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 | 2009 DECEMBER Dec. 31, 2009
 From Wars to Recession, a Review of Decade's Politics Starting with a divisive presidential election and ending with the rancorous debate over health care reform, Gwen Ifill and political analysts look back at the highs and lows of the decade's politics.

   

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 | Dec. 31, 2009
 Other News: 5 Americans Face Possible Life Sentences in Pakistan In other news, Pakistani police announced that five Americans will face terror charges for allegedly trying to train with a militant group linked to al-Qaida, and U.S. war deaths soared in Afghanistan in the past year.

 

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 | Dec. 31, 2009
 Remembering the Decade: How 9/11 Changed Everything As 2009 winds down, NewsHour foreign affairs editor Michael Mosettig looks back at a defining moment of the decade.

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 | Dec. 30, 2009
 Journalist Kati Marton Examines Human Cost of War Margaret Warner chats with author Kati Marton about her book "Enemies of the People: My Family's Journey to America," which looks at the human cost of the Cold War.

   

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 | Dec. 30, 2009
 Other News: Afghan Suicide Attack Kills At Least 8 Americans In other news, at least 8 Americans were killed by a suicide bombing in Afghanistan Wednesday, and hardline government supporters protested in Iran.

 

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 | Dec. 30, 2009
 Wednesday's Headlines: U.S. Had Prior Intelligence on 'Nigerian' Plot The United States had a variety of information that could have prevented a would-be bomber from boarding a Northwest Airlines flight bound for Detroit on Christmas Day, but failed to share it properly among its intelligence agencies, according to multiple reports out Wednesday morning.

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 | Dec. 29, 2009
 In Yemen, U.S. Must Get Ahead of 'Failure Curve' Jeffrey Brown speaks with terrorism experts about the potential threats coming out of Yemen.

   

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 | Dec. 29, 2009
 Other News: Death Toll Grows in Pakistan Bombing In other news, Pakistani authorities called for calm as the death toll from Monday's suicide bombing grew to 43, and an Afghan soldier reportedly shot and killed a U.S. soldier at a military base in western Afghanistan.

 

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 | Dec. 28, 2009
 New Clashes Test Iranian Regime's Grip on Tehran In the wake of weekend protests in Iran that left at least eight people dead, Margaret Warner speaks with a pair of experts about the enduring opposition movement.

   

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 | Dec. 28, 2009
 Deadly Clashes in Iran Spark Another Government Crackdown About 300 people, including at least seven prominent opposition leaders, have been jailed in Iran following renewed protests over the weekend, the largest in six months.

 

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 | Dec. 28, 2009
 News Wrap: Yemen Vows to Step Up Hunt for al-Qaida In other news, Yemen vowed Monday to step up its hunt for al-Qaida militants, and a suicide bomber killed at least 30 people in Pakistan.

 

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 | Dec. 28, 2009
 Iranian Police Crack Down on Opposition Protests Deadly clashes broke out Sunday on the streets of central Tehran between opposition protesters and members of the government's security forces during gatherings for the Muslim holiday of Ashura. The conflict has re-ignited political tensions in the country.

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 | Dec. 25, 2009
 Shields and Brooks on Impact of Health Reform, Politics of 2009 Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the next steps for health care reform legislation and look back on the year in politics in 2009, including President Obama's first year in the White House.

 

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 | Dec. 25, 2009
 Chinese Dissident's Prison Sentence Draws Criticism A Chinese court has sentenced a prominent political dissident to 11 years in prison. Margaret Warner speaks with an advocate for human rights in China and a former National Security Council Asia expert for more on the meaning of the conviction.

   

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 | Dec. 25, 2009
 Chinese Dissident's Prison Sentence Draws Rebuke A Chinese court has sentenced a prominent political dissident to 11 years in prison. Margaret Warner recaps the developments.

   

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 | Dec. 25, 2009
 News Wrap: Passenger Allegedly Tries to Set Off Bomb on Flight to Detroit In other news, a passenger allegedly tried to blow up a Delta Air Lines flight today as it landed in Detroit, police in Pakistan said they plan to charge five American Muslims with violating anti-terror laws, and a Christmas Eve bus crash in mountains of Peru has killed at least 42 people.

   

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 | Dec. 24, 2009
 Congress OKs $290 Billion More in Government Debt The government will have another $290 billion to last it through February after the Senate voted today to raise the federal debt ceiling to around $12.

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 | Dec. 24, 2009
 Health Care Bills Set Gradual Timeline for Phasing in Reform The House and Senate health care reform bills would reshape many aspects of the U.S. health care system, but few people would see changes right away.

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 | Dec. 24, 2009
 Senate Passes Historic Health Care Reform Legislation The Senate passed historic health care reform legislation in an early-morning vote Thursday, just making Democratic leaders' self-imposed Christmas deadline after a marathon 25 straight days in session.

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 | Dec. 23, 2009
 In Somalia, Militant Attacks Threaten to Topple a Fragile Regime Jeffrey Brown speaks with The New Yorker's Jon Lee Anderson about how the militant threat to Somalia's fragile government impacts counter-terror efforts.

   

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 | Dec. 23, 2009
 News Wrap: Plan to Close Gitmo Hits New Delays In other news, President Obama's plan to close the detention center at Guantanamo Bay has run into new hurdles, and the State Department said in a report that U.S. efforts to stop the opium trade in Afghanistan is failing.

 

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 | Dec. 23, 2009
 Newsmaker: Obama on Health Reform Politics, Copenhagen Climate Outcome In an exclusive interview with Jim Lehrer, President Obama says despite Republican opposition and backlash from some members of his own party, he is '95 percent' satisfied with the Senate's health care reform bill set for another vote on Thursday.

   

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 | Dec. 23, 2009
 Somalia, Pakistan Rank Among Top Crises of 2009 When reviewing 2009's humanitarian emergencies, several international aid organizations cited the massive needs of those displaced by fighting in places such as Somalia and Pakistan, and growing obstacles to accessing those in need of help.

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 | Dec. 23, 2009
 Excerpt: Obama on Reconciling House, Senate Health Bills In an excerpt of President Obama's PBS NewsHour interview with Jim Lehrer, the president talks about the White House's role in reconciling the House and Senate versions of health reform legislation.

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 | Dec. 23, 2009
 Excerpt: President Obama 'Very Satisfied' on Health Bill In an excerpt of President Obama's PBS NewsHour interview with Jim Lehrer Wednesday, the president says of the Senate's health care reform bill that while he is "never completely satisfied" he is "very satisfied," with the measure at hand.

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 | Dec. 23, 2009
 In Iran, Memorials for Dissident Cleric Morph Into Protests Opposition protests and a smattering of anti-government counter-demonstrations continued in Iran on Wednesday, three days after the death of the country's most senior dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri.

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 | Dec. 22, 2009
 How Dangerous is the Cyber Crime Threat? The White House named a new chief for the nation's cyber security efforts Tuesday, part of a new emphasis on digital threats. A digital security expert weighs in on the realities of cyber crime in the U.S.

   

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 | Dec. 22, 2009
 Effort to Reform D.C. Schools Stirs Fierce Pushback John Merrow reports on the controversial steps D.C. schools chief Michelle Rhee is using to shake up the city's school system, including closing 23 schools by 2010.

   

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 | Dec. 22, 2009
 Exploring the Big Money Behind Health Care Reform With Senate Democrats inching towards passage of landmark health care reform legislation, Gwen Ifill examines the massive lobbying effort behind the bill.

   

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 | Dec. 22, 2009
 News Wrap: Senate Health Fight Nears End In other news, the goal line appeared in sight Tuesday for the health care debate in the U.S. Senate, and Republicans picked up another vote in the House after freshman Democrat Parker Griffith announced he is switching parties.

   

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 | Dec. 22, 2009
 For Community Banks, Survival Can Often Trump Lending President Obama met with community bank leaders at the White House on Tuesday and pressed them to boost lending. Yet in a year in which some 140 community banks have been forced to close, the focus among small lenders is often more about keeping afloat.

   

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 | Dec. 22, 2009
 Amy Walter: Democrats Need to Sell Health Care Bill for 2010 Amy Walter of the Hotline visits the Rundown to talk about the back room deals that had to be made in order for health care legislation to move forward in the Senate, what the vote could mean for Democrats and the president and why the party switch of Demoratic Rep.

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 | Dec. 22, 2009
 Senate Sets Health Reform Vote for Early Morning Christmas Eve It's an early Christmas present for Senators and their staff. Senate leaders announced Tuesday that they had scheduled a final vote on the Senate's health care reform bill for 8 a.m. on December 24.

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 | Dec. 21, 2009
 A Look at Climate Change After Copenhagen In the aftermath of the Copenhagen climate summit, about the only thing certain is the need for more talks. Ray Suarez speaks with Jeffrey Brown about how the nonbinding agreement struck in Copenhagen will impact future negotiations.

   

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 | Dec. 21, 2009
 Iranian Cleric's Death Sparks Renewed Protests Tens of thousands of mourners took to the streets of the Iranian city of Qom on Sunday to honor a founding father of modern Iran and to protest the government he came to oppose.

   

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 | Dec. 21, 2009
 Stage Set for Christmas Eve Health Care Clash With Senate Democrats on the cusp of passing the most sweeping overhaul of the nation's health care system in a generation, Democrat Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Republican Lindsey Graham of South Carolina speak with Gwen Ifill about the merits of the bill.

   

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 | Dec. 21, 2009
 Senate Inches Toward Historic Health Care Vote With a 60-40 test vote early Monday morning to shut down a Republican filibuster, Senate Democrats moved closer to passing the broadest overhaul of the nation's health care system in a generation. Betty Ann Bowser reports.

   

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 | Dec. 21, 2009
 Iranians Mourn Passing of Dissident Cleric Iranians amassed in Qom on Monday to mourn the loss of dissident cleric, Grand Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, considered the spiritual voice of the opposition movement.

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 | Dec. 21, 2009
 Compare the Senate and House Health Reform Bills The Senate health reform bill cleared its first major procedural hurdle in a vote in the early hours of Monday morning. Find out how the compromise bill compares to the version that passed the House last month.

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 | Dec. 21, 2009
 Health Care Bill Passes Crucial Vote After a weekend of political bargaining and raucous partisan debate, Senate Democrats won a key early-morning procedural vote Monday on a bill to overhaul the nation's health care system, inching the measure closer to a final vote by Christmas Eve.

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 | Dec. 19, 2009
 Senate Democrats Strike Deal for 60 Votes on Health Reform Senate Democrats announced Saturday morning that they had struck a deal with the last Democratic holdout on health care reform, paving the way for a vote on the bill before Christmas. Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., agreed to a compromise at 10:30 p.m. Friday night, after a marathon 13 hours of negotiations, it was widely reported.

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 | Dec. 18, 2009
 The Rundown with Mark and David: Winter Storms and Health Reform After columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks dropped by The Rundown for the first time last week, many of you left great comments about our quest for a title for this feature.

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 | Dec. 18, 2009
 Shields and Brooks on Climate Deal, Senate Health Bill Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks break down the top stories of the past week, including the twists and turns of the Copenhagen climate summit.

   

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 | Dec. 18, 2009
 News Wrap: U.S., Russia Near New Nuclear Accord In other news, the U.S. and Russia moved closer to reaching a new deal on nuclear arms control, and Democrats blocked a potential GOP filibuster of the Senate health bill.

   

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 | Dec. 18, 2009
 Binding Pact, Congress Remain Major Climate Hurdles for Obama Judy Woodruff asks two experts to weigh the outcome of the non-binding agreement reached Friday at the international climate summit in Copenhagen.

   

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 | Dec. 18, 2009
 Leaders Reach Climate Accord, but Skepticism Remains Leaders from the U.S., China, India and South Africa have reached a "meaningful agreement" on combating global warming at the international climate summit in Copenhagen, but many officials say the deal fell short of expectations. Ray Suarez reports.

   

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 | Dec. 18, 2009
 Betty Ann Bowser: Deadline Nears for Christmas Health Care Vote NewsHour health correspondent Betty Ann Bowser returns to the Rundown for an update on the status of the Senate health care reform bill, including the timeline senate Majority Leader Harry Reid needs to stick to if he's going to meet Democrats' self-imposed Christmas deadline to pass the bill.

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 | Dec. 18, 2009
 Profiles in Health Care Reform As the Senate manuevering over health care reform reaches a fever pitch, the NewsHour has been taking a look beyond the political debate at how the bills making their way through Congress could affect people across the insurance spectrum.

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 | Dec. 18, 2009
 Obama Urges Action, Meets With Chinese Premier President Barack Obama told world leaders Friday that it was time to come together on a climate change agreement, calling out stubborn positions that have stood in the way of progress, namely between rich and poorer countries.

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 | Dec. 18, 2009
 Senate Democrats Block Filibuster Amid Push for Health Reform In their struggle to secure the 60 votes necessary to pass health care legislation, Democrats in the Senate made slight inroads early Friday morning, blocking a potential GOP filibuster apparently aimed to delay passage of the reform bill.

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 | Dec. 17, 2009
 Mexican Drug Lord Killed in Bloody Shootout The Mexican government claimed a major victory in the war against drug cartels: kingpin Arturo Beltran Leyva was killed Thursday in a shoot out with a Mexican navy unit. Global Post correspondent Ioan Grillo reports.

   

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 | Dec. 17, 2009
 Axelrod 'Confident' on Health Reform Prospects in Senate President Obama is facing major challenges in the next 48 hours, including opposition to climate change and health care reform legislation. White House senior adviser David Axelrod speaks with Jim Lehrer about those obstacles.

   

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 | Dec. 17, 2009
 Other News: Mullen Visits Front Lines in Afghanistan In other news, Adm. Mike Mullen traveled to the front lines in Afghanistan on Thursday to urge tribal leaders to clean up corruption within their ranks, and U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan killed at least 17 people near the Afghan border.

   

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 | Dec. 17, 2009
 U.S. Looks to Revive Climate Talks With $100B Yearly Pledge The U.S. took an aggressive stance on climate change Thursday at the Copenhagen summit, promising to help raise $100 billion a year for developing nations struggling with the negative effects of global warming. Ray Suarez reports from the talks.

   

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 | Dec. 17, 2009
 GOP Senators Warn that Climate Pledges Must Be OK'd Speaking to the Senate press corps Thursday, a group of Republican lawmakers offered a warning to the Obama administration that any long-term pledge of U.S. money for climate aid at the Copenhagen summit would need approval from Congress.

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 | Dec. 17, 2009
 Reversal of Amnesty Law Roils Pakistani Politics A day after Pakistan's Supreme Court overturned an amnesty law for thousands of politicians, including President Asif Ali Zardari, opposition groups renewed pressure on the president to resign.

 

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 | Dec. 17, 2009
 Senate Democrats May Be in Danger of Missing Health Reform Deadline Senate Democrats may be in danger of missing their self-imposed Christmas deadline to pass health reform legislation, according to reports Thursday.

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 | Dec. 16, 2009
 Other News: FTC Accuses Intel of Antitrust Violations In other news, the Federal Trade Commission filed suit against Intel for allegedly trying to unfairly stifle competition, and the House voted to let the government borrow another $290 billion over six weeks.

   

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 | Dec. 16, 2009
 Senate Hits New Roadblock in Health Care Debate The Senate hit a three-hour roadblock Wednesday afternoon in its negotiations over a health care reform bill, when Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., forced a reading of a 767-page amendment to the bill on the Senate floor.

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 | Dec. 15, 2009
 In Illinois, 'Gitmo North' Tapped to House Detainees The Obama administration plans to send some Guantanamo Bay detainees to an underused prison in rural Illinois. Republican lawmakers denounced the plan, while local residents anticipate an economic boom.

   

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 | Dec. 15, 2009
 Other News: Car Bombings Rock Afghanistan, Pakistan In other news, car bombings in both Afghanistan and Pakistan killed at least 40 people and wounded scores more, and medical research pointed to possible danger from radiation during CAT scans.

