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December 28, 2012 For the first time in a decade of war, more active-duty troops took their own lives this year than died fighting in Afghanistan. The national suicide hotline is one way the Department of Veterans Affairs is trying to help troops and vets.

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December 28, 2012 Slate and a citizen journalist are trying to report every gun-related death in the nation on a daily basis. There is no central clearinghouse for such information. The goal of the project, Slate says, is to provide key data for the post-Newtown debate over gun laws.

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December 28, 2012 In North Korea, profound social change is happening beyond the view of the outside world. The pressure of national ideology has forced women to become the primary breadwinners in many households — dramatically redrawing gender roles in the process.

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December 28, 2012 Mark Zandi of Moody's Analytics predicts a last-minute deal on the "fiscal cliff" might be an early drag on next year's economy, but by year's end, the economy will be gaining momentum. If there's no deal? "I don't even want to think about it," he says.

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December 28, 2012 WNYCThis New Year's Eve, victims of Superstorm Sandy will likely be in Times Square to watch the ball drop. But they may not be there by choice. Their homes were ruined by the storm in October, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency has placed thousands in hotels in the area.

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December 28, 2012 KAZUConversion these days at the state's Spanish missions isn't only about religion; it's also about seismic retrofitting. That's because the missions — which date to the late 1700s, when Spain's king sent Franciscan missionaries to convert natives to Christianity — would not withstand a major earthquake.

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December 28, 2012 Seeking to avert automatic spending cuts and tax increases that are set to take effect on Jan. 1, President Obama and the four senior leaders of Congress huddled at the White House today.

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December 28, 2012 The drought gripping the nation's midsection has made the river very hard to navigate from St. Louis to Cairo, Ill., where it meets the Ohio River. By next week, barge traffic may have to halt altogether in that section, trade groups warn.

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December 28, 2012 Thousands of years ago, ancient farmers gained the ability to consume milk as adults without getting an upset stomach. A remarkable mutation let some of them digest lactose sugar. But scientists still puzzle over why that mutation persisted and became prevalent in modern humans.

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December 28, 2012 President Obama and congressional leaders will meet this afternoon. There's not much talk about a deal being reached that bridges their differences over taxes and spending. But at least a few lawmakers are still optimistic.

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December 28, 2012 Also: Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf dies; Secretary Clinton is expected back at work next week; death toll from this week's winter weather reaches 17; former President George H.W. Bush wishes folks would "put the harps back in the closet."

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