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Initial clues in the investigation of the break-up of the space shuttle Columbia suggest there may have been a problem with the tiles that protect the spacecraft against the heat of re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Meanwhile, searchers are scouring a wide area of East Texas and Louisiana for shuttle wreckage. NPR's Richard Harris and Wade Goodwyn report.

Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the U.N. nuclear agency, and chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix arrive in Baghdad for talks with Iraqi officials. They are expected to warn Iraq that it must cooperate more intensely with arms inspectors. Hear NPR's Kate Seelye and Walter Russell Mead of the Council on Foreign Relations.

With the 108th Congress less than two weeks old, new lawmakers in both houses settle in and prepare for next week's State of the Union speech. NPR's Bob Edwards talks to Sens. Mark Pryor (D-AK) and John Sununu (R-NH).

The case of the family found dead on a hiking trail in August had perplexed investigators and the public. On Thursday, Sheriff-Coroner Jeremy Briese confirmed the cause of death.

In Beijing, Assistant U.S. Secretary of State James Kelly continues efforts to end the impasse over North Korea's nuclear program. The United States wants China, North Korea's closest ally, to pressure Pyongyang to give up its nuclear ambitions. Anthony Kuhn reports.

The Food and Drug Administration suspends more than two dozen gene-therapy studies after a second child in a French genetic experiment is diagnosed with leukemia. Hear NPR's Bob Edwards and Richard Knox.

Government lawyers on the Enron Task Force are stepping up prosecution following the holidays. The so-called "superseding indictment" could bring additional charges against Enron's Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow. It could also name new defendants. NPR's Wade Goodwyn reports.

Homeland Security nominee Tom Ridge appears at a Senate confirmation hearing Friday. Ridge is expected to win approval but will likely face questions about the administration's spending plans for homeland security. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

U.N. weapons inspectors in Iraq examine the 11 empty chemical warheads they discovered at an ammunition storage area. Iraq insists the weapons are old. NPR's Tom Gjelten and NPR's Mike Shuster explore the significance of the find and the potential for war.

The SEC takes up several proposals aimed at restoring investor confidence, approving new rules governing the relationship between accounting firms and the companies they audit. Commissioners will also vote on a rule requiring mutual fund companies to reveal how they vote on shareholder disputes. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.