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The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Laurent Kabila has been shot. Some credible sources indicate he is dead. Others say he is critically wounded. At least one suggests he has left the country for treatment of his wounds. Linda talks to Nicolas Long, a reporter for the South African newspaper The Star, who is in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports George W. Bush made one last stop before heading to Washington, D.C. for his inauguration. Today, he attended a farewell rally in his hometown of Midland, Texas. The President-elect told the crowd he will take a lot of Midland and a lot of Texas with him to the White House.

The Bush transition team is employing the help of advisory committees to work out policy for the new administration. NPR's Peter Overby reports fifteen committees -- staffed in many cases by experts from lobbying groups and trade associations -- are writing policy memos and offering advice to the next president.

Paul Krasner has just published the final issue of his irreverent magazine, The Realist. After more than 40 years, he says it's time to do other things. Jon Kalish reports on Krasner and the future of his satire.

As more of northern Nigeria's predominantly Muslim states implement Islamic law, new tensions are appearing within local communities. Ivan Watson reports on a Nigerian girl facing 100 lashes after becoming pregnant out of wedlock.

Poor academic performance by college athletes may be an omen for problems later in life. Frank Deford comments on the corrupting influence of college sports. (3:34) The book is: The Game of Life by William G. Bowen, James L. Shulman, Princeton Univ. Press, ISBN: 0691

NPR's Emily Harris reports on today's Supreme Court decision reaffirming that states may keep sexual predators incarcerated after they have served their sentences. The court reinforced its 1997 decision, saying that even when a state fails to provide treatment, the extended confinement is still not unconstitutional.

NPR's Barbara Bradley reports on today's arguments before the Supreme Court about whether golfer Casey Martin may ride in a cart during PGA tournaments. Martin won in lower courts, which held that the Americans with Disabilities Act requires the tour to waive its rule that golfers walk the course. But the PGA is appealing. Martin has a circulation problem in his leg that makes walking the course painful.

Host Bob Edwards talks with NPR's Julie McCarthy about the Lockerbie bombing trial. The defense rested its case yesterday.

When it comes to ice skating, Commentator Heather Lende won't settle for anything less than the real thing- her favorite lake.

A meeting at NATO headquarters today revealed a disagreement in the alliance over the use of ammunition coated with depleted uranium. Italy contends that the weaponry might be responsible for at least six soldiers who died of leukemia after serving in the Balkans where uranium-tipped anti-tank shells were used. Italy and several other countries argued for a moratorium on the use of such munitions. But Britain and the U.S. say there's no evidence the shells caused the leukemia. Noah talks with Andrew Osborn, European Correspondent for The Guardian, who is in Brussels, Belgium.

In part two of the series Prison diaries, correctional officers at Polk Youth Institution tell their stories about working in the penal system. They present a mixed picture of their work, their relationship with the prisoners and of the satisfaction they get from the job. Some guards talk about the importance of appearance and attitude; to wear the uniform with pride and without fear. Some of the guards feel the prison is too luxurious; that there are too many amenities for the inmates: "they eat well, are clothed and overall get better treatment inside then outside." For others, it was a shock to see so many young, black faces behind bars. Being confined for eight hours takes its toll on some of the staff as well. Some say it is a dangerous job: "us versus them." Few of the guards last more than 3 years. Many leave sooner. The job is something they find hard to shake at the end of the day.

NPR's Brian Naylor reports on the withdrawal from consideration of George W. Bush's nominee for Labor Secretary. Linda Chavez's nomination ran into trouble after it was revealed that an illegal immigrant once lived in her home and did some chores. Chavez held a press conference this afternoon, announcing her decision to withdraw, but highlighting her intent to help people, and introducing several of the immigrants who she has helped establish themselves in the U.S.

The new policy follows up on the tech giant's August announcement that it would take a number of steps aiming to protect minors' privacy. It is intended for cases in which the subject is under 18.

Noah talks with David Brooks, Senior Editor at the Weekly Standard about Linda Chavez's withdrawal from consideration for Secretary of Labor.

From a special Scottish court in The Netherlands, NPR's Julie McCarthy reports that the prosecution in the Lockerbie trial began making its closing statement today. The prosecution counsel said the Crown had proven beyond reasonable doubt that the two Libyan defendants blew up Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270 people. In a surprise move, the prosecution streamlined the indictment, asking the court to find the Libyans guilty on a single charge: murder. It dropped lesser charges of conspiracy and violation of the Aviation Security Act.

NPR's John McChesney reports from the consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. Satellite radio services made their debut at this year's show. Two companies are offering to deliver one hundred channels of music, news and talk to subscribers who will pay about ten dollars a month for the service. The new services require new radio receivers. Both companies have signed deals with the major auto manufacturers.

Noah Adams notes that astronomers have discovered a grouping of galaxies and quasars they say make up the largest "structure" in the universe, measuring more than 600-thousand light years across.

NPR's Brenda Wilson reports on 11-year-old Nkosi Johnson, South Africa's youngest AIDS activist. At last summer's International AIDS conference, Nkosi made a moving speech, a plea really, for acceptance of people with AIDS. Now, he's in a coma, dying of the disease. But his courage and activism have left a mark on the country.

NPR's Nina Totenberg reports on today's Supreme Court decision limiting the scope of the federal Clean Water Act. The court split along its familiar ideological lines, 5-4, in ruling that the Army Corps of Engineers can't use the law to forbid the building of a landfill in a migratory bird habitat. The area, near Chicago, contains abandoned gravel pits that flood with water and attract birds for nesting and breeding. The court majority ruled that Congress intended the Clean Water Act to apply to large or navigable bodies of water.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports from Jerusalem that a gamble by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak to get a peace treaty to use as an electoral platform seems to have failed. Though U.S. envoy Dennis Ross is on his way back to the Middle East for one last ditch effort to find a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians, there is little hope that he will succeed. If he doesn't, Barak's bid for re-election next month appears doomed.

NPR's Snigdha Prakash reports that AOL and Time-Warner completed their merger today shortly after the FCC gave its conditional approval. The deal combines the nation's largest internet service provider with the second largest cable operator. It is valued at more than one-hundred-billion dollars. In a prepared statement, the newly merged company said its "scale, scope and reach" would enable it to capitalize on the digital revolution. Analysts say declining ad revenues may hurt the new company in the short run, but were mostly upbeat about its long-run chances.

William Hewlett, co-founder of the Hewlett-Packard Company has died at the age of 87. Karen Lewis is company historian for Agilent -- a company that spun-off from H.P. She talks to Noah Adams about how H.P. got its start.

Music critic Meredith Ochs listens to 40 years of recordings by Chris Strachwitz. Forty years ago Strachwitz started on a journey to record great American music. His focus was on roots music; folk, blues, cajun, and zydeco. He liked to record the artists in their homes, beneath pine trees, and in other natural settings. Meredith Ochs says that this five CD collection tells the story of a great American journey. (6:00) The five CD set is Arhoolie Records 40th Anniversary Collection, The Journey of Chris Strachwitz. See http://www.arhoolie.com.

California's energy crisis is having significant repercussions in the Northwest, and maybe renewing old animosities, as Tom Banse reports, from Olympia, Washington.