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House Postpones Vote On Boehner's 'Plan B' House Speaker John Boehner said the bill, which would have raised taxes on income above $1 million a year, did not have enough support to pass Thursday. |
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House Backs Off Boehner's 'Plan B' House Speaker John Boehner said the bill, which would have raised taxes on income above $1 million a year, did not have enough support to pass Thursday. In a statement, he said, "now it is up to the president to work with Senator Reid on legislation to avert the fiscal cliff." |
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House Punts Tax Bill Vote And Goes Into Recess House Speaker John Boehner said the House did not have enough support for the bill, which deals with the tax portion of the fiscal cliff. |
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In Christmas Message, Queen Elizabeth Returns To 3-D After 59 Years   It's been 80 years since Britain's royal family began broadcasting a Christmas message. Now, the monarch will deliver her holiday address in 3-D. It's a medium in which she's been filmed before — 59 years ago, her coronation and other events were captured by 3-D cameras. |
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YouTube-Inspired Food Dares: Don't Try This At Home, Kids A string of recent ER cases in which 9-year-olds were treated for cinnamon exposure has toxicologists once again warning parents about risky food games like the "cinnamon challenge" and "chubby bunny." |
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Financial Ties Bind NRA, Gun Industry NRA leaders say that when they break their silence on the Sandy Hook shootings Friday, they will be speaking for the group's 4 million members. But they will also be speaking for the gun industry, which has close financial links to the association. |
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Is The Border Secure Enough To Tackle The Immigration System? "Secure the borders first" has been the cry from Republicans in Congress before they'd agree to comprehensive immigration reform. That stance seems to be changing, as some experts say demanding border security first is backward. |
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House Republicans Face Threat Of Primary Challenges In 'Plan B' Vote A number of conservative groups are vowing consequences for Republicans who line up behind House Speaker John Boehner and his plan to avoid the "fiscal cliff." Fiscal conservatives say that how GOP members vote now could set the stage for the 2014 primary season. |
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'Lost Jews' Of Colombia Say They've Found Their Roots Raised as Christians, they say their ancestors were Sephardic Jews expelled from Spain more than 500 years ago; they now practice Orthodox Judaism. Similar cases have turned up in other countries in recent years. |
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In Calif. Gold Country, A Rush That's Out Of This World When a meteorite crashed down in April on the exact spot where gold was discovered in 1848, professional and amateur meteorite hunters alike fanned out to collect small chunks. Now more than 50 scientists have published an analysis of the rare space rock. |
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Big Food And The Big, Silent Salt Experiment Food manufacturers have been quietly reducing sodium by tiny amounts in popular foods like crackers for years now. That's because if products are marked "low sodium," consumers won't buy them. But companies are also working on ways to deliver more salt taste with less sodium. |
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Cory Booker Eyes (Chris Christie-Free) Path To His Political Future The mayor of Newark, N.J., ended whatever suspense existed by saying he will "explore" a run for the U.S. Senate, not governor. He thereby averts a clash with the very popular Gov. Chris Christie. |
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California Missions Undergo Upgrades To Resist Quakes Conversion 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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Gun Control: 'Only Modest Change' In Opinion Since Newtown Shootings The latest Pew poll shows a slight upward shift in the percentage of Americans who say it's more important to control gun ownership than it is to protect the right to own guns. But deeply felt feelings appear to be limiting the change. |
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Former Official Sentenced To 35 Years For Role In Rwanda's Genocide An international criminal court has found former Rwandan minister Augustin Ngirabatware guilty of genocide and other crimes, sentencing him to 35 years in prison for his role in the Hutu-led government's murder of ethnic Tutsis on an epic scale. The trial is the last stemming from events 18 years ago. |
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At Benghazi Hearing, Sen. Kerry Urges More Diplomatic Resources State Department officials, testifying before Congress, acknowledge that security was inadequate in Benghazi before the deadly attacks in Libya. Sen. John Kerry, who was chairman of the Senate hearing, says the diplomatic corps needs more resources. |
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Merck: Niacin Drug Mix Fails To Prevent Heart Attacks, Strokes A large niacin-plus-simvistatin study by the drug maker Merck may have far-reaching implications, since millions of people take niacin every day to prevent heart attacks and strokes. One doctor says "phones will ring off the hook in cardiology practices throughout America" because of the news. |
