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NPR's Mike Shuster in Nasiriyah reports on today's talks between U.S. officials and Iraqi political figures on the prospects of establishing an interim authority now that Saddam Hussein's regime has been ousted. No firm decisions were expected from this opening round of talks. The participants will gather again in about 10 days.

NPR's Ivan Watson in Baghdad reports Shia Muslim clergymen have mobilized militias and money in a growing bid to fill the vacuum left by the ouster of Saddam Hussein. Some Shiite clerics are advocating establishment of an Islamic state in Iraq, similar to the government in neighboring Iran.

Some lawyers and economists estimate that Iraq's foreign debt tops $100 billion. Some economists say much of the debt should be forgiven so Iraqis can rebuild their nation all the faster. But creditor-nations likely would balk at sweeping debt forgiveness. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

Silicon Valley-based technology firms are increasingly worried about the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, on business. Many manufacture computer parts in Asia and are preparing for business disruptions if the disease continues to spread. NPR's John McChesney reports.

The space shuttle Columbia disaster leaves Russia's space program with the responsibilty of maintaining the international space station while shuttle flights are grounded. Russia says it needs U.S. financial help to achieve that. NPR's Lawrence Sheets reports.

NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe faces tough questions on Capitol Hill during a hearing on the space agency's 2004 budget. Members of the House Science Committee also press O'Keefe for safety assurances following the loss earlier this month of the space shuttle Columbia. NPR's Eric Niiler reports.

The mobilization of military reserve and National Guard units tops 168,000 troops, the largest call-up since the Persian Gulf War. When a key employee is called to active duty, it can disrupt large companies and damage smaller ones. NPR's Elaine Korry reports.

In Kuwait, the First Marine Division prepares for a possible invasion of Iraq by playing a war game to try to learn the preferred tactics, personalities and weaknesses of Iraq's regional commanders and to predict the Iraqi military's response to an attack. NPR's John Burnett reports.

Saboteurs in western Iraq blow up part of a gas pipeline that had supplied fuel for Baghdad's main electric generators, affecting the city's electricity and water supplies. Experts predict it could take weeks to fix the problem. NPR's Kate Seelye reports.

From New Hampshire Public Radio, Raquel Maria Dillon reports on an Internet Democratic primary taking place this week on the liberal activist Web site, MoveOn.org. If any of the nine candidates receives 50 percent of the vote, MoveOn says it will endorse that candidate for the election of 2004.