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The Federal Reserve continued to keep its foot on the accelerator in 2012, using unusual tactics to try to boost economic growth. But economists disagree about whether the Fed's policies were effective or whether the inflation risks outweighed the rewards.

This holiday season, instead of settling for the standard martini, historian Lesley Blume suggests you reach for a taste of bygone cocktail culture. She offers tips for picking the right antique elixir, as well as the original recipe for one of Ernest Hemingway's favorites.

The Mayan people in Latin America received a lot of attention when word spread their ancient calendar had predicted the world would end on Dec. 21. The tourists that came to visit Mayan sites have gone home, and the modern-day Mayas go on with their lives marked by high rates of poverty and a dependence on migration.

Owners of Toyota vehicles that experienced sudden and unintended acceleration have reached a settlement requiring the carmaker to pay as much as $1.4 billion in claims. A judge will review the proposal Friday.

The company that makes BlackBerry, Research in Motion, had only 5 percent of the global smartphone market in 2012. That's down from 11 percent the year before, according to the market research firm IHS iSuppli. Also in the 5 percent club: Nokia and HTC.

Authorities say Nouel Alba of the Bronx pretended to be a relative of a 6-year-old victim and collected donations for a "funeral fund." When confronted about it, they allege, she lied to FBI agents. So far, she's only been charged with lying to authorities. Other charges could follow.

In his 2012 book, How To Be Black, comedian Baratunde Thurston offers a humorous and poignant commentary on race in America. As part of our annual series on books we missed, Thurston shares his take on the conversations Americans have about race — as well as the ones we should have, but avoid altogether.

It was the warmest year on record and brought a series of extreme weather events, from wildfires and floods to drought and a devastating derecho. Polls show a big jump this year in the number of people connecting such disasters with climate change.

An Arizona ski resort is making snow for the first time this year, ending more than seven years' worth of legal battles over its snowmaking system, which relies entirely upon treated wastewater to coat its slopes when the snowfall has been uneven.

The probability that an individual will experience a school shooting may be low. But when the improbable happens to you, where do you find comfort?