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Congress had hoped to be out of town for the holidays by the end of this week. That's not looking likely anymore, with the negotiations on efforts to avert automatic tax hikes and spending cuts moving slowly, if at all. Tamara Keith talks to Audie Cornish.

The demonstrators have been holding the protests in response to the deaths of four students, and some are also calling for the ouster of President Omar al-Bashir.

The planet may also be racked by wars over food and water; and individuals, equipped with new lethal and disruptive technologies, will be capable of causing widespread harm. The scenarios are the work of the National Intelligence Council, comprising the 17 U.S. government intelligence agencies.

Sen. Jim DeMint says the conservative Heritage Foundation inspired him to run for Congress. Once there, he helped to bolster its allies on Capitol Hill. Now, as he leaves Congress to run the think tank, the building blocks are there to create a powerful operation with political clout.

HSBC bank has reached a record $1.9 billion settlement with federal and state authorities over money laundering. All Things Considered host Robert Siegel talks to NPR's Jim Zarroli.

In the Supreme Court's Affordable Care Act ruling this summer, it decided that states' plans for expansion of the Medicaid program should be optional. That led governors to ask if they could expand the program in part but still receive federal funding. The administration has said no.

If the mayor and City Council can't agree on a plan to reduce the budget deficit, state officials are poised to take away their power over Detroit's purse strings. The mayor and the council blame each other for the impasse. And with the deficit deepening, residents' frustration continues to mount.

President Obama and congressional Republicans have been trying to negotiate a deal to avert the automatic tax hikes and spending cuts known as the "fiscal cliff." But what happens Jan. 1 if no agreement is reached? Some experts say not much will happen — at least not immediately.

The United States has added one of Syria's main rebel groups to its list of terrorist organizations. Jabhat al-Nusra has claimed responsibility for several bombings that killed and wounded Syrian civilians since the uprising against the Assad government began in March of 2011. The U.S. describes the group as an outgrowth of al-Qaida in Iraq.

The Federal Trade Commission has released a report taking to task the makers of mobile apps for children. It says apps are not transparent enough about the personal information they collect. It's the latest sign the Obama administration is concerned about children's privacy online.