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Senate hearings cast light on systemic problems within the U.S. military structure that may have contributed to the abuse of Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib. Testimony from top U.S. officials and military commanders suggests a lack of defined leadership, poor communication within the chain of command and confusion over rules for interrogating prisoners. Hear NPR's Jackie Northam.

U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi, who was tasked with leading the formation of Iraq's new interim government, says he did not get his choice for candidates to fill some top spots. But he says comments he made Wednesday calling U.S. civilian administrator Paul Bremer "the dictator in Iraq" were in jest. Brahimi talks with NPR's Steve Inskeep.

For most of the 1980s, Naomi Judd and her daughter Wynonna were the top country music duo. In the late 1990s, Judd was diagnosed with hepatitis C and told she had just a few years to live. Judd documents her miraculous recovery, and offers advice to others with the disease, in her new book, Naomi's Breakthrough Guide: 20 Choices to Transform Your Life. NPR's Bob Edwards speaks with Judd.

One of the top priorities before Congress adjourns for the holidays is a bill that would prevent more than 20 million middle-class Americans from having to pay the alternative minimum tax in 2008. The Senate recently approved a repair to the rule, but neglected to pay for it with spending cuts.

In January 2003, U.S. Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA) took over as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee and, as the ranking member, was briefed in February 2003 on the existence of videotapes of CIA interrogations.

The latest issue of Blender magazine includes a piece titled "White House DJ," which features lists of the top 10 favorite songs of presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama. Jonathan Schwartz talks about the candidates' selections, as well as their only commonality: Frank Sinatra.

National Hockey League management locks out players over a dispute on salaries. The confrontation may not end until players accept that hockey, as a professional sport, is not a top-tier sport like football and basketball. The league, after years of trying to promote itself as another "big time" sport, wants to reduce its ambitions and its economics. Hear Michele Norris and Wall Street Journal sportswriter Stefan Fatsis.

The $200 plate of french fries are made with champagne and truffles and topped with gold dust.

NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Charles Duelfer, who served as deputy executive chairman of the U.N. Special Commission on Iraq (UNSCOM) from 1993 to 2000, about the additional $600 million the Bush administration is seeking for the continuing search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. The money is part of the $87 billion request that Bush has already put before Congress, and comes on top of the $300 million already spent in the weapons search.

Junior Senior's single "Move Your Feet" has spent nine weeks on Britain's top 10 pop charts and sold more than 200,000 copies. Now the Danish musical duo hopes to take America by storm. Their CD, Don't Stop the Beat, makes its U.S. debut Tuesday. Charles de Ledesma reports.