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Linda talks to Bashraheel Bashraheel, a reporter for the Al Ayyaam newspaper in Yemen, who saw the aftermath of the explosion that killed four American sailors aboard the U.S.S. Cole. The Navy destroyer was refueling in a Yemeni port when the explosion occurred this morning. Bashraheel describes the port, the ship, and the condition of the sailors aboard. And he fills us in on additional information about the investigation that is being conducted by the U.S. and Yemeni authorities.

Anne Sutton from member station KTOO reports on a tax revolt of sorts in Alaska. The state has the lightest tax burden in the nation. But property owners say they still suffer under the weight of excessive property taxes...They've successfully placed an initiative to cap property taxes on next month's ballot. (4:53).

The new film from British director Terrence Davies - his adaptation of Edith Wharton's satire of the rich - opens in theaters today. It stars Gillian "X-Files" Anderson as a beautiful young woman undone by high society in turn-of-the-last-century Manhattan. The film has been praised by critics and is already a hit in Britain. David D'Arcy reports.

NPR's Mark Roberts reports on the difficulty many small towns have recruiting volunteer firefighters. Many potential volunteers must commute to other areas for work, and are unable to respond quickly to emergency calls. Others find the demand on their personal time hard to deal with. Some municipalities are adding to a few paid firefighters to their volunteer staffs, but even that solution has its drawbacks.

NPR's Sarah Chayes reports on the launch of Europe's Airbus Industrie's A-380 super-jumbo jetliner. The 555-passenger jet will surpass Boeing Co.'s 747 as the world's largest passenger plane. The Clinton administration says the government-subsidized loans to Airbus for the A-380 violates trade agreements and is planning to take the issue to the World Trade Organization.

NPR's David Kestenbaum reports that the Agriculture Department has created national standards for organic foods. A new USDA Organic seal will be given to foods produced WITHOUT genetically modified seeds, growth hormones, and other processes associated with traditional food products. Government officials say the new organic rules are among the toughest in the world, but some farmers say they may be bad for business.

For NPR news, Gina Wilkinson reports Thailand's next election may be a test of the country's political legitimacy. Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has tried to promote a new era of clean politics but his legacy is threatened. Taskin Shinawatra, a telecommunications tycoon and one of the richest men in Thailand is ahead in the opinion polls. For the people of Thailand this could mean that economic stability is more important than a government free of corruption.

NPR's David Kestenbaum reports on the Queen's English. Today Queen Elizabeth delivers her annual Christmas address and according to the journal, Nature, her accent is not what it used to be. Her vowels are closing and she's starting to sound a bit more like a commoner. It is unlikely that her accent will slip much further but whether the Queen's English will be retained for future generations is still unclear.

For years, Japan has been trying to gain a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council. NPR's Eric Weiner reports that the current Japanese government is pushing even harder. They believe that Japan's chances have now improved, due in part to its greater engagement in the international community.

NPR's Eric Westervelt reports that organized labor is adopting a wait-and-see attitude toward the new Bush Administration. Unions may get an indication of the administration's intentions when Labor Secretary Elaine Chao addresses the AFL-CIO today in Los Angeles.