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Since 2001, more than 100,000 troops have left the military with an other-than-honorable discharge. The "bad paper" puts benefits and medical care out of reach, even for those who served in combat. Which raises a simple question: What does America owe those who serve?

As a Dec. 23 enrollment deadline for health insurance that starts Jan. 1 looms, New York state is staffing up its call center and smoothing out the rough spots on its application to meet growing demand. As time runs down, the state is trying to fix technical and design issues that came up when the site debuted in October.

The cold snap that hammered Dallas five days ago is still creating problems. Thousands of people remain without power. Some truckers remain trapped at rest stops. And an unusual phenomenon called "cobblestone ice" is hampering crews from de-icing interstate bridges, overpasses and off-ramps.

House and Senate negotiators said late Thursday that they reached a budget deal. The agreement would restore some of the automatic spending cuts known as sequestration, and includes some relatively small deficit reduction over the next two years. Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., hammered out the deal, which they characterized as a step in the right direction that would avoid another government shutdown in mid-January if both the House and Senate approve the budget.

As of Nov. 30, more than 137,000 people had obtained health insurance through the federal website. Another 227,000 got coverage through the state exchanges. Users have until Dec. 23 to sign up if they want the health insurance coverage to start Jan. 1.

The court said only Parliament can change the colonial-era law. The decision, which reverses a landmark lower court ruling that decriminalized homosexual acts, is being called a major setback to gay rights in the country.

When it comes time to fertilizing a cornfield, most farmers use huge machines that weigh at least 10 tons. But three brothers in Minnesota have created a tiny robot they say can do the same job much more efficiently.

Three people were killed and more than 150 were injured when the South Korean passenger jet crashed at San Francisco International Airport last July. As the NTSB holds an all-day hearing, there's word that the pilot was worried about making a visual approach to the runway.

As Nelson Mandela is laid to rest, guest host Celeste Headlee asks if there's another activist who might galvanize the world in the same way. She speaks with Nicholas Kristof of The New York Times and Human Rights First's Brian Dooley.

Time magazine has named Pope Francis its Person of the Year, calling him "The People's Pope." Francis has called on the Roman Catholic Church leadership to emphasize compassion and prioritize caring for the poor. Host Michel Martin speaks to a panel of Catholic leaders to hear their thoughts on Pope Francis.