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The number of newly laid-off people seeking jobless benefits falls last week as April demand for big-ticket items posts its strongest increase since the start of the recession.

In an impassioned speech Thursday that aimed to rally the support of the nation's young people, the president recalled the struggles for civil rights and women's voting rights in pressing for an overhaul of the nation's health care system.

This has been the deadliest year for NATO troops in Afghanistan since the 2001 invasion. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. and NATO forces there, has said the mission will fail unless more troops are sent. NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen takes a more optimistic view.

Consumer sentiment rose more than expected in August and expectations hit the highest level since the recession began. And a national measure of home prices posted its first quarterly increase in three years.

New signs of emerging strength in the housing and manufacturing sectors Tuesday showed that the U.S. economy is continuing to pull out of recession. Home construction in July had its best showing in 10 months, while pending home sales surged to the highest level in more than two years, reports said.

Dexter Filkins recently broke the story that top Afghan officials have been receiving bags of cash from Iran. The New York Times foreign correspondent tells Terry Gross that the situation in Afghanistan is becoming increasingly dire for both soldiers and journalists.

For the first time in 145 years, the original recipe has been revamped. The new candies have brighter colors, bolder flavors and more current Valentine's Day expressions — like TEXT ME and TWEET ME.

British actress Carey Mulligan has charmed film critics and audiences with her role this fall in An Education. It's won the 24-year-old comparisons to legendary actress Audrey Hepburn. But Mulligan says she has yet to find total comfort in front of the camera.

When commentator Ben Mattlin was growing up, it was legal to discriminate against people like him. Born with spinal muscular atrophy, he's always used a wheelchair. Monday marks the 20th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which he says transformed his life.

Jose Cruz talks with his daughter, Grace, about his mother. He explains the deep impact his mom had on him, even though she had to leave their home in the Dominican Republic to find work in the United States. They were later reunited in New York City.