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Newtown Shootings Inspire '26 Acts Of Kindness' Campaign After NBC News' Ann Curry tweeted the idea — to do one act of kindness in memory of each person murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary School — it took off. You can see what others are doing, and share your story, by following #26Acts. |
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Elixirs Made To Fight Malaria Still Shine On The Modern Bar Many modern day liqueurs, like Campari and Pimm's, started off as 19th century medicinal tonics made to cure an array of ailments, including malaria. So if you're sipping a French aperitif or an absinth cocktail this holiday season, chances are you're also imbibing a bit of malaria history. |
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Next In Line For A Fracking Boom, California Looks At The Rules The state is known for its tough environmental rules, but it has largely ignored hydraulic fracturing until now. Though California's concerns are like those of many other places, there's also the question of how the growing fracking industry might affect earthquakes. |
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What Does Autism Have To Do With It? Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza has been described as "quiet" and "different." Unconfirmed reports have suggested that he may have had autism or Asperger's syndrome. Host Michel Martin looks at the speculation about Lanza, and talks about the myths and truths about autism and Asperger's syndrome with two moms and a child psychiatrist. |
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The Gun Lobby's Favorite Part Of The Health Law One section of the health law says its wellness programs can't require participants to give information about guns in their homes. But public health scholars criticize the measure because they say it keeps doctors and nurses from doing their jobs. |
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Armored Backpacks, Volunteer Guards Among Responses To School Shootings The mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., has prompted a variety of responses. Along with reports about soaring sales of backpacks designed to protect against bullets, there's word of volunteers — such as one Marine in California — who are standing watch outside schools. |
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Sales Of Existing Homes Hit Three-Year High The housing sector continues to recover. Sales rose 5.9 percent last month. It's the second new piece of positive news about the economy. Earlier, gross domestic product growth for the third quarter was revised upward. |
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NYSE Being Bought For $8.2B By Atlanta-Based IntercontinentalExchange The deal would end the New York Stock Exchange's independence and seems to underscore its diminishing influence. Other exchanges, such as ICE, have pioneered futures trading. Regulators are expected to OK the acquisition. |
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Assault-Style Weapons In The Civilian Market Senior analyst for the Violence Policy Center Tom Diaz says one of the weapons found at the site of the Newtown, Conn., shooting was a variant of a type of gun developed for troops in Vietnam. |
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Third Quarter Economic Growth Revised Up Again Gross domestic product grew at a 3.1 percent annual rate, well above earlier estimates. But, claims for jobless benefits rose last week — another sign that while the economy may be on the mend, there are still problems. |
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Blizzard Warnings In Upper Midwest; Possible Tornado In Alabama Heavy snow and strong winds are making travel tough from Iowa into Minnesota and Wisconsin. As the storm moves east, it's expected to bring rain and lake-effect snow to parts of the East. |
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Today's 'Plan B' Vote: Part Of Posturing Or A Push Over The 'Fiscal Cliff?' As the outlines of a deal have taken shape, both sides have been trying to show supporters that they're hanging tough. So today's vote on a GOP plan could be a bit of political theater that helps push the federal government over that so-called cliff and an important step toward compromise. |
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From Shoes To M&M's, Custom-Made Products Take Off Online The ability to customize products began with computers more than a decade ago. Now, you can create your own T-shirts, jeans, custom-blend cosmetics and candy. Even luxury brands like Burberry, Prada and Louis Vuitton now let customers design their own looks. |
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The Paradox And Mystery Of Our Taste For Salt Many health experts say we should eat less salt, but that's not easy. Salt is added to almost everything that we cook or bake. Are we born with a taste for that much salt, or do we just like what we've always eaten? Scientists say it's some of both. |
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In A French Village, Protection From The Apocalypse Friday marks the end of the Mayan calendar — and the end of the world if you believe doomsayers. But a rumor circulating online says the village of Bugarach, population 200, will be spared. That has the village bracing for an influx of believers. |
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Maya Expert: The 'End Of Times' Is Our Idea, Not The Ancients' "The Maya never, ever, said anything about the world ending at any time — much less this year," says an archaeologist who helped translate the ancient culture's hieroglyphs. Still, David Stuart says, he often gets emails from people who want more details about the end of days. |
