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NPR's Richard Harris reports that the NASA investigation into Saturday's disintegration of the space shuttle Columbia is concentrating more closely on the landing gear compartment in the aircraft's left wing. There's increasing evidence that the problem started there. Before the spacecraft came apart, the left side of the shuttle, adjoining the wing, heated up by an alarming 60 degrees over a few minutes. The wheel well where the landing gear is stored during flight is especially vulnerable to heat.

The National Park Service unveils a plan to heighten security around Philadelphia's Independence Hall, home of the Liberty Bell. But some businesses and residents criticize the proposal, saying it prioritizes security over liberty. Joel Rose of member station WHYY reports.

The Bush administration proposes a plan that would use the gambling winnings of deadbeat parents to make up for unpaid child support. Under the plan, jackpot or ticket winners would be checked against a national database of deadbeat parents. NPR's Jack Speer reports.

The Supreme Court reviews a 1996 law that orders non-citizens convicted of some crimes to be held without bond while a court decides whether to deport them. Opponents say it violates due process. The government says it's needed for public safety. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports.

Today's transgenic (genetically modified) crops contain have been tinkered with in a relatively simple way. And there is no evidence that they pose any health risk. But scientists are now working on the much more complex modifications needed to enhance the nutritional value of food crop -- by increasing their vitamin content, for example. This could have unpredictable consequences. NPR's Eric Niiler reports.

NPR's Mara Liasson reports on the considerations being made by the Bush administration as it prepares to weigh in on the Supreme Court affirmative action case. The White House worked hard to limit fallout over the Trent Lott incident, and the decision to bring back the Judge Pickering nomination and join the white plaintiffs in the court case indicate that the administration feels the Lott controversy is behind them.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports that the Bush administration will weigh in on a critical affirmative action cases before the Supreme Court. The case involves a suit brought against the University of Michigan and its law school by white students who oppose the university's policy that gives minority students an advantage in applying for admission. The Bush administration is prepard to argue on behalf of the white plaintiffs.

Raquel Maria Dillon reports Boston area critics of the Roman Catholic Church have turned their sites north, to the Bishop of Manchester, New Hampshire. John McCormack was a top aid to Cardinal Bernard Law, who stepped down last month as a result of the priest sex abuse scandal. The protesters say McCormack is also to blame for the abuse, and they want him to step down.

A new study in The Journal of the American Medical Association supports the "gateway drug theory," which states that early marijuana use increases the likelihood of using other drugs or becoming dependent on drugs or alcohol. NPR's Vicky Que reports.

Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) announces his bid for the Democratic nomination for president in 2004. Some ask whether he has the gravitas for the job. He's a self-made millionaire, a criminal defense lawyer and the first southerner to enter the race on the Democrats' side. NPR's Adam Hochberg reports.