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President Bush nominates federal appeals Judge Michael Chertoff to head the Department of Homeland Security. Chertoff headed the Justice Department's criminal division from 2001 to 2003. Bush's choice comes after former New York police commissioner Bernard Kerik withdrew his name from consideration. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

An Australian held at the detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, says he and other detainees are being physically and psychologically abused. David Hicks filed an affidavit in federal court alleging detainees were beaten while handcuffed and blindfolded. NPR's Jackie Northam reports.

A new report from the National Research Council says it is safe to ingest perchlorate -- a chemical linked to decreased thyroid function and found in drinking water in more than 35 states -- at doses 20 times greater than the "reference dose" currently proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency. Hear NPR's Jon Hamilton.

Performance Today celebrates the birthday of Scottish poet and musician Robert Burns with poetry, fiddle tunes and a recipe for the Scottish delicacy haggis. Scotsman Robert Simpson recites an ode to the Scottish sausage and gives his favorite recipe for the dish.

In the first press conference of his second term, President Bush encourages Iraqis to vote in the Jan. 30 election despite potential attacks from insurgents. The president touched on a range of issues from violence in Iraq to how he plans to implement his call to spread freedom around the world.

With hints of Django Reinhardt, Dixieland Jazz and French pop songs from the 1930s, the band Paris Combo has a knack for making the old new again. NPR's Renee Montagne talks with them about their unique sound, their musical inspirations and the Paris music scene.

The Environmental Protection Agency has offered the nation's factory farms a four-year immunity from air pollution laws if they agree to participate in the agency's study of the farms' airborne emissions. Activist groups are calling the plan a delaying tactic.

Architect Philip Johnson's imaginative and sometimes controversial designs shaped the American skyline. He helped create the "glass box" skyscraper that became modern architecture of the 1950s, '60s and '70s. He was 98.

In 1995, Republicans brought forth the Contract with America, a wide-reaching agenda at a time when the party had gained control of the House. Ten years later the contract has a mixed legacy. NPR's Brian Naylor reports.

In 1961, Wilbert Rideau killed a woman in Lake Charles, La. He's since become an award-winning prison journalist. This week, Rideau went on trial for the killing for a fourth time, hoping a jury will free him. NPR's Laura Sullivan reports.