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Across the United States, National Guard reservists are preparing to go overseas, and in many cases leaving police and fire crews critically understaffed. NPR’s Howard Berkes visits the small rural town of Beaver, Utah as its National Guard unit prepares to leave -- possibly to serve in the Mideast -- and finds conflicting emotions among the soldiers, town residents and the families they leave behind. See photos of Beaver and its residents.

In California, two elderly women were one of the first same-sex couples to marry in the state. Their marriage begins a busy week for county registrars around the Golden State. The state's Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage took effect Monday.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke called on Congress Tuesday to write new laws that would expand the Fed's role in preventing financial crises, such as the collapse of Bear Stearns last March. He also indicated the Fed may keep its discount window lending open to big financial firms longer.

President Bush says the Mideast peace conference in Annapolis, Md., results in Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreeing to meet regularly and make every effort to conclude an agreement by the end of 2008. President Bush is due to meet with the peace negotiators at the White House.

At first glance, Lev Grossman's new novel looks very much like a Harry Potter story — with older characters and an American setting. But a heap of moral ambiguity surrounds the use of magic and there is no villain, giving the tale many shades of gray.

Thirty years ago this month, millions of viewers watched a basketball game that would change sports forever. Earvin "Magic" Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans took on Larry Bird and the Indiana State Sycamores for the national college basketball championship title. It was, says author Seth Davis, the beginning of March Madness.

As many as 55,000 formerly incarcerated people in Minnesota will become eligible to vote under a bill about to become law. It's part of a voting-access push in a state where Democrats call the shots.

A divided Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 Thursday to uphold a key tool of civil rights law — the ability of plaintiffs to sue in housing bias cases using evidence of disparate impact.

Since the earthquakes last month, some people in Turkey are taking investigations into the shoddy construction that led to tragedy in their own hands — and social media feeds.

Not so long ago, the U.S. airline industry was a model of efficiency and comfort while airlines in Asia struggled with aging fleets and chaotic airports. Today, it's the reverse.