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If Discovery's return to Earth shapes up to be a risky prospect, NASA has a series of rescue plans ready. Discovery is rigged to fly on auto pilot, and the astronauts can escape to the space station. The question would then be, who brings them home: Americans or Russians?

The Tour de France is under way, but after the retirement of Lance Armstrong last year, many Americans have lost interest in the legendary race. And new fees from the Tour itself mean fewer tourist dollars in French and American pockets.

Christopher John Farley talks about his new book Before the Legend: The Rise of Bob Marley, which traces the reggae star's formative years. Marley died of cancer 25 years ago, but left a global music legacy that still endures.

Discovery's mission to deliver supplies and an astronaut to the International Space Station may sound routine, but NPR science editor David Malakoff explains why the fate of the entire shuttle program now hangs on Discovery.

Jazz star Cassandra Wilson's latest album soars over a swirling array of musical influences. She tells Debbie Elliott about a work that pays tribute to the Native American spirit and the rich traditions of American music.

Learning how to play a musical instrument isn't just for kids anymore. An organization called New Horizons has helped establish over 100 bands and orchestras for older players in the U.S. and Canada over the past 15 years. Many of the group's members are either complete novices, or haven't played in decades.

Want to have a professional take your picture in a National Park? You'd better plan ahead. The Park Service has been ordered by Congress to start charging photo permit and location fees to some photographers. Host Debbie Elliott looks at the new policy and how it's playing out on the National Mall in Washington.

Tilly and the Wall is an Omaha, Neb., indie-rock band named after the well-known children's book. According to critic Will Hermes, their music has a childlike wonder and breathlessness — perhaps most evident in their percussion, which comes mainly from tap-dancing.

Monday at midnight is the deadline for enrolling in the Medicare drug benefit. Those who miss the deadline may be facing higher premiums for life. Debbie Elliott talks with NPR's Julie Rovner about who should, and who shouldn't, hurry to meet the deadline.

Met with news that the Supreme Court has blocked his administration's plans for military tribunals at the Guantanamo Bay prison, President Bush says the White House will study the decision. The court said the administration's approach does not meet the standards of international law or federal statutes.

In honor of the interstate highway system's 50th anniversary, we talk to three engineers about their favorite parts of the system.

As many as 200 people died Friday when a gas pipeline exploded in the outskirts of Lagos, Nigeria. Authorities believe the pipeline ruptured as thieves were attempting to steal gas from it.

The artist and screenwriter behind the dark and endearing film Ghost World, finds a new comic palette in Art School Confidential. Clowes talks with Liane Hansen about the film.

As Congress debates proposals to crack down on illegal immigration, major farm operations in the West say they can't hire enough immigrant workers, legal or otherwise. We talk to a job broker who's in the business of finding immigrants to harvest crops in places like Visalia, Calif.

With a style that's part Miles Davis, part Chet Baker, jazzman Enrico Rava is a legend in his native Italy. The self-taught trumpet player shares his passion by becoming a mentor to aspiring musicians.

This past week, a teenager in Texas sued MySpace.com -- the most popular online community for social networking. She filed the suit after someone she met through the Web site allegedly assaulted her sexually. Larry Schooler of member station KUT reports.

Investment management expert Melody Hobson talks with Ed Gordon about this year's annual Ariel/Schwab Black Investor Survey, which compares how black and white Americans are preparing for retirement. The survey finds that blacks are generally optimistic about their retirement future, despite fewer stock-market investments than whites.

This week's issue of The New Republic magazine focuses almost entirely on genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan. Editor Franklin Foer says the situation in Darfur demands crusading journalism and that the magazine needed to play a role in pushing for solutions to the crisis.

Hurricane Katrina destroyed the homes of both rich and poor. Among the most prominent victims was Sen. Trent Lott (R-MS), whose home in Pascagoula, Miss., was destroyed. Lott is one of many Gulf homeowners suing their insurance companies.

In delivering the the National Endowment for the Humanities' Jefferson Lecture, author Tom Wolfe argued that the evolution of mankind was forever altered when it harnessed the power of speech.

The President meets regularly with his top advisers about the security situation in Iraq. His National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley attends these meetings. He talks with Steve Inskeep about what the president wants to know, and what he needs to know.

Israeli aircraft attack areas of southern Gaza, part of an effort to force Palestinian militants to release an Israeli soldier captured last Sunday. While no serious injuries have been reported, an air strike on Gaza's power plant has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis.

A day before the start of the Tour de France, star riders Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso have been banned from cycling's top event over doping allegations. Other competitors are also implicated. Phil Liggett of the Outdoor Life Network details the scandal for Madeleine Brand.

Singer Irma Thomas was among the New Orleans residents affected by Hurricane Katrina. She talks about the storm's impact and performs songs from her new album, After the Rain.

Texas Icehouses — part town hall, part tavern, icehouses have been a South Texas tradition since the 1920s. Once a vital part of everyday local culture, a cornerstone of every neighborhood in San Antonio and Houston, they are a rapidly diminishing, endangered species. A journey into this Mexican, German, Tejano, Anglo tradition.