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As 2013 wraps up, NPR is looking at the numbers that tell this year's story. When it comes to the economy, $85 billion is a good candidate. That's the amount the Federal Reserve has been pumping into the financial system each month trying to stimulate growth and bring down unemployment. On Tuesday, Fed policymakers begin a two-day meeting at which they'll decide whether to dial back that stimulus.

In a new poll, many parents said they're worried that schools aren't adequately preparing students for a changing workforce. And too much emphasis on memorizing facts in the classroom, both parents and kids say, is keeping young people from getting excited about science and technology careers.

Defining when something is or isn't about race can be tricky. So people tend to go by a simple rule of thumb: Does it involve people who aren't white? If so, it's about race. Eric Deggans explains why this is a problem.

When billionaire John Paulson first bought Steinway & Sons, it struck fear in the hearts of musicians. Would Steinway's famously handcrafted pianos be changed, for the sake of efficiency?

Four alleged mafia gangsters have been arrested for forcing shop owners to buy poinsettias for as much as $140 each. Owners who refused to partake in the "Christmas special" would have their shops vandalized.

For the 29th straight year, Michael Gray, 34, and his younger brother Martin, 29, posed together with Santa. They say it makes their mom happy. She keeps a book of the photos at home.

The Seahawks 23-0 victory over the New York Giants is great news for Seattle. Except for the folks at Jet Chevrolet. The Seattle-area dealership pledged to give 12 people $35,000 apiece if the Seahawks shut out the Giants. The car guys never expected to pay up — but just in case, they insured the bet.

The former NSA contractor lives in Russia where he has temporary asylum until mid-2014. In an open letter to the people of Brazil, he says permanent political asylum would give him the ability to talk more freely. The Brazilian newspaper that published the letter says Snowden wants asylum in Brazil.

At issue is the arrest last week of India's deputy consul general in New York. She is accused of using false documents to get a work visa for her Manhattan housekeeper. India is calling her arrest "despicable and barbaric," and announced retaliatory steps against U.S. diplomats in the country.

From coast to coast, the invasive insect is costing U.S. farmers millions in crop damage, and it has become a smelly nuisance for homeowners. But researchers say they may have found some low-tech solutions to the stink-bug menace.