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In a small town outside of Boston, the latest trend is building oversized houses in old subdivisions. Some call the structures McMansions. Many people see them as trophy houses, and neighbors don't like how they dwarf the other homes.

Officials in Chechnya now say at least 55 people died Friday when a pair of trucks loaded with explosives were driven into a government building in Grozny. Chechnya's prime minister denies the bombing was the start of a full-scale assault by rebels seeking Chechnya's independence from Russia. NPR News reports.

NPR's Rob Gifford reports that an International Olympic Committee delegation has arrived in Beijing, first stop on a tour of cities bidding to host the 2028 Olympic Games. In preparation for the visit, China has launched a cleanup that includes painting winter grass green, painting buildings a monochromatic gray and trying to get citizens to stop spitting in public.

A swarm of tornadoes killed at least 10 people across the Midwest over the weekend. At the University of Kansas, officials called off classes Monday after 60 percent of the buildings were damaged by a storm. Missouri was the worst hit state with nine storm-related deaths.

Melissa Block talks with Patti Hall, who was working on the third floor of the Murrah Federal Building when it was bombed. She suffered 40 broken bones, a collapsed lung and has undergone 18 surgeries in the last 10 years.

Iran's conservative president-elect, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has vowed to restart the nation's controversial nuclear program and warned European negotiators that building trust requires a mutual effort.

More than 35 people are killed and dozens more are wounded in a car bomb attack on a recruiting center for Iraq's security forces in Baghdad. The blast, which occurred during the morning rush hour, destroyed nearby cars and damaged buildings. Hear NPR's David Sweeney.

Gay couples are lined up outside the county building in Portland, Ore., waiting to be married. The county's commissioners approved issuing gay marriage licenses on Tuesday -- though not unanimously. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Multnomah Commissioners Lonnie Roberts and Serena Cruz.

NASA wants to build a new base on the moon, but some argue it is a costly and unnecessary venture. Spending taxpayer dollars on programs that are of little tangible value only hurts the agency in the long run.

State and local officials have warned that the burn area on Maui is laden with distinct and potent toxic contaminants from incinerated buildings, vehicles and infrastructure.