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In the aftermath of tragic events like the school shooting in Newtown, Conn., people often question why an all-powerful God would allow such evil to happen. Throughout human history, different faiths have attempted to reconcile belief in a benevolent God with the inevitability of human suffering.

When the students of Sandy Hook Elementary return to class after the holiday break, they'll be attending a different school. They'll also have a principal who will be a familiar face to some: Donna Page, who retired from Sandy Hook two years ago.

Friday marks the end of the Mayan calendar — and the end of the world if you believe doomsayers. But a rumor circulating online says the village of Bugarach, population 200, will be spared. That has the village bracing for an influx of believers.

"The Maya never, ever, said anything about the world ending at any time — much less this year," says an archaeologist who helped translate the ancient culture's hieroglyphs.

They were called "the only band that matters." In the late 1970s and early '80s, The Clash pioneered punk rock — then went on to expand its possibilities in witty songs that critiqued the world. Strummer, the group's lead singer and songwriter, died 10 years ago this week.

South Korea will have its first female president, following Wednesday's close presidential election. Park Geun-hye says she will be open to better relations with North Korea, but she leads a conservative party known for its hardline with Pyongyang.

Following the school massacre in Newtown, Conn., some staunch supporters of gun rights have shifted their tone and appear open to new action on gun control. One of them is Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia. He talks to Steve Inskeep about his position.

As the outlines of a deal have taken shape, both sides have been trying to show supporters that they're hanging tough. So today's vote on a GOP plan could be a bit of political theater that helps push the federal government over that so-called cliff and an important step toward compromise.

State Department officials, testifying before Congress, acknowledge that security was inadequate in Benghazi before the deadly attacks in Libya. Sen. John Kerry, who was chairman of the Senate hearing, says the diplomatic corps needs more resources.

A large niacin-plus-simvistatin study by the drug maker Merck may have far-reaching implications, since millions of people take niacin every day to prevent heart attacks and strokes. One doctor says "phones will ring off the hook in cardiology practices throughout America" because of the news.