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Sen. John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic nominee in the 2004 presidential race, is trying to tout his plan for U.S. economic recovery. But he's finding it difficult to get anyone interested in anything other than Iraq and the commission investigating the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports from Chicago, where Sen. Kerry made a campaign speech Friday.

When Condoleezza Rice gave sworn testimony to the Sept. 11 panel Thursday, her job was to counter former counter-terrorism chief Richard Clarke's charges the Bush administration didn't pay enough attention to terrorism. But the bigger challenge was harder and more subtle: to counter "The Apology" -- the moment when Clarke said he was sorry to Sept. 11 victims' families and to America. Commentator James Poniewozik says that Clarke and Rice demonstrate what's wrong with apologies today -- they are both too easy and too hard.

Under pressure from a panel investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the White House Saturday declassified the President's Daily Brief document from August 6, 2001. The briefing, titled "Bin Laden Determined to Strike in U.S.," has been mentioned often in testimony before the panel. Hear NPR's Liane Hansen, NPR's Pam Fessler and New York Times correspondent David Sanger.

Commissioners on the Sept. 11 panel call on the White House to declassify a presidential briefing dated Aug. 6, 2001. The document warned that Osama bin Laden was planning attacks inside the United States. In Thursday's testimony, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice said that and other pre-Sept. 11 warnings were too vague to act on. Hear NPR's Pam Fessler.

Next week members of the Sept. 11 commission will hear testimony from the current and former heads of federal law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Commissioners want to know what structural reforms have taken place in government since Sept. 11, 2001, that would or could prevent future attacks. Hear NPR's Linda Wertheimer, public service professor Paul Light of New York University, and John MacGaffin, the CIA's former associate deputy director for operations.

Five U.S. soldiers are killed when a bomb explodes under their vehicle in an attack west of Baghdad. In a separate incident in Fallujah, gunmen attack two civilian vehicles, killing several foreign nationals. Fallujah was the site of intense fighting between U.S. Marines and insurgents last week. Hear NPR's Ivan Watson.

A presidential daily briefing from Aug. 6, 2001, draws much attention as National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice testifies before the Sept. 11 commission. Hear NPR's Robert Siegel and analysts Reuel March Gerecht -- a former CIA Middle East specialist -- and Daniel Benjamin, a former member of the National Security Council staff.

Jen Chapin's debut CD, Linger, draws inspiration from New York City in a similar way as Garland Jeffries or Laura Nyro. She is the daughter of the late Harry Chapin, the singer behind "Taxi" and "Cat's in the Cradle." Our reviewer Thom Terrell says he was skeptical, having heard so many children of good artists be fairly mediocre musicians -- but he says Jen Chapin is an original.

The Bush administration considers dropping special gasoline formulations aimed at reducing air pollution in an effort to rein in rising gas costs. Advocates in California and New York blame the higher prices on the addition of ethanol, which they say doesn't help prevent pollution. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports.

The American Civil Liberties Union files a lawsuit challenging the federal "No-Fly" list of people barred from flying due to suspected terrorist ties. The plaintiffs in the suit are U.S. citizens who the ACLU says are wrongfully on the list, with no way to have their names removed. Those on the list are routinely stopped and searched during travel. NPR 's Larry Abramson reports.

President George Bush's re-election campaign begins running hard-edged ads against likely Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry, with the election eight months away. Analysts are divided on the effectiveness of negative campaign ads, saying they lower voter turnout. NPR's Don Gonyea reports. Hear NPR's Elizabeth Blair.

As U.S.-led forces in Iraq confront a growing insurgency, they face an ominous new developmtent: hostage-taking. American Marines continue to battle for control of the town of Fallujah, west of Baghdad. In southern Iraq, Shiite fighters loyal to radical cleric Muqtada Sadr are said to be in full control of two towns and parts of another. Hear NPR's Robert Siegel and NPR's Philip Reeves.

The Supreme Court unanimously rules against releasing photographs from the investigation of the death of former Clinton administration lawyer Vincent Foster, citing privacy concerns. A California attorney had sued for the photographs' release, claiming Foster might have been murdered. Multiple investigations have determined that Foster died from a self-inflicted gunshot. NPR's Nina Totenberg reports.

American officials are helping Iraqis build a new, civilian-controlled defense department ahead of the U.S. transfer of sovereignty to Iraqis in July. U.S. officials have little time left to train dozens of officers from Iraq's old army -- long accustomed to working under a dictatorship -- how armed forces work in a democracy. NPR's Eric Westervelt reports.

Nashville-based band Lambchop has two new albums out, Aw C'mon, and No, You C'mon. Both CDs rely on lush guitar rhythms and a sultry sound, combined with the unmistakable baritone of bandleader Kurt Wagner. David Greenberger has a review.

Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader says he'll meet with Democrat Sen. John Kerry next month to talk about forming a "second front" in the effort to defeat President Bush in the fall. Many Democrats fear Nader's candidacy could tip the election to Bush. Nader talks with NPR's Bob Edwards.

Danish filmmaker Lars Von Trier, who has never been to America, is being criticized for his latest film Dogville -- a picture some say is "anti-American." NPR's Bob Mondello says that while the film's portrait of human nature is unflattering, that human nature is more or less universal.

The judge in the Tyco corporate-looting trial denies a mistrial to defense attorneys after meeting privately with a juror who has set off a media frenzy. The female juror, identified in several news items, was reported to be a holdout for an acquittal. The judge says the woman told him nothing has happened that will keep her from deliberating in "good conscience." Hear NPR's Nancy Solomon.

Few residents of Fallujah seem to show remorse for attacks Wednesday on four U.S. civilians in the city, whose bodies were burned and hanged by angry mobs. Many residents in the restive town tell reporters the grisly deaths were a proper show of disdain for America. Hear NPR's Bob Edwards and New York Times reporter Jeffrey Gettleman.

The killing of four U.S. civilians working for a private security contractor raise doubts about whether employees of private firms receive adequate training and oversight. The U.S. military is increasingly giving such businesses more responsibility in Iraq -- including jobs that U.S. troops have traditionally done. Hear NPR's Eric Westervelt.

In 1994, amid a mass slaughter that left about 800,000 people dead in Rwanda, another 250,000 were raped. The Rwandan government now finds it easier to win confessions for the killings than for the sex crimes. Michael Kavanagh reports.

As the United States reports the death of another soldier in Iraq, the head of a visiting U.N. delegation says security must improve if the country is to hold general elections by January. The U.S. military has accepted responsibility for the shooting deaths early this month of two Arabic television reporters, but insists the incident was an accident. Hear NPR's Ivan Watson.

Eric Clapton once wrote that Robert Johnson's best songs have "never been covered by anyone else, at least not very successfully — because how are you going to do them?" Now the rock guitarist has recorded Me and Mr. Johnson, a CD of the legendary bluesman's works that Clapton calls a labor of love.

During World War II, Italian Catholic priest Don Aldo Brunacci helped save more than 200 Jews. Brunacci says the Nazi's brutal Italian campaign actually helped his efforts to save Jews. Last week, Brunacci -- now 90 -- received a humanitarian award at the Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. He speaks with NPR's Bob Edwards.

A Web site is raising alarm about the chemical compound dihydrogen monoxide. The odorless, colorless substance is abundantly available in liquid, solid and gaseous form. Scientists agree that there is no good way to get rid of it. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with professor Tom Way of Villanova University. He maintains a web site with information for people concerned about the substance.