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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.

The mystery writer's dog Tessa went missing on Tuesday in Brookline, Mass. He's asked for help on Facebook and says that whoever manages to return the beagle to her home will get to be a character in an upcoming book.

Zany presidential candidates, Clint Eastwood's chair, and vice-presidential trips to Costco. 2012 was a significant, and perhaps odd, year for politics. Host Michel Martin is joined by former White House staffers to review some of the best and worst political moments of the year.

Three models of the infant recliners are being recalled voluntarily by some of the nation's biggest retailers, including Amazon.com and Buy Buy Baby. The Consumer Product Safety Commission claims the products are hazardous. The maker has said the infant seats are safe when used as directed.

Cliches are often criticized as the most overused and contemptible phrases in the English language. But writer Hephzibah Anderson says there are times when cliches are not only useful, but also create a sense of camaraderie. And sometimes, she writes in Prospect magazine, only a cliche will do.

Authorities say Nouel Alba of the Bronx pretended to be a relative of a 6-year-old victim and collected donations for a "funeral fund." When confronted about it, they allege, she lied to FBI agents. So far, she's only been charged with lying to authorities. Other charges could follow.

It was the warmest year on record and brought a series of extreme weather events, from wildfires and floods to drought and a devastating derecho. Polls show a big jump this year in the number of people connecting such disasters with climate change.

U.S. adoption advocacy groups are appealing to Russian President Vladimir Putin not to sign a law that would bar adoptions by Americans. More than 60,000 Russians have been adopted by Americans over the last two decades, and more than a thousand are now in the process of being adopted. Russian lawmakers proposed the ban to retaliate over a measure by the U.S. Congress to impose visa bans on Russians accused of human rights violations.

If Congress and the president can't reach a deal, budget cuts will go into effect next week. But most agencies won't be hit right away. The biggest planning headaches seem to be for payroll companies and others who deal with taxes — as they wait to see if automatic increases happen Jan. 1.

The publishing industry has been in flux for years. First chain stores, then Amazon, then e-books — all combined to create dramatic change. Industry consultant Mike Shatzkin outlines some of the biggest changes, like the recently announced merger of Penguin and Random House.

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.

People have been watching television with their laptops, smartphones or tablets in hand for a while now. It's called the two-screen experience. This year, social media chatter about TV grew by about 800 percent — and broadcasters are trying harder than ever to join the conversation.

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 latest NPR-Truven Health Analytics Health Poll finds that most Americans favor physician-assisted suicide for people with less than six months to live. But the survey found opposition to assisted suicide for people in severe pain who aren't terminally ill or for those with disabilities.

Classical fraud on the small screen, maybe the best classical app ever and much more: what you need to read, watch and hear this week. Plus: "obscene" Britten, a scary Nutcracker and operatic takes on both "Gangnam Style" and extreme pizza.

Also: Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf dies; Secretary Clinton is expected back at work next week; death toll from this week's winter weather reaches 17; former President George H.W. Bush wishes folks would "put the harps back in the closet."

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.

At No. 6, Wild traces author Cheryl Strayed's crisis after her mother's death and a bitter divorce.

Two-Way readers left us more than 200,000 comments this year. The person who generated the most approval from others was "Miss M," who generally takes a short, simple and respectful approach when she has something to say.