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President Obama's announcement this week that he's launching the BRAIN Initiative generated widespread and enthusiastic media coverage. Researchers, however, are suggesting the initiative has more to do with politics and public relations than research.

The Senate held its first hearing on an assault weapons ban Wednesday, with activists pushing for tighter gun regulations sharing a table with gun-rights activists. They are seizing on public outrage over the December gun massacre at a school in Connecticut.

We've all done it: Skipped the reading assignment and rented the movie instead. (Because the six-hour Pride & Prejudice mini-series has Colin Firth, and the book does not.) In this Ask Me One More final round, the shorthand method will be put to the test. Our resident bookworm John Chaneski will give you the name of a book, and you have to name the film adaptation.

President Obama named a new Department of Energy secretary, a new budget director and a new head for the Environmental Protection Agency on Monday. All three will require confirmation by the Senate.

A competition to encourage entrepreneurs to design health apps came up with a wide range of possibilities. One app audits medical bills for errors and savings. Another helps find prices for services, such as dental exams, for people without insurance coverage.

The generation that came of age in the 1960s is beginning to retire. Born after World War II, they grew up in an era of rising living standards, but the Great Recession destroyed any sense of financial security. Now they face challenges, including putting their kids through college and caring for their parents.

Sales of games on the PlayStation 3, Wii and Xbox 360 have dropped precipitously in recent years as mobile gaming has become more popular. Now a familiar champion, Tomb Raider and its heroine Lara Croft, returns to fight the good fight for old-school console gaming.

Margaret Thatcher was laid to rest in a funeral attended by dignitaries from around the globe as well as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip on Wednesday. It's the first funeral of a British politician attended by the Queen since Sir Winston Churchill's in 1965.

Renee Montagne talks to Zanny Minton Beddoes, of The Economist magazine, about the economy in the United Kingdom, and the debate over whether austerity measures are working.

Some of the priorities of President Obama's next four years in office are already taking shape, and the challenges are becoming more apparent. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mara Liasson about what's on the horizon for Obama's second term.