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Abortion-rights backers want quick action from the president-elect, although they may not press for sweeping changes. Obama has said he is looking to find common ground on reproductive health issues.

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As Democrats savored the narrow passage of their historic heath care overhaul in the House of Representatives, attention Sunday turned to the deeply-divided U.S. Senate. Majority Leader Harry Reid's challenge is to corral enough votes to bring a companion bill to the floor of his chamber before a White House-imposed Christmas deadline.

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Authorities in Cleveland, Ohio, are working to identify the remaining bodies discovered inside and around the home of 50-year-old convicted sex offender Anthony Sowell. The bodies of 11 victims have been recovered from his property; most appear to have been strangled to death. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Cleveland Plain Dealer columnist Phillip Morris about the case and its impact on the community.

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Late last night, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 220 to 215 in favor of the health care bill President Obama calls the centerpiece of his agenda. The vote was close and conservative Democrats joined all but one Republican in voting no. The vote capped an unusual Saturday session in which the president went to Capitol Hill to press for passage of the bill. For analysis, host Liane Hansen turns to NPR Senior Washington Editor Ron Elving.

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This week, President Obama is scheduled to begin a 10-day tour of Asia. He is expected to visit Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea. A variety of topics will be on the agenda, including trade relations, North Korea's nuclear ambitions and climate change. When the president visits Japan, he'll have several issues in mind, including a dispute over U.S. military bases in that country. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Japanese Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki about U.S.-Japan relations.

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In Atlanta, the runoff to choose the city's next mayor has begun. City Councilwoman Mary Norwood was the top vote-getter in Tuesday's primary election and she's running against former state senator Kasim Reed. Both candidates have spent the past few days trying to raise money and rally their supporters. But they don't have much time; the election is only three weeks away. NPR's Kathy Lohr reports.

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Tomorrow, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether sentencing a juvenile to life in prison without parole is unconstitutional because it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment. Nationally, there are more than 2,500 people serving life sentences for crimes committed when they were teenagers. Nancy Mullane brings us this profile of one woman, a Hispanic mother serving life without parole in a northern California prison.

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The House of Representatives passed a bill to overhaul the nation's health care system Saturday night. The vote was close, 220-215, and it only included a single Republican. To pass the bill, Democrats also had to allow a controversial amendment banning abortion funding in both public and private plans in the new marketplaces the bill would create. But as NPR's Julie Rovner reports, passage represents a major hurdle cleared for President Obama's top domestic priority.

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The military town of Killeen, Texas, is still in mourning days after Army psychiatrist Maj. Nidal Hasan opened fire on his fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, killing 13 and wounding 30 others. Soldiers and civilians alike are still searching for answers about the suspected killer and his possible motives. NPR's John Burnett reports on the aftermath of last week's attack at Fort Hood in Texas.

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Scientists studying a crevasse in the Ethiopian desert say we may be witnessing the birth of a future ocean. In 2005, a 35-mile-long rift broke open as two parts of the African continent separated. Researchers from several countries have confirmed that the volcanic processes at work beneath the Ethiopian rift are nearly identical to those at the bottom of the world's oceans. They say it is likely the beginning of a new sea. Host Liane Hansen talks with Professor Cynthia Ebinger of the University of Rochester about the event.

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After a full day of rhetorical scuffles and contentious debate, the House of Representatives passed a sweeping overhaul of the nation's health care system Saturday night. The vote for the Democratic plan — 220 to 215 — had the support of one Republican, while 39 Democrats joined most Republicans in opposition. This is the furthest any such legislation has reached, and clears a key hurdle for the overhaul plan.

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In the West Bank, Palestinian relatives of the alleged Fort Hood shooter are shocked and saddened by the mass killings in Texas. Born in Virginia, Nidal Malik Hasan made his first visit to the Palestinian territories a dozen years ago, and had been in touch with relatives in the town of El Bireh on numerous occasions since then.

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The Obama presidential campaign rewrote the playbook for raising campaign cash in 2008. The Supreme Court may change it again before 2010: An upcoming decision could potentially curb the growing influence of small donors in favor of corporate America.

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Deployments are usually hard on families. Spouses must become single parents for months on end, managing households with little outside help. These challenges become even more daunting for families with special needs children.

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Fort Hood remains in mourning as the community continues its search for answers into why an Army psychiatrist allegedly opened fire on his fellow soldiers. A more complete picture is also emerging of the victims.

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The House of Representatives is expected to vote as early as Saturday on an amendment that divides Democrats — and could lose support for the overall bill. The Stupak amendment would ban private health insurance plans from covering abortion for people who pay for their health care with a government subsidy.

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The shooting at Ft. Hood left 13 dead and 30 wounded. They came from cities and towns all over the U.S., where relatives and friends are left in shock.

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The U.S. House of Representatives this morning finally opens debate on its health care overhaul bill, the centerpiece of President Obama's domestic agenda. Host Scott Simon talks to NPR's Julie Rovner about the debate and where the legislation stands.

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

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A 10.2 percent unemployment rate is like a gut punch. It's just such a big number, a level of joblessness we haven't experienced here in the U.S. since the early '80s. This, even as the economy is actually growing again. But many employers just aren't ready to start hiring yet.

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