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You can lose your wallet, you can forget your PINs and passwords, but you can't lose your fingerprints or the sound of your voice. NPR's Dan Charles reports that new technologies are taking advantage of these built-in identifiers to develop fool-proof methods for making sure you are who you say you are. Some critics worry they also make it too easy to invade one's privacy.

Europe is suffering through extremely harsh weather conditions this week. NPR's Michael Goldfarb reports that the normal winter-time weather patterns have changed. This week, Europe is affected by cold winds blowing out of Russia. Temperatures in some areas have dropped to as low as 34 degrees below zero.

Executive Director of the Twentieth Century Fund task force that recommended changes in the presidential appointment process.

designed to educate teenage fathers about the responsibilities of parenthood. He profiles Bobby Verdugo of Bienvenidos Families, who encourages teen fathers to support their children, both financially and emotionally.

The Justice Department has turned down a third request for an independent counsel to investigate possible campaign finance violations involving former Democratic fundraiser John Huang. But NPR's Barbara Bradley reports that the Attorney General is referring the case to an internal Justice Department campaign finance task force. The Justice Department says the case does not meet the criteria of the Independent Counsel Act: It doesn't involve high administration officials and it doesn't create a conflict of interest for the Justice Department. Senator John McCain made the request, and says the decision not to appoint an independent counsel may make congressional hearings necessary.

Federal officials are warning people in California and other states that have legalized medicinal marijuana-smoking that the federal ban is still in effect. NPR's Chitra Ragavan reports that state proponents of decriminalizing marijuana say they hope the feds will decide not to enforce it. They say that's what happened in the days when states were repealing their liquor prohibition laws, but the federal ban had not, and the practical effect was to decriminalize alcohol.

NPR's Elizabeth Arnold talks with Robert about the year ahead for the 105th Congress. This new Congress is expected to have more willingness to compromise with the White House. The Senate is also expected to play a greater role in achieving Republican political goals, now that the House membership has become more bipartisan.

Of all the news stories of 1996, the standoff between the FBI and the Montana Freemen may rank as one of the most bizarre. On March 25th, a small group of anti-government protestors set up barricades and posted armed guards at an 850-acre ranch they called the "Justus Township" outside Jordan, Montana. Wanted for threatening public officials and writing bogus checks, the Freemen refused to give up. After 81 days, the group finally surrendered. But even behind bars, the Freemen remain defiant as ever. NPR's Mark Roberts reports.

to the business world by helping them become student entrepreneurs. He profiles a high-school senior who earns extra money as a D.J. When the student got involved in the University of California at Berkeley's entrepreneur program, he went from making 25-dollars a gig, to earning thousands of dollars a month.