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President Obama visited Myanmar, also known as Burma, on Monday. In doing so, he became the first sitting U.S. president in history to visit the country. He was greeted by cheering crowds and promised the Burmese people that the U.S. would stand by them as Myanmar moved towards greater freedom and democracy. The president's visit was a controversial one, since the government there has yet to release many people the U.S. considers prisoners of conscience and large sections of the population are still suffering inter-communal violence. However the Obama administration says it wanted to applaud the reforms that have been made, and use the visit to encourage further progress.

More than two weeks after Sandy devastated lives across New York and New Jersey, one strange reminder of the storm has come to light: a mass of dead fish near commuter rail train tracks in New Jersey's Meadowlands.

Scientists have come up with an algorithm to guess how many stars a recipe will receive online. By building "social networks" for ingredients, the algorithms also reveal how we mix and match spices, make dishes more healthful and customize flavor profiles.

Debate over the so-called fiscal cliff has dominated the post-election agenda. But the challenge of dealing with long-term debt and the annual deficit has been brewing for years. And one man who has kept his focus and money on that target is the billionaire Peter G. Peterson.

The Justice Department has a big decision to make. Parts of new laws in Colorado and Washington that legalize recreational marijuana take effect next month. The Obama administration must decide whether it will sue to stop that or let the states go their own way, despite federal law.

This year American consumers are expected to take advantage of retailers' holiday promotions and spend big on gifts for themselves. Fifty-nine percent of shoppers polled plan to "self-gift" — the highest number in a retail industry survey's 10-year history.

Low interest rates have sparked a record wave of mortgage activity, and the need for more people to process the paperwork. Mortgage employment rose by 9 percent this year, to its highest level since the financial crisis in 2008.

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.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in the region Tuesday. And in Cairo, Egypt's new Islamic leadership is now serving as a mediator between the Israelis and Gaza's Hamas-led government.

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.