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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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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.