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In Louisiana, Democrat Mary Landrieu faces Republican Suzy Terrell in a runoff election for a U.S. Senate seat. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with political writer Jeff Crouere.

Latino students make up the largest minority group of America's school-age population -- and there's broad consensus in research and policy circles that public schools are not doing a good job of meeting their needs. In the first of a five-part special report on U.S. Latinos and education, NPR's Claudio Sanchez reports from Gainesville, Ga., on one community's efforts to educate the area's burgeoning Hispanic population.

Police in Columbus, Ohio, spent Monday reviewing video footage, trying to figure out who was involved in a riot Saturday night. The disturbance broke out after the Ohio State football team secured a spot in the national championship game. It was just one of three violent incidents following college games this weekend -- others occurred in Berkeley, Calif., and in North and South Carolina. Robert Seigel speaks with Ohio State University President Karen Holbrook about her school's response to the incident.

Earlier this month, the United Nations voted to condemn the United States' economic embargo against Cuba for the 11th year in a row. The United States will undoubtedly ignore the resolution, citing Cuba as a sponsor of terrorism, where basic rights such as freedom of expression are not respected. Last May, island dissidents demanded such rights via a first-ever citizens petition, but Castro's government has still not responded. And now the dissidents themselves are beginning to quarrel among themselves. Gerry Hadden has the story from Havana.

President Bush today signed the law creating a vast new federal department to oversee security efforts within the 50 states. The new entity will include nearly two dozen agencies and more than 170,000 employees -- and it will take time to achieve the information sharing and coordination that are its main goals. NPR's Pam Fessler reports from the White House.

NPR's Larry Abramson reports on the Total Information Awareness program. The project is intended to develop a method of tracking individuals' transactions for clues to a planned terrorist attack. The Pentagon's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is in charge of the project.

Supporters of two Illinois National Guard pilots accused of manslaughter in a friendly-fire incident say the government is bowing to political pressure from Canada, whose soldiers were fired upon in Afghanistan by U.S. planes. Four Canadians were killed and eight wounded. Charges are rare in friendly-fire incidents, even when those incidents result in death. Reporter Kelly McEvers has more.

Reversing a policy it has enforced for more than a generation, the Federal Election Commission says candidates for federal office may pay themselves a limited salary from their campaign funds. NPR's Peter Overby reports.

The latest James Bond film, Die Another Day made a reported $47 million at the box office over the weekend. If your $8.50 was among those millions, you saw Pierce Brosnan in the starring role. And if you watched closely, you also might also have caught a glimpse Richard Cohen -- an experienced fencer brought in as an extra. Richard Cohen is the author of then new book BY THE SWORD: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions. (Random House)

Federal authorities charge three men with running an identity theft scheme in which credit information was stolen from more than 30,000 victims across the country. Authorities say financial losses of more $2.7 million have already been substantiated. NPR's Chris Arnold reports.

Donald McCaig describes the hunter's moon -- a time when he butchers animals and treats the meat.

Tree sitting has become an increasingly common form of environmental protest. In southern California, a professional tree sitter is occupying a 400-year-old oak, trying to stop the bulldozers. In northern California, a whole sub-culture has arisen to serve the dozens of people sitting in trees. Reporter Jason Margolis climbed a tree near Freshwater, Calif.

Jacki Lyden talks to Richard Baker, Senate historian, about an 18th-century Senate ledger that was misplaced for over a century. It contains notations from several of the founding fathers, including Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. The ledger was almost tossed in the garbage as the Capitol was being demolished for remodeling.

President Bush names former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to head an independent panel to investigate the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The panel will spend the next 18 months examining aviation security, border issues and intelligence breakdowns. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

Duncan Sheik burst onto the music scene in 1997 with his hit single "Barely Breathing," and garnered rave reviews for his own brand of folk-tinged pop music. For his fourth record, Daylight, New York-based Sheik — singer, songwriter, composer, producer and guitarist — dares to rock out a little more than usual. He talks to NPR's Jacki Lyden.

Republican leaders promise to make oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a key part of the national energy policy debate next year. Conservationists promise to fight the proposal -- and some wish they could call on Mardy Murie for help. NPR's Howard Berkes profiles one of the nation's greatest champions of wild areas, now 100 years old. View a photo galley and video of highlights from Murie's life.

Commentator Andrei Codrescu provides a sinister, funny view of airline passengers roaming airports searching for juice for their laptops and other electronic equipment, moving like vampires hungry for blood. He is one of them.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr says that Kissinger's role as the head of an investigation is a familiar one, and he can be expected to ensure that the Bush administration does not suffer any serious embarrassment as a result of the new commission's investigation.

President Bush names former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to head an independent investigation into intelligence failures before the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The panel will spend the next 18 months examining aviation security, border issues and intelligence breakdowns. Hear NPR's Don Gonyea.

To discuss former Secretary of State Kissinger's background, Robert Siegel talks with Walter Isaacson, author of Kissinger: A Biography. Isaacson is also CEO of CNN.