   

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 | Dec. 15, 2009
 Democrats Inch Closer to Sweeping Health Care Overhaul President Obama urged Senate Democrats to push forward with health care reform and pass legislation before the year ends. The majority party remains divided over the proposals, disagreeing on key elements such as expanding Medicare and providing a public option.

   

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 | Dec. 15, 2009
 President Obama: We Are 'On the Precipice' of Health Reform With all eyes on the health reform debate, President Obama said Tuesday afternoon that Congress is "on the precipice" of passing an overhaul bill.

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 | Dec. 15, 2009
 Making Sen$e of 2010: Economic Surprises in Store As the end of a tumultuous economic year approaches, the PBS NewsHour asked several economists and financial experts to look ahead to 2010 and answer one question: What economic development would surprise you most?




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 | Dec. 15, 2009
 Tuesday's Headlines: Democrats May Drop Medicare Buy-in From Health Bill Monday, it was Wall Street executives who made the trip to Washington to meet with President Barack Obama about economic recovery. Tuesday, it's Senate Democrats who will travel to the White House for talks with the president about a strategy for passing health care reform before Christmas.

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 | Dec. 14, 2009
 Climate Change Agreement Stifled as Leaders Disagree Efforts to craft a climate change deal in Copenhagen are moving slowly as world leaders clash on key issues. Ray Suarez reports from the Danish capital.

   

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 | Dec. 14, 2009
 Other News: Iran to Prosecute American Hikers In other news, Iran will prosecute three Americans who crossed the border from northern Iraq, and Taliban attacks killed at least 16 police throughout Afghanistan.

   

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 | Dec. 14, 2009
 Bailout Banks Continue March Toward Recovery Judy Woodruff gets another reaction to the White House banker summit from Steve Bartlett of the Financial Services Roundtable, which lobbies for most of the banks represented in Monday's meeting with President Obama.

   

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 | Dec. 14, 2009
 Small Businesses Buckling Under Recession's Credit Freeze Tom Bearden examines how small businesses' inability to get credit is playing out in Colorado.

   

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 | Dec. 14, 2009
 Obama: Banks Must Lend More to Help Economy President Obama asked the leaders of top U.S. banks on Monday to assume a larger role in helping the economy to recover. Kwame Holman reports and then Judy Woodruff speaks with presidential senior adviser Valerie Jarrett for more details.

   

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 | Dec. 14, 2009
 Making Sen$e of 2010: The Next Crisis With the end of a tumultuous economic year approaching, the PBS NewsHour asked several economists to look ahead to 2010 and answer one question: What other crises may be looming?




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 | Dec. 14, 2009
 Senate Enters Critical Week for Health Care Reform After a weekend spent passing a $1.1 trillion spending bill, the Senate will once again take up the complex issue of health care reform Monday afternoon.

 

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 | Dec. 14, 2009
 Obama Prods Bankers to Do More to Revive U.S. Economy In a White House meeting with the executives of the nation's largest banks, President Obama called on financial institutions to step up efforts to revive the U.S. economy after they received "extraordinary" financial assistance.

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 | Dec. 11, 2009
 Shields and Brooks Visit the Rundown Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and David Brooks of the New York Times stopped by after their NewsHour segment Friday to talk about surprises in Congress this week, the political landscape in 2010 and their plans for the weekend.

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 | Dec. 11, 2009
 Shields and Brooks on Obama's Nobel Speech, Senate Health Bill Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks talk to Jim Lehrer about the top stories of the week, including President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech and the shape of the compromise in the Senate on a health care overhaul.

   

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 | Dec. 11, 2009
 In Germany, 'National Guilt' Stirs Against Afghan War Germany has the third largest contingent of forces in Afghanistan, yet among a population still haunted by World War II a deep-rooted anti-war sentiment persists. Margaret Warner reports.

   

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 | Dec. 11, 2009
 News Wrap: Gates Looks to Reassure Troops in Iraq In other news, Defense Secretary Robert Gates told troops in Baghdad Friday that the surge in Afghanistan will resemble what happened in Iraq two years ago, and it was widely reported that a CIA drone attack killed a high-level al-Qaida operative in Pakistan.

   

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 | Dec. 11, 2009
 Pay Czar Feinberg Rolls Out Salary Caps on Wall Street Execs The Obama administration's pay czar, Kenneth Feinberg, has set a $500,000 limit on executive compensation at bailed-out financial firms. In an interview with Judy Woodruff, Feinberg explains the pay cap.

   

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 | Dec. 11, 2009
 House OKs Sweeping Wall Street Overhaul The House on Friday voted 223 to 202 in favor of the most far-reaching overhaul of financial regulation since the Great Depression in hopes of averting a repeat of last year's banking crisis. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Dec. 11, 2009
 Swiss Minarets Ban Prompts Neutrality Questions, Talk of Rollback A majority of the Swiss people voted Nov. 29 to block the construction of minarets, tall spires typically associated with Islamic mosques. The move raised questions about Switzerland's historic tolerance and prompted criticism from some in the international community.

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 | Dec. 11, 2009
 Financial Regulatory Overhaul Passes House In a vote of 223-202, the House passed sweeping changes Friday afternoon to the way the financial system is regulated, with the creation of a new consumer watchdog agency, new authority for the Fed to police financial firms, and a new council to identify too-big-to-fail firms, as well as a process to break them apart.

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 | Dec. 10, 2009
 Details Emerge on Senate Health Reform Compromise Some Senate Democrats sounded confident about prospects for health care reform Thursday, in the wake of Democratic negotiators' recent compromise deal on the public option -- though details of the agreement were still hard to come by.

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 | Dec. 10, 2009
 News Wrap: Obama Further Details Afghan Timetable In other news, President Obama further outlined the U.S. timetable for a drawdown in the Afghan war, and Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, played down concerns about the timetables when he faced lawmakers.

   

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 | Dec. 10, 2009
 Wartime President Accepts Peace Prize with an 'American Speech' Just days after announcing an escalation in Afghanistan, President Obama traveled to Oslo to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. Jim Lehrer speaks with a panel of experts for reactions and perspective on the president's task in Oslo.

   

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 | Dec. 9, 2009
 Public Option Deal Wins Praise, Criticism Lawmakers and stakeholders reacted Wednesday to Democratic senators' tentative deal to break an impasse on the public option in the health reform bill.

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 | Dec. 9, 2009
 News Wrap: Storm Pounds Midwest, New England In other news, a major winter storm that rocked the midwest earlier this week has moved east to New England, and General David Petraeus warned the surge in Afghanistan may be tougher than the surge in Iraq.

   

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 | Dec. 9, 2009
 Senate Deal Attempts to Strike Compromise on Public Option The health care debate reached a potential turning point in the Senate on Wednesday after leaders reached a compromise that drops the so-called "public option" from the bill. Gwen Ifill talks to experts about the politics and policy of the move.

   

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 | Dec. 8, 2009
 Margaret Warner: Dispatch from London After weeks of unrelenting prediction, debate and commentary in Washington over what President Obama was doing about troops for Afghanistan, it is refreshing -- if somewhat unsettling -- to be in Europe.

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 | Dec. 8, 2009
 War Weary British Seek An End in Afghanistan Margaret Warner travels to the tiny English village of Wootton Bassett and finds growing unease about British involvement in Afghanistan.

   

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 | Dec. 8, 2009
 Afghan Timetable, Troop Levels Spark Skepticism Two top U.S. officials in Afghanistan told lawmakers Tuesday they support President Obama's revamped war plan, despite skepticism from some lawmakers. Republican Mike Pence of Indiana and Democrat James McGovern of Massachusetts describe their views to Jim Lehrer.

   

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 | Dec. 8, 2009
 News Wrap: 200 Arrested in Iran Protests Crackdown In other news, more than 200 people in Iran have been arrested in a broad crackdown against opposition protesters, and a death row inmate in Ohio was executed using a method never before used on a human.

   

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 | Dec. 8, 2009
 Iraq's Recent Calm Shattered by Multiple Blasts A series of five bombs rocked Baghdad on Tuesday, killing at least 127 people, and raising new questions about the ability of Iraqi forces to secure their country.

   

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 | Dec. 8, 2009
 Bombings Shake Iraq as March Elections Set A string of bombings in Baghdad killed more than 100 people Tuesday and raised new doubts about Iraq's security ahead of the country's parliamentary election, now set for March 7.

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 | Dec. 7, 2009
 EPA: Greenhouse Gases Pose Danger to Humans In an interview with Gwen Ifill, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson explains the decision to declare greenhouse gases a danger to human health.

   

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 | Dec. 7, 2009
 Diplomats in Copenhagen Seek Pact on Emissions As an international climate summit kicked off in Copenhagen on Monday, the EPA took a step toward regulating greenhouse gases by declaring them a risk to human health. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Dec. 7, 2009
 Philadelphia Adjusts as Manufacturing Fades In part one of the Patchwork Nation series examining communities across the U.S., Ray Suarez looks at Philadelphia's shift from a city of skilled blue-collar workers to one where just 1 in 20 workers makes things for a living.

   

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 | Dec. 7, 2009
 Other News: Fresh Protests Erupt in Iranian Cities In other news, thousands of anti-government protesters clashed with security forces in Iran, and in Somalia, hundreds of students also marched on the capital against the influence there of Islamic militants.

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 | Dec. 7, 2009
 Mullen on Afghanistan: 'We Have Not Set a Withdrawal Date' In an interview with Jim Lehrer, Chairman of the Joints Chief of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen discusses President Obama's plan to send an additional 30,000 soldiers to Afghanistan and a timetable for U.S. withdrawal.

   

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 | Dec. 7, 2009
 With Afghan Plan Under Fire, Pentagon Issues First Deployments More than half of the 30,000 additional soldiers President Obama will send to Afghanistan received their deployment orders Monday, despite lingering questions over a planned drawdown beginning in 2011.

   

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 | Dec. 7, 2009
 Students Carry Out Protests in Iran Despite Arrests It's late afternoon in Iran and protesters are clashing with security forces in downtown Tehran and on university campuses.

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 | Dec. 7, 2009
 Afghanistan Rebuilding: Challenges Ahead The need to fix Afghanistan's roads, schools and other facilities is just one part of the massive rebuilding effort that lies ahead. Mark Schneider, senior vice president at the International Crisis Group, describes the governmental and rule of law challenges that loom just as large.

 

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 | Dec. 7, 2009
 Fact Sheet: Copenhagen Climate Summit Representatives from 192 nations are converging on Copenhagen Monday for the opening day of the two-week United Nations Climate Change Conference, where the next steps are expected to be hashed out towards an international emissions agreement.

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 | Dec. 5, 2009
 Margaret Warner: Dispatch from Britain The small village west of London my crew and I visited today was bustling with Saturday shoppers doing errands for Christmas, and for their daily lives.

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 | Dec. 4, 2009
 Shields, Brooks Take on Afghan Plan, 'Populist Uprising' Over Economy Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks examine the implications of the latest unemployment figures and President Obama's decision to commit more troops to Afghanistan.

   

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 | Dec. 4, 2009
 Clinton: Many Pakistanis Have 'Reflex of Skepticism' over U.S. Efforts Secretary of State Hillary Clinton speaks to Margaret Warner about the surge in Afghanistan, NATO's help with the war and securing a withdrawal date for U.S. forces.

   

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 | Dec. 4, 2009
 Other News: General Motors Announces Indian Venture In other news, General Motors and its main Chinese partner have announced a new venture in India, and Indian rebels were dealt a major blow as the top insurgent commanders have been taken into custody by authorities.

   

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 | Dec. 4, 2009
 Young Voters a Complex and Growing Force In the 2008 presidential election that sent Barack Obama to the White House, younger voters challenged the conventional wisdom that young people are too fickle, immature or uninformed to vote.

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 | Dec. 3, 2009
 Senate Breaks Health Care Stalemate With Votes on Amendments In its fourth day of debate on a health care reform bill Thursday, the Senate cast the first of many votes on amendments to the legislation. Senators agreed to safeguard coverage of mammograms and other preventive screenings for women, and rejected a Republican bid to stave off Medicare cuts.

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 | Dec. 3, 2009
 Gwen Ifill: Politics and the Big Picture Blogs can be fun because they offer the opportunity to climb into someone's head for a few minutes, and, in the case of this blog, The Rundown, you can travel behind the scenes as the NewsHour comes together each weeknight.

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 | Dec. 3, 2009
 Margaret Warner: Dispatch From Brussels It was nearly 1 p.m. Thursday before Secretary Clinton got to her 757 airplane at Andrews AFB, looking remarkably unbattered after a day-and-a-half of being grilled by Senate and House members doubtful about the wisdom of the surge-and-withdraw course President Obama has set for Afghanistan.

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 | Dec. 3, 2009
 In Afghanistan Plan, Exit Strategy Remains a Sticking Point Jim Lehrer speaks with former Army and CIA officers with experience in Afghanistan to get their take on President Obama's new plan to increase and eventually decrease the number of U.S. troops there.

   

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 | Dec. 3, 2009
 Other News: Bernanke Defends Tenure as Fed Chief In other news, Ben Bernanke defended his tenure as Federal Reserve chairman before Congress on Thursday, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi suggested using money left over from the Wall Street bailout to create more jobs.

   

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 | Dec. 3, 2009
 Top Obama Advisers Face Questioning Over War Strategy Top White House advisers appeared before congressional committees Thursday to answer tough questions about President Obama's Afghanistan strategy. Ray Suarez reports.

   

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 | Dec. 3, 2009
 Tough Criticism for Bernanke Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke faced tough criticism Thursday from a Senate committee for the central bank's failure to regulate risk-taking on Wall Street.

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 | Dec. 3, 2009
 Obama Hears Ideas for Job Creation at Summit As CEOs, labor leaders, and economists gather at the White House Thursday to discuss how to accelerate U.S. job creation, their challenge is tackling double-digit unemployment while keeping the deficit under control.

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 | Dec. 2, 2009
 Other News: Iraqi Election Postponed One Month In other news, the United Nations reported that Iraq will delay its national elections by one more month, and China, India, Brazil and South Africa refused to cut carbon emissions by 2050.

   

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 | Dec. 2, 2009
 Afghan War Timeline Remains Point of Contention for Many Editorial page writers from around the country throw in their opinions and reactions to President Obama's Afghanistan strategy unveiled Tuesday night.

   

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 | Dec. 2, 2009
 Americans Speak Out on New Afghanistan Strategy Americans throughout the country expressed both approval and concerns regarding President Obama's new Afghanistan strategy. Spencer Michels reports.

   

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 | Dec. 2, 2009
 Gates: Afghans Need to Accelerate Stabilization Efforts Defense Secretary Robert Gates talks to Jim Lehrer about President Obama's decision to deploy 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan after the new year.

   

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 | Dec. 2, 2009
 Division on Capitol Hill Over Obama War Strategy Gwen Ifill gets reactions to President Obama's Afghanistan strategy from lawmakers on Capitol Hill who remain divided over the president's announcement.

   

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 | Dec. 2, 2009
 Analysts Agree Obama's Afghan Plan Is Strong, But Some Question Timeline President Obama on Tuesday outlined an approach to the Afghan war that will involve sending 30,000 more troops on an expedited mission to help secure Afghanistan and prevent a safe haven for al-Qaida in Pakistan.

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 | Dec. 1, 2009
 'Empire of Liberty' Delves Into Early U.S. History Jeffrey Brown talks to historian Gordon Wood about his new book "Empire of Liberty," which looks at the lasting legacy of early American history.

   

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 | Dec. 1, 2009
 General Motors CEO Fritz Henderson Resigns The CEO of General Motors, Frederick "Fritz" Henderson, has resigned, the automaker announced Tuesday. He has been replaced on a temporary basis by Ed Whitacre, chairman of the board of the troubled automaker.

