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Writer Joseph McElroy's latest work is Actress in the House, another in a series of complex novels. He discusses the writer's craft with NPR's Steve Inskeep.

A senior Defense Department official tells NPR that Saddam Hussein's former security chief and bodyguard has positively identified two men killed in Iraq as Saddam's sons, Uday and Qusay. The men were shot during a raid by U.S. forces in the town of Mosul. NPR's Tom Gjelten reports.

Three U.S. soldiers are killed in northern Iraq when their convoy is hit by gunfire and rocket-propelled grenades. In Washington, military officials acknowledge open-ended deployments cause stress for soldiers and announce a long-awaited plan for replacing forces in Iraq with new troops. Hear NPR's Tom Gjelten.

A 26-year-old woman had been charged with murder after authorities said she caused "the death of an individual by self-induced abortion." A district attorney says she should not be prosecuted.

U.S. civilian administrator Paul Bremer heads to Capitol Hill to brief members of Congress on U.S. efforts to rebuild Iraq. The meetings come as Republicans defend the Bush administration's record in Iraq. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says more than 80 percent of the Iraqi population is living in a "more secure environment" than before the war. Hear NPR's David Welna.

Robert Siegel talks to Jason Freeman, a Columbia University doctoral student in music, who has created a software, called N.A.G., that makes music montages off music-sharing networks. It relies on the way music files are downloaded -- some faster than others -- and puts items together that come from a word-search. Freeman likes the random nature of his creation, but not all of the results.

At the U.N. Security council, three delegates of Iraq's U.S.-appointed governing council outline an ambitious reform program for the nation, from politics to education to the justice system. Most Security Council members welcome the appointment of the governing council, but call for a timetable for ending the U.S. military occupation. NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports.

Host Steve Inskeep talks to ethicist Randy Cohen about a problem sent in by a listener in Rhode Island, who's employed by a cash-strapped company that chronically fails to pay its suppliers.

It might sound a little crazy, letting just anyone write whatever they want on your Web site. But that's just what Wikis are designed for. Wikipedia.org, for example, lets the public collaborate to build a surprisingly accurate encyclopedia. Commentator David Weinberger says wikis are one example of "social software," intended to allow people to work together with ease.

Soldiers with the 2nd Brigade of the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry -- dubbed the "Spartan Brigade" -- were the first U.S. troops to enter Baghdad. But instead of going home, they patrol the dangerous streets of Fallujah and will soon regroup in Kuwait to act as a reserve force. NPR's Eric Westervelt reports.