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U.S. officials in Iraq discount Mohammed Mohsen al-Zubaidi's claim to be the mayor of Baghdad. Zubaidi says he was elected by a group of clerics, academics and tribal leaders -- and he says he's in frequent contact with U.S. military commanders. NPR's Scott Simon reports.

President Bush names former ambassador Paul Bremer as the new head of the transition team in Iraq. Bremer takes over for retired Lt. Gen. Jay Garner, who has been leading the post-war reconstruction effort so far. Observers say the appointment is aimed at downplaying the impression that Iraq is under U.S. military occupation. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

Private companies, including those from the steel, telecommunications and construction industries, gather for a conference on Iraq's reconstruction. Equity International, which sponsored the meeting, has organized similar meetings after wars in the Balkans and Afghanistan and says the effort to rebuild Iraq will cost at least $9 billion. Hear NPR's Kathleen Schalch.

A top commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq says troops have recovered "documentary evidence" that the country's former regime had an active chemical and biological weapons program. But Lt. Gen. William Wallace says no signs have surfaced that Saddam Hussein's forces deployed the banned weapons for use against U.S. forces. NPR's Eric Westervelt reports.

Soldiers with the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry division conduct patrols in Baghdad to help re-establish law and order in the city. U.S. forces are also helping Iraqi engineers to restore power. Many Iraqis welcome the Army's increased presence but want the U.S. military to do more, faster, to increase security and repair damage. NPR's Eric Westervelt reports.

As U.S. forces seek an interim administration to run Iraq until elections can be held, the Iraqi National Congress -- a group that opposed Saddam from exile -- is likely to have major influence. Shia Muslims also expect to play a part. Hear from NPR's Jackie Northam, NPR's Melissa Block and Christian Science Monitor reporter Peter Ford.

Turkey's government opens its border with Iraq to humanitarian relief deliveries. The World Food Program is sending about 3,000 tons of food and other supplies across the border each day, intended for people in northern Iraq. NPR's Guy Raz reports.

Jazz singer Abbey Lincoln is considered to be one of the few divas of her genre. She's a bit of a firebrand, known for her passion and honesty. She's an artistic maverick who's spent a lifetime going her own way. In the process, she's become one of the most influential female jazz singers of our time, an achievement that isn't lost on her.

World Health Organization investigators say China under-reports cases of the deadly SARS virus in Beijing military hospitals and bars the release of details. WHO officials think China has 100 to 200 SARS cases, and that's three to five times more than China has reported. In Beijing, Anthony Kuhn reports.

Gen. Tommy Franks visits Baghdad for the first time, as the U.S. military's focus turns to restoring order in postwar Iraq. But anti-American protests erupt in Mosul, and Kurds in northern Iraq have their own agenda for change. Hear NPR's Scott Horsley, NPR's Melissa Block, and Barham Salih, prime minister of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan.