Search results for

Facing fierce Iraqi resistance, U.S. Army troops enter Baghdad from the south, but do not cross the Tigris River into the center of the city. U.S. officials say the three-hour incursion is exercise in psychological warfare; Maj. Gen. Victor Renuart says it is a "clear statement of the ability of the coalition forces to move into Baghdad at a time and place of their choosing." Hear NPR's Tom Gjelten.

NPR's Scott Horsley has a roundup of Sunday's events in Iraq. U.S. troops surround Baghdad and guard roads in and out of the city. British forces make their biggest push yet into the southern Iraqi city of Basra. Also, an apparent friendly fire incident kills at least 18 people in northern Iraq.

The former Iraqi ambassador to China refuses to leave the embassy in Beijing, despite being recalled by the U.S.-led occupation authority in Iraq. Mowaffaq Mahmoud Alani has threatened to kill anyone who tries to remove him. Hear Washington Post Beijing correspondent Philip Pan.

In the southern Iraqi city of Kerbala, U.S. soldiers are still welcomed by the locals, a rare example of things going right in America's troubled occupation of Iraq. But even in Karbala, anti-American discontent is growing, as are attacks against U.S. forces there. NPR's Kate Seelye reports.

One of the soldiers who has died in Iraq since the "official combat" ended was Marine Lance Cpl. Gregory MacDonald. Fred Thys of member station WBUR in Boston visited with MacDonald's father.

A day after Saddam Hussein's two sons are killed in a gun battle with U.S. forces, Iraqis in Baghdad celebrate their deaths. U.S. officials predict the deaths of Uday and Qusay Hussein will reduce attacks against American troops and raise morale. Meanwhile, a new tape allegedly made by Saddam urges Iraqis to continue fighting American troops. Hear NPR's Guy Raz and defense expert Anthony Cordesman.

U.S. forces in Tikrit capture three Saddam loyalists, including a bodyguard of the deposed Iraqi leader. And in their continuing search for weapons of mass destruction, U.S. troops find anti-tank mines, mortar rounds and hundreds of pounds of gunpowder buried in Tikrit. Hear NPR's Ivan Watson and Joseph Cirincione of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

American military forces stage a major raid on a downtown Baghdad villa, killing several Iraqis. U.S. officials make no immediate comment on the target of the raid, but neighbors suspect the troops were looking for Saddam Hussein. The raid caps the deadliest weekend yet for U.S. troops since major hostilities ended. NPR's Eric Westervelt talks to NPR's Jacki Lyden.

On the whole, Kansas has never really been thought of as a driving challenge. A glance at a state road map reveals a grid-like layout with relatively few twists and turns. Doctoral student Brandon Vogt knew that from personal experience. He frequently drove the width of the state, making the trip from Boulder, Colo., to Colombia, Mo. And he began to wonder just how flat Kansas really was. Vogt's research now confirms his suspicions: Kansas really is flatter than a pancake. Robert Siegel talks with Vogt about his findings, which are published in the Annals of Improbable Research.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews New Beginnings (MaxJazz) the new CD by trumpeter Terell Stafford.