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The contemporary classical sextet eighth blackbird has drawn attention from both critics and audiences for their performance and repertoire. The group will have its Carnegie Hall debut on March 10. NPR's Jeffrey Freymann-Weyr 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.

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.

Five Shiite members of Iraq's governing council boycott a signing ceremony for the country's interim constitution. The Shiites want to change concessions made to Kurds and the proposed makeup of the presidency. An indefinite delay could prove embarrassing for U.S. authorities, who hailed the interim law as a milestone in Mideast democracy. Hear NPR's Ivan Watson.

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 United States and Britain failed to exercise "critical judgment" in going to war against Iraq a year ago despite the lack of hard evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, says Hans Blix, the former chief United Nations weapons inspector in Iraq. Blix discusses his new book, Disarming Iraq, in an extended interview with NPR's Bob Edwards.

Spaniards vote to remove Prime Minister Jose Maria Aznar's government from power in favor of the Socialist Party. Analysts say the result reflects anger over last week's deadly terrorist attacks in Madrid, which many blame on Aznar's support for the U.S.-led war in Iraq. Socialist leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero vows to remove Spanish troops from Iraq by the end of June. Hear NPR's Sylvia Poggioli.

Producer Roy Hurst offers a portrait of singer-songwriter and jazz legend Mose Allison.

In the late 1960s, Beach Boys legend Brian Wilson began work on an ambitious album called Smile. It was never released. Now Wilson is touring Europe, playing a 45-minute concert version of the music to high praise from critics. Hear "Surf's Up," a song originally recorded for Smile.

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.