The current lapse in funding for portions of the U.S. government could be a harbinger of congressional gridlock and dysfunction next year, when Democrats will control the House of Representatives while Republicans continue their control of the Senate .

ON THIS DAY IN AMERICAN HISTORY On December 27, 1968, Apollo 8 splashes down safely in the Pacific Ocean after an historic six-day journey to the moon. The mission, manned by Frank Borman, James Lovell, Jr., and William Anders, was the first manned mission to the moon and paved the way for future landings on the lunar surface. Apollo 8, which launched on December 21, made 10 orbits of the moon before heading home. During the mission, the crew sent back dramatic video and spectacular images of Earth.

Millions of American parents could be putting their plans for a comfortable retirement at risk by continuing to act as the family bank for their adult children. More than three-fourths — 79 percent — of parents with adult children provide financial assistance to their offspring, contributing to living expenses like rent, groceries and cellphone bills, according to a recent study from Merrill Lynch .

North Korea announced last week it would not pursue denuclearization unless the United States removes what it calls its “nuclear threat.” The Institute for North Korean Studies’ Yongwook Ryu was not surprised by North Korea’s declaration.

VIDEO: Tennessee wouldn’t be Tennessee without country music, and the latter is hard to imagine without the recognizable sounds of the banjo. They may seem simple and easy to make, but in reality, military precision, basics of engineering and carefully chosen materials are crucial for creating a quality instrument. VOA traveled to Memphis, Tennessee, to talk with two men who have made the complex art banjo making their lifetime project.

VIDEO: On the surface, much has changed in Zimbabwe in the last year. In August, the southern African nation elected its first new president in 37 years. But the nation’s economy continues to struggle, and citizens are wondering when things will turn around.