Core and Group Health

A crisis-conquering deficit-reduction agreement struck by the White House and congressional leaders after months of partisan rancor picked up momentum in the Senate Monday, as a member of the Republican leadership predicted at least 30 GOP votes.

Two months after a tornado destroyed a large swath of the community and killed 159 people, rebuilding efforts are taking shape across the city.

Riven by partisanship, the Republican-controlled House passed legislation Friday night to prevent a threatened government default and bundled it off to a swift and certain defeat in the Senate.

Republicans have muscled legislation to extend the government's borrowing authority and cutting spending through the House over solid Democratic opposition.

An estimated 1,200 people have sought unemployment benefits in the Joplin, Mo. area after their workplaces were damaged or destroyed by a deadly tornado two months ago, according to the local chamber of commerce.

Partisan to the core, Congress groped uncertainly Friday for a way to avoid a government default threatened for early next week. "We are almost out of time," warned President Barack Obama as U.S. financial markets trembled.