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He has been the Speaker of the House for more sessions of Congress than any previous Republican, but Rep. Dennis Hastert is far from a household name. One reason is that Rep. Tom DeLay called a lot of the shots. But another is that Hastert has been loath to cross swords with anyone -- until now.

The most anticipated collections of the year revisit the past and take us to the frontiers of language, borrowing from Twitter memes and overheard conversation, from the classics and bad movies.

A U.N. report on the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri implicates Syria in his death and raises more dark questions about Syrian involvement in Lebanon.

Geologists and other scientists warn that unless the wetlands that buffer New Orleans are rebuilt soon, the new New Orleans will get flooded again. At the same time, confusion surrounds exactly what should be done or how long it will take or cost.

President Bush was on the road Wednesday touting the $2.77 trillion budget he sent to Congress this week. The president found a receptive audience of business leaders in Manchester, N.H. But an independent survey of state voters at the end of December put Mr. Bush's approval rating at 36 percent.

The consensus seems to be that tonight's BCS championship game between No. 2 Alabama and No. 1 LSU will be a defensive struggle, similar to the touchdown-free game they played on Nov. 5. But while they field elite defenses, LSU and Alabama's squads have very different strengths.

Physicists are building a particle accelerator that will smash subatomic particles together with tremendous force. What they find may solve some fundamental mysteries about how the universe is constructed — IF everything works.

The reviewer offers summer reading options, including fiction, poetry and short-story collections. He suggests titles from Jane Alison, Arthur C. Clarke, William Carlos Williams and more.

West Virginia's coal mines are expected to temporarily shut down for safety reviews. West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin called for the halt in production after two miners were killed in separate incidents Wednesday. The state has seen 16 mine-related deaths since January. Anna Sale of West Virginia Public Broadcasting reports.

Actor Jeff Daniels has portrayed dozens of characters on stage and screen. His latest film role is a romantic comedy, The Answer Man. He plays an author who is supposed to have all the answers to life's important questions, but clearly does not.

The past week has brought big changes to CIA headquarters. Former CIA officials tell NPR that there's a growing sense of optimism for the future. In particular, they generally like the choice of Gen. Michael Hayden to lead the spy organization.

Ethnic tensions in North Carolina are on the rise as the state's Hispanic community has boomed. To foster understanding, a nongovernmental organization is sending local policy makers on trips to Mexico. Officials say the experience has helped them in their jobs.