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President Obama nominated George Tsunis to the post of ambassador to Norway. But after a cringeworthy confirmation hearing, Norwegian-Americans are aiming to block him as unqualified for the post.

Travelers will find gasoline prices are down considerably from last Thanksgiving. But consumer confidence is slumping too. So AAA, the auto club, says it expects to see a dip in holiday travel, compared with 2012.

Should the Afghan government sign a security agreement, the U.S. plans to keep as many as 9,000 American troops in Afghanistan even after the U.S. and NATO's combat mission officially ends late in 2014. But the remaining U.S. troops will almost certainly be outnumbered by civilian contractors.

The largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history took a step forward Tuesday when a judge said the city can go forward with its Chapter 9 bankruptcy case. Now a manager will work to cut pension costs and make deals with creditors. Detroit is $18.5 billion in debt.

The proposition that some extra weight may not be a health worry has sparked a heated medical debate. Some studies have found that a little extra fat might have benefits. A new analysis suggests that for almost all people excess weight increases the risk of death and disease.

"People know about the global trade in shark fins, but few know that some of the most valuable fins ... used in shark fin soup come from the sharklike rays — species like sawfishes and wedgefishes and guitarfishes," says Sonja Fordham, who contributed to a new analysis of the fisheries.

The former head of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission continues to warn about the security of the nation's power grid. Last spring, shots fired at transformers in San Jose, Calif., and caused extensive damage.

From the moment President Obama warned the public there might be "glitches" with HealthCare.gov, the word has taken the spotlight. So we wondered: Where did this word come from? And how has its latest resurgence in popularity shaped its meaning?

Officials are slowly lifting the bans on water use in areas that have been affected by last week's chemical spill.

Food pantries are bracing for higher demand from their communities in the coming weeks. National hunger organizations say the best way to help is to give money to local food banks and pantries instead of donating food.