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NPR's Brian Naylor reports on the surprise announcement by Pennsylvania Congressman Bud Shuster that he will leave the House on January 31st. Shuster is a veteran Republican lawmaker who was forced by term limits to relinquish the chairmanship of the House Transportation Committee and one of the most powerful members of Congress. He was also one of the most investigated. He was rebuked by the ethics committee last year for "serious official misconduct" over his ties to a lobbyist.

NPR's Annie Wu reports on the discovery of ten plays by Zora Neale Hurston, the celebrated novelist who wrote "Their Eyes Were Watching God." The African-American writer is best known for her books and short stories, which capture the dialect, traditions, and history of southern blacks in the early 20th century. Hurston's plays follow in the same vein, and include songs she documented when she worked as an Anthropologist in Florida.

NPR's Jim Zarroli reports the debate over how to nudge the economy back toward growth is heating up. This week, the Federal Reserve cut interest rates in an effort to prevent the economy from slipping into a recession. Many economists see cutting rates as the quickest and most efficient way to stimulate a slumping economy. President-elect Bush, however, says the economy also faces long-term problems that can only be solved by his proposed tax cuts.

Livingston, Zambia (named after the famous explorer) is trying to reinvent itself. Located near the famous Victoria Falls, it wants to become a Mecca for environmental tourists. But the attempt is running into trouble; the same kind of trouble faced by everyone in Zambia. Malaria and AIDS are the main health problems, years of excessive government spending has created a huge debt, and the health issues and debt have combined to create serious poverty. NPR's Brenda Wilson reports.

Linda talks with Sam Walker, staff reporter for the Wall Street Journal about a series the paper is running on Florida's rise in sports prominence. Walker says Florida has become what is arguably the most dynamic sports landscape in the world. Four of this year's college football "bowl" teams are from the Sunshine State. And of late, Florida has been host to the Super Bowl and the World Series.

There's a new theory of how breast cancer works; it's the "on-off switch" theory. Up until now, most researchers have adhered to the "slowly increasing risk" theory, which suggests that the risk of breast cancer is low when a woman is young, and increases with age until menopause, when the risk levels off. But a harder look at the actual cases of breast cancer makes the "on-off switch" hypothesis more plausible. NPR's Joe Palca reports.

California's Public Utilities Commission is raising electricity rates for consumers and businesses to help two California utilities that are approaching bankruptcy because of the state's energy crisis. But the move has scant support. Consumer groups are angry, and the utilities say the temporary rate increases are much too small to revive their financial prospects. Utilities are again warning customers that rolling blackouts could be on the way. NPR's Elaine Korry reports.

President Bush today went a step further in defining what he means by "compassionate conservatism" -- creating a new White House office to support social welfare programs in the private sector. The new operation -- to be called the Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives -- has already attracted critics who question the use of public funds by religious organizations. NPR's White House Correspondent Don Gonyea reports.

Earlier this month, lawyers for a group of black employees - and former employees - of Microsoft accused the software giant of employment practices they say "border on corporate slavery." The suit seeks $5 billion in damages. Attorneys representing employers say this is the latest example of a trend in bias cases -- to constantly up the ante. Employers argue that the tactics are not only unfair to business, but may do more harm than good for diversity. NPR's David Molpus reports.

NPR's Peter Overby reports on today's introduction of the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform bill for the new Congress. Arizona Republican Senator John McCain is more confident of the bill's chances for passing this go around, as he has picked up a significant supporter in Republican Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi. Some of the bill's opponents were also defeated in the November 2000 elections. The bill threatens to pose the first major confrontation to the new Bush administration.