CNN Radio News Day is an evening news program providing an informative, thoughtful and creative look at the day's events. It's posted Monday through Friday at 4:30 pm ET.

You don’t have to be at this blog to listen, we want you to take us with you! Click the download button in the SoundCloud player and put us on your smart phone or tablet and bring us with you in the car, on the train or while you’re working out.

(CNN) – Welcome to CNN Radio News Day.

• Many of Syria's rebels are ordinary people who've been forced by war to do extraordinary things.  CNN's Arwa Damon brings us the story of a 17-year-old in Aleppo who risks his life in an attempt to save a complete stranger shot by a sniper:

"Her rescuer is not a relative, nor a neighbor. He's never met her. Abdullah Khader Feehan is just 17 - he knew he had to save the woman, or die trying."

• There's still no solution to the fiscal cliff situation, but it's not for a lack of ideas.  In fact, there is one big money idea that economists say is a no brainer.  And they say it won't be very painful. But Elaine Hughes, National Secretary for the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, disagrees:

"Perhaps you would not feel it so much over the next year or two but over the long-term is when it's really going to hurt."

• By 2014 when the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare, is fully implemented, a lot of newly-insured Americans will be vying for the attention of a dwindling supply of doctors.  Debbie Polaski, who manages CVS's chain of Minute Clinics in Los Angeles, believes nurse practitioners will help take up the slack:

"We're going to be seeing  millions upon millions of people who have insurance through this Affordable Care Act and will be in need of doctors."

"Subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or Stitcher. And listen to News Day on our SoundCloud page.

By Lisa Desjardins, CNN

Follow on Twitter: @LisaDCNN

Editor's Note: Listen to the full story in our player above, and join the conversation in our comments section below.

(CNN) – As Congress and the White House fight over every billion in revenue and spending cuts, there is some $200 billion in savings on the table that many economists insist is a no-brainer.

The idea is to simply change how the US calculates inflation from the current Consumer Price Index measures  to one that is arguably more accurate, the chained CPI.

Over a decade, the change could save the government billions in spending tied to inflation, notably cost of living adjustments for federal retirees and Social Security recipients.

FULL POST

CNN Radio News Day is an evening news program providing an informative, thoughtful and creative look at the day's events. It's posted Monday through Friday at 4:30 pm ET.

You don’t have to be at this blog to listen, we want you to take us with you! Click the download button in the SoundCloud player and put us on your smart phone or tablet and bring us with you in the car, on the train or while you’re working out.

(CNN) – Welcome to CNN Radio News Day.

• North Korea has launched a long-range rocket apparently putting a satellite into orbit.  Although previous claims by the totalitarian country of successful launches have been dismissed this time there appears to be some credibility to the claim. The United Nations Security Council swiftly condemned the launch saying it's a "clear violation" of previous resolutions.   We spoke with Michael O'Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who says:

"It clearly is a little bit of a boost to the military within North Korea and the new leader, Kim Jong Un "              FULL POST

By Nova Safo, CNN

Follow on Twitter: @nova_safo

Editor's Note: Listen to the full story in our player above, and join the conversation in our comments section below.

(CNN) – Michigan is now a right-to-work state, after Governor Rick Snyder signed the controversial measure into law yesterday. The law limits the ability of unions to collect fees from their members. Unions see the law as a direct threat to their ability to raise funds, organize, and have political clout.

In response to the bill signing, unions held silent protests in multiple cities throughout Michigan today, continuing what is likely to be a long-term battle. And they unleashed vocal anger on Tuesday in a massive protest at the Michigan State Capitol.

FULL POST

By Tommy Andres, CNN

Editor's Note: Listen to the full story in our player above, and join the conversation in our comments section below.

(CNN) - After three years of talks, the blueprint for a new stadium for the Atlanta Falcons has been finalized and the deal now goes to the legislature for approval.

But the way that stadium may get paid for uses a model that some say isn't the best deal for local governments.

Under the proposed Atlanta stadium deal, an existing hotel/motel tax will pay for a third of the billion dollar price tag of the  facility. But residents aren’t too happy about replacing the 20-year-old Georgia Dome. FULL POST