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Robert talks with the band 8 1/2 Souvenirs. They're a cosmopolitan swing band based in Austin, Texas. They play a few songs and talk with Robert about some of the influences behind it.

8 1/2 Souvenirs returns to perform their song Kazango.

Host Bob Edwards talks with reporter Anthony Kuhn about a fire at a disco in China that has left dozens dead.

NPR's Kenneth Walker reports on the increasing tension and violence in the Ivory Coast.

Ravaged diva, Marianne Faithful, who's made her name in recent years interpreting the songs of Brecht and Weil in her trademark rasp has released her first rock record in more than five years. Vagabond Ways tells tales of desperation and debauchery. Karen Michel files this profile. (7:46) Vagabond Ways is on the Instinct label. ASIN: B00004SBMI

Commentator and poet Christine Hemp recalls a recent move to a strange place, and the gift that helped make it a new home. (3:50) Hemp's website is http://laplaza.org/~hemprope.

As part of the NPR News series The Changing face of America, we explore parish life at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart, in Washington, DC. The Roman Catholic parish was founded in 1899 by Irish and German Immigrants. Today, it is the spiritual home to thousands of new immigrants (from 60 countries) the majority of whom speak Spanish. This used to be a wealthy neighborhood -- now many of the people who live nearby have low incomes. As the reality of the neighborhood changed, so did the requests for services. The Archdiocese of Washington -- through Sacred Heart Parish and the Spanish Catholic Center -- provides numerous social services to neighbors in need. They can find health care and dental care, a legal clinic specializing in Immigration Law, a day treatment center for addicts with other mental illnesses, adult education (Computers, GED and ESL), housing assistance, employment counseling, food for their pantries, a hot meal program for people living on the streets, and emergency shelter. Sacred Heart also provides a trusted place where immigrants can be welcomed and accepted.

Our piece continues.

Commentator Nancy Hall talks about the culinary clash with her new Northerner husband, as they planned their first holiday dinner together. The bickering over competing foods peaked with the arrival of a southern country ham. Her Yankee butcher husband balked at slicing ham with a moldy hide, but their guests ate it with abandon.

Robert Siegel talks with BBC Southeast Asia correspondent Jonathan Head about the numerous bombings of churches in Indonesia on Christmas Eve. Eighteen different bombs, which killed more than a dozen people and injured over a hundred, exploded within minutes of one another. Most of the bombs were planted in cars parked in front of the churches, and others were delivered to clergymen as wrapped gifts. The police defused 13 devices. No one claimed responsibility for the bombings.