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Car-crash victim Rom Houben says in Belgium that years of being unable to move or communicate left him feeling "alone, lonely, frustrated, but also blessed with my family." An expert using a specialized type of brain scan provided him with the equipment to communicate.

Documents unsealed Monday in a Minnesota investigation allege a broad and effective recruitment campaign to persuade Somali-Americans to join an Islamist insurgency in Somalia.

An inquiry investigating Britain's role in the Iraq war kicked off Tuesday with top government advisers testifying that some Bush administration officials were calling for Saddam Hussein's ouster as early as 2001 — long before sanctions were exhausted and two years before the U.S.-led invasion.

Banks earned $2.8 billion in the third quarter, but loan balances plummeted and the fund that insures their deposits had a negative balance of $8.2 billion. Souring loans continued to hurt bank balance sheets, but they were buoyed by higher operating revenues and a revived market for securities, the FDIC said.

The decision to host the Indian prime minister as President Obama's first state visitor, complete with a formal state dinner on Tuesday night, was designed as a deliberate signal of India's prominence in Washington. But Indian leaders remain worried that Obama won't treat India as a true global power in the same way his predecessor did.

It will be another week before senators begin floor debate on the Democrats' health care overhaul bill, but many in Washington are already predicting the demise of its current provision for a modest government-run insurance program.

The economy grew at a 2.8 percent pace last quarter, as the recovery got off to a slower start than first thought. The government's new reading on gross domestic product wasn't as energetic as the 3.5 percent growth rate for the July-September period estimated a month ago. A separate report said confidence in the economy improved slightly in November.

President Obama and his top military and national security advisers gathered once again at the White House Monday night. The subject was troop levels and strategies for the war in Afghanistan, and there was also the question of how to deal with neighboring Pakistan. Sources say plans are underway for a possible announcement in a prime-time speech by the president next week.

New York state has a tough new law on drunk driving that includes serious jail time for people convicted of driving drunk with a passenger under the age of 15. If a child is injured, the driver could get up to 15 years in prison, and if a child is killed, that penalty rises to 25 years. The law is aimed at catching parents and other relatives who get behind the wheel of the family car when they've had one too many.

The White House hosts India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the first formal state visit of Barack Obama's presidency. There are talks between the two leaders Tuesday, and later a state dinner. India is becoming a major player in global affairs — one that the U.S. needs on its side when it comes to issues like climate change, trade and countering extremism in South Asia.

China executed two people Tuesday for their roles in a tainted milk powder scandal in which at least six children died and more than 300,000 became sick. Zhang Yujun was executed for endangering public safety and Geng Jinping was executed for producing and selling toxic food, according to the official Xinhua News Agency.

The "diverging diamond" highway interchange is being put to the test in Missouri. Fans of the new design say it improves traffic flow by eliminating problematic left turns. There's just one catch: It briefly sends cars over to the left side of the road.

Better-designed highways played a role in reducing road fatalities to a 40-year low last year. But safety advocates say the road is still a dangerous place, especially once drivers leave the Interstate Highway System.

On Nov. 24, 1859, a book that changed the world first appeared in print. On the Origin of Species proposed a radical new theory about how all life on Earth evolved. In many respects, the book sparks greater controversy today than when it first appeared.

One reason for the shortage of the new H1N1 flu vaccine this year is the way flu vaccines are made. A modified form of the virus is grown inside chicken eggs, but the process takes months. Now, scientists are working to create new flu vaccines that can be made much faster, using the virus' DNA.

The debate in Washington over how much the health care overhaul bills will cost has largely centered on the bottom line for the federal government. But polls repeatedly show Americans are much more concerned about how a reshaped health care system will affect their own family's financial situation.

Huang Qi, founder of a human rights Web site, had been charged with illegally possessing state secrets. The veteran dissident cast a spotlight on poorly built schools that collapsed and killed thousands of children during China's massive earthquake last year.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission and manufacturer Stork Craft Manufacturing of British Columbia announced a recall of 2.1 million drop-side cribs on Monday following reports of the deaths of four children who suffocated in defective cribs. It is the largest crib recall on record.

President Obama is expected to outline his strategy in Afghanistan in a televised appearance next Tuesday. The announcement is expected to be followed soon by testimony on Capitol Hill by senior Obama administration officials.