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 | Dec. 1, 2009
 Other News: Seattle Police Kill Suspect in Officers' Deaths In other news, police killed the man suspected of shooting four police officers over the weekend, and the chief executive of General Motors was forced out Tuesday by the board of directors.

   

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 | Dec. 1, 2009
 Obama to Present Afghanistan Strategy in National Address Judy Woodruff reports on the White House's Afghanistan briefing, and then columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks sit down with Jim Lehrer to preview President Obama's Afghanistan announcement.

   

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 | Dec. 1, 2009
 Afghanistan Strategy Troublesome to Some Lawmakers Ahead of President Barack Obama's address to the nation, Gwen Ifill speaks with policymakers to gauge reaction to the president's Afghanistan strategy that calls for deploying 30,000 additional troops.

   

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 | Dec. 1, 2009
 Full Text: Obama's Afghan Strategy Speech Speaking from West Point military academy, President Barack Obama outlined a new Afghanistan strategy that includes deploying 34,000 additional troops beginning in early 2010. Below is the full text of his remarks, as provided by the White House.

 

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 | Dec. 1, 2009
 President Obama Set to Unveil Afghan War Strategy After a three-month review of options, President Barack Obama is set to unveil his long-awaited new strategy for the war in Afghanistan in a prime-time address to the nation tonight.

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 | NOVEMBER Nov. 30, 2009
 After Political Turmoil, Hondurans Back Conservative Candidate After months of tensions following the ousting of Honduras' top leader, the country elected a new president on Sunday. Margaret Warner reports.

   

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 | Nov. 30, 2009
 U.S. Soldiers, Families Brace for More Deployments In Colorado, Tom Bearden visited Fort Carson Army base to speak with troops ahead of President Obama's unveiling of his new Afghanistan plan.

   

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 | Nov. 30, 2009
 Troops Reticent About Obama's Afghan Strategy Global Post correspondent Ben Gilbert gets reactions from U.S. troops stationed in Kandahar to President Obama's plan to deploy more troops to Afghanistan.

   

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 | Nov. 30, 2009
 Other News: Civilian Deaths Drop in Iraq In other news, Iraq reported a much lower civilian death toll in November than in the past few years, and the Iranian vice president defended his country's resolve to not cooperate with U.N. uranium enrichment recommendations.

   

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 | Nov. 30, 2009
 Obama Reaches Out to International Leaders for Support on Afghan Strategy President Obama began to fill in world leaders about his new Afghan strategy. Ray Suarez speaks with a New York Times reporter for more.

   

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 | Nov. 30, 2009
 CBO: Senate Bill Would Raise Some Premiums, Lower Others For most working people who receive health care through an employer, little will change under the sweeping health care reform bill the Senate is now considering, according to a congressional budget analysis released Monday.

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 | Nov. 30, 2009
 Hondurans Elect Conservative Rancher as President In an election overshadowed by the country's recent political upheaval, Hondurans voted on Sunday to make conservative rancher Porfirio Lobo their next president.

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 | Nov. 30, 2009
 U.S., Europe Respond Angrily to Iran's Threat to Build More Nuclear Plants Iran has refused to comply with a United Nations demand to halt enrichment at one of its nuclear facilities, and escalated the specter of new sanctions by declaring it would build 10 more plants.

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 | Nov. 29, 2009
 Hondurans Vote for New President, Hoping to Leave Political Chaos Behind Hondurans voted for their next president Sunday, with exit polls showing a sizable lead for the opposition party. In addition to a change in party leadership, many voters expressed the need to put the country's political troubles behind them.

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 | Nov. 27, 2009
 Shields, Brooks Analyze Obama's Upcoming Afghanistan Announcement Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks go over the week's headlines, including President Obama's upcoming Afghanistan announcement and his promise to curb carbon U.S. carbon emissions.

   

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 | Nov. 27, 2009
 Hard Knocks: Does Playing in NFL Cause Brain Trauma? A House committee heard testimony from medical experts in October, as well as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to determine whether professional football contributes to brain diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer's. Ray Suarez reports.

   

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 | Nov. 27, 2009
 Other News: U.N. Censures Iran Over Nukes In other news, Iran was censured Friday by the United Nations for refusing to cooperate with a uranium program recommended by the U.N.'s nuclear agency, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai reached out to the Taliban in hopes of bargaining a truce.

   

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 | Nov. 27, 2009
 Election Violence Hits New Heights in Philippines The massacre of 57 people traveling with a candidate for provincial governor in the southern Philippines is bringing new pressure on the government to crack down on election-related violence.

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 | Nov. 26, 2009
 How Will Proposed Health Care Overhaul Affect Patients? Ray Suarez sits down with medical experts to talk about possible changes to the U.S. health care system as Congress prepares to vote on a major overhaul.

   

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 | Nov. 26, 2009
 Other News: U.S. Planned Iraq War Just Hours After 9/11 In other news, a U.K. inquiry revealed that the U.S. focused on Iraq just hours after the Sept. 11 attacks, and the United Nations expressed frustration with Iran over its refusal to export its uranium for enrichment.

   

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 | Nov. 26, 2009
 On Thanksgiving, Afghanistan Strategy Announcement Looms Judy Woodruff speaks to a Washington Post reporter about developments in Afghanistan just days before President Obama makes a decision about U.S. strategy there.

   

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 | Nov. 26, 2009
 Celebrating Thanksgiving From Thousands of Miles Away While millions of Americans celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday at home, thousands of U.S. troops are spending it in Afghanistan and beyond. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Nov. 25, 2009
 India Envoy: Obama's Emissions Pledge 'Welcome,' Had Hoped for More Judy Woodruff spoke Wednesday with Shyam Saran, the Indian prime minister's special envoy on climate change, about President Obama's trip to the Copenhagen climate change summit and the U.S. emissions reduction goal. Here are Web-only excerpts:

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 | Nov. 25, 2009
 How Would Obama's Troops Decision Impact Afghan War? Margaret Warner sits down with two reporters who cover the Pentagon to sort through the various options President Obama is likely weighing as he prepares to make an announcement on the war in Afghanistan.

   

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 | Nov. 25, 2009
 Bound for Copenhagen, Obama Faces Climate Change Obstacles Ray Suarez speaks with climate experts about what to expect from President Obama's trip to the Copenhagen climate change summit next month.

   

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 | Nov. 25, 2009
 Obama to Offer 17% U.S. Emissions Cut at Copenhagen Summit The White House said President Obama will travel to Copenhagen with a promise to reduce carbon emissions 17 percent by 2020. Judy Woodruff reports.

   

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 | Nov. 24, 2009
 Stakes High as Obama Weighs Deploying More Troops Judy Woodruff speaks with a panel of experts about what is at stake for the U.S. and Afghanistan as President Obama prepares to tweak his administration's strategy there.

   

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 | Nov. 24, 2009
 Other News: U.K. Launches Inquiry Into Role in Iraq In other news, International Television News reports on the inquiry into the United Kingdom's role in the Iraq war, and the Philippines were placed under emergency rule after election violence continued to escalate Tuesday.

 

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 | Nov. 24, 2009
 Obama on Brink of Unveiling New Afghan Strategy President Obama said Tuesday that he is ready to unveil his decision about whether to deploy more troops to Afghanistan next week. Margaret Warner reports.

   

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 | Nov. 24, 2009
 Afghan Strategy Decision Expected 'Within Days' A White House spokesman said Tuesday that President Barack Obama plans to reveal his decision on whether to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan "within days" after holding a late-evening meeting with his top foreign policy and military advisers.

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 | Nov. 23, 2009
 India's Economy Remains Robust Despite Global Downturn Amid a global economic crisis, India's economy has managed to remain robust, fueling the growth of a large middle class. As Fred de Sam Lazaro reports, however, about 800 million residents in India still try to survive on less than $2 a day.

   

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 | Nov. 23, 2009
 Senate Debate on Health Care Will Put Lawmakers to the Test While health care reform passed a key Senate hurdle over the weekend, the legislation still faces a full-scale floor debate. Judy Woodruff asks former secretaries of health to preview the road ahead for President Obama's top domestic priority.

   

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 | Nov. 23, 2009
 Other News: 4 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan In other news, four more American soldiers were killed in Afghanistan over the last 24 hours, and prospects for January elections in Iraq dimmed.

 

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 | Nov. 23, 2009
 Honduran Elections Come at Critical Point in Political Standoff Presidential elections this Sunday give Hondurans a chance to vote on their next leader, but may do little to clear up the political crisis that has gripped the small Central American country for five months.

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 | Nov. 23, 2009
 Reid Prepares For Battle Over Senate Health Bill Senate Democratic leaders celebrated Saturday when their health care reform bill passed a key procedural hurdle, but by Monday deep divisions over some key provisions of the $848 billion legislation were already back in the spotlight.

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 | Nov. 20, 2009
 Shields and Gerson Review Road Ahead for Health Reform Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson, who is also a senior research fellow at the Institute for Global Engagement, break down the biggest stories of the week, including health care reform moves in Congress and President Obama's pondering of a new Afghan strategy.

   

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 | Nov. 20, 2009
 News Wrap: Democrats Win Key Moderate's Support for Health Bill In other news, Senate Democrats won over a key moderate as they move to bring health care reform to the floor, and a congressional ethics committee has formally admonished Illinois Sen. Roland Burris.

 

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 | Nov. 20, 2009
 Reporter's Podcast: Low-Profile Figures Picked to Lead EU After weeks of internal negotiations, the European Union selected two "low-key consensus builders," as they have since been described, over big-name picks to lead the newly organized body.

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 | Nov. 19, 2009
 Complex U.S.-China Ties Took Center Stage on Obama's Asia Trip President Obama concluded a four-nation Asian tour Thursday that marked a potential turning point in relations between the U.S. and an increasingly influential China. A panel of Asia experts discusses the trip's high points and low points with Jeffrey Brown.

   

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 | Nov. 19, 2009
 News Wrap: House Rejects Cuts to Medicare Payments In other news, the House voted to spare doctors from a 20 percent cut in their Medicare payments, and Hamid Karzai was sworn in for a second term as president of Afghanistan.

 

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 | Nov. 19, 2009
 Senate Gears Up for Showdown Over Health Reform Bill The Senate on Thursday inched closer to debating Majority Leader Harry Reid's $848 billion health care reform bill, despite stiff GOP resistance. After a report from Betty Ann Bowser, Susan Dentzer explains the details.

   




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 | Nov. 19, 2009
 Obama Asia Trip Yields Mixed Results President Obama wrapped up a 10-day tour of Asia on Thursday, producing little by way of short-term gains, but establishing relationships with Asian leaders for dealings down the road, observers say.

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 | Nov. 19, 2009
 Senate Health Care Plan Would Cover 31 Million The health care reform legislation unveiled Wednesday night by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid would extend health insurance to 31 million more Americans at a cost of $848 billion.

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 | Nov. 18, 2009
 Reid Unveils Senate Health Reform Legislation Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid moved forward on a long-awaited version of health care reform legislation Wednesday night, telling reporters "tonight begins the last leg of this journey."

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 | Nov. 18, 2009
 In Bosnia, Tension Reigns Years After War's End Although Bosnia and Herzegovina has repaired physically from its bloody civil war, its citizens are experiencing political and social challenges. The report is part of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting's Fragile States project, a partnership with the Bureau of International Reporting.

   

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 | Nov. 18, 2009
 Holder: 'We Need Not Cower' Facing 9/11 Suspect U.S. Attorney General appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday to defend trying 9/11 suspects in New York. Kwame Holman has the story.

   

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 | Nov. 18, 2009
 Palin Takes 'Going Rogue' on U.S. Book Tour Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is taking her new book, "Going Rogue," across the country. Judy Woodruff gets reactions.

   

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 | Nov. 18, 2009
 Afghan Corruption Complicates U.S. War Review Gwen Ifill speaks with Afghanistan experts about the government's corruption and what that could mean for U.S. war strategy there.

   

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 | Nov. 18, 2009
 Other News: Senate Health Bill Estimated at $849B In other news, Senate Democrats learned that the Congressional Budget Office estimated that their health reform bill would cost $849 billion over a decade and insure another 31 million Americans.

 

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 | Nov. 18, 2009
 Karzai Vows to Stamp out Corruption in Afghanistan Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai on the eve of his inauguration to discuss corruption. Gwen Ifill reports.

 

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 | Nov. 17, 2009
 In China, a Struggle for Rights, but Hope for Future Jim Lehrer speaks with a human rights activist and a China expert about the state of the struggle for human rights in China.

   

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 | Nov. 17, 2009
 Other News: Global Carbon Dioxide Emissions Up 2% In other news, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that global carbon dioxide emissions rose 2 percent in 2008, and Iran sentenced five people to death for inciting June's mass protests.

 

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 | Nov. 17, 2009
 Chinese President Vows Cooperation on Climate Change Talks between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao yielded a promise of slowing down climate change and nuclear proliferation, but fell short of making progress on human rights. Kwame Holman reports.

 

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 | Nov. 17, 2009
 U.S. Presidents in China From the first U.S. presidential visit to China by Richard Nixon to President Barack Obama's current trip, each president has weighed foreign policy priorities when dealing with the communist nation. Historian Richard Norton Smith describes the balancing act U.S. presidents have played over the years.

 

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 | Nov. 17, 2009
 Obama Unveils Financial Fraud Task Force President Obama issued an executive order Tuesday establishing a multi-agency task force to crack down on financial fraud.

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 | Nov. 17, 2009
 TARP Watchdog: N.Y. Fed 'Severely Limited' Savings on AIG The Federal Reserve Bank of New York ceded much of its negotiating power to AIG's trading partners during the insurance giant's rescue last year, according to a new report from the watchdog for the Troubled Asset Relief Fund.

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 | Nov. 17, 2009
 Obama Cites Human Rights, Currency in China Talks between President Barack Obama and Chinese President Hu Jintao yielded pledges to cooperate on climate change and the economy, but little by way of human rights and upping the value of the yuan currency.

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 | Nov. 16, 2009
 Beijing Residents React to President Obama's Visit GlobalPost correspondent Josh Shin gets reactions from Beijing residents about President Obama's three-day trip to China.

   

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 | Nov. 16, 2009
 U.S., China Explore Deeper Ties as Partners, Contenders Jim Lehrer speaks with a panel of China experts about the political and economic implications of U.S.-China relations.

   

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 | Nov. 16, 2009
 Other News: Iran on Track for New Enrichment Plant In other news, the U.N. nuclear agency reported that Iran plans to open a uranium enrichment plant by 2011, and the head of French forces in Afghanistan narrowly escaped a rocket attack in Kabul.

 

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 | Nov. 16, 2009
 In China, Obama Pushes for More Freedoms During his visit to China, President Obama urged the government to scale back its censorship, but he also called for more cooperation with the U.S.

 

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 | Nov. 16, 2009
 Trip to Set Tone for U.S.-China Relations, Analyst Says President Barack Obama met with Chinese President Hu Jintao Monday during his four-nation Asia tour. China analyst Ming Wan of George Mason University describes potential outcomes of the trip and how the country views Mr. Obama in a Web-only video.

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 | Nov. 16, 2009
 Report: House Bill Would Increase Health Care Costs The health care reform bill that passed the House last week would increase U.S. health care costs by $289 billion over the next decade, according to a government report released this weekend.

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 | Nov. 16, 2009
 Obama Touts Internet Freedoms at Forum in China President Obama, speaking Monday at a town hall-style forum with Chinese university students in Shanghai, made a pitch for greater access to the Internet and social-networking sites, calling such freedom a source of strength.

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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 Shields and Brooks Gauge 9/11 Trials, Afghan Troop Decision Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks break down the top political headlines of the past week, including Justice Department plans to try five Guantanamo Bay detainees in federal court in New York, and President Obama's Afghan strategy review.

   

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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 FDIC's Bair: Bank Bailouts Were 'Not a Good Idea' In an interview with Paul Solman, FDIC chairwoman Sheila Bair discusses lessons learned from the financial crisis, and looks back on the federal bailout of institutions deemed "too-big-to-fail," saying, "In retrospect, I think it was not a good idea."

