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Immigration reform bill: Top 8 changes GOP senators want

More than 300 amendments were submitted for possible inclusion in a sweeping immigration reform package – at least 100 of them from two Republicans, Sens. Charles Grassley of Iowa and Jeff Sessions of Alabama. Here are eight notable changes GOP lawmakers want to see in bill, as the Senate Judiciary Committee takes up amendments between now and Memorial Day.
Immigration reform: where things stand now

As congressional negotiators approach their self-imposed targets of early April to lay out immigration reform legislation, some notorious sticking points appear to be more well-settled than others.
Briefing
Roe v. Wade at 40: Six questions about abortion rights

On Tuesday, the United States marks the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the historic US Supreme Court decision that granted women the right to an abortion. Here is a look at the state of abortion rights in America today.
Focus
The Monitor's top 11 US stories of 2012

From storms to politics, the year was a wild ride. What are the most meaningful US stories of 2012? Here's the Monitor's list, in roughly chronological order.
Zig Ziglar: 10 quotes from the motivational author

Ziglar died Nov. 28, 2012 after penning many self-help books and speaking around the country. Here are 10 quotes from the author.

All Content

Saving Money Five insurance lessons from Sandy

Even if you weren't one of the 60 million people affected by Superstorm Sandy this week, the storm offers important takeaways. Here are five.
Orionid meteor shower: Watch for fireballs during weekend peak

One of the more spectacular meteor showers of the year peaks overnight Saturday, with perhaps 60 visible meteors an hour. Fireballs – any meteor brighter than Venus – are likely as Orionids plunge into the atmosphere at 148,000 miles per hour.
The Fish That Ate the Whale

'The Fish That Ate the Whale' is an elegantly written cautionary tale about how hubris can destroy a powerful company.
Supreme Court to review Arizona law making would-be voters prove citizenship

Critics of the Arizona law argue that the state requirement clashed with the National Voter Registration Act. The US Supreme Court agreed to take up the case Monday.
Focus Election 2012: Ballot initiatives reflect nation's mood

The 174 propositions on state ballots point to evolving opinions on marijuana, same-sex marriage, health care, and more. Do the initiatives show the power of direct democracy or lack of legislative leadership?
How tougher classes in high school can help kids make it through college

Some 40 percent of students are failing to graduate from college in six years. A study calls for higher-quality college prep, with more advanced math, advanced placement classes, and better advising.
Global News Blog Egypt's leading female voice for change warns that revolution is backsliding

Speaking at Tufts University, female Egyptian activist Dalia Ziada accused the Muslim Brotherhood of pursuing anti-democratic policies and said that women needed to be given more power.
Election 2012: top seven super PACs

Decoder profiles the seven top super PACs, the organizations that have spent the most trying to influence the elections – and still have the most money in the bank.
Snow on the way? Why forecasters see a big winter for much of eastern US.

AccuWeather is forecasting above-normal snowfall from the southern Appalachians to southern New England. The biggest storms, it says, will take place in January and February.
25 banned books that may surprise you

The following books may seem harmless to most readers, but they all made it onto banned books lists at one time or another.
Former Alabama professor gets life in prison

Former Alabama biology professor Amy Bishop avoided a death sentence by pleaded guilty to killing three colleagues and wounding three others in a 2010 shooting rampage at the University of Alabama at Huntsville.
F. Scott Fitzgerald: 10 quotes on his birthday

Here are 10 memorable quotes from America's great 20th-century author F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Arizona immigrants craft response to 'show me your papers' law

A federal judge ruled Tuesday that Arizona police can start enforcing the law's "show me your papers" provision. Arizona immigrant rights groups suggest that illegal immigrants carry no documents.
Robert Reich Grim prospects for Romney and Ryan

The Romney-Ryan ticket continues to lag behind in polls despite bad economic news because Republicans appeal to only one slice of America, Reich writes.
Chapter & Verse In today's economy, are women surging while men lag?

Joining other feminist-themed books like 'The Good Girls Revolt' is 'The End of the Men,' in which Hanna Rosin posits that men are 'frail dependents in need of a protector.'
Arizona illegal immigration law gets final go-ahead from court

Arizona's illegal immigration law directs police to check the status of individuals during a legal stop or detention. It's the latest chapter in the battle between the state and the Obama administration over which level of government has authority regarding immigration policy.
Oil that washed ashore in Louisiana during Isaac came from BP Gulf spill

Researchers at Louisiana State University said oil found on two barrier island beaches is a match with oil from the 2010 Macondo well explosion.
Opinion: Obamacare champions personal responsibility. The states that hate it don't. (+video)

Bill Clinton rightly defended Obamacare at the Democratic National Convention. Mitt Romney and the GOP say the law neglects personal responsibility, but the opposite is true. Plus, states that voted against the law exhibit the least personal responsibility in health behaviors.
Bad week for voter ID laws. Will Supreme Court weigh in before election?

In case after case, federal judges are siding with the Department of Justice’s claims that tougher state voting rules discriminate against the poor and minorities. But states vow to appeal to the Supreme Court, which has viewed voter ID laws favorably.
Across America, tributes to Neil Armstrong (+video)

As a blue moon rose Friday, people across the country celebrated the life of Neil Armstrong, who in 1969 became the first human to set foot on the moon.
Federal court rules against Texas voter photo ID law

Greg Abbott, Texas's attorney general, said he will appeal the ruling to the US Supreme Court, confident of prevailing there.
Isaac behind biggest one-day jump in gas prices

Gasoline prices hit a national average of $3.80 per gallon, up five cents in one day. Hurricane Isaac shut down several refineries along the Gulf Coast and others are operating at reduced rates. In all, about 1.3 million barrels per day of refining capacity is affected.
Hurricane Isaac tests levees, knocks out power in Louisiana (+video)

Hurricane Isaac packed 80 mph winds is about 50 miles south of New Orleans. It drove a wall of water nearly 11 feet high inland when it game ashore Tuesday night.
Hurricane Isaac: New Orleans braces for test of its storm preparations (+video)

With maximum winds from Hurricane Isaac expected to be 80 miles an hour, the storm's main threat is posed by water. The new New Orleans surge barrier has been closed for the first time.
Hurricane Isaac slows, sucking up energy over the Gulf (+video)

Hurricane Isaac is crawling along at 10 m.p.h., and winds hit 75 m.p.h. as Isaac gained strength moving over the warm, open waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Isaac is forecast to reach New Orleans early Wednesday morning.