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NPR's Michel Martin speak with writer Les Standiford about his new book, Battle for the Big Top: P.T. Barnum, James Bailey, John Ringling, and the Death-Defying Saga of the American Circus.

During a heated Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday, Sen. Mark Warner described the actions of the nation's top intelligence officials as "sloppy, careless, incompetent behavior.

The dark comedy by David Hare chronicles the tangle of diplomatic maneuvers leading to the war. It hints that President Bush and top advisers intended to invade Iraq even before the Sept. 11 attacks.

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.

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.

The pop songwriter says she wants her album, Tennessee Christmas, "to feel like a good, steady companion, whether you're at the top of your game or struggling."

Jocelyn Wiener’s neighbor is over-the-top with his Christmas light display. So is her children’s joy in the spectacle.