   




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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 On Asia Tour, Obama Tests New Dynamic With Japan President Obama kicked off a nine-day trip to Asia on Friday with a visit to Japan, where the newly elected prime minister, Yukio Hatoyama, is seeking a more "equal partnership" with the U.S. and the closing of an unpopular Marine base in Okinawa. Jeffrey Brown reports.

   

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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 News Wrap: Bombers Strike in Afghanistan, Pakistan In other news, at least 24 people died in a suicide bombing near a U.S. military base outside of Kabul, and in Pakistan, a truck bomber killed at least 10 people outside the northwestern headquarters of the Pakistani intelligence services.

   

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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 Holder: 9/11 Trials Will Weigh 'Crime of the Century' In an interview with Jim Lehrer, Attorney General Eric Holder discusses the decision to prosecute the alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other Guantanamo Bay detainees in civilian federal court in New York, calling the stakes "enormous."

   

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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 Alleged 9/11 Mastermind Among Detainees to Face Trial in N.Y. The Justice Department on Friday announced plans to try suspected 9/11 mastermind, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and four other Guantanamo Bay detainees, in federal court. Ray Suarez reports.

   

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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 Reid Aims to Begin Senate Health Care Debate Next Week Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is aiming to bring a health care reform bill to the Senate floor next week, but several obstacles remain. NewsHour health correspondent Betty Ann Bowser discusses the week's health reform news.

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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 Mideast Political Uncertainty Stymies Peace Process Barack Obama's first call made as president to a foreign leader went to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. He told the beleaguered leader that he was firmly committed to working for Middle East peace, and that he saw Abbas as his partner.

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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 Obama Seeks to Reinforce Key Alliances on Asian Tour President Barack Obama arrived in Japan on Friday at the start of his weeklong tour of key allied Asian nations. His visit is aimed at strengthening allegiances and tackling climate change, Afghanistan and the global economy.

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 | Nov. 13, 2009
 Holder: 9/11 Suspects 'Must Face Ultimate Justice' The five men accused of plotting the Sept. 11 attacks, including the alleged mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will stand trial in a civilian federal court in New York City, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced Friday.

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 | Nov. 12, 2009
 The Overload Factor: Is President Obama Too Busy? As President Obama departs for Asia, he leaves a full menu of unfinished business at home: two wars to manage, a struggling economy and his push for health care reform, to name a few. Jim Lehrer speaks to a panel of experts about the so-called "overload factor" for presidents.

   

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 | Nov. 12, 2009
 10 Years After Independence, East Timor Still Rebuilding Special correspondent Kira Kay examines East Timor's ongoing effort to rebuild itself, 10 years after winning independence from Indonesia. The report is part of the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting's Fragile States project, a partnership with the Bureau of International Reporting.

   

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 | Nov. 12, 2009
 Competing Philosophies Emerge in Review of Afghan Strategy President Obama has ordered his top advisers to revise the Afghan war options they presented him. That word came after the top U.S. diplomat in Afghanistan warned against sending large new numbers of troops. Judy Woodruff talks to a reporter for more.

   

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 | Nov. 12, 2009
 Cost Estimates Prove Key to Health Reform Debate This week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is waiting to hear back from one of the most influential yet least well-known figures in this year's health care reform debate: Douglas Elmendorf, the director of the Congressional Budget Office.

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 | Nov. 12, 2009
 Home Foreclosures, New Jobless Claims Decline Foreclosure numbers dropped for the third straight month in October, and new claims for unemployment benefits dropped more than expected last week, according to figures released Thursday.

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 | Nov. 11, 2009
 Other News: Europe Marks Armistice Day In other news, leaders across Europe commemorated the 91st anniversary of the end of World War I, and 11 people died in a pair of attacks in northwestern Pakistan.

   

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 | Nov. 11, 2009
 With Afghan Decision Looming, Obama Honors Veterans Just days after the deadly shooting at Fort Hood, President Barack Obama marked Veterans Day with an address at Arlington National Cemetery. Hours later, he met with military advisers to discuss a new strategy for Afghanistan. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Nov. 11, 2009
 On Veterans Day, Obama Faces Afghan Decision On the day that veterans around the country are honored for their service, President Barack Obama is set to meet with his top military advisers to continue discussions about the possibility of sending more troops to Afghanistan.

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 | Nov. 10, 2009
 Counting the Costs of Health Care Reform Can health care reform change the system and cut costs? Judy Woodruff gets one take from Gail Wilensky, a former administrator of the federal Medicare program.

   

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 | Nov. 10, 2009
 Premiums 'Will Go Down' Under Health Bill, Orszag Says In an interview with Judy Woodruff, Peter Orszag, director of the White House's Office of Management and Budget, outlines how health care reform will reduce medical costs.

   

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 | Nov. 10, 2009
 News Wrap: White House Disputes Reports of Afghan Troop Surge In other news, White House officials insisted President Obama has not decided how many more troops to send to Afghanistan, and a suicide car bombing in Pakistan killed at least 24 people.

 

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 | Nov. 10, 2009
 Competing Senate, House Financial Reform Bills Differ Over Fed's Role Senate Banking Committee Chairman Chris Dodd, D-Conn., unveiled legislation Tuesday that would dramatically reform how U.S. banks are regulated. The bill differs from legislation moving through the House of Representatives on several key issues.

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 | Nov. 10, 2009
 Jailed Hikers Caught in Tensions Between U.S. and Iran Three U.S. hikers, captured in Iran, are at the center of a war of words this week, with initial reports suggesting they would be charged with espionage, but subsequent statements saying they would be prosecuted for entering the country illegally.

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 | Nov. 9, 2009
 Berlin Remembers Fall of Wall 20 Years Later On the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Germans celebrated the event that came to symbolize the end of the Cold War. Jeffrey Brown reports.

   

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 | Nov. 9, 2009
 Extended Interview with Karzai: 'We Do What Is Right' for Afghanistan In an exclusive interview with Margaret Warner, Afghan President Hamid Karzai acknowledges there is corruption at different levels of government, but says the country is working to address it and that the international community must respect the decisions of the Afghan courts.

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 | Nov. 9, 2009
 Karzai on Firing Corrupt Officials: 'We Have and We Will' In an exclusive interview with Margaret Warner, Afghan President Hamid Karzai discusses ending corruption in his country, his views on President Obama's rethinking of military strategy in the region, and more.

   

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 | Nov. 9, 2009
 News Wrap: G-20 Stimulus Pledge Boosts Markets In other news, the Dow Jones industrial average closed at a 13-month high after G-20 nations pledged to continue stimulus efforts, and Iraq set a date for national elections.

   

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 | Nov. 9, 2009
 Battle Lines Emerge in Senate Over Health Care Reform After narrowly passing the House late Saturday, the focus of the health care reform push now moves to the Senate, where a range of issues, including the public option, and how the bill treats abortion, may prove contentious topics of debate.

   

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 | Nov. 9, 2009
 Abortion Opponents, Advocates Look to Senate Abortion opponents scored a victory Saturday night as the House passed a health care reform bill that includes strong anti-abortion language. Two advocates give their take on the bill and what comes next as the focus shifts to the Senate.

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 | Nov. 9, 2009
 20 Years After Fall of Berlin Wall, Some Iron Curtain Divisions Remain Twenty years ago, the Berlin Wall came down, signaling the demise of the Cold War. As world leaders gathered to mark the historic event at Brandenburg Gate on Monday, a historian, pollster and German correspondent discussed what the events meant.

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 | Nov. 7, 2009
 House Opens Floor Debate on Health Reform Legislation The U.S. House of Representatives began its floor debate of a sweeping health care reform bill Saturday, as President Obama traveled to Capitol Hill to rally Democratic lawmakers to the cause.

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 | Nov. 6, 2009
 Shields, Brooks Examine GOP's 'Morale Boost' Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks sort through the week's news, including impending health care legislation and a worsening job market.

   

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 | Nov. 6, 2009
 Karzai Faces Western Pressure to Stamp Out Corruption British Prime Minister Gordon Brown warned Afghan President Hamid Karzai that the Afghanistan government must wipe out corruption. Margaret Warner reports from Kabul.

   

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 | Nov. 6, 2009
 Democrats' Health Bill Nears House Vote Betty Ann Bowser speaks with key policymakers about the ongoing health care debate surrounding House Democrats' new reform proposal.

   




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 | Nov. 6, 2009
 House Health Care Vote Could Be Delayed Past Saturday House Democratic Leaders worked Friday to line up enough votes to pass a sweeping health care reform measure, but it seemed possible the vote might be delayed past House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Saturday deadline.

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 | Nov. 6, 2009
 Political Pact in Honduras Appears to Fall Apart A U.S.-brokered deal meant to mend the political crisis in Honduras by forming a unity government has fallen apart, ousted President Manuel Zelaya said Friday.

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 | Nov. 5, 2009
 U.N. Exits Afghanistan Following Deadly Suicide Bombing In Afghanistan, the U.N. announced that it is pulling back 600 employees after a deadly attack on staff. Margaret Warner has more from Kabul.

   

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 | Nov. 5, 2009
 Endorsements, Protests Mark Health Care Debate House Democrats' health reform plan received AARP's backing Thursday, but thousands of protesters rallied against the plan on Capitol Hill. Kwame Holman reports.

   




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 | Nov. 5, 2009
 Obama Expected to Sign Extended Unemployment Benefits, Homebuyer Credit The House voted overwhelmingly Thursday to extend aid to jobless workers and offer tax breaks to homebuyers. President Obama was expected to sign the measure on Friday. Ray Suarez reports.

   

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 | Nov. 5, 2009
 Other News: Stocks Rally on Falling Jobless Claims In other news, falling weekly jobless claims contributed to a Wall Street rally, and there are new warning signs that the U.S. might be facing a shortage of the seasonal flu vaccine.

 

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 | Nov. 5, 2009
 Health Reform Bill Picks Up Endorsements as House Nears Vote With the U.S. House of Representatives nearing a vote on a sweeping bid to overhaul the nation's health care system, Democrats secured endorsements from two key groups Thursday while opponents rallied against the bill at the U.S. Capitol.

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 | Nov. 5, 2009
 Aid for Jobless, Homebuyers Clears Congress Congress has passed legislation that would expand a popular homebuyer's tax credit and extend unemployment benefits in a bid to breathe more life into the struggling American economy.

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 TV, Radio Talkers Shaping Political Discourse in U.S. Jeffrey Brown examines the impact of television and radio talk show hosts and how they affect the way Americans think about politics.

   

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 Abdullah Calls for Legitimacy in Afghan Government Former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah spoke with Margaret Warner in Kabul Wednesday to discuss his decision to drop out of the runoff election and allegations of electoral fraud shrouding President Hamid Karzai's new term.

   

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 Taliban Link Explored in British Troop Deaths Nick Paton Walsh of Independent Television News reports on a fatal attack in Afghanistan against British soldiers patrolling Helmand Province.

 

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 Other News: Iranian Protesters Clash With Police In other news, thousands of Iranian protesters clashed with police in the streets of Tehran on the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover, and the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether prosecutors can be sued for damages.

 

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 GOP Touts Different Sort of 'Change' in Va., N.J. Wins Judy Woodruff speaks with Amy Walter, editor of The Hotline, and Stuart Rothenberg of the Rothenberg Report, about the political implications of Tuesday's gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia.

   

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 Maine Gay Marriage Repeal Draws Mixed Reaction Voters in Maine on Tuesday dealt another defeat to gay-rights advocates after voting to repeal a new state law allowing same-sex marriage.

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 U.K. Health Secretary: British, American Systems Can Learn From Each Other In the past few months, American politicians and press have portrayed Britain's National Health Service in two very different lights: as an example of effective universal health care and, on the other hand, as a morass of long lines and rationing.

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 Iranian Protesters Clash on Anniversary of U.S. Embassy Takeover Thousands of Iranians rallied outside the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran Wednesday to mark 30 years since Iranian students took over the compound and held dozens of Americans hostage. Opposition supporters also briefly staged their own protests.

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 GOP Scores Key Victories in N.J., Va. Governor Races Republican Chris Christie is projected to defeat incumbent Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine in a hard-fought New Jersey contest, the Associated Press reported, marking the second key gubernatorial victory for the GOP Tuesday night.

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 GM Reversal on Opel Deal Rankles German Officials In a surprise reversal that has left politicians across Germany fuming, General Motors' board has voted to abandon a deal to sell its European operations to car-parts supplier Magna International Inc. and Russian bank Sberbank.

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 | Nov. 4, 2009
 GOP Says Election Wins Show Rebirth The Republican Party trumpeted wins in both the New Jersey and Virginia gubernatorial elections Tuesday as signs of the party's resurgence just a year after Barack Obama and the Democrats dominated the 2008 elections.

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 | Nov. 3, 2009
 Stimulus Money Trickling Into the Classroom John Tulenko of Learning Matters Television explores how stimulus money is making its way into classrooms in upstate New York.

   

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 | Nov. 3, 2009
 Democrats Push New Climate Change Legislation Democrats started pushing climate change legislation a month before the U.S. participates in climate talks in Copenhagen. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Nov. 3, 2009
 Other News: Gubernatorial Contests Held in Key States In other news, the Taliban denied that the Pakistani army has made gains against militants, and ballots starting rolling in as the key states of Virginia and New Jersey voted for governors.

 

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 | Nov. 3, 2009
 U.S. Policymakers See Potential Shift in Afghanistan Gwen Ifill speaks with policymakers about the American response to President Karzai's victory this week.

   

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 | Nov. 3, 2009
 Karzai Calls for Afghan Unity After Election Margaret Warner updates the situation in Afghanistan, where she has been reporting on President Hamid Karzai's victory after a disputed election.

 

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 | Nov. 3, 2009
 House Republicans to Offer Alternate Health Plan House Republicans are planning to offer their own 230-page health care reform bill during the House floor debate as an alternative to Democratic leaders' plan.

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 | Nov. 3, 2009
 Robert MacNeil: Covering the Rise of the Berlin Wall On Aug. 12, 1961, Robert MacNeil, then a junior correspondent for NBC News, was dispatched to Berlin to cover the unfolding events that would lead to the construction of a wall separating East and West Germany.

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 | Nov. 3, 2009
 Karzai Vows to Combat Corruption, But Offers Few Specifics In his first speech since being declared the victor in the disputed Afghan presidential election, President Hamid Karzai vowed Tuesday to fight corruption and unite the country's disparate factions.

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 | Nov. 2, 2009
 Election Day '09: Races to Watch Without mid-term congressional races or a presidential election, the 2009 special election season has been dominated by a few key local races, which have attracted national headlines nonetheless.

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 | Nov. 2, 2009
 New York State Race a Showdown for GOP, Democrats The race for New York's 23rd Congressional District is offering a glimpse of where the political parties stand in voters minds in an off year.

   

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 | Nov. 2, 2009
 Other News: Bomb Kills 35 as Pakistan Violence Continues In other news, a suicide bombing in Pakistan killed 35 people, and Secretary of State Clinton was criticized by Arab states for her talks with Israel.

 

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 | Nov. 2, 2009
 Afghanistan's Next Steps Unclear After Runoff Cancelation Afghan President Hamid Karzai won another term in office after his opponent, Abdullah Abdullah, unexpectedly dropped out of the runoff election. Margaret Warner reports from Afghanistan.

   

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 | Nov. 2, 2009
 Karzai Declared Winner of Afghan Election as Runoff Canceled Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission declared Hamid Karzai winner of a second term as president Monday after it called off a runoff when his only rival withdrew from the race.

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 | Nov. 1, 2009
 Karzai Challenger Withdraws from Runoff Vote Afghan President Hamid Karzai's main election challenger said Sunday that he will withdraw from a planned Nov. 7 runoff, casting new doubts on the legitimacy of the Afghan government as the Obama administration debates U.S. strategy in the region.

