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Trombone star Fred Wesley, Jr. is best known for his work as a sideman with James Brown in the 1960s and 70s, but Wesley is also a legendary R&B, soul and funk veteran, whose musical career spans five decades. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with Wesley about the twists and turns of a long and storied career, which he explores in an autobiography called Hit Me, Fred, and subtitled "Recollections of a Sideman."

Host Lynn Neary talks with Jake Burton, owner of the Burton Snowboard Company about Craig Kelly, a champion snowboarder who was among those killed in an avalanche in British Columbia this week. Kelly was a pioneer snowboarder and four-time world champ. Many consider him the best snowboarder of all time.

A newly publicized study suggests that 40 percent of nuns in the United States have experienced some form of sexual trauma -- in some cases, at the hands of other clergy. NPR's Greg Allen reports.

Germany and France stake out a "European position" on Iraq. French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder at a summit underscore their commitment to avoiding war with Iraq. Hear NPR's Nick Spicer, and NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Karsten Voigt at the German foreign affairs ministry.

NPR's Guy Raz reports from London that Britain's Conservative Party is having trouble challenging Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair. Since Blair moved into #10 Downing Street, the Tories have been stuck in the opposition. Political analysts credit Blair with co-opting Conservative issues and moving Labour toward the center.

Host Lynn Neary talks about the anti-abortion movement among college students with Molly Bowman, a junior at U.C. Berkeley and President of Berkeley Students for Life. She's also the director of the Bay Area chapter of the organization.

The Securities and Exchange Commission approves new rules to assure that accounting firms maintain independence from companies they audit. The rules stem from legislation Congress passed last summer in the wake of accounting scandals at companies such as Enron and WorldCom. Critics say the new regulations aren't as strict as they should be. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

Joel Rose of member station WHYY reports poet Amiri Baraka may see his honorary title of New Jersey's Poet Laureate eliminated by the state's legislature today, for one of his works some say is Anti-Semitic. Baraka's poem, "Somebody Blew Up America," includes reference to a conspiracy theory that Israel knew about the Sept. 11 attacks in advance.

Cartoonist Bill Mauldin, whose GI characters Willie and Joe won the hearts of countless Americans during World War II, dies at 81. Mauldin won two Pulitzer Prizes for editorial cartooning for his comic strip "Up Front with Mauldin." NPR's Bob Edwards has a remembrance.

Thousands demonstrate in the bitter cold in Washington -- some against abortion, others in favor of abortion rights -- on the 30th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruling that made abortion legal in the United States. NPR's Jacki Northam reports.