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The American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has published the first peer-reviewed study of an abortion procedure Congress banned last year. The study has the potential to shift the debate over the law. Contrary to claims by opponents in Congress, the study finds the procedure is no more dangerous than others used in the second trimester of pregnancy. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Thousands of demonstrators crowd the streets of Rome to protest U.S. policies on Iraq and terrorism as President Bush visits the Eternal City. He went to the Vatican Friday to present Pope John Paul II with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and later met with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The pope, who opposed the U.S.-led invasion and occupation of Iraq, blessed the appointment of a new Iraqi government in Baghdad. NPR's Don Gonyea reports.

As Congress prepares to write a budget to guide this year's tax and spending decisions, some Senate Republicans join Democrats in calling for a "pay as you go rule," which would mandate that any future tax cuts be offset by spending cuts. House Republicans vehemently oppose such measures. The dispute reveals a GOP divided over fiscal policy. Hear NPR's Steve Inskeep and Ross Baker, a political science professor at Rutgers University.

The first day of state-recognized same-sex marriage in the United States was a whirlwind for gay couples tying the knot in Massachusetts. Weddings took place from western Massachusetts to the tip of Cape Cod, with couples hailed as "pioneers." But the unions will not be recognized by the federal government or in most other states. Hear NPR's Tovia Smith and NPR's Robert Siegel.

Secretary of State Colin Powell criticizes Israel's plan to demolish buildings housing Palestinian refugees in Gaza, calling for a return to peace negotiations. Powell, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Jordan, also urged Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat not to promote violence against Israelis. Hear NPR's Craig Windham.

Afghanistan's interim government is working to convince religious leaders, or mullahs, to support a push to register voters for the war-torn nation's first-ever democratic elections. But elements of the deposed Taliban regime still lurk in the shadows, promising violent retribution and preaching that women should never have the right to vote.

A year ago Saturday, President Bush stood on the deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln and declared an end to major combat in Iraq. But renewed fighting has forced the president to reframe that message, and opponents of the administration's policy on Iraq have become increasingly vocal in the Senate. NPR's David Welna reports.

Massive demonstrations in Washington in support of abortion rights bring high-profile speakers and vocal opposition. Organizers called the event the "March for Women's Lives." While hundreds of thousands of marchers rallied to the capital, anti-abortion activists turned out in force, as well. Hear NPR's Libby Lewis, NPR's Cheryl Corley and former Texas governor Ann Richards.

Staff reports from the Sept. 11 panel offer a blistering assessment of the FBI's anti-terror efforts. The reports suggest poor communication, a lack of resources and antiquated information technology led the FBI to miss opportunities to spot plans for the 2001 attacks. Commission Chairman Thomas Kean calls the findings "an indictment of the FBI." Hear NPR's Pam Fessler.

Trials begin in three states over a new federal law banning certain types of abortion. Abortion-rights activists oppose the law, saying it erodes a woman's right to choose abortion by threatening all second-trimester abortions. Hear NPR's Michele Norris and NPR's Robert Smith.