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Voting can be a chore, but getting more people to vote by allowing early voting may not be doing the candidates or the electorate any favors.

The government's monthly jobs report showed a surprising drop in the unemployment rate, down to 7.8 percent. The rate fell even though the number of jobs added to the business payrolls didn't increase much. NPR's Yuki Noguchi reports on analyst's reaction to the news.

To this day, getting a third-party candidate into a presidential debate is practically impossible. So we invited two of the third-party candidates — Gary Johnson of the Libertarian Party and Jill Stein from the Green Party — to a debate of our own.

This week, defense contractors said they would not issue layoff warnings, even though looming budget cuts could lead to big job losses in 2013. That's led to charges that the White House overstepped when it told the industry the notices are not needed.

The Labor Department announced on Friday the lowest unemployment rate since January 2009. Most big companies use software to screen resumes and ultimately move that unemployment number. These programs can be a big help for hiring departments, but a hindrance for job searches everywhere.

The unemployment rate has dropped to 7.8 percent — that's the lowest rate in President Obama's presidency. Numbers like these are calculated and released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and highly anticipated by not only politicians but money managers and traders around the world. In the run up to the release, the government office does everything possible to keep these numbers locked up. (This piece initially aired Aug. 3, 2012 on Morning Edition.)

Afghan forces are scheduled to take control of their country's security by the end of 2014. While President Obama says they will be fully responsible by then, Mitt Romney calls the deadline a goal. Either way, the next president will face a 10-year agreement to help Afghans with counterterrorism and training.

Despite the state's liberal reputation, voters there have never elected a woman to the U.S. Senate or the governor's office. Next month, control of the Senate may hinge on whether Massachusetts will vote for a woman, as Democrat Elizabeth Warren challenges incumbent Sen. Scott Brown.

Federal health authorities have released the names of three New York health care providers that received shipments of a steroid suspected of causing a…

A Norwegian comedy duo managed something rare: to get concert goers cheering for a U.N. official.