National

In Newtown, Conn., makeshift memorials have been set up outside the town hall, which is holding thousands of toys and stuffed animals for residents as the holidays approach.

National

Toy Donations Pour Into Newtown For The Holidays

1:48pm December 24, 2012

by Diane Orson

Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, gifts have come into the grief-stricken Connecticut community by the truckload. Parents say they're not sure how to celebrate, but some hope the traditions will bring back some sense of normalcy.

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National

When There's A Baby Between You And The Glass Ceiling

1:44pm December 24, 2012

by NPR Staff

Family or career — it's a dilemma that many working mothers face. Though women outnumber men in the workforce, the gender gap at the top is still wide. How much of that is by choice?

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A school bus drives past a welcome sign near the Chalk Hill Middle School in Monroe, Conn. Students from Sandy Hook Elementary in neighboring Newtown will attend the school in January.

National

Near-Replica Of Sandy Hook Made Nearby For Students

7:54pm December 22, 2012

by David Schaper

The surviving students of the shootings in Newtown, Conn., won't be returning to their old school. From the wall paint to the desks, a soon-to-be reopened school in Monroe is meant to feel familiar for Sandy Hook kids.

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National

Atheists Join Religious Groups In Giving Sandy Hook Support

6:37pm December 22, 2012

In the wake of the Newtown shooting, a coalition of atheists have come together to provide some relief. Atheists Giving Aid is raising money for funeral costs and counseling services for Sandy Hook victims.

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In The Minority, But Sticking To Party Lines

6:37pm December 22, 2012

House Speaker John Boehner sent his colleagues home for the holidays after failing to pass a proposed solution to the year-end tax hikes that he called "Plan B." Host Guy Raz speaks with James Fallows of The Atlantic about Boehner's status as a leader within the GOP. They also discuss the defiant tone of the NRA press conference Friday.

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U.S. Sen. John Kerry (left), who was nominated Friday to be secretary of state, is shown shaking hands with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani during a trip to Pakistan last year.

National

John Kerry Already A Familiar Face To World Leaders

9:21pm December 21, 2012

by Michele Kelemen

The Massachusetts senator has already carried out sensitive diplomatic efforts on behalf of President Obama, with a strong focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan in recent years.

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A person's DNA can say a lot about a person, but not why someone has committed a horrific crime like mass murder.

Killer's DNA Won't Explain His Crime

9:21pm December 21, 2012

by Jon Hamilton

Sandy Hook and other mass killings have left people wondering how someone could engage in such behavior. Scientists say that genes can indeed predispose a person to mental illness or violence. But genetic variants alone can't explain why someone commits mass murder.

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Each FEMA-registered family with kids can pick out toys at the volunteer-run Staten Island store.

National

Free Toy Shop Brings Cheer To Sandy's Displaced Families

9:21pm December 21, 2012

by Margot Adler

Many Staten Island residents are still not back in their homes since Sandy washed ashore. Local volunteers have opened a toy store where FEMA-registered families with children can pick up donated toys, holiday decorations and stocking stuffers. Thus far, the shop has given away more than 2,000 toys.

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Plug Pulled On 'Plan B,' House Breaks For Christmas

11:16am December 21, 2012

by Tamara Keith

House Speaker John Boehner was dealt a major defeat Thursday night. After spending most of the week trying to round up votes for his "Plan B" to extend tax cuts for virtually everyone, he pulled the measure without a vote. The clock keeps ticking toward the end of the year, when automatic tax increases and spending cuts are set to hit.

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National

A Moment Of Silence To Remember Newtown Victims

11:16am December 21, 2012

Connecticut officials and residents and others across the nation on Friday observed a moment of silence and the ringing of bells to remember the victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown.

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