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 | OCTOBER Oct. 30, 2009
 Shields and Brooks on 'New Candor' with Pakistan, Biden's Poll Numbers Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the top stories of the past week, including Hillary Clinton's visit to Pakistan, Vice President Joe Biden's poll numbers, and upcoming elections in New Jersey and Virginia.

   

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 | Oct. 30, 2009
 With Jobs Still Elusive, White House Defends Stimulus President Obama's $787 billion stimulus package has saved or created about 650,000 jobs, the White House said Friday. But with unemployment at a 26-year high, the administration is facing increased criticism about ongoing weakness in the labor market.

   

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 | Oct. 30, 2009
 Clinton: Pakistan 'Making Progress' Against Extremists In a Friday interview with Margaret Warner in Islamabad, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discussed the goals of her Pakistan trip, how she is encouraged by the country's battle against extremists and the administration's upcoming decision on an Afghan strategy.

   

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 | Oct. 30, 2009
 News Wrap: Stocks Slide on Weak Consumer Spending In other news, stocks dropped on Friday on news of weak consumer spending, and the White House said it was unhappy with the output of swine flu vaccine.

 

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 | Oct. 30, 2009
 As Afghan Strategy Develops, Clinton Focuses On Pakistan President Obama called in his national security team to the White House on Friday to review U.S. strategy in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ended a trip designed to smooth ties between Washington and Islamabad.

   

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 | Oct. 30, 2009
 Public Option Makes a Comeback on Capitol Hill Declared nearly dead this summer, the public option has made a comeback. Health correspondent Betty Ann Bowser discusses the week's health care reform news.

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 | Oct. 30, 2009
 Obama Announces End of HIV Travel Ban Foreigners infected with HIV will be allowed to travel and immigrate to the United States without restriction, President Barack Obama said Friday, announcing the repeal of a twenty-year-old travel ban.

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 | Oct. 30, 2009
 Honduras' Rivals Resolve Leadership Dispute Representatives of deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and his rival, interim President Roberto Micheletti, signed an agreement late Thursday that could lead toward reinstating Zelaya four months after he was forcibly removed by the military.

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 | Oct. 29, 2009
 Ex-State Department Official Explains Exit Over Afghan War Strategy In an interview with Judy Woodruff, Matthew Hoh, the first U.S. official known to resign in protest to America's presence in Afghanistan, discusses his objections to the war.

   

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 | Oct. 29, 2009
 Lahore on Edge as Insurgency Heightens Attacks Lahore, generally considered Pakistan's cultural hub, has experienced several terrorist attacks this year, which has put the city on edge. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited the city Thursday and promised more U.S. assistance. Margaret Warner provides an on-the-ground report.

   

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 | Oct. 29, 2009
 House Health Care Bill Features Public Option Compromise House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled an $894 billion health care reform bill Thursday that would expand insurance coverage to as many as 36 million people. In a nod to moderates, the plan includes a public option in which rates are negotiated with doctors and hospitals. Betty Ann Bowser reports.

   




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 | Oct. 29, 2009
 News Wrap: Iran May Not Send Uranium Abroad In other news, Iran gave no indication it will agree to a U.N. plan to ship most of its nuclear fuel abroad for enrichment, and President Obama traveled to the military post at Dover, Del. to honor 18 American killed in Afghanistan earlier this week.

   

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 | Oct. 29, 2009
 Bill Summary: Affordable Health Care for America Act House Democrats on Thursday unveiled the Affordable Health Care for America Act. The 1,990-page legislation is a combination of bills passed by three House committees earlier this year. Key tenets include:

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 | Oct. 29, 2009
 House Democrats Unveil $894B Health Reform Bill House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday unveiled a massive health care reform bill that would expand health insurance coverage to 36 million Americans at a cost of $894 billion over 10 years.

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 | Oct. 29, 2009
 U.S. Economy Rebounds 3.5% in Third Quarter The U.S. economy expanded at a 3.5 percent annual pace from July to September, according to Commerce Department figures released Thursday, in a signal that the worst recession since the 1930s may be easing.

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 | Oct. 28, 2009
 Deadly Car Bombing Clouds Clinton's Visit to Pakistan As Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Pakistan for meetings with top diplomats, a car bombing in Peshawar struck a crowded market, killing at least 101 people and injuring scores more. Margaret Warner reports from Pakistan on the attack and its impact on Clinton's visit.

 

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 | Oct. 28, 2009
 Militant Attacks Kill Scores in Afghanistan and Pakistan Taliban militants stormed a U.N. guest house Wednesday in Kabul, leaving 12 people dead, including 5 U.N. staffers, and one American. Meanwhile, in Pakistan, a car bombing in the northwestern city of Peshawar killed more than 100 people. Gwen Ifill reports.

   

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 | Oct. 28, 2009
 Reports: GMAC in Talks to Receive Third Bailout from Government GMAC, the consumer finance company and onetime subsidiary of GM, is reportedly in talks with Treasury to receive a fresh lifeline of up to $5.6 billion in aid, on top of the $12.5 billion the government has already injected into the company.

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 | Oct. 28, 2009
 New Strategies Considered to Curb U.S.-Mexico Drug Trade The U.S. dealt a "significant blow" to one of Mexico's most infamous drug cartels last week after a 19-state drug raid resulted in 300 arrests and millions of dollars in confiscated money. This comes on the heels of new drug policy talks.

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 | Oct. 28, 2009
 Bill: Biggest Firms Would Fund Future Rescues The U.S. government would be given broad new powers to shrink financial firms deemed "too big to fail" and shift the cost of rescuing troubled companies from taxpayers to other large firms, according to draft legislation released Tuesday.

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 | Oct. 28, 2009
 Video Collection: Pakistan and Afghanistan As the Obama administration considers changes to its Afghanistan-Pakistan strategy, Margaret Warner traveled to the two countries to report on political developments there.

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 | Oct. 28, 2009
 Car Bomb in Pakistan Kills Scores as Clinton Visits A car bomb exploded Wednesday in a market in the Pakistani city of Peshawar, killing at least 91 people and wounding some 200 others. The attack came just 15 minutes after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in nearby Islamabad.

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 | Oct. 28, 2009
 Obama Signs Measure to Widen Hate Crimes Law In the first expansion of a federal hate crimes law since 1968, President Barack Obama signed a bill Wednesday that extends hate crime protections to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

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 | Oct. 27, 2009
 Opt-out Clause on Public Option Puts Role of States Back in Spotlight Among the health reform proposals under debate on Capitol Hill is a plan to allow states to opt out of a public option -- which may help legislation pass through Congress, but how would it work to drive down costs? Two experts discuss the idea with Ray Suarez.

   

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 | Oct. 27, 2009
 Renewed Public Option Push in Senate Tests Democratic Unity The push by the Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to include a public option into a health care reform bill drew sharply different reactions on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, with liberals voicing support, moderates airing concerns, and Republicans promising a filibuster.

   




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 | Oct. 27, 2009
 Public Opinion and the Public Option Debate The public insurance option has gone for a roller-coaster ride over the past few months of debate over a health care overhaul.

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 | Oct. 27, 2009
 Survey Finds Afghans Optimistic, But Still Troubled by Security A nationwide poll of Afghans released Tuesday by The Asia Foundation found more Afghans feel the country is moving in the right direction but are still concerned about security and local rebuilding projects.

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 | Oct. 27, 2009
 Iran Seeks Big Changes in Uranium Deal Iran vowed Tuesday to seek "important changes" in a United Nations plan that would require it to ship its enriched uranium out of the country for processing abroad, raising alarm among Western governments involved in nuclear talks with the country.

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 | Oct. 27, 2009
 October Afghan War's Deadliest Month for U.S. Eight U.S. troops were killed in multiple bombings Tuesday in southern Afghanistan, making October the deadliest month of the war for U.S. forces since its start in 2001.

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 | Oct. 27, 2009
 Cap and Trade Bill Hearings Begin in Senate Senate Democrats began hearings Tuesday in the Environment and Public Works Committee for legislation aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slowing the progress of global warming.

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 | Oct. 26, 2009
 Kerry: Afghan Troop Push Goes 'Too Far, Too Fast' Margaret Warner speaks with Sen. John Kerry about his recent trip to Afghanistan to persuade President Hamid Karzai to accept a runoff election.

   

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 | Oct. 26, 2009
 NYT Reporter Rohde on Taliban Kidnapping In June, New York Times reporter David Rohde escaped his Taliban captors after being held in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan for seven months. In an online-only Web extra, he describes how his captivity was kept a secret for so long and the strain it caused on his family.

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 | Oct. 26, 2009
 Other News: Security in Iraq Questioned After Massive Bombings In other news, Iraqi forces beefed up security one day after a blast killed 155 people and injured 500 others, and 11 Iranians were arrested in Pakistan for attempting to illegal enter the country.

 

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 | Oct. 26, 2009
 In Afghanistan, a Deadly Day for Americans American forces suffered their deadliest day in four years in Afghanistan as 14 troops and civilians were killed in separate air crashes. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Oct. 26, 2009
 Former CIA Officer Weighs In on Afghan Strategy As the Obama administration considers changes to its Afghan war strategy, former CIA operative Marc Sageman discusses working in Afghanistan and what the new strategy should entail.

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 | Oct. 26, 2009
 Reid to Include Public Option in Senate Bill After days of negotiations, Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., announced Monday that he will include a government-run public health insurance option in the health care reform legislation he plans to bring to the Senate floor.

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 | Oct. 23, 2009
 Shields, Brooks: Obama Risks Looking Petty in Fox Fight Columnists David Brooks and Mark Shields review the week's news, including the coming Afghan runoff and the war of words between the White House and Fox News.

   

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 | Oct. 23, 2009
 'Traumatized' Afghanistan Could Take Decades to Fix Margaret Warner speaks with Rory Stewart, who spent two years walking across Afghanistan, about whether President Obama should commit more troops to the war there.

   

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 | Oct. 23, 2009
 In U.K., Political Extremism on BBC Causes Outrage A heated debate over political extremism in the United Kingdom came to a head this week when the leader of the British National Party appeared on a BBC show.

   

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 | Oct. 23, 2009
 Other News: Pelosi Promises a Public Option In other news, House speaker Nancy Pelosi insisted on Friday that the House of Representatives' compromise health reform bill will include a public option, and the National Association of Realtors announced a jump in sales of pre-owned homes.

 

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 | Oct. 23, 2009
 Controversy Erupts Over Politician's Appearance on BBC Talk Show The debut of far-right British National Party leader Nick Griffin on BBC's political-debate show "Question Time" launched protests, along with a debate over media freedoms.

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 | Oct. 23, 2009
 NATO to Move Toward More Troops, Afghan Aid Defense Secretary Robert Gates, speaking at a NATO conference in Slovakia, said Friday that allies are moving toward sending more troops and civilian aid to Afghanistan.

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 | Oct. 22, 2009
 Stimulus Money Plows Through Tractor Country Ray Suarez speaks with Dante Chinni of the Patchwork Nation project about tracking federal stimulus money as it is dispersed through America.

   

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 | Oct. 22, 2009
 Indonesia Remains Secular Despite Islamic Revival Despite a resurgence of Islam in the predominately Muslim country, Indonesia has remained politically secular. Fred de Sam Lazaro reports.

   

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 | Oct. 22, 2009
 House Panel Approves Curbs for Insurers' Antitrust Exemptions The House approved a bill on Wednesday that would limit the health insurance industry's exemption from federal antitrust laws. Betty Ann Bowser and Judy Woodruff report.

   




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 | Oct. 22, 2009
 Other News: House OKs Consumer Protection Agency In other news, the House voted Thursday to establish a new consumer protection agency, and federal agents carried out a massive 19-state drug bust.

 

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 | Oct. 22, 2009
 Feinberg Hopes More Companies Adopt Executive Pay Rules The Federal Reserve curbed pay packages for executives of companies that received bailout money in an effort to discourage risky business practices. Jeffrey Brown speaks with executive pay czar Kenneth Feinberg.

   

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 | Oct. 22, 2009
 Pay Slashed for Bailed-out Firms' Executives The government has ordered seven firms that received billions in bailout money to dramatically cut compensation to their highest-paid employees.

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 | Oct. 21, 2009
 Former Car Czar Rattner: No Reason GM Can't Succeed "People will start buying cars again," former car czar Steve Rattner tells Judy Woodruff. He also discusses ousting GM's CEO and how the auto industry will evolve.

   

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 | Oct. 21, 2009
 Other News: Wells Fargo Concerns Drive Market Sell-off In other news, worries about the health of Wells Fargo triggered a late day sell-off on Wall Street, and former Afghan foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah agreed to the presidential runoff set for November.

 

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 | Oct. 21, 2009
 Barofsky: TARP Program Fueled Public Distrust The biggest cost of the TARP program might be the public's distrust of the government, according to inspector general Neil Barofsky. Ray Suarez reports.

   

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 | Oct. 21, 2009
 Obama: Small Businesses to Be Offered TARP Help President Barack Obama unveiled plans Wednesday to shift government bailout efforts from Wall Street's banks to Main Street's small businesses by increasing lending and access to credit.

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 | Oct. 21, 2009
 Under Nuclear Deal, Russia Would Process Iran's Enriched Uranium A draft deal -- up for Iranian approval by Friday -- would require Iran to send most of its existing enriched uranium to Russia for processing, in an attempt to delay Tehran's ability to make a nuclear weapon.

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 | Oct. 21, 2009
 Stimulus Bill Data Offer Glimpse of Effectiveness Americans and government watchdogs are getting their first glimpse at the results of the massive economic stimulus package heralded by President Barack Obama soon after taking office.

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 | Oct. 20, 2009
 Yoo's Tenure Questioned Over Bush Torture Policy Spencer Michels reports on the ongoing academic wrangling over former Bush attorney John Yoo's instruction at the University of California, Berkeley.

   

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 | Oct. 20, 2009
 Suicide Attacks Rattle Pakistan as Offensive Continues Ray Suarez speaks with Washington Post reporter Pamela Constable who has been reporting from Islamabad on the Pakistani army's offensive against militants.

   

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 | Oct. 20, 2009
 In Afghanistan, Runoff Election Could Strengthen Democracy Afghan President Hamid Karzai bowed to pressure Tuesday and agreed to a runoff election on Nov. 7. The move came as the Obama administration debates the future of U.S. strategy. Gwen Ifill talks to experts for insight.

   

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 | Oct. 20, 2009
 Under Pressure, Karzai Endorses Afghan Election Runoff Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed to a runoff election after a U.N. probe determined that the August election was rife with fraud. Gwen Ifill reports.

 

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 | Oct. 20, 2009
 Reporter's Notebook: Opponents View Zelaya as Polarizing Figure Marcelo Ballve of New America Media has been reporting in Honduras on efforts to resolve political turmoil over the ouster of President Manuel Zelaya. In this dispatch, he explores the roots of the opposition to Zelaya's governance.

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 | Oct. 20, 2009
 Afghan Election Panel Sets Nov. 7 Runoff Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission on Tuesday ordered a runoff between President Hamid Karzai and former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah to take place Nov. 7, after an investigation found countrywide voter fraud.

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 Exploring Tensions Between Presidents and the Media Jeffrey Brown speaks with media experts about the ongoing feud between the White House and Fox News channel.

   

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 White House Steps Up Criticism of Fox News Channel Jeffrey Brown reports on the escalating war of words between Fox News and the Obama White House, which recently referred to the conservative leaning channel as a "wing of the Republican party."

 

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 U.S. Launches New Strategy for Dealing With Sudan The Obama administration announced a new strategy on Sudan, which includes offering incentives in exchange for a resolution on the crisis in Darfur. Ray Suarez speaks with General Scott Gration, special envoy to Sudan, for more.

   

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 In Pakistan, Offensive Rages Against Insurgents The Pakistani army continues to fight insurgents in the rugged hills of South Waziristan near the Afghan border. Judy Woodruff speaks with experts for more.