The president is likely to address the nation Dec. 1 to outline strategy for the way ahead in Afghanistan, sources tell NPR. The announcement of a troop increase would be followed by testimony on Capitol Hill by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The number of hate crimes against religious groups in the U.S. jumped more than 8 percent during 2008, according to data released Monday by the FBI. That was the most notable percentage increase in the FBI's 2008 Hate Crime Statistics report, which showed an overall rise in hate crimes of 2 percent from 2007.

California roads once were the envy of the world. But like a lot of things in the Golden State these days, they’re not what they used to be. Federal Highway Administration data show that of the 20 major urban areas with the worst roadway conditions, eight are in California, with 64 percent in "poor condition."

The economic downturn forced many companies to seek extra ways to shrink costs: Some imposed furloughs or fewer work hours; others tried a straight wage reduction. Many of those companies are now concerned, however, about hanging on to their employees.

NPR has learned a federal grand jury in Minneapolis unsealed a roster of indictments Monday charging a handful of men with recruiting young Somali-Americans to fight for a terrorist organization in Somalia. Law enforcement officials revealed details of a more than yearlong investigation into the disappearance of some two dozen young Somalis from the Twin Cities area.

These three photos of President Obama were among images shown to college students as part of a study that suggests political attitudes can impact the way people perceive skin tone. The photos on the left and right have been altered. Self-described liberals were most likely to rate lightened photos as most representative of Obama. Conservative students tended to pick darkened photos.

The introduction of the Nintendo Wii and its sports and fitness games has greatly expanded the appeal of video games — especially among senior citizens. From California to New York, dozens of teams and more than 1,000 bowlers are in the throes of a virtual Wii bowling competition.

The Afghan government and the U.S. military are pursuing an effort to lure low-level insurgents with job offers and other incentives, and split them from their Taliban leaders. In his second inaugural last week, President Hamid Karzai called on militants to lay down their arms and return to their homes.

Could owning a gun mean your insurance would cost more in the wake of a government health overhaul? Yes, claims the Gun Owners of America, which fired off a letter to senators last week, urging them to vote against moving the Democrats' health bill to the floor for debate.

Russia has seen an explosion in the number of Orthodox convents in the decades since the end of communist rule. There are now more than 240. Most of the renovated convents — many in remote areas — are based on their distant history and devotion to their particular icons. But for many reasons, reviving the past is far from easy.

Mark Sanford is accused of breaking state laws more than three dozen times by violating rules on airplane travel and campaign money, according to details of the allegations. The state attorney general will decide whether to file criminal charges.

Israeli President Shimon Peres confirms progress in negotiations to free 1,000 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for captured soldier Sgt. Gilad Shalit, who has been held for more than three years by the Islamic militant group Hamas.

In a rare Saturday session, the Senate cleared the way to take up debate on sweeping changes to overhaul the nation's Health Care system. Guest host Jennifer Ludden talks with NPR's Congressional Correspondent David Welna about what obstacles lay ahead with the health care bill.

With a sour economy, spiraling deficits and automakers in trouble, Congress' safety agenda faces some tough obstacles. Federal transportation and highway safety laws are set to expire this year, and a bill to renew their funding is stalled. So Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN) is pushing a six-year, $500 billion transportation reauthorization bill.

Each holiday season, thousands of people find temporary jobs helping retail companies meet the demands of the busiest shopping period of the year. This year, many companies are being cautious about additional hiring because consumers are expected to spend only slightly more than last year.

The federal government said it has found a "strong association" between problematic imported Chinese drywall and corrosion of pipes and wires, a conclusion that supports complaints by thousands of homeowners over the last year.

The world's largest atom smasher made another leap forward Monday by circulating beams of protons in opposite directions at the same time in the $10 billion machine after more than a year of repairs, organizers said.

A federal judge in Minneapolis is set to unseal a roster of documents charging as many as eight new people with terrorism offenses related to the disappearance of young Somali-Americans to fight for a terrorist organization in Somalia, NPR has learned.

Home resales far exceeded expectations last month, surging 10.1 percent to the highest level in 2 1/2 years as first-time buyers rushed to take advantage of an expiring tax credit. Sales rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 6.1 million in October.

Many small towns across rural America continue to see population declines. But the tiny town of Preston, Kan., is getting help from an unlikely source: An Arizona mortician who has set up shop there and hopes to draw business from a 50-mile radius.