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The year saw some disappointments in the development of drugs to treat Alzheimer's. But the setbacks were offset by progress in other areas. The upshot from this year's mixed results, some scientists say, is that treatment for Alzheimer's needs to start long before forgetfulness and muddled thinking are apparent.

In 2007, Prince William County, Va., voted to step up police checks aimed at driving out illegal immigrants. The move sparked local outcry and national attention, but five years on, supporters and opponents differ on whether the policy has been a success.

The short supply of a key drug to treat lymphoma forced doctors to switch to another medicine. Now researchers have documented that the fallback drug wasn't as good a choice as many doctors thought.

Owners of Toyota vehicles that experienced sudden and unintended acceleration have reached a settlement requiring the carmaker to pay as much as $1.4 billion in claims. A judge will review the proposal Friday.

The Department of Veterans Affairs wanted to reduce a backlog in veterans' claims for disability benefits. Instead, the problem has worsened this year, in part, the VA says, because the department made it easier for more vets to file claims.

President Obama returns to Washington Thursday as do members of the U.S. Senate. They're cutting holiday plans short in hopes of coming up with a deal to avoid the tax hikes and budget cuts set to take effect on Jan. 1.

The storm that spread blizzards from Texas to the Great Lakes, and spawned tornadoes in the Southeast, will dump more snow before it heads off toward Canada and the Atlantic Ocean. It's been blamed for at least 15 deaths.

The Mayan people in Latin America received a lot of attention when word spread their ancient calendar had predicted the world would end on Dec. 21. The tourists that came to visit Mayan sites have gone home, and the modern-day Mayas go on with their lives marked by high rates of poverty and a dependence on migration.

Angered by an American law barring some Russian officials from entering the U.S., parliament members in Moscow have retaliated. Putin has now said he sees no reason not to sign the adoption ban. More than 60,000 Russian children have been adopted by Americans since 1992, the State Department says.

Also: U.N. envoy calls for transitional government in Syria; former President George H.W. Bush remains hospitalized; and talks to avoid an East Coast port strike resume.