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The United States is little more than a year away from ending its combat mission in Afghanistan, yet much is still uncertain about the U.S. role in that country. Next month, Afghan tribal leaders plan a vote that could define the non-combat missions of U.S. troops beyond the year 2014. Meantime, there are questions about the course of the war once U.S. troop levels drop.

Farm workers do backbreaking work to bring fresh produce to our tables. But one secret about life in the fields is a chilling power dynamic that can allow supervisors to sexually assault farm workers in remote orchards and packinghouses.

The country's economy is at a turning point, and its leaders are gathering this weekend to decide how to steer a future course. For the world's second-largest economy, much hangs in the balance, including hopes for economic reforms. In the past, such gatherings have been game changers.

After years in movies and TV shows, some child actors end up making headlines for stints in rehab and legal drama later in life. Others leave Hollywood behind and pursue different careers. Mara Wilson, star of Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire, explains the challenges of transitioning to adulthood.

The Senate passed legislation Monday that would do away with direct payments to farmers and instead create an expanded crop insurance program. It's designed to protect farmers from losses, but some say it amounts to a highly subsidized gift to agribusiness.

Student loan rates are set to double on Monday, with Congress not likely to take action before then. The debate now is on how to lower costs for students without needing annual stopgap bills. Such a measure would not pass until mid-July at the earliest and would have to be applied retroactively to undo the coming rate hike.

Edward Snowden's remarks mark the first time he's broken his silence since he fled to Moscow eight days ago. They come the same day Russian immigration officials say he applied for political asylum in the country.

One of the great dinosaur puzzles, the dinosaur mystery, is why did they suddenly die off? Scientists have been debating this question for almost a hundred years and one of the most beautiful notions came from an insect scholar who thought maybe caterpillars did it. I'm not making this up.

When the Labor Department releases new unemployment data Friday, the news likely will be disappointing. Not really bad, just not very good. Unfortunately, that assessment sums up the entire recovery, which began four years ago. "We're just running in place," one economist says.

As the federal government shutdown continues, national parks across the country remain closed to visitors. That includes the famous Gettysburg battlefield in Pennsylvania. But this year is the 150th anniversary of the battle that many historians consider the turning point of the Civil War. And Gettysburg is fighting to keep some of the crowds coming, even without federal funds.