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Transportation safety authorities say they had warned Washington's Metro system to upgrade its old subway cars, but the transit system did not do so. The age of the equipment is one aspect of the investigation into Monday's crash in which one train smashed into the rear of another stationary train. At least nine people were killed.

The Labor Department said Friday the number of Americans who lost their jobs in November was fewer than expected. The jobless rate fell from 10.2 percent to 10 percent, raising hopes the economy is on the mend.

In Madison, Wis., the air quality was measured at 242 Thursday morning— a "very unhealthy" purple alert rating that many other communities shared, particularly in the Midwest.

New research shows that young children have a negative reaction to beards, but that changes as they get older. Children with bearded fathers did feel more warmly toward facial hair.

Science writer Barbara Strauch set out to explain why our brains falter in middle age, and wound up writing a book about how they can flourish. Scientists tell us that as we careen through middle age, our brains do slow down. We have trouble retrieving names, or we get easily distracted. But the news is nowhere as bad as we might think.

President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair say they will stay the course in Iraq, but expect Iraq's leaders to assume a larger security role. Prodded on regrets, the president cited "tough talk" in challenging insurgents. Blair said he had underestimated the bloodshed in Iraq.

The Federal Reserve's decision to extend credit to the ailing investment bank Bear Stearns is an unprecedented move. And the Fed took additional steps to address a crisis of confidence on Wall Street.

Visiting Congress to provide an update on the struggling U.S. economy, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said he expects very slow growth in 2008, but no recession. Bernanke is trying to avoid a recession while keeping a lid on inflation. But so far, he's not getting much help. Inflation is up sharply, and housing prices keep falling.

A federal judge in Washington has ordered the Bush administration to release five detainees from the prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The men have been held there for seven years on evidence the judge finds insufficient. The ruling is the first by a trial judge since the Supreme Court declared in June that the Guantanamo prisoners have the right to challenge their detentions in U.S. courts.

The former medical director of two Florida insurance plans owned by the same company alleged they inflated fees by making patients appear sicker than they were or exaggerating the treatment provided.