church officials, while Italian politicians worry about Libya's growing clout in the Italian economy, as well as its human-rights violations.

September 7, 2010 | NPR · The Turkish-German filmmaker Fatih Akin is a star of European cinema, known for gritty dramas about the immigrant experience in Germany. But his newest movie is a somewhat lighter film, filled with greasy food and heavy music.

September 7, 2010 | NPR · President Obama wants to shift the political debate away from big versus small government and toward a discussion of whether or not the government works. Proving effectiveness requires more transparency, and the administration has used online tools to do that, but many Americans still await results.

September 7, 2010 | NPR · Not much is known about the life of the rabbi and Talmudic scholar Hillel, who lived 2,000 years ago, but his teachings have shaped Judaism. Rabbi Joseph Telushkin's forthcoming book Hillel: If Not Now, When? argues that Hillel has as much to teach the 21 Century as he did his own.