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Israel frees 500 Palestinian prisoners, making good on promises made to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas last month. The mass release comes one day after the Israeli government gave final approval to dismantling Gaza settlements.

The Israeli cabinet approves the dismantling of 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four in the West Bank. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said the Gaza pullout will begin in July and take 12 weeks.

Actor Ossie Davis has died at 87. He was found this morning in a hotel room in Miami, where he was making a film called Retirement. The cause of death was not immediately known. Davis was a distinguished presence on stage, on screen, and as an activist taking on racial injustice.

In San Diego, the Navy begins hearings on allegations that two lieutenants in the elite SEALs unit abused Iraqi prisoners. But questions about how to deal with the release of classified material are complicating the proceedings. Hear NPR's John McChesney.

Pérez died on Friday at age 67. In a career that spanned over four decades, Pérez's meticulous pencil was behind some of the biggest comic book heroes.

President Bush delivers a $2.57 trillion budget to Congress that would eliminate or reduce spending on dozens of government programs, including education, farm subsidies and health care for veterans. Former Congressional Budget Office Director Robert Reischauer discusses the president's 2006 spending plan.

The U.S. trade imbalance with the rest of the world, especially China, is forcing American manufacturers to find ways to boost their exports in order to stay afloat. NPR's Adam Davidson visited two factories in Erie, Pa., that are focusing on niches that cheap labor in China cannot easily fill.

For the first time, scientists successfully use gene therapy to regenerate hair cells in the inner ear and restore hearing in deaf guinea pigs. The results suggest it may someday be possible to use a similar approach to treat deafness in humans.

On Jan. 1, the global agreement that has capped garment industry exports for decades will expire. China is among the countries poised to benefit from the change, and some U.S. companies are making changes to compete. NPR's Kathleen Schalch reports.

Bandleader, clarinetist and arranger Artie Shaw has died at home in Los Angeles. His health had declined since Thanksgiving. He was 94. Shaw's recording of "Begin the Beguine" became so popular in 1938 that it brought him to an even footing with the other so-called "King of Swing" -- Benny Goodman. NPR's Robert Siegel has a remembrance.