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Chinese-born composer Tan Dun may be best known for his score to the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, which earned him a Grammy and an Oscar. His latest composition, Water Passion after Saint Matthew created in honor of J. S. Bach's 250th birthday, had its New York premiere last fall. Tan Dun employed the Dessoff Choirs -- an amateur group -- for the vocal work. Jeff Lunden, an independent producer, usually reports on music and culture from the vantage point of the audience. But for this story he provides NPR with a true inside look. Lunden sings tenor with the Dessoff Choirs.

For the past few years, Afghanistan has suffered from ongoing drought. So have the United States, central Asia and southern Europe. As NPR’s Richard Harris reports, new research now links these events -- and suggests global warming is at play.

The Pentagon and the Justice Department are negotiating the status of military detainees. At issue: whether the detainees can be used to help prosecute, or defend, other suspected terrorists. NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports.

The FAA orders spot checks on the weight of passengers on commuter planes to make sure estimates of average passenger weight are accurate. The ruling follows a fatal Jan. 8 crash in Charlotte, N.C. The plane may have been overloaded. NPR's Lynn Neary talks with New York Times aviation writer Matt Wald.

In preparation for the 2004 Olympics, more than 1,500 taxi drivers in Athens, Greece, are being sent to charm school, where they will be taught how to get along with international visitors.

In the first of three reports on how Americans feel about the state of the nation, John Ydstie speaks with residents of Westminster Village, a retirement community in Spanish Fort, Ala. All members of the group call themselves Republicans. War with Iraq is their main concern -- and some caution against going to war without being absolutely certain. They want to hear the president explain why there is a need for war. They also discuss the economy and health care.

Brian Mann of North Country Radio reports that hundreds of Pakistanis are fleeing to Canada, rather than registering with the U.S. government. Because they are not U.S. citizens, they fear they'll be detained or deported if they register. But their fate in Canada is far from assured.

NPR's Michele Norris talks with Michael Gross, author of Genuine Authentic -- The Story of Fashion Phenomenon Ralph Lauren. Gross explains how a boy born with the name Ralph Lifshitz reinvented himself and packaged and sold his new reality to America.

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.

Computer network administrators continue repairing damage done over the weekend by malicious software spread by the Internet. Desktop computers weren't damaged, but computer networks were clogged by the so-called "worm," and the damage could have been prevented. NPR's Richard Harris reports.