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Throughout this campaign year, education has ranked among the top concerns of voters -- especially those suburban women who often cross party lines and decide electoral outcomes. NPR's David Welna went to the Chicago suburb of Arlington Heights to talk to moms with school-age children in a neighborhood George W. Bush visited this week.

Number 21 on the Billboard top 100 this week: India Arie, with her first CD, Acoustic Soul. She has drawn impressive comparisons to Roberta Flack, Tracy Chapman and Bill Withers. Reviewer Sarah Bardeen says that Arie deserves the success. India Arie's Acoustic Soul is on Motown Records.

Today President Bush conferred with China Vice Premier Qian Qichen -- the highest ranking official from Beijing since the administration took office. Qian's top priority is waylaying the proposed sale of advanced anti-missile technology to Taiwan. The Bush administration must decide next month whether to make the sale. Human rights was also a topic of discussion.

President Bush nominates Trade Representative Rob Portman as the White House budget director. Portman is a Washington insider and longtime friend of the president. Bush also selected Susan Schwab, the deputy trade representative, to move up to the top trade job, replacing Portman.

One of President Bush's top domestic priorities this year is health care. He frequently speaks about medical malpractice reform and is proposing a cap on non-economic damages. But some critics say those types of damages aren't the problem.

Two top executives and the outside auditor exit the federally backed mortgage giant Fannie Mae after the Securities and Exchange Commission finds fault with the company's accounting. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Mike McNamee of Business Week.

NPR's Howard Berkes reports on the women's bobsled competition for the 2002 Olympic in Salt Lake City. After competing in three Olympic competitions, Bonny Warner, one of the top American drivers, is making her last attempt to win an Olympic medal.

A miniature poodle is the upset winner of the nation's most prestigious dog show. Surrey Spice Girl, a 3 year old with black pompoms, beat out the favorites with her performance. Robert Siegel talks with Deborah Woods, author of Top Dogs: Making it to Westminster. Woods' book is published by Hungry Minds, January 2002.

Investigators looking into the space shuttle Columbia accident say NASA workers made safety a top priority, but may have become so comfortable with successful missions that they didn't keep track of small issues that can turn deadly. NPR's Richard Harris reports.

Mike Luckovich, the Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, got a behind-the-scenes look at the Pentagon this week. He was allowed to sit in on briefings with the defense secretary and top generals and came away with some surprising insights. Read his War Diary and see a sketch from his visit.