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Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov says North Korea is a potentially greater threat than Iraq. Meanwhile, a Japanese newspaper reports that the government has plans to mobilize its military in the face of a possible missile launch by Pyongyang. NPR's Jacki Lyden talks to NPR's Rob Gifford.

NPR's Chris Joyce reports on what NASA learned from a study conducted after the space shuttle Challenger blew up in 1986 and what the findings might tell investigators about the disintegration of the shuttle Columbia on Saturday. A 1994 study by the engineering firm SAIC concluded that, aside from engine failure, the highest risk for a space shuttle is not from damage to heat protective tiles, but rather from failure of the auxiliary power units. The APU's run the hydraulics that, in turn, control steering during reentry into the atmosphere.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell insists the U.N. Security Council remain open to the possibility of using military force in Iraq. Powell's comments come amid growing international opposition to a war with Iraq. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

Amid the blizzard of new ads coming on Super Bowl Sunday, Sony tries a new approach. The company will try to sell its electronics products with an ad featuring singer Alana Davis -- and urge viewers to download Davis's version of the Crosby, Stills classic "Carry On" from the Internet for 99 cents. NPR's Laura Sydell reports.

Thousands of protesters attack the French embassy in Ivory Coast after African leaders, meeting in Paris, seal an agreement to end a four-month civil war in the West African nation. The protesters say the peace deal gives too much power to Ivory Coast rebels. NPR's Nick Spicer reports.

Rebel fighters attack U.S. and Afghan troops in the mountainous southeastern region of Afghanistan. It's the worst fighting there in months. U.S. military officials say at least 18 rebel fighters have died. NPR's Lynn Neary talks to New York Times reporter Carlotta Gall.

Each year, U.S. tourist attractions recruit thousands of foreign workers. But in some places --such as Lake Placid, N.Y. -- foreign workers aren't so welcome. Critics say the influx from abroad keeps wages low and makes it hard to earn a decent living. Brian Mann of North Country Public Radio reports.

President Bush's tax-cut plan revives debate about the fairness of the nation's tax system. By eliminating tax on stock dividends, the plan would give big savings to the wealthy. But supporters say an across-the-board cut would not be fair to those who are taxed at a higher percentage rate. NPR's Kathleen Schalch reports.

NPR's Gerry Hadden reports from Mexico City on efforts to fight the spread of the AIDS virus, especially among the migrant worker population. Six cross-border programs have been established to provide educational and other resources, but researchers say migrant laborers who contract the virus in the United States and then come home to their families, often spread the virus deep inside Mexico, to areas where there are no AIDS programs. The campaign to halt the spread of AIDS also is hindered by cultural taboos that make it difficult to educate the population and change people's behavior.

Frank Browning reports on the number two cancer killer in America -- colon cancer. More than 45-thousand Americans die from it every year. A study in the current issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association confirms that screening people over 50 for colorectal cancer saves lives. Malignancies are detected earlier, at a more treatable stage. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health and several private groups have launched an aggressive colon cancer prevention campaign. But it's been difficult to get people over 50 to get tested.