   

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 Other News: Iran Vows 'Crushing Response' to Bombing In other news, Iraq's Revolutionary Guard promised a "crushing response" after a suicide bomb killed five commanders, and nuclear talks with Iran convened in Vienna.

 

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 In Afghanistan, Disputed Ballots Point Toward Runoff After months of speculation, investigators confirmed on Monday that the Afghan election was rife with fraud. Margaret Warner reports.

 

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 Election Commission Finds 'Great Deal of Fraud' Across Afghanistan An investigation into allegations of fraud at polling sites in Afghanistan led a U.N.-backed commission to recommend disqualifying hundreds of thousands of votes. One of the commissioners explains in this Reporter's Podcast.

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 Arrests, Scrutiny Put Hedge Fund Sector on Edge The arrests of a prominent Wall Street hedge fund founder and five others on Friday have unsettled the hedge fund world and could spur calls for new rules governing the largely unregulated financial sector.

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 Tsvangirai to Seek Help from Neighboring Countries Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai planned to visit the leaders of neighboring countries this week to "rescue" the unity government and explain his decision to temporarily withdraw from it last week.

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 Voices of Health Care Reform: Children's Hospital CEO Jim Shmerling, CEO of Children's Hospital in Denver, Colo., gives his take on health care reform and the importance of providing health care for children.

 

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 U.N. Probe Points to Possible Runoff in Afghanistan After an investigation into allegations of fraud in Afghanistan's August presidential elections, a U.N.-backed election panel advised throwing out thousands of disputed votes, setting the stage for a possible runoff between the top two contenders.

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 | Oct. 19, 2009
 Health Reform Calculator: What Would You Pay? As Congress works to consolidate pieces of legislation that could overhaul the U.S. health care system, the issue of how Americans would afford mandated health insurance is a focus of the debate.

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 | Oct. 16, 2009
 Tensions Surround Honduras Leadership Talks With presidential elections just weeks away, negotiators in Honduras continue to work on an agreement that would temporarily return ousted president Manuel Zelaya to power. Ray Suarez reports.

   

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 | Oct. 16, 2009
 Shields and Gerson Survey Health Care Outlook, Economy Columnists Mark Shields and Michael Gerson sort through the top news of the past week, including a key vote on health care in the Senate Finance Committee, bank earning reports and conflicting data about the health of the economy.

   

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 | Oct. 16, 2009
 Afghan Expert Riedel Weighs Obama's Strategic Options Former CIA officer and terrorism expert Bruce Riedel discusses his book, "The Search for Al Qaeda: Its Leadership, Ideology, and Future" and his work chairing an Afghanistan policy review for the Obama administration.

   

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 | Oct. 16, 2009
 News Wrap: Police Station Bombing Kills 13 in Pakistan In other news, a suicide bombing at a police station in Pakistan has killed at least 13 people, and in Iraq a bomber opened fire on a mosque in Tal Afar.

 

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 | Oct. 16, 2009
 Anticipation Grows Around Afghan Fraud Probe A probe into fraud allegations in Afghanistan's presidential election carries important implications for the Obama administration's deliberations into war strategy there. Karen DeYoung of The Washington Post assesses the possible consequences with Judy Woodruff.

   

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 | Oct. 16, 2009
 Afghan Runoff Grows Likely Following Fraud Probe An investigation into fraudulent ballots in Afghanistan has reduced President Hamid Karzai's share of the vote to 47 percent, triggering a runoff election between him and his closest challenger, Abdullah Abdullah.

 

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 | Oct. 16, 2009
 Runoff Expected in Afghan Election, Reports Say As a U.N.-backed commission neared a decision Friday on allegations of fraud in Afghanistan's presidential vote, media reports indicated a runoff may be likely between President Hamid Karzai and second-place finisher Abdullah Abdullah.

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 | Oct. 16, 2009
 Loan Losses Drive Down Bank of America Earnings Bank of America reported Friday that it lost more than $2.2 billion in the third quarter, largely due to loan defaults and credit card delinquencies.

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 | Oct. 15, 2009
 News Wrap: Dozens Killed in Attacks Across Pakistan In other news, at least 39 people were killed in a wave of attacks across Pakistan on Thursday, and the Social Security Administration announced it will not enact a cost of living increase in benefits next year.

 

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 | Oct. 15, 2009
 Obama Visits New Orleans to Gauge Recovery President Obama flew to New Orleans on Thursday to assess the city's recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Margaret Warner reports.

   

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 | Oct. 15, 2009
 Reporter's Notebook: World Cup News Turns Political in Honduras The news that Honduras qualified for next year's World Cup brought a welcome respite from the country's recent political unrest -- but just briefly. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media reports from the capital Tegucigalpa.

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 | Oct. 15, 2009
 Pakistan's Violence Continues With Cultural Capital Assaults Militants on Thursday carried out a fifth major attack in 10 days in Pakistan -- a coordinated assault on three law enforcement centers in Lahore, the country's second-most-populous city.

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 | Oct. 14, 2009
 Senate Shifts Focus to Health Care Compromise Top Senate Democrats and White House officials have turned their health reform efforts toward crafting a compromise package that can unite Democrats and avoid a GOP filibuster. Policy analysts examine the different ways a public option could take shape in Congress.

   

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 | Oct. 14, 2009
 Dow Closes Above 10,000 for First Time in a Year The Dow Jones industrial average closed Wednesday above 10,000 for the first time since Oct. 3, 2008. Ray Suarez speaks with a Washington Post reporter about the significance.

   

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 | Oct. 14, 2009
 Retail Sales Up, but Auto Sales Sag Without 'Clunkers' Retail sales for September fell by the largest amount this year, though most of the drop is attributed to cars sales plummeting at the end of the government's popular 'cash for clunkers' program.

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 | Oct. 14, 2009
 Dealmaking on Health Reform Goes Behind Closed Doors One day after Sen. Max Baucus' finance committee passed its version of health insurance reform legislation, Senate Democrats and the White House met behind closed doors to fix differences among other reform bills.

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 | Oct. 13, 2009
 Honduras in Turmoil Three Months After Coup More than three months after a coup removed him from office, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya and his rival, interim President Roberto Micheletti, remain at loggerheads. Ray Suarez speaks with Marcelo Ballve of New America Media about the situation.

   

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 | Oct. 13, 2009
 In Honduras, Elections Pose Test for Diplomats With presidential elections just weeks away, diplomats are struggling to resolve the standoff in Honduras between deposed president Manuel Zelaya, and his ouster, Roberto Micheletti.

   

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 | Oct. 13, 2009
 Va., N.J. Gubernatorial Races May Prove Early Test of Obama Policies Gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia have emerged as an early test of the public's support for President Obama's domestic agenda. Gwen Ifill discusses the implications with two political analysts.

   

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 | Oct. 13, 2009
 Emanuel: Cost, Competition Central to Health Reform In an interview, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel discusses the Senate Finance Committee's passage of a health reform bill, the future for the public option and more.

   

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 | Oct. 13, 2009
 Health Care Bill Clears Senate Panel with One G.O.P. Vote President Obama's top domestic initiative, health care reform, inched closer to final votes in Congress on Tuesday after clearing a key hurdle in the Senate Finance Committee. Betty Ann Bowser reports.

   

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 | Oct. 13, 2009
 Finance Committee Passes Reform Bill With Support From Snowe The Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday became the last of five congressional panels to act on a health reform bill, passing its legislation in a 14-9 vote that saw Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe breaking from Republicans -- at least for the moment.

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 | Oct. 13, 2009
 Zelaya Forecasts Dim Prospects for Honduras Negotiations Manuel Zelaya, who Hondurans elected president in 2005, has now been out of office for more than 100 days. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media spoke with him Monday night in the Brazilian Embassy there, where the deposed leader has taken refuge.

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 | Oct. 13, 2009
 Russia Rebuffs U.S. for Tougher Action on Iran During a visit by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Russia, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the threat of more sanctions against Iran would be counterproductive.

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Historian Taylor Branch on the 'Clinton Tapes' Pulitzer Prize-winning author and historian Taylor Branch speaks with Jeffrey Brown about his new book, "The Clinton Tapes."

   

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Lawmakers Eye 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Reversal Tens of thousands of demonstrators descended on Washington this past weekend demanding an end to the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Could a reversal be next? Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Turkey, Armenia Sign Accord to Normalize Ties Over the weekend, Turkey and Armenia's foreign ministers signed an accord to establish ties between the two countries and open their shared border, but an occupied territory in Azerbaijan remains a major sticking point for final approval.

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 San Francisco Ramps Up Care for City's Uninsured While the U.S. has struggled with an imperfect health care system, San Francisco has launched its own initiative to extend coverage to the more than 60,000 adult residents in the city without insurance. Spencer Michels reports.

   




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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Unusual Battle Lines Are Drawn on Role of Individual Mandate in Reform Bill The Senate Finance Committee is expected to approve its health reform bill Tuesday, but the legislation may include an amendment that weakens penalties designed to support an individual mandate requiring most Americans to carry insurance.

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Health Reform Carries Heavy Price, Insurers Claim A new report paid for by the insurance industry has concluded that health care reform would increase the costs of coverage faster and higher than under the current system.

   

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 News Wrap: Afghan Official Leaves Election Commission In other news, an Afghan official resigned from a commission charged with determining whether fraud occurred in the nation's presidential election, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the world will not be deterred by new missile testing in North Korea.

   

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Militant Attacks Renew Questions on Pakistan's Security Violence continued in Pakistan on Monday as militants detonated a car bomb in a crowded market in the northwest of the country. Gwen Ifill talks to a reporter in Islamabad about the renewed attacks.

   

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Pakistan Rocked by Suicide Bombing, At Least 41 Killed A suicide car bombing in northwest Pakistan killed at least 41 people on Monday. Jonathan Rugman of ITN reports.

   

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Reporter's Notebook: Negotiators to Renew Talks in Honduras Honduras' political crisis deepened this week as negotiators for ousted President Manuel Zelaya and interim President Roberto Micheletti prepared to resume talks Tuesday, and candidates revved up for elections without a political solution in sight.

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Poll: Americans Support Civil Unions, but Oppose Same-sex Marriage Americans broadly support giving gay and lesbian couples the same rights as people in heterosexual marriages, but using the term "marriage" still draws opposition, according to the latest Pew Research Center survey on same-sex marriage.

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 6 Uighurs Sentenced to Death Over Xinjiang Riots A Chinese court sentenced six Uighur men to death and a seventh to life in prison on Monday for murder and other violent crimes committed this summer during ethnic rioting in Xinjiang, China's western region.

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 | Oct. 12, 2009
 Pakistan Violence Continues as Car Bomb Kills 41 A deadly blast ripped through a market in the restive Swat Valley on Monday, continuing a wave of attacks over the past week across Pakistan.

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 | Oct. 10, 2009
 Reporter's Notebook: Protesters in Honduras Criticize U.S. Response to Crisis In late June, Honduran President Manuel Zelaya was ousted in the middle of the night by an opposition angered by his efforts to extend presidential terms. Marcelo Ballve of New America Media reports from Honduras on tensions within the country.

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 | Oct. 9, 2009
 Brooks, Marcus Discuss Potential Peace Prize Backfire, Rangel Controversy Columnists David Brooks and Ruth Marcus discuss the week's news, including the potential pitfalls in President Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize.

   

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 | Oct. 9, 2009
 Investigation into Rangel's Dealings Intensifies The House Ethics Committee is expanding its investigation into Rep. Charles Rangel over a series of questionable financial dealings. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Oct. 9, 2009
 Obama's Reform Effort Faces More Hurdles After Finance Committee Vote A key component of President Obama's health reform overhaul faces a vote next week in the Senate Finance Committee after the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office gave it an upbeat assessment.

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 | Oct. 9, 2009
 Leaders React to Obama's Nobel Peace Prize Friday's surprise announcement that President Barack Obama would be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize drew both praise from backers of the president and criticism from some of his harshest critics.

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 | Oct. 8, 2009
 Afghanistan Ambassador Warns of Worsening Violence Margaret Warner speaks with Afghanistan's ambassador to the United States, Said Jawad, about escalating Taliban violence and what is at stake for the U.S.

   

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 | Oct. 8, 2009
 Health Reform Vote Set for Senate Finance Committee The Senate Finance Committee will vote next week on revamping the nation's health care system. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Oct. 8, 2009
 Senate Committee Set for Health Reform Vote The Senate Finance Committee will vote Tuesday on a sweeping revamp of the U.S. health care system as the debate over President Barack Obama's top domestic policy enters a new stage.

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 | Oct. 8, 2009
 The Personalities and Priorities of Obama's Economic Team Ryan Lizza, Washington correspondent for The New Yorker magazine, has penned a new account of how the main players on the White House economic team negotiate their different backgrounds and priorities in crafting high-stakes economic policies.

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 | Oct. 7, 2009
 Pakistan's Foreign Minister Says Aid Crucial to Counterterrorism Effort Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said Wednesday that a U.S. aid bill that would provide $1.5 billion per year for five years to Pakistan was critical to the country's efforts to fight terrorism.

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 | Oct. 7, 2009
 Pakistan's Role in Fighting Terror Under Review Pakistan affirmed its resolve to continue fighting al-Qaida and also providing enforcements for U.S. forces in Afghanistan. Judy Woodruff reports.

   

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 | Oct. 7, 2009
 CBO Says Health Bill Would Cost $829 Billion The Senate Finance Committee's health care reform plan would cost $829 billion over 10 years, but would meet President Barack Obama's goal of reducing the federal budget deficit by 2019, according to a cost estimate released Wednesday.

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 | Oct. 7, 2009
 U.S. Deploys Envoy to Guinea in Response to Violence Secretary of State Hillary Clinton voiced U.S. frustration this week over a recent violent crackdown against a protest in Guinea, and the administration took the unusual step of dispatching an envoy to the West African nation.

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 | Oct. 7, 2009
 Supreme Court to Hear Case Concerning Cross on Public Land A long-running legal battle over a 75-year-old cross on public land in California culminates today in oral arguments before the Supreme Court, in what legal analysts say could be an important case on the separation of church and state.

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 | Oct. 6, 2009
 In Netherlands, Insurers Compete Over Quality of Care In the first of a series on health care abroad, Ray Suarez looks at how the Netherlands achieved a massive health care overhaul four years ago.

   




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 | Oct. 6, 2009
 Obama Brings Congress Into Afghan Strategy Review Reporters offer insight into President Obama's meeting with lawmakers Tuesday to discuss a strategy shift in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

   

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 | Oct. 6, 2009
 New Drama Turns Political Scandal into a Personal Matter On the new CBS drama "The Good Wife," Alicia Florrick (played by Julianna Margulies), is an attorney turned dutiful political wife whose husband's sex tape with a prostitute lands him in prison and her back in the workforce.

 

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 | Oct. 5, 2009
 Among Doctors, Many Opinions on Health Care Reform While President Obama worked to rally doctors around health care reform Monday, fault lines have nevertheless emerged among physicians on topics such as the public option, the role of insurance companies, and the say of patients. A pair of doctors debate their views with Judy Woodruff.

   




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 | Oct. 5, 2009
 News Wrap: Bomb Strikes U.N. Office in Pakistan In other news Monday, five people were killed in a suicide bombing at the U.N. World Food Program office in Islamabad, and three Americans were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

 

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 | Oct. 5, 2009
 New Attacks Add Gravity to Afghan Strategy Review The U.S. toll in Afghanistan climbed after a weekend of heavy casualties as President Obama considers a push from top military commanders to add more troops to the conflict. Two military experts offer their views.

   

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 | Oct. 5, 2009
 Under Senate Finance Committee Plan, High-Risk Insurance Pools Get Funding Boost Until recently, self-employed writer Candace Talmadge, of Lancaster, Texas, was pleased with the health insurance she purchased through a small business association.

