Search results for

Search crews near Fort Worth find a large segment of wing from space shuttle Columbia. It could provide important clues about the cause of Saturday's disaster. NASA continues to study photos taken by the Air Force in Columbia's final minutes of flight, reportedly showing damage to the craft's left wing. Hear from NPR's Richard Harris.

A U.S. military official tells the Reuters news service that some fighters detained after recent clashes in Iraq may be tied to al Qaeda. But clear evidence of involvement by the terrorist cell has yet to emerge. At least 40 U.S. soldiers have died in sporadic attacks since May 1. Hear NPR's Ivan Watson and NPR's Steve Inskeep.

Cuban President Fidel Castro has been a mentor to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. And their relationship has become critically important, as Venezuela now provides the Caribbean island nation with oil. The relationship gives Chavez a degree of influence in Cuba.

The U.S. military is making a fresh attempt to take control of Ramadi, Iraq's largest Sunni Arab city. Philip Reeves has been on patrol with U.S. forces in Ramadi, Iraq, a stronghold of the Iraqi insurgency. The Marines now control the center of the town, but not much else.

The U.N. Security Council prepares to address humanitarian needs, sanctions and political restructuring in postwar Iraq. A State Department official says the United States plans to introduce a new resolution urging the lifting of U.N. sanctions, but some countries have suggested they should remain in place until the U.N. verifies Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction. Hear NPR's Vicky O'Hara.

Paul Bremer, the top U.S. civilian administrator in Iraq, visits the northern Iraqi city of Mosul in his first official visit outside of Baghdad since arriving in the country last week. Bremer denies reports that the United States plans to postpone the formation of an interim Iraqi government, but does not give a firm date for its creation. Hear NPR's Guy Raz.

The World Health Organization sends a team to a densely populated province in northern China to assess a sudden increase in the number of SARS cases. Doctors believe migrant workers may be spreading the disease. The visit is the first by a WHO team to a Chinese province outside of Guangdong, where SARS broke out in November. Hear NPR's Rob Gifford.

The SARS outbreak in Beijing is slowing down, Chinese officials say, dropping from a peak of more than 100 new cases a day to fewer than 50. But officials with the World Health Organization say the outbreak is not under control and say they worry the disease could spread significantly outside the capital city. Hear NPR's Richard Harris.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says more peacekeeping forces may be needed to maintain order in Iraq. He says no decisions have been made, but suggests other nations may supply some of their own forces to provide security as Iraq moves to form a new government. Hear Dana Priest of The Washington Post.

Jay Garner, the retired general appointed by the Bush administration to oversee Iraq's reconstruction, arrives in Baghdad. Garner says his first priority is to restore basic services and rebuild damaged infrastructure. Garner's visit comes amid reports that two senior members of the Saddam Hussein regime are in U.S. custody. Hear NPR's Jackie Northam.