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At a Pentagon briefing, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says the overnight missile strike near Baghdad hit a "senior Iraqi leadership compound." And he says there are reports the Iraqi regime may have set fire to three or four oil wells in southern Iraq. Hear NPR's Tom Gjelten.

French Foreign Minister Dominique de Villepin says the United Nations should lead the reconstruction and administration of post-war Iraq. At a speech in London, Villepin says the appearance of a U.S. military occupation must be avoided to ease tensions in the volatile Middle East region. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports.

The probe into the $180-billion financial collapse of Parmalat expands, as investigators focus on banks that may have helped hide the Italian food giant's troubles. Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank and others handled huge bond issues that kept Parmalat afloat -- and yielded handsome commissions for the banks and their managers. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports.

A double suicide bombing in Kurdish-held northern Iraq earlier this month left most Kurds more determined than ever to ensure they retain control of their traditional homeland. Kurdish focus on self-rule could make for tough bargaining when Iraqi leaders try to sort out of the details of their country's new government. NPR's Deborah Amos reports.

A team of three women have won the right to represent the United States at the Athens Olympics later this year in a new sport: "Yngling" class sailing. With an average age of 40, the team is older than most other Olympian athletes -- but these women say the extra years they've spent out on the water are the key to their success. NPR's Philip Davis reports.

Delegate-rich Ohio is one of 10 states holding Democratic presidential contests March 2. Many Ohio voters say they're drawn to Sen. John Edwards' populist appeal. A win in the state could help Edwards stay in the race against frontrunner Sen. John Kerry. NPR's Linda Wertheimer reports.

An international panel says the United States should take further steps to protect consumers from mad cow disease. The panel, convened by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, recommends increased testing of cattle in addition to placing stricter limits on components of feed for cattle and other livestock. NPR's Christopher Joyce reports.

The level of Iraqi resistance takes U.S. planners by surprise, but Arab military analysts say they expected Saddam Hussein to rely more on guerilla tactics in the current war. In the 1991 Gulf War, Saddam used conventional war strategies and was quickly defeated. NPR's Michael Sullivan reports.

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell heads to Ankara in an attempt to mend ties damaged by the war in Iraq. Turkey refused to allow American troops to use its border as a launching pad for the war, and Turkish leaders are equally frustrated with Washington's opposition to any major Turkish incursion into Iraq. NPR's Guy Raz reports.

Speaking at a military hospital in Germany, two U.S. Army sergeants and a Marine wounded in combat describe their ordeals in Iraq. The men express surprise at the amount of resistance they faced from Iraqis, and tell of Iraqi troops disguising themselves in civilian dress. NPR's Emily Harris reports.