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Numerous levees have already failed to hold back floodwaters in parts of the Midwest this week. The federal government says many more are likely to be topped. Engineering experts agree the nation's levee system needs a second look. Adriene Hill of Chicago Public Radio reports.

Updating the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is one of Congress's top priorities in 2008. FISA, as the law is known, generally tells the president that he must have a court order to spy on Americans in the United States.

- Daniel speaks with investigative reporter Scott Armstrong about the nature of FBI background checks. The FBI has over 3 million files on a wide range of people from top presidential aides to low level workers who have access to certain government offices. Armstrong argues that the creation of these files is a waste of money and time, particularly considering that very little relevant information is uncovered by background checks.

President Clinton urged what he called a "spirit of reconciliation" today in a speech at a prayer breakfast at the White House. As NPR's Mara Liasson reports, Mr. Clinton called on Americans to heal divisions caused by politics, race and other factors. The president said his top priorities for his second term are education, welfare, family values, the economy and foreign policy.

NPR's Andy Bowers reports from Moscow that President Boris Yeltsin has ordered his entire cabinet to resign, except for the top two men. Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin and his deputy Anatoly Chubais will stay on to form a new government. Giving control to Chernomyrdin and Chubais is seen as an attempt by Yeltsin to gain control of the Russian economy and push for economic reforms begun in the early 90's.

Liane speaks with NPR's Mark Schramm about the 31st Super Bowl contest, to be held tonight in New Orleans. The New England Patriots and the Green Bay Packers are vying for football's top honor. Liane and Mark discuss team strategy, the news about Patriot's coach Bill Parcells (who may jump to another team after the game) and the hoopla surrounding the game and the television broadcast.

Noah talks to NPR's Peter Overby about a recently released top ten list of zip codes-- pointing out where people live who have given the most to presidential campaigns. Four of those zip codes are on the upper east side of Manhattan and one of the zip codes is 90210. Peter Overby talks about who lives in these places, and why they give.

Host Liane Hansen is joined by David Corn of The Nation agazine and Kate O'Beirne (O-BURN) of The National Review magazine in a iscussion of the week's top news events, including, the American cruise issile attacks in Iraq, the public admission by Russian President Boris eltsin that he will undergo heart surgery, and how Bob Dole and President linton will incorporate good news on the economy into their campaigns for the hite House.

NPR's Mary Kay Magistad tells Linda that China's top leaders have returned to Beijing unexpectedly from trips to other parts of the country, possibly in response to UNconfirmed news about the health of 92-year-old Deng Xiaoping (duhng shee-yow PEENG). The patriarch of the Chinese leadership is 92 years old and has been in frail health for some years.

The White House announced today that two National Security Council aides were informed by the FBI last summer that China might try to make illegal campaIGN contributions to Congressional races. The aides also were told not to pass the information on to their superiors in the Clinton administration. President Clinton says top-level White House and National Security officials will investigate. NPR's Mara Liasson reports.