(NECN: Jacksonville, Fla.) - President Barack Obama this afternoon paid a visit to the Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, Florida.

Obama is promising Marine and Navy personnel that he "will never rush" choosing whether to send U.S. troops into war.

Obama thanked those who serve in harm's way.

The president is considering whether to send additional troops to Afghanistan. He called it a "solemn decision."

He said he would risk military lives "unless it is absolutely necessary," he said.

(NECN: Washington) - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says health care legislation headed to the Senate floor will include an option for government-run insurance.

Reid says states will have the prerogative of opting out of the program if they choose.

Reid noted that polls show widespread public support for giving the government a role in the overhauled health care system envisioned by President Barack Obama and his allies in Congress.

*Material from The Associated Press used in this report*

(NECN: Washington) - Massachusetts Senator John Kerry spoke this afternoon before The Council on Foreign Relations. The topic: Afghanistan.

"We all know why we invaded Afghanistan. It was not a mistake to go in," said Kerry.

"Because of the gross mishandling of this war by past civilian leadership, there are no great options for its handling today," said Kerry.

"The costs of failure are very real," said Kerry.

(NECN: Miami) - Family and friends are gathering in Miami, Florida, for the funeral of slain UCONN football player Jasper Howard.

A viewing was held Sunday, a week after Howard was fatally stabbed outside a dance on Connecticut's campus.

No one has been charged in his death.

(NECN: Stamford, Conn.) - President Barack Obama spoke at a fundraiser for Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd Friday.

Dodd is facing a tough re-election fight next year, and has struggled in recent polls.

The president says that Dodd has been one of his favorites from the moment he arrived in the United States Senate.

"Contrary to what Chris thinks its not his good looks," Obama said. "It's the fact that he's someone who believes deeply in the core ideals of out country, and the nobility of public service."

(NECN: Manchester, NH) - A 29-year-old Manchester, New Hampshire, woman is dead after being shot by her estranged husband, who then shot the woman's father before killing himself.

The body of Melissa Charbonneau was found at her Jewett Street home yesterday afternoon.

Police say Charbonneau was shot by her 32-year-old husband Jonathan Charbonneau a day after she had filed a domestic abuse complaint against him. Police say Jonathan Charbonneau's body was later found in the home.

Melissa's father, John Cantin, suffers non-life-threatening injuries.

(NECN) - The government's latest figures show the H1N1 (swine) flu is widespread across the country and increasing in almost every state.

It's now caused at least 95 children's deaths since April.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the new tally today.

46 states now have widespread flu activity. The only states without widespread flu are Connecticut, Hawaii, New Jersey and South Carolina.

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(NECN: Cambridge, Mass.) - President Barack Obama this afternoon delivered a speech at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

"We have always been about innovation, we have always been about discovery, that's in our DNA. The truth is, we also face more complex challenges than in years past," said Obama.

Obama said passage of comprehensive energy legislation is key to America's future success and that those opposing it are using "cynical claims" to stop it.

Obama said "the closer we get, the harder the opposition will fight."

(NECN/WOFL) - The investigation into the murder of seven-year-old Somer Thompson continues today, less than 24 hours after her body was found in a Georgia landfill.

An Orange Park, Florida-based task force has interviewed 155 registered sex offenders, looking for any possible connections to Somer's disappearance and murder.

During a morning news conference Clay County Sheriff Office Spokesperson Mary Justino says tips are critical to solving this heinous crime.

Somer disappeared early Monday (10/19) evening during a walk home from her nearby school.

(NECN: Washington) - President Barack Obama says Americans' values are offended by excessive paychecks for executives whose companies were bailed out by taxpayers.

Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Obama praised the Treasury Department's decision to order seven big companies that haven't paid back last year's government bailouts to halve their top executives' average compensation.

But he said more must be done, and urged Congress to pass legislation to give shareholders a voice in executive pay packages.

Obama says Americans believe in success. But, he says, "It does