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NPR's Brian Naylor reports on Attorney General John Ashcroft's first news conference since taking office. Ashcroft, whose treatment of a black judge was an issue in his confirmation, highlighted his plans for civil rights. Ashcroft said enforcing laws against discrimination is one of his three priorities. He did not confirm or deny news reports that Atlanta lawyer Larry Thompson and Washington attorney Theodore Olson are in line for top jobs at the Justice Department.

The fine art of "hacking," or elaborate practical joking, is a storied tradition at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Students at M.I.T. have perched a life-size police car on top of a domed building, wrapped an enormous jock strap around the athletic center, and performed a host of other diabolical pranks. Liane speaks with the school's Assistant Safety Officer, David Barber, who is in charge of dismantling these pranks the next day.

Look at Patrick Kruger's house and you see the bottom of his tree through a window, and the top pushing through a damaged roof. Kruger was actually having a little fun. He broke his 14-foot tree in two and used building materials to create the illusion.

Paul Bremer, the top U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq, visits the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in his first official visit outside of Baghdad since arriving in the country last week. Bremer denies reports that the United States plans to postpone the formation of an interim Iraqi government, but does not give a firm date for its creation. Hear NPR's Guy Raz.

A top commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq says troops have recovered "documentary evidence" that the country's former regime had an active chemical and biological weapons program. But Lt. Gen. William Wallace says no signs have surfaced that Saddam Hussein's forces deployed the banned weapons for use against U.S. forces. NPR's Eric Westervelt reports.

The Onion bills itself as American's Finest News Source, though its brand of news is far from the "real" variety. Recent headlines include: "Cat General Says War On String May Be Unwinnable," and "Miracle of Birth Occurs for 83 Billionth Time." Now a daily audio version is zooming to the top of iTunes' list of most-downloaded podcasts.

The cost of rebuilding the Gulf Coast after the hurricane could top $200 billion -- roughly the same cost of the Iraq war. But President Bush says the money to pay for it should come from spending cuts, not new taxes.

Novelist Tim LaHaye is the co-author of the popular Left Behind series. The books are apocalyptic Christian thrillers. The tenth and latest book is The Remnant, which debuted at the top of the New York Times bestseller list. LaHaye is also the former co-chairman of Jack Kemp's presidential campaign, was on the original board of directors of the Moral Majority and was an organizer of the Council for National Policy which has been called "the most powerful conservative organization in America you've never heard of."

A soon-to-be released book by journalist Bob Woodward -- of Watergate fame -- says President Bush asked top military leaders to plan for war in Iraq even as U.S. soldiers were attacking the Taliban in Afghanistan. The allegations were largely confirmed by the White House press secretary. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

Evidence before the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks reveals that, in the months before the attacks, intelligence reports suggesting a major terrorist threat against U.S. interests surged. Reports also suggest top intelligence officials questioned the Bush administration's response to what's being dubbed the "summer of threat." Hear NPR's Pam Fessler.