Tropical Storm Karen takes aim on Gulf Coast

Although weakening, Tropical Storm Karen continued its path toward the Gulf Coast late Friday, with landfall expected sometime late Saturday or early Sunday morning.

Karen was just one of four major weather events impacting the USA on Friday: For what may be the first time in modern records, says Weather Underground weather historian Christopher Burt, the U.S. is facing a simultaneous threat from a tropical storm landfall, a blizzard, tornado outbreak, and extreme wild fire event:

A blizzard was pounding portions of the northern Rockies and northern Plains with more than two feet of snow in some spots; parts of the upper Midwest were bracing for a potentially destructive severe weather and tornado outbreak later Friday; and southern California was in the midst of what the National Weather Service was calling the most significant fire weather threat in five years.

Berlusconi ministers resign; Italy gov't in crisis

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Italy's fragile coalition government was pushed into a full-fledged crisis Saturday after five                    ministers from former Premier Silvio Berlusconi's political party announced their resignations.

The move drew the ire of Premier Enrico Letta, who accused Berlusconi of a "crazy" gesture aimed at covering up his personal affairs.

The five-month-old government has teetered for weeks since the high court confirmed Berlusconi's tax fraud conviction.

Berlusconi's center-right People of Liberty Party is in an unusual coalition of rival forces with Letta's center-left Democratic Party, and the resignations signals the end of the alliance.

The resignations must be formally submitted to President Giorgio Napolitano, who must decide if there is any way to continue the government or if new elections must be held.

Next orbiter to focus on Mars atmosphere

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Bathed in orange light and with two black solar wings outstretched, NASA's Maven spacecraft looks as if it might already be orbiting Mars.

That destination is still a year away, but the $671 million mission is approaching its Nov. 18 blastoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station atop an Atlas V rocket.

"We've been working on this mission for years, and we're close now, real close, and we're going to Mars, so it's really pretty cool to be at this point," said Dave Mitchell, project manager from the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md.

During a media day Friday at Kennedy Space Center, where pre-launch tests are in progress, managers sidestepped questions about how a government shutdown might affect launch plans, saying they would do everything possible to stay on track.

Bill Clinton urges unity for Obama's health care law

Bill Clinton wore his "Secretary of Explaining Stuff" hat Wednesday to defend President Obama's health care law, arguing that it's time to drop opposition to what Republicans slam as "Obamacare."

"We need all hands on deck here. The health of our people, the security and stability of our families and the strength of our economy are all riding on getting health care reform right and doing it well," Clinton said in remarks at his presidential library in Little Rock. "That means we have to do it together."

The speech by the 42nd president is the first in a series of events planned this fall by the Obama White House aimed at improving public awareness of the law as key provisions take effect. On Oct. 1, open enrollment and health insurance exchanges in states will begin. Those exchanges will help people find and buy insurance coverage.

Clinton outlined why he says the law will help health care costs go down and give more people greater access to insurance coverage. He took a step-by-step approach, going through everything in the law from who gets covered to how exchanges work and what needs to be improved.

"It's better than the current system," Clinton said. "This gives us the best chance we've had to achieve nearly universal coverage … provide higher quality health care and limit cost increases."

Republicans generally view the law as a costly government intrusion into people's lives. The Tea Party movement and congressional allies, such as Sen. Mike Lee of Utah and Ted Cruz of Texas, have spent the summer drumming up support to withhold funding to implement the Affordable Care Act.

These lawmakers say they are prepared to vote against any bill to fund the government that doesn't bar spending for the health care law – even if it prompts a government shutdown.

Throughout Clinton's remarks, the Republican National Committee sent out tweets criticizing the health care law with the hashtag #Obamacosts. One example: "Obamacare isn't working and it is costing Americans across the country," the RNC said.

It's not the first time Obama has turned to Clinton, with whom he once had a frosty relationship, to help him explain policies and garner public support.

Clinton campaigned often for Obama in the 2012 election and delivered a forceful speech at the Democratic National Convention arguing why Obama was worthy of a second term. Obama joked afterward that he should appoint his predecessor the "Secretary of Explaining Stuff," and the moniker stuck.

McCain plays poker on iPhone during Syria hearing

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sometimes senators need a diversion from even the weightiest of topics. For Sen. John McCain during Tuesday's hearing on Syria, it was a game on his iPhone.

The Washington Post posted a picture taken during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing and reported that it shows the Arizona Republican playing poker on his phone. Only his hands and iPhone were visible.

Shortly afterward, McCain came clean in a sarcastic tweet posted on his Twitter account that began with the word, "Scandal!"

McCain wrote that he'd been caught playing on his phone during a hearing that, he quickly pointed out, exceeded three hours.

House begins consideration of Syria resolution

"Today the House begins formal consideration of the president's request to use military force in Syria. It is a cliche, but true: There are no easy answers. Syria and much of the Middle East are a mess," said Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif.

Kerry pressed the administration's argument that there is a preponderance of evidence that chemical weapons were used, necessitating the need for a U.S. military response. "It did happen, and the Bashar al-Assad regime did it." he said.

"The world is wondering whether the United States of America is going to consent through silence to stand aside while this kind of brutality is allowed to happen without consequence," he said, appealing to lawmakers to consider their own place in history if they oppose action against Assad.

"And history, I think, everyone here knows holds nothing but infamy for those criminals (like Assad). And history also reserves very little sympathy for their enablers. And that is the gravity of this moment. That is really what is at stake in the decision that the Congress faces."

More Americans are using marijuana

As the nation takes a softer stance on marijuana, more Americans are using the drug, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health found.

The nationwide survey made public Wednesday found that 7.3% of Americans 12 or older regularly used marijuana in 2012, up from 7% in 2011. Marijuana use has increased steadily over the past five years. In 2007, the survey found 5.8% of Americans 12 or older used marijuana.

The report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration surveys 70,000 people ages 12 and older throughout the country. It is the nation's most comprehensive look at drug and alcohol use.

PR STUNT: Pro-marijuana ad posted outside NFL opener

Last week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Justice Department would not challenge states who have legalized use of small amounts of marijuana or medical marijuana if the states have strict measures to keep the drugs away from minors and have taken steps to regulate the drugs.

Two states, Washington and Colorado, have legalized marijuana, and 20 states have approved marijuana for medical use.

Until Holder's announcement Thursday, marijuana users in those states could face federal prosecution even if they adhered to state laws and local regulations.

Nearly 24 million Americans, about 9.2% of the population, use illicit drugs, the survey found. Illicit drugs include marijuana, cocaine, heroin, hallucinogens, inhalants and the non-medical use of painkillers, tranquilizers and stimulants. Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug.

Although the abuse of prescription drugs, particularly opioids such as oxycodone, is stable or dropping, heroin use is on the rise, the survey found.

In 2012, 669,000 people reported using heroin, up from 620,000 people in 2011. The number of heroin users has jumped 80% since 2007, when 373,000 people reported using heroin.

"This finding show that while we have made progress in preventing some aspects of substance abuse, we must redouble our efforts to reduce and eliminate all forms of it throughout our nation," SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde said.

"These statistics represent real people, families and communities dealing with the devastating consequences of abuse and addiction."