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The Cleveland Clinic has gotten approval from an independent review panel to proceed with what would be the first face transplant. But experience from other transplants suggests that there could be major psychological and ethical problems.

The Massachusetts state legislature gave preliminary approval to a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage and establish civil unions instead. NPR's Tovia Smith reports.

The word "sanction" can mean both "to approve or permit" and "to punish." Weird, huh? It's an example of a contronym: a word that can be its own opposite, or have two contradictory meanings.

In a move that has pushed Spain deeper into a political crisis, Catalonia's Parliament on Friday declared independence. Spanish Senate then approved direct rule of the breakaway region.

between Union Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroads, a five billion dollar deal that would create the nation's largest railway. Federal regulators meet today to decide whether to approve the merger.

The Senate has approved the Kennedy-Kassabaum portabililty bill which protects the health insurance coverage of those with pre-existing conditions, even if they lose or change jobs. The Senate bill would require that mental illness be treated the same as physical health problems. But the Senate and House bills are very different, meaning compromise could prove difficult.

today whether to recommend approval of the French abortion pill, RU-486 for use in the U.S.

The House of Representatives approved amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act which means some good changes for consumers, large cities, and rural communities. The law seems to have something for everyone. But the biggest beneficiaries might be Congressional Republicans looking to shed their anti-environmental image. NPR's David Baron reports.

The House voted today to release funding for international family planning assistance. The vote was a rejection of a campaign by anti-abortion activists. They had advocated denying funds to groups that provide abortion-related services. The Senate is expected to complete congressional approval for the family planning funds. NPR's Brian Naylor has a report.

NPR's Chris Arnold reports that two studies released this week show small business owners are having better luck when they go to the bank. Banks are approving more applications from small business owners, but analysts aren't sure whether the change will last for very long.