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Soldiers with the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division in Kuwait are poised for a major ground combat operation in Iraq, and many believe it will come soon. A few woke up in the middle of the night to listen to President Bush's address to the nation. Some expressed relief that the waiting is almost over. But there's also anxiety, according to NPR's Eric Westervelt, who's with Charlie Company of the 315th. He reports that only three of the 150 troops in that company have combat experience.

Around three dozen Iraqis are killed when a car bomb explodes outside an army recruiting center in Baghdad, in the second suicide attack in as many days. On Tuesday, more than 50 Iraqis were killed in a car bombing outside a police station south of the Iraqi capital. Nearly all the victims in both attacks were men applying for jobs. Hear NPR's Anne Garrels.

Iraq's governing council debates issues surrounding the handover of power from U.S. forces to Iraqis, scheduled to take place by July 1. Prominent members of the council now oppose the U.S. plan to create an interim administration through caucuses. Instead, many want the council to retain sovereignty until elections can be held. Hear NPR's Deborah Amos.

The White House released documents Tuesday it says confirm President Bush fulfilled his Air National Guard duties during the Vietnam War era. Democrats have recently revived charges that Bush abandoned his Guard post. But many say the new documents are incomplete, and some question why the White House can't produce anyone who remembers serving with Bush. Hear NPR's Don Gonyea.

The nation's gross domestic product, or value of goods and services, grew at a 4.2 percent annual rate during the first three months of the year, an improvement over the end of 2003 but not as strong as many analysts were expecting. The Commerce Department's prime price index, omitting food and energy, rose 2.3 percent, compared with 1.5 percent in the fourth quarter. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

Many consider the 26-mile men's marathon to be the Summer Olympics' most grueling event. Olympic race walker Curt Clausen -- an athlete who must push through 50 kilometers in about four hours, without breaking into a run -- would disagree. NPR's Tom Goldman profiles Clausen.

Suicide bombings and mortar attacks in Iraq leave more than 140 people dead and hundreds wounded in Baghdad and the holy city of Karbala. The nearly simultaneous attacks targeted Shiite shrines, where more than 2 million Shiite Muslims -- many of them pilgrims -- had come to observe the holy day of Ashoura. NPR's Ivan Watson reports.

Suicide bombings and mortar attacks in Iraq leave more than 140 people dead and hundreds wounded in Baghdad and the holy city of Karbala. The nearly simultaneous attacks targeted Shiite shrines, where more than 2 million Shiite Muslims -- many of them pilgrims -- had come to observe the holy day of Ashoura. NPR's Ivan Watson reports; hear NPR's Robert Siegel and professor Juan Cole.

Former FBI director Louis Freeh is among the law enforcement officials from the Bush and Clinton administrations set to testify before the Sept. 11 commission this week. Many security analysts have said the FBI was focused solely on investigating past crimes instead of prevention. Hear NPR's Larry Abramson, NPR's Robert Siegel and Chitra Ragavan of U.S. News and World Report.

Figures from the Commerce Department show foreign employers added 3.4 million U.S. workers between 1986 and 2001 -- almost equaling the 3.5 million jobs U.S. companies moved offshore in the same period. Department data suggests many white-collar service jobs are also flowing from abroad to the United States. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.