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Students at Harvard rallied today to demand "a living wage" of $10.25 an hour for the university's lowest paid workers. Their week long sit-in has attracted support from the state's two Democratic senators, as well as national union officials and the NAACP. NPR's Philip Martin has a report.

David Schaper of member station WBEZ in Chicago reports that gas prices are up sharply in the Midwest, rising $.20 or more in the past two weeks.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission meets tomorrow to consider a plan to ease California's power crisis. The commission may back off from its opposition to electricity price caps by approving temporary caps during power emergencies. NPR's Richard Gonzales reports.

Robert Siegel talks with Mike Moore, attorney general for Mississippi, about the settlement of a lawsuit against the state of Mississippi. The lawsuit was brought by a group of African-Americans trying to improve the academic programs at Mississippi's black universities.

NPR's Jackie Northam reports from Davenport, Iowa as it braces against rising floodwaters of the Mississippi River. Residents of Davenport have chosen not to build a permanent floodwall and now federal officials say taxpayers shouldn't have to rescue their riverfront.

Sotheby's auction house has 151 items of Chinese propaganda art for sale from the era of Mao Tse-tung. (2:00) Sotheby's Web site.

The City of Oakland, California will vote on a proposal tonight that would require the city to hire a certain number of bilingual workers. The ordinance, if passed, will require certain departments to hire people that speak either English and Spanish or English and Chinese. Robert Siegel speaks with Oakland City Council President Ignacio de la Fuente, he is a co-author of the proposal.

Robert Siegel speaks with Latvian President Vaira Vike Freiberga whose country is facing a language question of its own. For many years, Latvia was a part of the Soviet Union and Russian became an official language. No longer, says the president, who is seeking to make fluency in Latvian a mandatory requirement for citizens. The Latvian leader is in Washington this week for talks with President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Among the items on the agenda: possible Latvian membership in NATO.

A New Zealand air force plane returned safely today to Christchurch after retrieving four ill Americans and seven other U.S. staffers from a frigid research station near Antarctica's coast. A second perilous rescue mission to the bottom of the world is now underway. An eight-seat Twin Otter plane has landed at the South Pole to evacuate a sick American doctor. Antarctica's harsh, dark winter conditions usually preclude flights in or out. NPR's Richard Harris reports.

Commentator Belle Waring says choosing a pet from an animal shelter can be a roll of the dice.