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Shiite militias take partial control of the southern Iraqi cities of Kut, Najaf and Karbala. Intense fighting continues in Fallujah, where local hospitals say as many as 280 Iraqis have died since the U.S. assault on the Sunni stronghold began Monday. Gunmen kidnap three Japanese and eight South Korean civilians. Hear NPR's Anne Garrels.

Haitian rebel leader Guy Philippe declares himself the country's military chief, a post that ceased to exist when President Jean-Bertrand Aristide disbanded the national army. Citing Haitians' dread of paramilitaries, U.S. officials say many of the rebels are criminals and drug traffickers, and have no place in the country's leadership. NPR's Gerry Hadden reports.

Ohio's Democratic primary is Tuesday, and voters appear to be leaning toward Sen. John Kerry. But President Bush also has firm support in the Buckeye State, which will be hotly contested in the fall election. The employment issue is uppermost in the minds of many in a state where thousands of manufacturing jobs have disappeared. NPR's Linda Wertheimer reports.

There's one man who generally calls the shots in the House of Representatives, one man who sets the agenda and enforces party discipline. It's usually the Speaker of the House -- but these days the man who's formally second on the pecking order, Texas Republican Tom DeLay, makes many of these important decisions. NPR's Andrea Seabrook profiles DeLay and his role in the House.

Students at charter schools are faring worse academically than students at public schools, according to the American Federation of Teachers. An AFT report based on Education Department data says charter schools fall short of solving many problems in educating lower-income children. Hear report co-author Bella Rosenberg, Chester Finn of the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation and NPR's Michele Norris.

A drive is under way in many Southern communities to preserve their first African-American public schools, which they helped raise money to build. The Rosenwald schools were built with financial help from philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, one of the early presidents of Sears and Roebuck. Jessica Jones of member station WUNC reports.

David Greenberger reviews the latest CD from the surf guitar band "Los Straitjackets". The band is from Nashville, and when they perform they like to wear Mexican wrestling masks, medallions, and matching black turtlenecks. But their music is distinctively surf music — with many original tunes, and some eclectic covers, like Louis Prima and the love theme from the film Titanic. The music is all about surprise, invention, and good taste. (3:30) Los Straitjackets latest disc is on the YepRoc Records label.

Many young people in Japan have become hermits — retreating into worlds that consist of little more than their rooms. And that's difficult for families. Michele Norris talks with Michael Zielenziger, author of Shutting Out the Sun: How Japan Created Its Own Lost Generation.

The Republican Party was beaten badly in Tuesday's elections, and many Republicans are calling for the party to re-examine itself. Ross Douthat, a senior editor at The Atlantic and co-author of Grand New Party, says the party has to shift focus to the working class and come up with conservative solutions to their problems.

Sen. Hillary Clinton speaks tonight at the Democratic National Convention knowing that many of her supporters remain uncommitted to presumptive nominee, Sen. Barack Obama. In a special Beauty Shop, early Clinton supporters Rep. Loretta Sanchez and the Rev. Marcia Dyson explain their thoughts about Obama. Also, Obama supporter and Democratic activist Debbie Dingell talks about achieving party unity.