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Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), head of the Foreign Relations Committee, holds hearings this week on the Bush administration's plan to transfer political power to Iraqis by a June 30 deadline. Some expert witnesses doubt the administration's ability to pull off a smooth and secure transfer of power. NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports.

Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry says President George Bush has provided more talk than action on increasing the security of the United States. Kerry made the assertion during remarks to the International Association of Fire Fighters, a 263,000-member union that has endorsed Kerry. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

The House of Representatives votes to increase the maximum fine for "indecent" content broadcast on radio or television. If approved by the Senate and the president, the maximum fine would jump from $27,500 to $500,000 for a broadcast outlet. Fines for on-air employees would also be raised to $500,000. NPR'S Larry Abramson reports.

Astronomers unveil a new image taken with the Hubble Space Telescope that reveals the deepest look ever at distant and ancient galaxies, providing a glimpse of the universe as it appeared shortly after the big bang. The image was released at an event designed to rally support for efforts to save Hubble, which is slated for early retirement in 2006. NPR's David Kestenbaum reports.

The papers of the late Supreme Court Justice Harry Blackmun, now public, show how the justice's legal opinions on the death penalty changed during his 24-year tenure on the high court. NPR's Nina Totenberg reports.

Shiite militias in the southern Iraqi port city of Basra have been patrolling the streets and cracking down on the sale of music, pornography and alcohol. Many residents now fear criticizing the city's Islamic parties, and British forces occupying the area worry the militias are undermining their activities. NPR's Ivan Watson reports.

As the transfer of sovereignty in Iraq inches closer, U.S. soldiers starting to pull out are leaving behind subtle cultural influences. In Iraqi shops, shelves are dominated by heavy metal and rap music, Playboy magazines and U.S. Army Meals-Ready-to-Eat. NPR's Ivan Watson reports.

More than 200,000 Iraqi men have signed up for the nation's new security force despite the deaths of at least 300 police in the wake of the U.S.-led effort to oust Saddam Hussein. And for the first time, Iraqi women are seeking police jobs. NPR's Deborah Amos reports.

While public places are required by law to be accessible to people with disabilities, religious sanctuaries are not. NPR's Joseph Shapiro reports on one woman's attempt to get houses of worship to open their doors to the disabled.

Some Florida state legislators announce that they regret their votes last year that kept alive an incapacitated woman, against court orders and her husband's wishes. They say they voted under pressure and are refusing to support those who want to make the law apply to others in Florida. NPR's Phillip Davis reports.