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Robert Siegel talks with Tian Tang, author of a Web site dedicated to the misuse of Chinese characters in Western culture. Tang posts photos of Chinese character tattoos that either contain errors or carry no meaning. Tang says as a Chinese American, he felt it was his "duty and honor to educate the public about the misusage of Chinese characters."

From the beginning, race has been part of the story of Hurricane Katrina. New Orleans' recovery has also become an issue of black and white. In this majority African American city, some people believe there is a hidden agenda to discourage some of them from returning home.

Marine Cpl. Joshua Snyder of Maryland died under enemy fire in Iraq. He was a good friend and high school teammate of Lance Cpl. Norman Anderson, a fallen Marine profiled by NPR last month. Friends and family are mourning the losses in Parkton, the men's hometown.

Jule Styne wrote some of the most popular songs in American history, including "Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow," and "Three Coins in a Fountain." Saturday, Dec. 31 marks the 100th anniversary of his birth.

West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin has appointed former federal mine safety official Davitt McAteer to head a special state investigation into conditions in the coal industry. The probe comes after an explosion at the Sago coal mine that killed 12 miners. Anna Sale of West Virginia Public Radio reports.

The classical music world had its share of high and low notes in 2005. The new year promises grand celebrations of Mozart's 250th birthday. What more is on the horizon? New Yorker music critic Alex Ross offers his insights.

Iran is giving the Hamas-led Palestinian government $50 million in aid. Renee Montagne speaks with reporter Roxana Saberi in Tehran about the donation's importance. They also talk about Iran's resistance to international pressure to stop its nuclear program.

Banks are raising their minimum monthly payments in January, a change intended to protect consumers from piling up credit card debts that can last for decades. But the higher minimums, along with interest rates that can be raised for late payments, mean consumers could be facing bigger credit card bills next year.

President Bush's nuclear agreement with India must first be approved by Congress, and lawmakers are uneasy about India's refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.

Hancock County, Miss., has 8,000 temporary FEMA trailers with electricity, water and sewer. These are small travel units, with a kitchen and a bathroom but no washer or dryer, so keeping a family in clean clothes means a visit to a crowded laundromat. Rich man, poor man -- quarters are what really count.