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 | Oct. 5, 2009
 New Court Term to Tackle Free Speech, Business Regulation, Gun Rights The Supreme Court, newly reconfigured with the addition of Justice Sonia Sotomayor, will hear several cases involving high-profile issues this term, including First Amendment rights, gun control, criminal law and business regulation.

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 | Oct. 5, 2009
 Reporter's Podcast: Major Changes to EU Pass Ireland Test Irish voters Friday overwhelmingly approved the Lisbon Treaty -- a set of European Union reforms, including the creation of a new position of president, aimed at elevating the EU's global profile.

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 | Oct. 5, 2009
 Obama Pitches Health Reform to Doctors President Obama made his latest pitch for health care reform Monday in a White House Rose Garden speech to 150 white-coat-wearing doctors from around the country.

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 | Oct. 2, 2009
 Shields and Brooks on Obama's Olympic Trip, Health Care Mark Shields and David Brooks sort through the week's news, including President Obama's trip abroad to tout Chicago's bid for the Olympics, new moves on health care reform and talks with Iran on its nuclear program.

   

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 | Oct. 2, 2009
 Key Senate Panel Nears Health Care Reform Vote The Senate Finance Committee has finished a marathon week sorting through hundreds of amendments to Chairman Max Baucus's health care reform plan. Next stop for the bill: a vote by the full committee. Betty Ann Bowser reports.

   




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 | Oct. 2, 2009
 Other News: Two Survivors Rescued from Quake Rubble In other news, two survivors of the earthquake in Indonesia were pulled from the rubble Friday, while in the Samoan islands, the death toll from Tuesday's deep-sea earthquake and tsunami rose to 169 people.

 

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 | Oct. 2, 2009
 Key Committee Wraps Up Debate on Health Reform After more than a week of debate, the Senate Finance Committee wrapped up its consideration of a landmark health care reform bill in the wee hours Friday morning.

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 | Oct. 2, 2009
 Palestinians Release Video of Israeli Soldier as Part of Prisoner Exchange A thin but healthy-looking Israeli soldier, captured more than three years ago, said in a video released Friday that he is being treated well by his Palestinian captors and asked to come home.

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 | Oct. 1, 2009
 Iran Gives Nod to Inspections, More Nuclear Talks Iran has agreed to a second round of discussions over its disputed nuclear program following a meeting in Geneva on Thursday with diplomats from the U.S. and other world powers.

   

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 | Oct. 1, 2009
 Disputed Afghan Election Leads to U.N. Staff Shake-up A top U.S. official at the U.N. mission to Afghanistan has been dismissed after he accused his boss of hiding evidence of election fraud. The ousted diplomat, Peter Galbraith, and a U.N. official discuss the dispute.

   

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 | Oct. 1, 2009
 News Wrap: Markets Drop on Mix of Weak Reports In other news, markets fell on a rise in claims for unemployment benefits and drops in auto sales and factory activity, and a key Senate committee neared the end of its work on health care reform.

 

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 | Oct. 1, 2009
 Iran Agrees to Inspections of Secret Nuclear Facility Iran agreed to open its newly disclosed nuclear enrichment facility to international inspectors Thursday, but President Barack Obama warned that the nation must follow its words with action.

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 | Oct. 1, 2009
 China Celebrates 60 Years of Communism The Chinese government threw an elaborate parade Oct. 1 to highlight the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China and the victory of the Communist Party.

 

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 | Oct. 1, 2009
 Judy Woodruff Reports: Cities Worldwide Taking Action on Climate Change NewsHour senior correspondent Judy Woodruff moderated a panel of local and regional leaders from around the world Wednesday in Los Angeles as part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Global Climate Summit 2.

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 | Oct. 1, 2009
 Baucus Says Health Reform Bill Has Enough Votes to Pass, Despite Criticisms Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee said Thursday that chairman Max Baucus' health care reform bill is "riddled" with new taxes on the middle class, violating President Obama's campaign pledge.

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 | Oct. 1, 2009
 Few Profits, Many Cost Overruns Expected for Olympic Hosts As the International Olympic Committee prepares to anoint a host for the 2016 Olympic Summer Games Friday in Copenhagen, cities vying for the honor are unlikely to receive much of a direct economic boost as host.

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 | Oct. 1, 2009
 Bernanke Calls for 'Council of Regulators' Testifying before lawmakers Thursday, Ben Bernanke reiterated a call for the Fed to be given supervisory powers over institutions that pose a systemic risk to the financial system, and proposed that a council of regulators help monitor risk.

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 | SEPTEMBER Sept. 30, 2009
 U.S. Considers Reengaging with Myanmar Following a bloody military coup in 1988, the nation of Myanmar has been largely isolated from the West. Now, for the first time in more than 20 years, signs are emerging that the U.S. may engage in new diplomatic talks with the country.

   

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 | Sept. 30, 2009
 Summit Aims to Put the Brakes on Texting While Driving Text messaging while driving has been found to increase the odds of a crash by 23 times. Now, lawmakers and transportation experts are trying to find a way to stop the dangerous practice. Ray Suarez reports.

   

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 | Sept. 30, 2009
 Senate Bill May Mark New Start for Climate Legislation Senate Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent over 2005 levels. But with health care dominating the national debate, is Congress ready to tackle more big legislation? Jeffrey Brown talks to a reporter for more.

   

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 | Sept. 30, 2009
 News Wrap: Typhoon Rips Through Southeast Asia In other news, the typhoon that caused massive flooding in the Philippines last weekend has advanced through Vietnam and Cambodia, and U.S. forces in Iraq will be able to withdraw faster than originally planned.

 

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 | Sept. 30, 2009
 Senate Climate Bill Would Cut Emissions 20 Percent by 2020 Senate Democrats unveiled a bill Wednesday aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions through a cap-and-trade system in the U.S.

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 | Sept. 29, 2009
 First Year Lawmakers Face Daunting To-do List In a discussion with Gwen Ifill, four freshmen lawmakers reflect on their experiences thus far dealing with a recession, overseas conflicts, and the health care debate.

   

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 | Sept. 29, 2009
 Afghan Election Further Complicates Efforts to Shape Military Strategy As the White House works to revamp U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., assess the call for more troops, the role of the Afghan election and a shift in U.S. public opinion on the war.

   

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 | Sept. 29, 2009
 NATO Chief Backs Obama's Approach in Afghanistan NATO's secretary general told President Obama on Tuesday that the alliance will support the U.S. in Afghanistan for "as long as it takes."

   

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 | Sept. 29, 2009
 Other News: Ahmadinejad Lashes Out at U.N. In other news, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad criticized U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon of "parroting" the baseless charges of Western nations, and flooding in the Philippines has left at least 280 people dead.

   

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 | Sept. 29, 2009
 Bid to Revive Public Option Fails in Senate Committee In the latest showdown over health care, the Senate Finance Committee voted Tuesday to reject a proposal to add a public insurance option to a reform bill. Betty Ann Bowser reports.

   




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 | Sept. 29, 2009
 Senate Finance Committee Rejects Public Insurance Option In the latest political showdown over health care, the Senate Finance Committee voted Tuesday to reject an amendment by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., to add a public insurance option to the panel's health care reform bill.

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 | Sept. 29, 2009
 Iran Defends 'Rights' to Nuclear Program Iran said on Tuesday that it will not debate its "rights" to operate nuclear facilities but did signal that a timetable would soon be forthcoming for inspectors to visit a newly-revealed uranium-enrichment plant.

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 | Sept. 29, 2009
 Cold War Sees New Light With 'Hawk and Dove' Two of America's most important foreign policy thinkers during the tumultuous 40-year struggle with the Soviet Union are the stars of a new book -- "The Hawk and The Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War."

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 William Safire, Conservative Columnist, Dies at 79 Jeffrey Brown looks back at the life of William Safire, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and former speechwriter for President Nixon, who died Sunday at the age of 79.

   

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Despite Hurdles, White House Sticking to Gitmo Deadline The White House is sticking to a plan to close the prison complex at Guantanamo Bay by Jan. 22, despite mounting opposition in Congress to relocating terror suspects inside the U.S. With less than four months until the administration's deadline arrives, experts examine the remaining options.

   

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Gates: Closing Guantanamo Proving 'Tough' Defense Secretary Robert Gates hinted Sunday it may not be possible to close the prison facility at Guantanamo Bay by January, as President Obama has ordered. Margaret Warner reports.

   

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Obama Looks to Aid Chicago's Olympic Bid at Finish Line President Obama will travel to Copenhagen this week to lobby on behalf of his hometown of Chicago and its bid to land the 2016 summer games.

   

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Medicare Set for Big Cuts Under Overhaul Plans Depending on which, if any, health care reform plan passes through Congress, Medicare faces cuts as high as $500 billion. But what would cuts entail? Gwen Ifill reports.

   

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Other News: 30 Taliban Fighters Killed in Afghanistan In other news, U.S. forces reported killing at least 30 Taliban fighters in Western Afghanistan, and in Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel set to work building a new center-right coalition following her election win on Sunday.

   

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Iran Seeks Image of Defiance With New Missile Tests Iran has test-fired its most advanced missiles, demonstrating its ability to strike targets as far away as Europe, and increasing tensions over its nuclear program. Analysts break down the details of the development.

   

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Iran Continues with Missile Tests Iran continued with missile tests for a second straight day Monday, firing mid-range missiles capable of hitting Israel, parts of Europe, and U.S. military bases in the Middle East. Lindsey Hilsum of ITN reports.

   

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Government Aims for Cost, Security Benefits With Cloud Computing When Vivek Kundra, the federal chief information officer, describes how the government has gone about spending money on information technology in the past, images of infamous $200 government hammers and ashtrays can easily spring to mind.

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Iran Claims Missile Test as Calls for New Sanctions Grow Iran claimed a test firing of its most advanced missiles Monday, further stoking diplomatic tensions ahead of crucial talks this week between the Islamic nation and world powers over its nuclear program.

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 | Sept. 28, 2009
 Analysts: Merkel's Win Means Continuity in German-U.S. Relations As German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives work out final details with coalition partner the Free Democrats, analysts foresee few major foreign policy shifts in the new government and therefore little upheaval in relations with the U.S.

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 | Sept. 27, 2009
 Merkel Captures Second Term in German Elections German Chancellor Angela Merkel claimed victory for a new center-right government Sunday after elections propelled her Christian Democratic Union party and the pro-business Free Democrats to a majority.

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 | Sept. 25, 2009
 Clinton Group Unites Private, Public Spheres on Big Issues Amid the G-20 and U.N. summits, former President Bill Clinton's foundation brought together big names from both the private and public sectors to tackle major issues.

   

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 | Sept. 25, 2009
 Shields, Brooks Examine Obama's Moves on Iran, G-20 Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks sift through this week's headlines, including Iran's nuclear surprise, the G-20 summit and U.N. talks.

   

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 | Sept. 25, 2009
 Growing Economies More 'Empowered' at G-20 Jeffrey Brown speaks with economic experts Simon Johnson and Eswar Prasad about the next moves for the G-20 and its members a year after the global economic crisis began.

   

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 | Sept. 25, 2009
 G-20 to Replace G-8 as Global Economic Forum World leaders announced that the G-20 will replace the G-8 as the main forum for coordinating global economic policy. Jeffrey Brown and Paul Solman report.

   

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 | Sept. 25, 2009
 Economists Find Mixed Results on Tort Reform Amid the push for a health care overhaul, the Obama administration announced last week that it will spend $25 million on new research to reduce medical malpractice lawsuits.

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 | Sept. 25, 2009
 World Leaders Warn Iran Over Uranium Enrichment President Obama and the leaders of France and Britain accused Iran Friday of building a covert uranium-enrichment site. Former U.N. weapons inspector David Albright examines what's known about the Iranian facility.

   

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 | Sept. 25, 2009
 Health Bill Takes Shape in Senate Committee as Debate Continues This week, the Senate Finance Committee took up its long-awaited health care reform bill. NewsHour health correspondent Betty Ann Bowser gives an update on the week's news from Capitol Hill.

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 | Sept. 25, 2009
 Paul Interviews Brazilian President Lula da Silva Paul Solman answers your questions on business and economic news on "The Business Desk."

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 | Sept. 25, 2009
 G-8 Will Expand Permanently to G-20 for Economic Issues World leaders plan to announce Friday the Group of 20 will replace the Group of Eight as the main forum for coordinating global economic policy, a reflection of the increasing importance of fast-growing economies such as Brazil, China, and India.

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 | Sept. 24, 2009
 Lula: 'Blue-Eyed' Bankers and Emerging Markets Paul Solman interviews Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula de Silva at the G-20 about the role of developing nations in the global economy, the state of Latin American politics and controversial comments the Brazilian leader recently made about the role of "blue-eyed bankers" in the financial meltdown.

   




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 | Sept. 24, 2009
 World Faces Tough Choices on Iran's Nuclear Program Rahm Emanuel tells PBS' Charlie Rose that Iran knows the choices it faces in the global community due to its nuclear ambitions. Also, analysts tell Jim Lehrer that Iran's 'tactical' decisions continue to frustrate the world.

   

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 | Sept. 24, 2009
 News Wrap: Afghan Man Indicted for U.S. Terror Plot In other news, an Afghan immigrant was indicted Thursday in New York for allegedly plotting to detonate bombs in the U.S., and Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick named Paul Kirk to fill the senate seat left vacant by the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy.

 

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 | Sept. 24, 2009
 Security Council Calls for Nuclear Disarmament The U.N. Security Council unanimously passed a resolution Thursday promoting nuclear disarmament. Margaret Warner reports from New York.

   

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 | Sept. 24, 2009
 G-20 Leaders Urge Financial Reforms, but Dramatic Results Seen as Unlikely As the leaders of the G-20 meet in Pittsburgh to discuss how to overhaul the global financial system, countries are calling for a wide spectrum of reforms. But a dramatic overhaul of how the global economy is run may be unlikely.

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 | Sept. 24, 2009
 Kennedy Aide Tapped as Temporary Mass. Senator Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick on Thursday named Paul Kirk, former chairman of the Democratic National Committee and a longtime aide to Sen. Edward Kennedy, to fill the state's vacant Senate seat for a few months until a special election.

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 | Sept. 24, 2009
 Snapshot: Economies of the G-20 The financial crisis barreled through industrialized and developing nations, bruising once vital economies, and thrusting unhealthy ones further into decline. With G-20 leaders in Pittsburgh this week, here is a look at where their economies stand.

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 | Sept. 24, 2009
 U.N. Passes Resolution on Nuclear Disarmament The U.N. Security Council unanimously approved a U.S.-sponsored resolution Thursday aimed at ridding the world of nuclear weapons.

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 | Sept. 24, 2009
 Extended Interview: Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at the G-20 In an interview with Paul Solman from the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva clarifies his infamous remarks on 'blue-eyed' bankers and weighs in on where emerging markets like Brazil fit in the global economy. Read the full version of their conversation here.




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 | Sept. 23, 2009
 Struggling to Find Affordable Health Insurance An excerpt from a PBS special on one family's struggle to obtain affordable health care.

   

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 | Sept. 23, 2009
 How Much Should U.S. Intrude to Protect Citizens? Gwen Ifill speaks with national security experts about how far the U.S. government should go in protecting citizens from threats here and abroad.

   

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 | Sept. 23, 2009
 News Wrap: General to Seek More Troops for Afghan War In other news, General McChrystal will send a formal request to the White House asking for additional troops in Afghanistan, and a death was reported in Honduran clashes following deposed President Manuel Zelaya's return.

 

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 | Sept. 23, 2009
 Obama: Global Cooperation Needed on Key Challenges President Obama urged leaders at the U.N. General Assembly to assume a bigger role in solving the world's toughest problems. Margaret Warner reports.

   

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 | Sept. 23, 2009
 Democrats Revolt Over $80 Billion Pharmaceutical Deal Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus faced the first major fight over his health care legislation Tuesday, as fellow Democrats challenged the $80 billion deal that he and the White House struck with drug makers to help pay for health reform.

