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The fiscal cliff has economists and politicians in a tailspin. The term is used to describe what will happen if Congress fails to come to an agreement on budget cuts or tax increases by the end of the year. Some say the term is inaccurate, and somewhat alarmist. Linda Wertheimer talks to linguist and Boston Globe language columnist Ben Zimmer about the origin of the term fiscal cliff.

Hostess Brands and its second-largest have agreed to a day of mediation to see if they can end a strike by bakers and prevent the company from shutting down. The parties will meet Tuesday with a bankruptcy judge. He announced on Monday that he wasn't ready to approve a liquidation.

Despite the diplomatic push and despite the rumors of imminent peace, there was no cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas. On Wednesday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will head to Cairo to try to broker a deal.

Also: Britain recognizes Syrian opposition while Syrian Islamist group rejects it; former Murdoch senior officials charged with bribery in Britain; and New Jersey lost an average of 30-40 feet of beaches after Sandy passed through.

Hewlett-Packard wiped that huge amount of money off its books last quarter, it says, because of problems with the finances of a British software company it bought last year.

It's been a great year for high-profile comics creators, producing landmark works destined for many "Best Comics of 2012" lists. But what about the lesser-known artists and their work? Glen Weldon points to outstanding works that haven't gotten the attention they deserve.

The maru variety is not available in stores near you. But if you know of a nearby Japanese family farm, you may be able to find this rare fruit, known for its deep brown color. Juicy and sweet without being cloying, this persimmon is a treat.

A Republican who sometimes worked across party lines, he was known for an effort to narrow budget deficits and for a pre-2001 commission report that warned America would "become increasingly vulnerable to hostile attack."

Many of the nation's historically black colleges and universities are facing financial problems, and some have had to shut down altogether. Guest host Celeste Headlee discusses the issue with Dillard University President Walter Kimbrough and Professor Marybeth Gasman of the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.

Are the sources for your trendy coconut water and oil in danger? Not yet, says a French scientist, but he has an elaborate vision for how to overcome the coconut's biological challenges and ensure that the plant's dozens of varieties stick around for a long time.

In a new memoir, Grace Coddington explains how she grew up on a remote island off the coast of Wales, started modeling as a young woman and ended up as creative director at Vogue magazine. Coddington speaks with Fresh Air's Terry Gross about her life in the fashion industry.

One scientist said it has found something "earthshaking" but wouldn't say what. We're asking you guess.

A pilot program in Mississippi uses biometric finger scanners on low-income parents who check their kids in and out of day care centers. State officials say they'll save millions of dollars by reducing fraud, but some parents and day care providers see it as discriminatory and are protesting.

Doctors have been decoding our pee and poo since medieval times. They even have handy visual guides.

Two weeks after votes were cast, Tea Party firebrand Allen West conceded he lost his Florida Congressional race to Democrat Patrick Murphy. He was one of just a few Tea Party activists to be defeated.

The largest insurance provider in South Carolina, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, and the state's Medicaid program will no longer cover the cost…

President Obama's campaign operation apparently isn't going to be totally retired just yet. Instead, the Obama team is considering deploying some of its grass-roots elements to push Congress to solve the fiscal cliff problem and help pass the president's agenda.

A report three years ago found serious problems in the nation's forensic science community, but since then, little has changed. In many states, lab employees report to law enforcement, potentially undermining their impartiality. And only a few states require labs to be accredited.

A fresh hot meal is a thing of beauty when you're having a tough go of things, and can literally bring tears to people's eyes. But a full freezer? That's money in the bank. So when it comes to feeding people in need, an extra meal for the freezer can be the best gift of all.

Previous research has found that patients with online access to their doctors made fewer trips to the doctor's office. But a large, just-published study shows just the opposite: Patients who can email their physicians may schedule more visits.