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Physicists are building a particle accelerator that will smash subatomic particles together with tremendous force. What they find may solve some fundamental mysteries about how the universe is constructed — IF everything works.

France, the land of haute cuisine, is McDonald's second most profitable market. That's partly because the company has figured out that to win over the French, it must encourage people to take their time while eating.

West Virginia's coal mines are expected to temporarily shut down for safety reviews. West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin called for the halt in production after two miners were killed in separate incidents Wednesday. The state has seen 16 mine-related deaths since January. Anna Sale of West Virginia Public Broadcasting reports.

The past week has brought big changes to CIA headquarters. Former CIA officials tell NPR that there's a growing sense of optimism for the future. In particular, they generally like the choice of Gen. Michael Hayden to lead the spy organization.

Powerful Texas Republican Tom DeLay reacts to his indictment on a criminal conspiracy charge by saying he has done nothing wrong and calling the prosecutor a "partisan fanatic." Also, other congressmen react to the charges.

The most anticipated collections of the year revisit the past and take us to the frontiers of language, borrowing from Twitter memes and overheard conversation, from the classics and bad movies.

Actor Jeff Daniels has portrayed dozens of characters on stage and screen. His latest film role is a romantic comedy, The Answer Man. He plays an author who is supposed to have all the answers to life's important questions, but clearly does not.

Ethnic tensions in North Carolina are on the rise as the state's Hispanic community has boomed. To foster understanding, a nongovernmental organization is sending local policy makers on trips to Mexico. Officials say the experience has helped them in their jobs.

Chicago passes a city ordinance that would require big retailers like Wal-Mart and Target to pay workers at least $13 an hour in wages and benefits within the next few years.Opponents are calling the measure illegal and planning to sue. Even Chicago's mayor is opposed. But for Chicago's poorest neighborhoods, the main question is whether the ordinance will bring better jobs or chase new ones away.

The consensus seems to be that tonight's BCS championship game between No. 2 Alabama and No. 1 LSU will be a defensive struggle, similar to the touchdown-free game they played on Nov. 5. But while they field elite defenses, LSU and Alabama's squads have very different strengths.

Putting welfare recipients to work is at the heart of the federal welfare law passed 10 years ago. But while the original law allowed states to decide how best to meet federal goals, some officials fear that the Bush administration will remove some of the flexibility that they say has made the law a success.

The American Red Cross is garnering the lion's share of hurricane relief donations from Americans. The relief agency is written into law as the first responder to natural catastrophes. But some charities say that leaves them with fewer resources for long-term rebuilding.