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Before Hurricane Katrina hit land, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, FEMA Director Michael Brown and other top agency officials received e-mails warning that Katrina posed a dire threat to New Orleans and other areas. Yet one FEMA official tells NPR little was done.

"Colors" is the buoy that floats to the top of Smith's new record: It's an up-tempo jaunt that illustrates one side of a long-distance relationship, not lamenting the isolation but instead looking fixedly to the future. Both a plea for the separation to end and a promise to remain steadfast, "Colors" is at least as much a ballad of heartfelt yearning as it is a stomp-and-swagger jam.

Walker's sweet tenor carries an edge of pain, as well as affection for blue notes. His blues music isn't just about guitars and drums, just as it isn't about the torn jeans and unshaven face he presents on his Web site. Topping off that hobo look is a fedora with a sharp crease — a cool, nostalgic hat that's the sartorial equivalent of "I Got a Song."

The Stars and Stripes has been a staple of wartime since World War I, bringing soldiers news from home and the battlefront. The newspaper strives to provide an independent voice while under military control. Some readers and even some of its reporters have claimed the paper is too cozy with the military, while many in the top brass say it's too hostile. NPR's Bob Edwards reports.

Retired Gen. Anthony Zinni says Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and his top aides should be held responsible for failing to plan for Iraq's reconstruction after the U.S.-led war. Hear NPR's Steve Inkseep's extended interview with the former U.S. Central Command chief.

Actor Jack Palance, known for his haltingly intense speaking style and dozens of roles in Western and noir films, has died. After years of playing the heavy in Hollywood, Palance became a hit in comedy films late in life. At 70, he won an Oscar for his over-the-top role in the Billy Crystal film City Slickers.

The Senate Banking Committee grills top regulators and several of the nation's largest lenders about problems with sub-prime mortgages — and what regulators did and did not do to address them. About 14 percent of outstanding subprime loans are now delinquent by 30 days or more.

Hayes Carll made a stir in Americana music with his self-released 2004 album, Little Rock. Music critic Robert Christgau says that Carll has matured some since then, and that maturity sounds good on him. Carll is good for a laugh, but Christgau says his sensitive side puts his new album, Trouble In Mind, over the top.

Boise State Public Radio has launched a redesigned website that features a number of enhancements for our digital audience.

The latest report from climate scientists provides a stark warning about how fast the planet is changing. Here are the top takeaways.