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

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

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

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

It's one thing to be a Marine wife, and yet another when you are the wife of the commanding officer — and the other wives are looking to you for guidance. Stephanie Cabaniss's husband is commanding a battalion in Afghanistan. She discusses the stress and strains of being the highest-ranking spouse.

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

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

Only three states — Illinois, New Mexico and Washington — allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. Other states have recently implemented practices aimed at banning immigrants who enter the U.S. illegally from operating motor vehicles.

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

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

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

Prosecutors allege that the suspects provided financial support to young men from the Somali community in Minneapolis to go to Somalia and fight on behalf of al-Shabab, a group on the State Department's list of terrorist organizations. Five of the Minnesotans have been killed.

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

The abysmal job market is making it hard for some to start making student loan payments, which come due this month for May graduates. A new law could ease the pain for some: It limits monthly payments to 15 percent of a graduate's income.

New science teacher Tim Cooper trained with Teach For America for five weeks before flying solo in the front of his own classroom. Cooper couldn't wait to get into the classroom, so the group's short but intense training program working for him.

The brutal killing of a Chicago teenager in September brought U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder and Education Secretary Arne Duncan to the city to speak out about youth violence. Now that the Cabinet members are back in Washington, what is happening in the effort to stop youth violence? Some Chicago teenagers are taking on the issue themselves.

Thanksgiving is just days away, and for many Americans, that means taking to the highways. This week, NPR looks at ways to improve road safety. Today: the testing and technologies that are making vehicles safer.

A Charlotte, N.C., construction firm is among an increasing number of small companies trying a strategy that makes the firing process a bit gentler. It's called "attached unemployment," a kind of temporary layoff aimed at softening the blow of job cuts.

There are neighborhoods in America, where to be young is to be afraid. For many, the most dangerous part of their day is the journey to and from school. In some areas, the risks of gang fights, drive-by shootings and random violence are the price of an education. Youth Radio brings us the voices of teenagers who attend schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The five men facing trial in the Sept. 11 attacks will plead not guilty so that they can air their criticisms of U.S. foreign policy, the lawyer for one of the defendants said Sunday.

We're headed into the year's biggest travel week, and there's not much bigger than what's sitting in the port of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., right now. It's called the Oasis of the Seas, and it's the largest cruise ship ever built — five times the size of the Titanic, with a price tag of $1.5 billion.

Highway fatality rates were highest in Montana and Louisiana in 2007 — more than 2 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The lowest state rates were found in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Nationally, the fatality rate fell to a historic low of 1.27 in 2008.

The shimmering, white glove Michael Jackson wore when he premiered his trademark moonwalk dance in 1983 was auctioned off for $350,000 — plus tax — on Saturday.

The Army psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people at Fort Hood will be confined until his military trial, initially staying in a hospital where he is recovering from gunshot wounds, his attorney said Saturday.

Barack Obama's presidential campaign was one of several successful, modern-day political campaigns to break through racial barriers. Is this an indication that America is experiencing a shift toward political colorblindness?

The Obama administration has launched the Financial Fraud Task Force to investigate issues related to the economic crisis. The Department of Justice will lead the task force's efforts to combat fraud in such areas as mortgage lending, stimulus spending and the government's bailout of the financial sector. Host Liane Hansen talks with Department of Justice Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli, who will be one of the leaders of the task force.

Nine people were killed in a Metro train crash in Washington, D.C., this summer. The growing number of commuter rail collisions is one of the reasons the Obama administration proposed this week that the federal government take over safety regulation of the country's subway and light rail systems. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Deborah Hersman, Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board.

Astronaut Randolph Bresnik is a new dad again, after launching into space and taking a spacewalk, all for the first time.

Roman Catholic Bishop Thomas Tobin of Rhode Island has banned Rep. Patrick Kennedy from receiving the central sacrament of the church because of the congressman's support for abortion rights, Kennedy said in a newspaper interview published Sunday.

Highway safety has improved through better vehicle technology, smarter road designs and reformed behaviors, such as reduced drunken driving. But fatalities are still high: In 2008, more than 37,000 people were killed in crashes involving motor vehicles. This week, as the holiday travel season begins, NPR will explore these issues.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered a series of investigations in every military branch this week to examine the process used to identify potentially violent troops. Military officials are still puzzled over the shooting at Fort Hood that left 13 people dead and dozens more injured. They're trying to figure out how alleged shooter Nidal Hasan might have slipped through the cracks, and whether the real problem is the military's policies or leaders not following them.

Senate Democrats pushed through a procedural wall Saturday night and formally opened the floor debate on their effort to overhaul the nation's $2.5 trillion health care system.

The Army has always trained its soldiers to be physically strong. With its Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Program, it's aiming to make soldiers and their families psychologically strong as well. Host Scott Simon speaks to the program's director, Brig. Gen. Rhonda Cornum.

No Republicans will vote Saturday night to advance the Senate's health care bill to full debate, Republican Whip Sen. John Kyl says. That leaves the fate of the vote in the hands of a few moderate Democrats, all of whom are needed to reach the 60 votes required to push the bill forward. Host Scott Simon speaks with Kyl on his party's chances of defeating the bill.

NPR's Ari Shapiro spent time in Eastern Long Island reporting on a story about hate crimes against Hispanics. While he was there, he discovered that the line distinguishing a perpetrator from a victim can be hazy.

For the second time in a week, a panel of medical experts has recommended that younger women be tested less frequently for cancer. The latest advice is that women can wait until 21 to have their first Pap test for cervical cancer. Many women can skip annual Pap smears after that. The guidance comes after another recommendation earlier this week that routine mammograms needn't start until age 50. NPR digital health correspondent Scott Hensley has been following the changes and joins host Scott Simon to talk about it.

Dozens of demonstrators who barricaded themselves inside a campus building at the University of California, Berkeley in a protest over fee hikes and budget cuts were removed late Friday, bringing the daylong occupation to an end, university officials said.

Wide-eyed children around the world will be hearing from Santa's "elves" at the North Pole after all.