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The latest round of talks between international inspectors and Iran showed little progress. More discussions are planned, but 2013 may be the year that the U.S. will decide whether to take military action against Iran.

Host Scott Simon talks with NPR's Mara Liasson about whether the Obama administration and Congressional Republicans can find some common ground and overcome the political gridlock that characterized much of the president's first term.

House Republicans held their annual retreat this week in Williamsburg, Va., to figure out their next steps. They dropped a demand to have spending cuts for ever dollar the debt ceiling is raised, at least for the next three months. GOP lawmakers are now pinning their hopes for deficit reduction on other looming budget battles.

Algeria has been acting alone in the hostage situation at the remote In Amenas natural gas field, relying on its years of experience fighting terrorism internally. It has turned down offers of support and advice from other nations, including the U.S. Yet any anger over Algeria's go-it-alone approach has been muted; the nation is a critical ally of the U.S.

After being deployed to Iraq in 2003, Spc. Lance Pilgrim was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. His panic attacks led him to become dependent on pain medication, and he accidentally overdosed in 2007. His parents share their son's struggle to leave the war behind.

Generations of family members have worked at the Remington Arms factory in Ilion, but new state gun legislation has many worried they'll lose their livelihood. "Everybody around this area, if it wasn't for Remington Arms, would be in trouble," a local restaurant owner says.

Barack Obama was always going to have a place in history as the first African-American president. That's no small feat given the nation's peculiar past. But achieving what other Democratic presidents couldn't fueled deep divisions within the country and set the table for a second term with daunting challenges.

The Smithsonian recently uncovered the menu from Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural ball, and it provides an interesting look at how different the celebrations were just 148 years ago.

Jim Hewes has been bartending at the historic Willard Hotel's Round Robin Bar for 27 years. The bar is just a stone's throw from the White House, and Hewes mixes up presidential history with his cocktails. For the inauguration, he has come up with a drink list inspired by the 44 presidents.

For years, British environmental activist Mark Lynas vandalized genetically modified food crops. Then, he had a change of heart. He went in front of the world to reverse his position, telling the anti-GMO lobby to "get out of the way and let the rest of us get on with feeding the world sustainably."