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President Barack Obama made a last-minute personal appeal to Democrats to pass landmark health care legislation Saturday as the House opened debate on a bill to expand coverage to millions of the uninsured.

Military families around the country say they urgently need the government to give them a different kind of support. They need help taking care of relatives who were severely wounded in the wars — relatives who now are living at home. Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Daniel Zwerdling about how a recently discussed bill in Congress could help.

It used to be that receiving the key to a city was a rare honor worthy of the front page. Now, just as front pages are disappearing, apparently all you need to get a key to a city is to ask. Mark Malkoff is a comedy writer and filmmaker who's embarked on a month-long, cross-country tour to see how many mayors will give him the key to their cities.

Hundreds gathered Friday night at Fort Hood's football stadium for a candlelight vigil for the 43 people killed and wounded Thursday.

Michael Jackson's father is seeking an allowance from his son's estate to help cover expenses that exceed $15,000 a month, according to court documents filed Friday. The entertainer's 2002 will made no reference to his father, with whom he had an often strained relationship.

As an Army psychiatrist, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan heard the horror stories of war on a daily basis from the soldiers he was treating for post-traumatic stress disorder.

The story of suspected Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan is a reminder of the stresses and potential pitfalls Muslims and Arab-Americans face in serving in the U.S. armed forces in a post-9/11 world.

In Fort Hood, Texas, investigators are collecting information about Thursday's deadly attack at a soldier processing center. Thirteen people were killed, 12 of them soldiers, and 30 were wounded when a gunman, identified as Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, opened fire in the facility.

Consumers borrowed less for a record eighth straight month in September amid rising unemployment and tight credit conditions. Economists worry the declines in borrowing will drag on the fledgling recovery. The Federal Reserve said borrowing fell at an annual rate of $14.8 billion in September.

The government says the nation's unemployment rate hit 10.2 percent last month, the highest since 1983. Economists had expected the figure to rise to 9.9 percent.

As Fort Hood, Texas, takes stock of Thursday's attack, those who lived through it are providing new details about what went on inside the Soldier Readiness Processing Center. Soldiers and others who were there when the gunman — named by the military as Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan — opened fire discuss how the events unfolded.

The H1N1 virus is a major concern for Saudi Arabian authorities, who are gearing up to host millions of Muslims on the annual pilgrimage to Mecca. Health officials are making recommendations and monitoring pilgrims, but otherwise can do little to mitigate the virus' spread.

A special report from All Things Considered and NPR.org explores the challenges facing President Obama, America and Afghanistan in the troubled region and the options available to the U.S.

The U.S. envoy to the U.N. rejects claims that the Obama administration's pace of determining a strategy in Afghanistan is a sign of weakness. What would be "weak and dangerous," Susan Rice says, is a rushed decision made without thoroughly considering the implications for U.S. national security.

News that the jobless rate has crossed the psychologically important 10 percent mark comes in the same week that Democrats suffered a sobering Election Day. Some experts say it dims Democratic prospects not just for 2010 but for the health care vote this weekend.

After a routine resupply mission, the American soldiers disappeared and more than 25 NATO and Afghan security forces members were wounded during the search mission for them, the alliance said Friday.

Police in Orlando say a gunman has been apprehended after killing one person and injuring five others at a downtown office building where he was let go two years ago.

Democratic House leaders are keeping lawmakers in town over the weekend to work on their health care bill. President Obama is expected to rally support on the Hill on Saturday. With every step this legislation takes toward becoming law, the fervor — on both sides — gets stronger.

Little over a week after the government said the economy has begun to grow, the unemployment rate climbed to 10.2 percent, the first time it has hit double digits since 1983. That, along with the loss of an additional 190,000 jobs in October, shows the economy is still struggling to emerge from recession.

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is trimming the online preorder prices of some upcoming DVDs following last month's price cut on books. The move led rivals Amazon.com Inc. and Target Corp. to reduce some DVD prices, which pushed Wal-Mart to take a few more cents off its offerings.

The Labor Department says the jobless rate hit 10.2 percent in October. That's the first time it's gone over 10 percent since the recession of the early 1980's. The economy shed a net total of 190,000 jobs in October.

As doctors attend to the wounded and funeral plans are made for the deceased, military officials at Fort Hood, Texas, are piecing together why the alleged gunman shot and killed 13 people and wounded 30 others. Among the things they are looking into: Whether Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan was disturbed by his deployment orders to go to Iraq.

AIG said it posted profits for the second quarter in a row as its core insurance operations continue to stabilize after the company's government bailout last year. American International Group Inc. also got a lift from the increasing value of investments it still holds that soured last year and helped drive it to the brink of collapse.

Authorities believe Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan is the man responsible for the worst mass killing on a U.S. military installation. A relative told Fox News that Hasan had been ordered to serve a term in Iraq, and resisted deployment there. Hasan was said to have argued with soldiers who supported the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Officials at Fort Hood say 13 people died and 30 were wounded when an Army psychiatrist set to be shipped overseas opened fire at the Texas post. Military officials are trying to unravel why the shooting happened. The suspect is wounded and under guard.

Thirteen people were killed and 30 were injured in Thursday's shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, and the suspected gunman, an Army psychiatrist, survived despite being shot four times.

Historically the party that holds the White House almost always loses seats in its first midterm election. When one party holds the White House, the House and the Senate, the losses tend to be bigger. If the economy doesn't turn around, it will be a very difficult election year for Democrats.

More and more women have had to become their family's primary source of income. But women still don't make as much money as men. When a woman becomes the breadwinner, her family must survive on less than half of their previous income.

The state of New York is looking for ways to reduce the time the unemployed spend looking for jobs, and it's turning to a mathematical formula for help. Using an algorithm developed by a Boston technology company, the program directs resumes to the employers most likely to make a hire.

Colorado will soon become the first state to cut its minimum wage. The 3 cent reduction will bring the wage down to $7.25 per hour, the same as the federal minimum. The cut is required by a law that ties the wage to inflation. But employment experts say companies are unlikely to cut the minimum for existing workers.

An Army psychiatrist is accused of opening fire Thursday at the Texas military post, killing a dozen soldiers before being wounded and taken into custody. Authorities have yet to determine a motive for the attack. A 13th person died overnight, according to a spokesman at the post.

The "everything but marriage" law expands rights for domestic partners and marks the first time any state's voters have approved a gay equality measure at the ballot box. Full-fledged gay marriage is still not allowed under Washington law.

The lockdown at Fort Hood, Texas, is over hours after a gunman killed 11 people and wounded 31 others. The gunman, who was killed by police, was identified as Maj. Nidal Malik Hassan.

The suspected shooter in the deadly shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, has been identified as Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan. Two others who had been arrested have reportedly been released.

The suspect in the deadly shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, was a U.S. soldier who was identified as Maj. Malik Nidal Hasan, a mental health professional. Two additional suspects who were detained have been freed.

At least 12 people were killed and 31 wounded when at least three gunmen opened fire in Fort Hood, Texas. Media reports named the suspect as Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan.

Media reports, quoting sources, are naming one of the suspects in the massive shooting at Fort Hood, Texas, as Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan. He was killed, and two other suspects were apprehended. All are U.S. Soldiers. Twelve people were killed and 31 wounded in the attack.

The environment could hardly be better for Republicans — the out party typically scores big in off-year elections, particularly when the economy is flagging. The party sees a chance for big gains in next year's midterms, even as it deals with its own internal ideological battles.

Raymond Jessop, 38, was convicted on charges related to his "spiritual marriage" to an underage girl. It was the first criminal trial to follow last year's raid on the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' ranch in Eldorado.