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The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is the primary enforcer of the nation's gun laws, but advocates and former ATF officials say agents face legal restrictions that limit their effectiveness. In addition, the agency has been without a permanent director for years.

Vice President Joe Biden says his task force on reducing gun violence is facing an unexpected obstacle: slim or outdated research on weapons. Public health research dried up more than a decade ago after Congress restricted the use of some federal money to pay for those studies.

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.

Early sales numbers suggest it was a lackluster season for retailers, and slow holiday sales mean fewer opportunities for retail workers hoping to make holiday temp jobs permanent.

With hours to go before the so-called fiscal cliff deadline, the House adjourned for the night and the Senate has yet to scheduled any vote. NPR's Julie Rover talks with All Things Considered host Audie Cornish about the latest.

The widow of a slain Mississippi civil rights leader Medgar Evars will help open the inaugural ceremony Monday. President Obama has selected activist Myrlie Evers-Williams to deliver the invocation. She's the first woman and lay person to have the honor.

A single accuser's word is often enough to lead to an arrest and spark mob violence. Human rights advocates say the charges are frequently made against religious minorities, and are often used to settle personal scores.

Lincoln biographer Ronald White critiques the accuracy of Stephen Spielberg's new film about the Great Emancipator. White says that while not every detail of the film is true, "the delicate balance or blend between history and dramatic art comes off quite well."

California starts the ball rolling Wednesday on a controversial scheme to keep the planet from overheating: Businesses will have to get a permit if they emit greenhouse gases. And one California company is hoping to get in on the ground level, by turning trash into biomass energy.

Ahmed Jabari, the commander of Hamas' military wing who has long been on Israel's "most-wanted" list, is dead, according to what Hamas and Israeli officials are telling news outlets. The strikes follow rocket fire from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Israel.