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Every state has its official sport, and NPR's Cynthia Johnston that in Maryland it is jousting. The state's version is far from a throwback to the deadly medieval contests, but competitors still approach the game like serious family tradition. Jousting may not draw large crowds, but Maryland's devotees say they enjoy the intimate feel of the outings.

U.S. officials analyze an audiotape aired by the Arab TV network Al-Jazeera purporting to be from Osama bin Laden. If authentic, it shows the al Qaeda leader is likely still alive. The voice on the tape refers to recent terror attacks in Bali and Moscow. Hear more from NPR's Tom Gjelten.

Commentator Frank Deford has some words of wisdom for the incoming National Collegiate Athletic Association president, Myles Brand. He takes office January 1st.

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks with Republican Rep. Landon Brown about his desire to resettle Afghan refugees in the Cowboy State despite hesitancy from his constituents.

NPR's Lulu Garcia-Navarro speaks to scientist Katharine Hayhoe about Google's new tools that help people choose to decrease their carbon footprint when it comes to taking an airplane trip.

Neither a shaky economy nor industry scandals deterred collectors from New York's art auctions this week. Contemporary work sold for several million dollars. But the future of the market remains cloudy. David D'Arcy reports.

An 85-year-old man is banned from the Los Angeles public library system after developing a rather prolific no-return policy.

The Communist Party chooses 59-year-old Hu Jintao as its new general secretary, in effect taking the helm of the world's most populous nation. Hu is not expected to stray far from the path of outgoing President Jiang Zemin, who has pushed economic but not political reform. Hear more from NPR's Rob Gifford.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, number two in the series, is sure to dominate current movie box-office sales. But the quieter, character-driven Tully is also in theaters. Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan offers a review.

Sixteen members of Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries are U.S. citizens, including 5 children. The 400 Mawazo gang that took the group specializes in mass kidnappings and seeks a $17 million ransom.

NPR's Michelle Trudeau reports on two new research studies that give clues about clinical depression, an illness that afflicts 18 million people in this country. Writing in two scientific journals, this month's issues of The American Journal of Medical Genetics and The American Journal of Psychiatry, these researchers report finding a genetic clue that may explain why many more women suffer from depression than men, and a specific brain abnormality that may help lead to an explanation of why depression tends to strike repeatedly in many people.

The operators of the "Miss Cleo" psychic phone lines have agreed to pay $5 million to settle claims involving deceptive advertising, bill and collection practices. Lynn Neary and Robert Siegel tell us about it.

NPR's Gerry Hadden reports on the opening of the basement of Ernest Hemingway's ranch outside of Havana, Cuba, where researchers are for the first time able to pore over thousands of the author's letters, photographs and drafts. The artifacts have been left undisturbed in the basement since Hemingway left Cuba in 1960.

The Communist Party chooses 59-year-old Hu Jintao as its new general secretary, in effect taking the helm of the world's most populous nation. Hu is not expected to stray far from the path of outgoing President Jiang Zemin, who has pushed economic but not political reform. More from NPR's Rob Gifford.

The updated edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Phrase, Saying and Quotation is down with Gen X and, like President Bush, "ready for any unforseen event which may... or may not happen."

Charles "Chuck" F. Sams III could soon become the first Native American to head the National Park Service in the agency's history. A series of acting directors have led the department since 2017.

The road-widening project will take place just north of the I-4 interchange north to Hillsborough Avenue.

Argentina suffers a setback in its ongoing struggle to get out of debt. President Eduardo Duhalde says the nation can pay $79 million in interest on its World Bank loan, but won't be able to make the $805 million loan payment. Scott Goldberg reports from Buenos Aires.

The House passes a measure that provides federal insurance in the event of another catastrophic terrorist attack. Under the program, the insurance industry's liability would be capped at $15 billion. The federal government would cover up to 90 percent of claims above the $15 billion cap. NPR's Kathleen Schalch reports.

John Dillon reports Vermonters are worried the results of last week's election might be felt in the Green Mountain State. Vermont enjoyed significant power while Democrats controlled the United States Senate. Now the GOP's on top, and Sens. Jim Jeffords and Patrick Leahy may be out in the cold.

People who go to the cineplex for escapism are finding that an increasing number of films deal with the very issues they're trying to escape. But NPR's Bob Mondello says the approaches to those issues this fall are as varied as they are inventive.

In the final installment in our series on California's Central Valley, NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that working conditions for farm workers have not improved much in the last 50 years. Half of the valley's farm laborers are illegal immigrants, and they work for farm labor contractors and growers who take advantage of their illegal status. The system creates vague lines of responsibility for how and whether workers are paid and who is responsible if someone gets hurt. Ultimately it creates an underclass of low-skilled workers who -- unlike immigrants in the past -- have little chance to improve their lives.

American Jazz Pianist Sir Roland Hanna died Wednesday at age 70. Hanna was known for playing in diverse styles that reflected much of the history of jazz piano. In addition to performing, he composed more than 400 pieces for jazz ensembles. NPR's Felix Contreras has this remembrance.

The Senate has the final word next week on the largest government reorganization in a half-century. The Homeland Security bill calls for a Cabinet-level department that, with a staff of 170,000, combines 22 existing agencies. NPR's Lynn Neary talks with foreign policy expert Ivo Daalder about how the restructuring will affect Americans.

Progressive Democrats acknowledged that many of their priorities would have to be scaled back, but called the White House meeting "productive."