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President Bush releases his plan to overhaul the Medicare system. The proposal includes prescription drug coverage for seniors who change to a privatized health plan, but some lawmakers say seniors who want to keep traditional Medicare should get more drug coverage than what the plan offers. NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports.

Over the past two years, no fewer than four scripts about Alexander the Great have been in pre-production at four different studios. This example of the duplication of story ideas leads to frequent battles in Hollywood. Host Liane Hansen speaks with Peter Bart, editor of Variety magazine.

President Bush warns a war against Iraq could take longer than some predict. Initial strikes include about 40 Tomahawk cruise missiles and four precision-guided bombs. In northern Iraq, residents flee in fear of possible Iraqi retaliation by chemical weapons. Hear NPR's Tom Gjelten and NPR's Ivan Watson.

The snow is melting, flocks of birds are returning to their summer homes, and folks are drinking green beer... Spring is in the air! That calls for another blast of annoying music, courtesy of Jim Nayder, exclusive consultant on music of mass destruction for NPR's Weekend Edition Saturday. Listen to four truly awful recordings, and hear more seasonally bad music.

Jazz critic Kevin Whithead reviews Humidity, the new CD by drummer Matt Wilson.

As war looms closer in Iraq, growing numbers of Iraqis are fleeing their country. Many are going to neighboring Jordan, uncertain when they will be able to return to their homes. NPR's Jackie Northam reports from Amman.

On the eve of a likely invasion of Iraq, NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Max Boot of the Council on Foreign Relations about the history of casualties in war. In Vietnam, the United States lost more than 58,000 soldiers. In the 1991 Persian Gulf War, 147 were killed on the battlefield. Many Americans have come to expect fewer casualties to be the norm for conflicts. Boot is the author of The Savage Wars of Peace: Small Wars and the Rise of American Power. We also hear from people in San Diego, Cleveland and Austin about what they expect will be the number of battlefield deaths if war occurs.

NPR's regular program schedule was pre-empted by NPR News Special Coverage of the war in Iraq. Audio for the day beginning at noon ET is available at the link below.

President Bush returned from his one day trip across the Atlantic last night, and this morning the White House announced he would address the nation tonight at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The president is expected to give Saddam Hussein one last chance to leave Iraq, with the promise of military action to follow should he not leave. NPR's Melissa Block talks with NPR's Brian Naylor at the White House.

On NBC's Meet the Press, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld says some American soldiers are missing, but does not provide details. Rumsfeld warns Iraqi leaders "it is illegal" under international law to humiliate prisoners of war. Hear NPR's Tom Gjelten.