Mackay Library District

Already one of the poorest countries by many measures, Yemen — a nation of roughly 22 million people — has been struck by severe droughts and depleted water supplies in recent years. Some Yemenis are calling the situation a potential time bomb.

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A new political party in Germany has made saving the working class and the country's welfare system rallying points for attracting votes. Die Linke, or the Left Party, is drawing support from mainstream parties with a radical message.

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The economic news just keeps getting worse. The stock market is at its lowest level in more than five years. The number of homes being built continues its downward spiral. Retailers are predicting a miserable holiday season. David Wessel, economics editor at The Wall Street Journal, talks with Steve Inskeep about whether the bottom is anywhere in sight.

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There are indications that President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle to head the Department of Health and Human Services. The transition team won't confirm that.

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The Obama transition team has announced that campaign strategist David Axelrod will be a senior advisor. Some compare Axelrod's relationship with President-elect Obama to that of Karl Rove and President Bush, or James Carville and President Clinton. During the campaign, Axelrod wore out several BlackBerries because he was emailing, texting and calling so much.

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The nation's largest university system says huge budget cuts mean it won't be able to accept all eligible student applicants. The California State University traditionally has accepted every student with at least a B average. Now it is on the verge of raising its academic standards and pushing up its application deadlines. Those actions are expected to hurt low-income students with few academic choices.

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Republicans will have an even smaller minority in the next Congress, after losing at least 20 seats in the House and seven in the Senate. This week they've been been picking new leaders, and the results are in.

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Washington's National Mall will regain a star attraction Friday, when the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History reopens after a two-year renovation. It took $85 million and a horde of curators, builders, architects and advisers to reframe space for the museum's 3 million historic objects.

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So far, more than 500 Afghans, Pakistanis, Europeans, Saudis and others have been released. But 101 Yemeni detainees are still held at Guantanamo. They represent the single largest contingent at the camp.

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Khaleeq Ahmad, who was educated in the U.S. and London, says he returned to Afghanistan as director of a telecom company because he owed it to his home country. He's hopeful that other professionals will return and help improve the country's diminished infrastructure.

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Missouri has gone for McCain, ending the state's 50-year string of support for the winning presidential candidate. Sen. John McCain's unofficial margin over President-elect Barack Obama: 3,632 votes.

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The woolly mammoth is the first extinct mammal to have its DNA sequence deciphered. Scientists used hair that was found frozen in the Siberian permafrost, some for tens of thousands of years.

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DNA tests on mummies raise new questions about China's Uighurs, many of whom claim western heritage. China insists the Uighurs have East Asian heritage.

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On Thursday, Democrats in the House will vote on whom they want to lead the Energy and Commerce Committee. The face-off is a battle between two legislative titans in Congress: current Chairman John Dingell, from Michigan, and California Rep. Henry Waxman.

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Tempers flared in Iraq's parliament hall Wednesday as lawmakers debated whether to ratify a new security agreement with the United States — one that calls for the withdrawal of American forces by the end of 2011.

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U.S. automakers seem unlikely to secure $25 billion in emergency loans from Congress. But a new debate has emerged over the possibility of a planned or "pre-packaged" bankruptcy filing.

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Gregg Sherrill, chairman and CEO of the auto parts manufacturer Tenneco Inc. talks to Melissa Block about problems with the auto industry. His company has been hit hard by the financial problems of GM, Chrysler and Ford. He supports a bridge loan for the companies.

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Embattled Sen. Ted Stevens concedes after coming up short in a tight race for re-election to Alaska's Senate seat. How are Alaskans greeting the news that Stevens is out after 40 years in office?

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Senators on the Judiciary Committee had mostly favorable reactions to news that Eric Holder is likely to be President-elect Obama's choice for attorney general. But some potential stumbling blocks remain.

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The Dow Jones industrial average closes below 8,000 points for the first time since March 2003.

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