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President Bush announces Environmental Protection Agency head Michael Leavitt as his choice for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Leavitt would take over the post vacated by outgoing Secretary Tommy Thompson. Hear NPR's Don Gonyea.

A bomb explodes in a shopping center in Jounieh, a Christian town near Beirut, killing at least two people and wounding five. It's the second deadly attack against an anti-Syrian stronghold in five days. Rami Khouri, executive editor of the Daily Star newspaper in Lebanon, discusses how the attacks affect the country's security situation.

New research shows that fish, birds and mammals in New England have significant amounts of mercury in their bodies. The reports find the toxic metal in some unexpected places -- such as mountaintops, in rare birds that live there. The findings suggest that power plants in the Midwest are a major source of mercury for the Northeast.

Syria agrees to pull back 14,000 troops from Lebanon by the end of March, but no timetable has been set for a complete Syrian pullout. Meanwhile, the political arm of Hezbollah calls for further demonstrations in Beirut's Martyrs' Square -- to show support for Syria's military presence in Lebanon.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist hears oral arguments for the first time since announcing in October that he'd been diagnosed with thyroid cancer. The first argument Rehnquist heard was one testing liability in attacks on those who have gotten restraining orders.

The Government Accountability Office says dozens of people whose names are on terrorism watch lists were able to buy guns in the U.S. legally last year. Gun control supporters say the report underscores the need to tighten requirements for gun purchases.

Sony names a non-Japanese official to be its new chairman and chief executive -- a first for a major Japanese electronics company. British-born, U.S. citizen Howard Stringer helped revive Sony's entertainment business. Current CEO Nobuyuki Idei plans to retire next year after the company's 60th anniversary.

The Space Shuttle Discovery could be ready to fly by this May. It would be the first launch since the shuttle Columbia broke apart upon its return to Earth two years ago. Commander Eileen Collins discusses the mission, including plans to test methods to patch holes in the shuttle's heat shield during orbit.

The 62nd annual Golden Globe Awards were held in Beverly Hills last night. Acting winners included Leonardo DiCaprio, Hilary Swank, Jamie Foxx and Annette Bening. Sideways and The Aviator won the top film awards. Clint Eastwood was named best director for Million Dollar Baby.

Russian investigators say they've found traces of explosives in the wreckage of one of two passenger jets that crashed nearly simultaneously Tuesday. Russian officials say terrorism may have caused at least one of the crashes, as an obscure militant group claims responsibility. Hear NPR's Lawrence Sheets.