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International art experts meeting in Paris say some thefts of ancient artifacts from Iraq museums were made on behalf of smugglers who hired the looters. Among the items stolen or destroyed are tens of thousands of examples of cuneiform -- the world's oldest-known form of writing. Baghdad's Museum of Antiquities housed 100,000 of the tablets, many of which had yet to be studied and translated. Hear NPR's Bob Edwards.

Barry White, the honey-voiced baritone known for his sultry, romantic songs, dies at a hospital in Los Angeles. White, 58, had been in poor health for several years and died while awaiting a kidney transplant. The soul singer became a star during the disco era, but had a resurgence in popularity in recent years. He won two Grammies for his 1999 album, "Staying Power." NPR's Scott Simon has a remembrance.

The Return of the King, the last film in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, leads the Academy Awards race with 11 nominations, including best picture and best director. Master and Commander gets 10 Oscar nods. With her film Lost in Translation, Sofia Coppola becomes the first American woman to be nominated for best director. Hear NPR's Bob Edwards and reporter Pat Dowell.

Young playwright Lin Manuel Miranda is taking Broadway by storm. Miranda's musical In The Heights, which won big at last week's Tony Awards, tells the immigrant story of New York's Washington Heights neighborhood. The multi-talented actor, composer and playwright speaks candidly about his art.

Writers in New York and Los Angeles voted to lift a strike order, clearing the way for them to report to work on Wednesday. They will formally approve their new three-year deal over the next couple of weeks. With one fight resolved, the studios will next face the unions representing actors.

Spindle, a sculpture that features eight cars impaled on a 50-foot spike, gained worldwide exposure in Wayne's World. It is slated for removal in order to make way for a Walgreens in Berwyn, Ill. Dustin Shuler, the sculptor, talks about his work and the controversy.

This year, NPR Music published 84 sessions from behind Bob Boilen's desk. From a 23-piece band to a lone guitarist to a massive dance party, here are 15 highlights.

The winner of round seven of the Three-Minute Fiction contest will be announced in a few weeks. Weekends on All Things Considered guest host Rebecca Roberts introduces Darius Kroger by William Sirson from Laramie, Wyoming. More stories from the contest can be found at npr.org/threeminutefiction.

In Atlantic City, N.J., Democrat John Kerry began a series of campaign speeches that will focus on the economic difficulties facing middle-income Americans. Kerry called the federal budget deficit "reckless" and accused the Bush administration of saddling future generations with debt to pay for tax cuts for the rich. President Bush, meanwhile, said his economic stimulus program was working. Hear NPR's Scott Horsley.

Nearly two months of running battles between U.S. troops and radical Shiite militiamen in the southern Iraqi cities of Najaf and Kufa may be over. The U.S.-appointed provincial governor says both sides will withdraw from the cities, home to some of the most sacred shrines in Shiite Islam. Hear NPR's Robert Siegel and NPR's Deborah Amos.