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 | Sept. 23, 2009
 President Obama Tells U.N. World Can't 'Wait for America' to Lead In his first address to the U.N. General Assembly, President Barack Obama bluntly said world leaders who once accused the United States of acting alone must now join with him to solve global crises rather than "wait for America" to lead.

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 | Sept. 22, 2009
 Amid Afghan Strategy Review, What Are the Options? As the Obama administration reconsiders the U.S. options on the Afghan war, experts weigh in on the debate over sending more troops and containing the Taliban's influence.

   

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 | Sept. 22, 2009
 Senate Debate on Health Reform Hinges on Affordability As the Senate Finance Committee opens debate on the so-called Baucus plan for health care reform, the issue of affordability remains a key sticking point. After a recap of Tuesday's hearing on the bill, Susan Dentzer of the journal Health Affairs takes a closer look at costs with Judy Woodruff.

   




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 | Sept. 22, 2009
 News Wrap: Zelaya's Return to Honduras Leads to Embassy Standoff In other news, deposed Honduran President Manuel Zelaya remained holed up at the Brazilian embassy, and the Los Angeles Police Department cracked down on gangs in a massive sweep.

 

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 | Sept. 22, 2009
 Reporter's Podcast: Taking Stock of the Taliban's Strategy in Afghanistan As the number of U.S. troops and casualties rise in Afghanistan and the popularity for the war declines, lawmakers and military strategists are beginning to wonder whether America has the right strategy in the conflict.

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 | Sept. 22, 2009
 At U.N. Summit, China Pledges to Lead Effort to Curb Climate Change As the U.N. kicked off a summit on climate change in New York, China promised to lead the way in combating global warming. Margaret Warner reports.

   

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 | Sept. 22, 2009
 Baucus Aims to Increase Affordability in Senate Health Care Plan After nearly a week of criticism from fellow Democrats, Senate Finance Committee chair Max Baucus unveiled changes to his proposed health reform plan aimed at making insurance more affordable for lower- and middle-income workers.

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 | Sept. 22, 2009
 Obama Urges Abbas, Netanyahu to Advance Talks Undertaking a foreign policy challenge that that has vexed world leaders for years, President Barack Obama pressed Israeli and Palestinians leaders Tuesday to do more to reach an elusive Mideast peace deal.

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 | Sept. 22, 2009
 Obama Addresses Climate Change in U.N. Speech The United States is a serious and determined partner in combating global warming, President Barack Obama told world leaders Tuesday as he sought to show U.S. resolve ahead of crucial climate change talks in Copenhagen in December.

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 | Sept. 21, 2009
 Tax Feud Emerges Over Health Insurance Mandates A key feature within health care proposals emerging from Congress and the White House is a mandate for all Americans to purchase insurance. But is a mandate a tax? Two experts discuss the topic with Gwen Ifill.

   




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 | Sept. 21, 2009
 News Wrap: Deposed Leader Zelaya Returns to Honduras In other news, Manuel Zelaya, the deposed president of Honduras, announced Monday he has returned to the country, and AIG repaid the federal government $60 billion.

 

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 | Sept. 21, 2009
 Clinton: No Troop Moves Until Afghan Election Resolved Secretary of State Hillary Clinton discusses U.S. top commander in Afghanistan Gen. Stanley McChrystal's assessment of the war, the U.S. stance on the Karzai government and the U.N. General Assembly meeting.

   

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 | Sept. 21, 2009
 Additional U.S. Troops Sought to Avert Afghan Failure The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said in a confidential report that the U.S. military risks failure there if more troops are not deployed. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Sept. 21, 2009
 Margaret Warner Previews the U.N. General Assembly Meetings In a Web-only video dispatch, Margaret Warner previews the United Nations General Assembly and her reporting from the scene of the meeting of world leaders.

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 | Sept. 21, 2009
 Economy Weighs on Germans as Election Nears As Germany slowly recovers from the economic crisis, the country's voters are still concerned about jobs and financial stability heading into Sunday's election, which will decide whether Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party stays in power.

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 | Sept. 21, 2009
 McChrystal Seeks More Forces to Avert 'Failure' The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said in a confidential report that the situation in Afghanistan is growing worse, and without more boots on the ground, the United States risks losing a war it's been waging since September 2001.

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 | Sept. 18, 2009
 Brooks and Marcus on Health Bill, Obama Media Push Columnists David Brooks and Ruth Marcus sort through the week's top stories, including the state of the health reform push, President Obama's media strategy and U.S. plans to revamp missile defense in Europe.

   

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 | Sept. 18, 2009
 One Year On, Hurdles Remain for Reforming Wall Street One year after the fall of Lehman Brothers' brought the global economy to the brink of collapse, questions remain as to whether the government has been tough enough on Wall Street. Experts explain why.

   

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 | Sept. 18, 2009
 Election Tempers Reignite at Rallies Across Iran Demonstrators clashed in the streets of Tehran Friday in renewed protest of the results of June's election. The protests came amid a day of anti-Israel rallies, which President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad used to once again deny the Holocaust. ITN reports.

   

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 | Sept. 18, 2009
 Consumer-driven Health Care Advocate Proposes Scrapping Insurance Model The NewsHour's series of health care reform conversations continues with an online-only conversation with David Goldhill, author of the recent article "How American Health Care Killed My Father."

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 | Sept. 18, 2009
 Pro-government, Opposition Supporters Clash in Tehran Rallies Supporters of Iranian opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi clashed with security forces and government supporters Friday during annual pro-Palestinian rallies in Tehran, renewing tensions around the results of June's presidential election.

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 | Sept. 17, 2009
 Ted Kennedy Jr. Reflects on His Father's Legacy Judy Woodruff speaks with Ted Kennedy Jr. about his father's posthumously published memoir, "True Compass." The book offers new insights into Edward Kennedy's famous family and his political career, including the dark moments.

   

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 | Sept. 17, 2009
 Boehner Says GOP Support Unlikely for Baucus Health Plan In an interview with Jeffrey Brown, House Minority Leader John Boehner describes the prospects for GOP support of the president's health reform push and describes what he sees as a "modern-day political rebellion in America" over the expanding role of government.

   

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 | Sept. 17, 2009
 For Young Americans, Health Insurance is Often Elusive President Obama took his health reform call to young people Thursday with a speech at the University of Maryland. Kwame Holman reports on the challenges faced by the more than 10 million Americans between the ages of 19 and 26 without health insurance.

   




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 | Sept. 17, 2009
 Obama Shelves Bush-era Plan for Missile Defense Shield The White House said Thursday that the U.S. will scrap a European missile shield proposed by the Bush administration to thwart the threat of an attack from Iran. Analysts weigh in on the decision.

   

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 | Sept. 17, 2009
 Obama Aims to Rally Young Adults for Health Care Reform President Obama made his case for health care reform to a cheering crowd of students and others at the University of Maryland Thursday.

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 | Sept. 16, 2009
 Debate on Race Emerges as Obama's Policies Take Shape The question of race has simmered on the back burner of the national debate over President Obama's policy agenda. Gwen Ifill talks to columnists and academics about the role of race in the current political climate.

   

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 | Sept. 16, 2009
 Other News: 3 American Soldiers Killed in Afghanistan In other news, NATO announced three American soldiers were killed in a roadside bombing in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday, and election officials there declared Hamid Karzai the outright winner of last month's presidential election.

   

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 | Sept. 16, 2009
 Baucus Health Plan Hits Opposition From Both Parties Sen. Max Baucus unveiled his committee's health care plan on Wednesday. Republicans complained the plan would cut Medicare, while Democrats opposed the exclusion of a public option. Betty Ann Bowser reports.

   

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 | Sept. 15, 2009
 U.N. Finds Evidence of War Crimes in Gaza Fighting A U.N. report has concluded that both the Israeli military and armed Palestinian groups committed actions amounting to war crimes during December's three-week war in Gaza. Gwen Ifill speaks with an author of the report and the Israeli ambassador to the U.S.

   

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 | Sept. 15, 2009
 Doubts Surface Among Democrats on Afghan War Strategy During testimony on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the Afghan war is growing more complicated and may require more troops. Margaret Warner reports on doubts among some Democrats on the strategy for Afghanistan.

   

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 | Sept. 15, 2009
 Trade Tensions Flare Between U.S., China as G-20 Nears New U.S. tariffs on Chinese tire imports have created a feud between the two nations ahead of next week's meeting of the Group of 20 industrial and developing nations. Trade experts speak with Jeffrey Brown about how the dispute will affect future U.S.-China trade.

   

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 | Sept. 15, 2009
 Other News: House Reprimands Rep. Wilson for 'You Lie' In other news, the House of Representatives formally reprimanded Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., for his "You lie" outburst during President Obama's address to a joint session of Congress last week, and the White House unveiled new fuel economy standards for cars and trucks.

 

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 | Sept. 15, 2009
 Obama Touts Economic Policies in Health Care Push President Obama traveled to Pennsylvania and Ohio on Tuesday to tout his administration's economic policies. Separately, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said the recession is "likely over," but that a drop in the jobless rate is in all likelihood still months away.

   

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 | Sept. 15, 2009
 Health Premiums Rise, Outstripping Inflation The cost of employer-sponsored health care insurance has risen by about 5 percent this year, according to a new report, outstripping overall inflation and workers' wages.

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 | Sept. 14, 2009
 Health Care Reform Tests Promises of Bipartisan Politics Despite campaign promises to change the tone of politics in Washington, President Barack Obama finds Congress and the nation still split over a range of critical issues. Gwen Ifill and guests discuss the roots of the division.

   

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 | Sept. 14, 2009
 Obama Urges Wall Street to Embrace Stricter Oversight On the one-year anniversary of the collapse of Lehman Brothers, President Obama visited Wall Street to urge financial firms to remember the lessons of the economic crisis and to press for regulatory reforms.

   

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 | Sept. 14, 2009
 Baucus: Senate Health-care Bill Costs Less than $880 Billion Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said Monday that the committee is on track to unveil a formal health care reform proposal this week, possibly as early as Tuesday.

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 | Sept. 14, 2009
 Obama Urges Sweeping Overhaul of Financial Regulation A year after the collapse of Lehman Brothers set off one of the toughest weeks in Wall Street's history, President Barack Obama delivered a speech Monday outlining "the most ambitious overhaul of the financial system since the Great Depression."

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 | Sept. 11, 2009
 Shields, Brooks Reflect on Health Care Speech, Reform Push Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the week's news, including President Obama's health care speech and renewed reform push.

   

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 | Sept. 11, 2009
 Chinese Dissidents Committed to Mental Hospitals Special correspondent Shannon Van Sant reports on political dissidents being committed to mental hospitals in China.

 




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 | Sept. 11, 2009
 Public Views Shifting on War in Afghanistan Jeffrey Brown speaks with editorial page editors about the public's view on the war in Afghanistan and increasing doubts over sending more troops.

   

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 | Sept. 10, 2009
 Perils of Reporting in War Zone Examined Jeffrey Brown and guests discuss the dangers of reporting from a war zone following the rescue of a New York Times reporter.

   

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 | Sept. 10, 2009
 New York Times Journalist's Rescue Raises Some Military Questions Independent Television News correspondent Andrew Thomas reports on the British rescue of New York Times reporter Stephen Farrell.

 

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 | Sept. 10, 2009
 Congress Reacts to President Obama's Speech Judy Woodruff speaks with members of Congress about their responses to President Obama's address.

   

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 | Sept. 10, 2009
 Public Voices on Obama's Health Care Address Spencer Michels gets reactions from the public to President Obama's health care speech.

   

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 | Sept. 10, 2009
 Presidential Heckling Quite Rare, Historian Says South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson's interruption of President Obama's address to Congress Wednesday night was a rare instance of presidential heckling, but it was not the first. Historian Richard Norton Smith discusses past instances and the context.

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 | Sept. 10, 2009
 Obama Seizes on Momentum From Wednesday's Health Care Speech Building on momentum from Wednesday's address to Congress, President Obama pressed ahead with health care agenda. Kwame Holman reports.

   

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 | Sept. 10, 2009
 Bloggers, Columnists React to Obama Speech The word on President Barack Obama's address to Congress from bloggers across the political spectrum was that many thought he did an effective job of communicating his health reform plans -- although he offered relatively few new specifics.

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 | Sept. 10, 2009
 Reporter's Podcast: Survey Shows Europeans Back Obama on Most Issues A recent German Marshall Fund poll that gauged Europeans' views of President Barack Obama shows generally positive ratings, except in some areas of foreign policy such as Afghanistan.

 

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 | Sept. 10, 2009
 Afghan Ballots Tossed Amid Fraud Concerns Afghanistan's U.N.-backed elections commission threw out ballots Thursday from last month's unresolved and controversial election, saying there was evidence of fraud in a number of polling stations in certain provinces.

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Obama Says Time Is Now for Health Reform President Barack Obama sought to call Congress and the American public to action Wednesday night, in a prime-time speech aimed at resetting the terms of the debate over health care reform.

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Full Text: GOP Response to Obama Reform Speech Following is the text of Louisiana Rep. Charles Boustany's GOP response to President Obama's health reform address to a joint session of Congress Wednesday, as distributed to news organizations.

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Shields and Brooks React to President Obama's Health Care Speech President Barack Obama delivered a speech to a joint session of Congress Wednesday on the effort to develop health care reform legislation. Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the speech and the road ahead for health care politics.

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Full Text: Obama's Health Reform Speech Following is the text of President Barack Obama's speech to a joint session of Congress Wednesday, as prepared for delivery, released by the White House and distributed to news organizations.

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 President Prepares for Pivotal Health Care Speech President Barack Obama will call Congress to a "season for action" on health care Wednesday night, urging lawmakers to set aside partisan gamesmanship in favor of drafting reform legislation, according to excerpts released by the White House.

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Supreme Court Hears Campaign Finance Arguments The Supreme Court convened Wednesday for a special hearing on campaign finance rules. Marcia Coyle reports.

   

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 News Wrap: Mexican Airliner Briefly Hijacked In other news, a Mexican airliner with 112 passengers on board was hijacked Wednesday, and British troops rescued a New York Times reporter in Afghanistan.

 

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Shields and Brooks Mull Stakes for Obama Speech Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the lead up to President Obama's health reform speech and developments in Congress.

   

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Axelrod Optimistic About Health Care Reform Push Judy Woodruff speaks with White House senior adviser David Axelrod about what is at stake for President Obama ahead of Wednesday night's speech.

   

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Obama Prepares for Crucial Health Reform Address As public opinion dips on health reform, President Barack Obama prepared for a crucial prime-time speech to Congress on the divisive issue.

   

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Obama Aims to Recalibrate Public Debate in Speech to Congress President Obama will speak on health care reform to a joint session of Congress Wednesday night. Health Affairs editor Susan Dentzer discusses the speech and the president's health care reform goals.

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 | Sept. 9, 2009
 Role of Corporate Money in Politics at Stake in Special Supreme Court Argument A Supreme Court case that originally focused on a movie that was critical of Hillary Clinton during the 2008 presidential election is being reconsidered and could potentially change how corporate donations to political campaigns are regulated.

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 | Sept. 8, 2009
 ICC Prosecutor Makes Case Against Sudan's President Luis Moreno-Ocampo, prosecutor for the International Criminal Court, discusses his view on war crimes charges levied against Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir.

   

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 | Sept. 8, 2009
 Election Concerns Threaten Future Stability in Afghanistan Judy Woodruff reports on new allegations of fraud in last month's Afghan presidential election and talks to experts about implications for the future.

   

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 | Sept. 8, 2009
 Baucus Floats Compromise Health Reform Bill Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., chair of the Senate Finance Committee, is urging his Republican colleagues on the committee to sign off on a compromise health care reform bill after months of negotiations.

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 | Sept. 8, 2009
 Obama Speaks to Students in High-profile Address Ray Suarez gets reactions from teachers, parents and students to President Barack Obama's back-to-school address, which created controversy among some groups.

   

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