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FAA Pressured To Give E-Readers A Pass During Takeoff, Landing Passengers can currently use devices such as Kindles, iPads and Nooks while in flight, but not during takeoffs and landings. The FAA says it is studying the matter, but the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission and a U.S. senator say it's time to act. |
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'Bowie Over Jordan': A New Look At The Pick That Still Haunts Portland NBA Fans The Trail Blazers chose Kentucky center Sam Bowie with the second pick in the 1984 NBA draft. Then the Chicago Bulls took Michael Jordan. Bowie's tenure in Portland was marred by leg injuries; Jordan became a legend. ESPN recounts it all in a documentary about Bowie on Thursday night. |
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'Unitaskers' And Other Foodie Gifts We Don't Need How do you resist foodie trinkets that look and sound so whimsical and delicious? Here's our guide to spotting the most useless stuff that your relatives will thank you for not buying them this year. |
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News Of Sandy Hook's New Principal Brightens Parents' Day When the students of Sandy Hook Elementary return to class after the holiday break, they'll be attending a different school. They'll also have a principal who will be a familiar face to some: Donna Page, who retired from Sandy Hook two years ago. |
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With Nation's Eyes On Newtown, Washington Distracted By Fiscal Cliff The horror of the Newtown, Conn., elementary school murders, still fresh in the minds of so many Americans, took a back seat to Washington's obsession with budget talks and the city's partisan divide. |
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Mealworms Score Better Than Meat For The Environment Dutch researchers have made a scientific case for the environmental benefits of insect proteins in a new study. When it came to land use and effect on greenhouse gases, the mealworms scored better than dairy, pork, chicken and beef. |
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Newtown Teacher And Students Remembered For The Light They Brought Family and Friends celebrate the lives of Victoria, Daniel, Caroline and Charlotte, recalling how each of them could light up a room. The teacher and three students were killed in the school shooting in Newtown on Friday. |
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What Are The Odds Of Gun Control Changes? Given President Obama's embrace of the issue, there appears to be no doubt that Congress will debate gun control legislation in the coming year. Its chances for passage depend largely on the present mood of outrage sustaining itself for months to come. |
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How The U.S. Stopped Malaria, One Cartoon At A Time With publicity campaigns, radio jingles and pinups, the government helped eliminate the parasitic disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is still fighting malaria at home and abroad. |
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Robert Bork's Supreme Court Nomination 'Changed Everything, Maybe Forever' Known as a charming and witty man in private, Bork, who died Wednesday, was dour and humorless in his Senate confirmation hearings, and his answers seemed to play into the stereotype liberals painted of a man who cared little for the public. His Senate rejection changed the way future nominees have testified. |
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In Pakistan, Tax Evaders Are Everywhere — Government Included Tax evasion is a national problem in Pakistan. Only an estimated 2 percent of the population pays taxes. Now, a new investigative report says many politicians are part of the problem. |
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When Someone You Know Loses A Child Nothing is enough to ease a parent's pain in losing a child, but simple gestures of kindness and concern are still welcome even in the depths of grief. |
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South Korea To Get Its First Female Leader Park Geun-hye will not only be the first woman to lead the Asian nation, she's also the daughter of a military dictator who ruled for nearly two decades. |
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Death Penalty Possible In Court Martial Of Army Sgt. Accused Of Afghan Killings The U.S. military hasn't executed anyone since 1961. Staff Sgt. Robert Bales is accused of murdering 16 Afghan civilians during a nighttime rampage in two villages. |
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Controversial Bird Flu Work To Resume Soon Scientists recently sparked controversy when they made dangerous new forms of bird flu. The National Institutes of Health is about to put in place a new system for reviewing this kind of work in the future. |
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Let Teachers Carry Guns? Some State Lawmakers Say Yes Proponents make the case that shootings such as Friday's in Newtown, Conn., could be prevented or stopped if teachers with permits to carry concealed weapons could bring their handguns to school. |
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Chronology: The Benghazi Attack And The Fallout A look at the events surrounding the deadly attack on the U.S. diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, and the controversy that followed. An independent panel has found that "systemic failures and leadership and management deficiencies at senior levels" in the State Department led to inadequate security. |
