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Mistletoe figures prominently during the holidays, offering some holiday cheer and an excuse to steal a kiss or two. But researchers found that removing mistletoe from an Australian forest also caused large numbers of birds to leave.

Conventional wisdom says e-books are destroying the traditional publishing business model. But the story's not that simple. For one thing, flexible pricing allows publishers to hold what amount to one-day-only sales on any given title — which means more people will discover that book.

About three-quarters of public libraries offer e-books, according to the American Library Association. But finding the book you want to read can be a challenge when every publisher has its own licensing rules for libraries — and several major houses don't sell e-books to libraries at all.

In Italy, a Catholic priest has stirred widespread outrage after he blamed incidents of domestic violence on the way women dress. Father Piero Corsi's remarks were in a Christmas message he put on a church bulletin board; photos of the note soon went viral.

Retired Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, who commanded the Desert Storm offensive that drove Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait, has died. Audie Cornish talks with NPR's Tom Bowman about the much-decorated soldier.

An estimated 1,500 American families are in the process of adopting from Russia. About 50 have already been matched with a child. Now, their plans are in limbo. Russian President Vladimir Putin today signed a law barring U.S. adoptions of Russian children.

The secretary of state has been recuperating from a stomach virus and a concussion she suffered when she fainted and fell. Congressional committees have been waiting for her to come testify about the attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi, Libya.

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.

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.

Quentin Tarantino's new film Django Unchained has sparked controversy about his portrayal of slavery. Also, a dispute continues over whether gun owners' names and addresses should be made public. And, what are the most under-reported stories of 2012? The Barbershop guys weigh in with host Michel Martin for the last time this year.