Historic health care bill clears Senate hurdle
WASHINGTON (AP) - Invoking the memory of Edward M. Kennedy, Democrats united Saturday night to push historic health care legislation past a key Senate hurdle over the opposition of Republicans eager to inflict a punishing defeat on President Barack Obama. There was not a vote to spare. The 60-39 vote cleared the way for a bruising, full-scale debate beginning after Thanksgiving on the legislation, which is designed to extend coverage to roughly 31 million who lack it, crack down on insurance company practices that deny or dilute benefits and curtail the growth of spending on medical care nationally.

Fort Hood suspect ordered held until court-martial
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) - The Army psychiatrist charged with killing 13 people at Fort Hood will be confined until his military trial, initially staying in a hospital where he is recovering from gunshot wounds, his attorney said Saturday. During a hearing at Maj. Nidal Hasan's hospital room in San Antonio on Saturday, a magistrate ruled that there was probable cause that Hasan committed the Nov. 5 shooting spree at Fort Hood, said his civilian attorney, John Galligan. Hasan has been at Brooke Army Medical Center since the shooting, and his attorney said Hasan has been told he has permanent paralysis.

China coal mine blast death toll jumps to 87
BEIJING (AP) - A state news agency says the death toll in a northeast China coal mine blast has jumped to 87. The official Xinhua News Agency says another 21 people are still trapped underground Sunday after the pre-dawn blast a day earlier at the state-run Xinxing mine in Heilongjiang province near the border with Russia.

Restored machine to explore mysteries of Big Bang
GENEVA (AP) - Scientists are preparing the world's largest atom smasher to explore the depths of matter after successfully restarting the $10 billion machine following more than a year of repairs. When the machine is fully operational, its magnets will control the beams of protons and send them in opposite directions through two parallel tubes the size of fire hoses.

Ex-Air Force nurse acquitted of killing patients
SAN ANTONIO (AP) - A court-martial acquitted a former military nurse of murder Saturday after he was accused of giving lethal doses of painkillers to hasten the deaths of three terminally ill patients at the Air Force's largest hospital. Capt. Michael Fontana, wearing his Air Force uniform, showed no emotion as a military judge cleared him of three counts of murder, then collapsed into the arms of weeping family members inside a Lackland Air Force Base courtroom.

More Americans expected to travel for Thanksgiving
WASHINGTON (AP) - The number of Americans traveling away from home for Thanksgiving will be up only slightly this year from 2008, according to a report from the AAA auto club. The group, which surveyed 1,350 households, said there will be about 33.2 million people traveling by car this year - a 2.1 percent increase from last year.

Baby can wait as expectant dad finishes spacewalk
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - A spacewalking astronaut put aside the impending birth of his daughter and blazed through his first-ever venture outside the International Space Station on Saturday. Expectant father Randolph Bresnik and Michael Foreman were so far ahead despite their late start and interrupted sleep the night before - false fire and decompression alarms jolted them awake - that their commander handed them extra work.

Jackson moonwalk glove sells for $350K in NYC
NEW YORK (AP) - The shimmering, white glove Michael Jackson wore when he premiered his trademark moonwalk dance in 1983 was auctioned off for $350,000 - plus tax - on Saturday. Winning bidder Hoffman Ma of Hong Kong will pay $420,000, including taxes and fees, for the rhinestone-studded, modified golf glove Jackson wore on his left hand for his moonwalk on Motown's 25th anniversary TV special.

Police: Ohio suspect may have eaten evidence
STREETSBORO, Ohio (AP) - Police say a bank robbery suspect in Ohio may have eaten evidence when he gobbled a piece of paper while handcuffed and lying across the hood of a police cruiser. A police video camera captured the 35-year-old John Ford of Cleveland grabbing the paper with his mouth as police emptied his pockets.

McCluster passes Ole Miss to 25-23 win over LSU
OXFORD, Miss. (AP) - Time ran out on No. 10 LSU before it could attempt a short, potential game-winning field goal and Dexter McCluster and Mississippi survived a frantic final minute to come away with a 25-23 victory Saturday. After LSU pulled within two points on Jordan Jefferson's touchdown pass to Rueben Randle with 1:17 left, the Tigers failed to convert the tying 2-point conversion on a fade pass into the corner of the end zone.