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Lt. General David McKiernan, the top commander of U.S. ground forces in Iraq, pledges to "aggressively target" crime in Baghdad and restore order to the city. Military officials deny a New York Times report suggesting U.S. forces now have permission to shoot looters, including children, on sight. NPR's Guy Raz reports.

Shanghai says it has only four SARS cases, but the World Health Organization expresses skepticism over the figure. Meanwhile, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao says while progress against SARS is being made, more work needs to be done to bring the flu-like disease under control. Hear David Lore of The Shanghai Daily.

Health officials in Canada close some hospitals to all patients but those with a new, contagious form of pneumonia, called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). So far, the new disease has struck more than 130 people in Greater Toronto and killed seven. NPR's Richard Knox reports.

The new civil administrator for Iraq, retired U.S. Gen. Jay Garner, receives a warm reception by Kurds in northern Iraq. Meanwhile, U.S. tanks move into the center of Mosul, a northern town that has seen looting and anarchy since the collapse of Saddam Hussein's regime. NPR's Melissa Block talks with NPR's Ivan Watson in Baghdad.

The Bush administration says Syria is harboring Iraqi leaders and demands that Damascus cooperate in capturing them. Secretary of State Colin Powell says the White House will consider diplomatic, economic and other measures against Syria, and urges its leaders to "review their actions and their behavior." Hear Edward Djerejian, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria.

U.S. officials in Iraq begin the process of identifying former high-level members of the Baath Party, who are to be excluded from government jobs. But U.S. civilian administrator Paul Bremer says that de-Baathification is a "difficult problem" and that the help of ex-Baath Party members may be needed to restore the country's civil administration. Hear NPR's Guy Raz.

New SARS cases turn up in Toronto, causing a new travel alert from U.S. health officials. And scientists in Hong Kong say they have strong evidence that the SARS virus was transmitted to humans by an animal called the civet. It's a rare animal in southern China, but is sometimes served as a specialty dish in restaurants. Katherine Schlatter reports.

The U.N. Security Council is expected to approve a resolution that would end more than a decade of sanctions against Iraq, after France and Russia announce their support. The resolution would also allow the United States and Britain to run the country and use oil profits to fund reconstruction until a new government is established. Hear NPR's Vicky O'Hara.

The Pentagon says security in Iraq is improving, despite this week's attacks on U.S. troops that left four soldiers dead. But defense officials say U.S. commanders are concerned the small-scale attacks on U.S. forces could grow and are investigating whether the incidents could be an early indication of guerrilla activity. Hear NPR's Tom Gjelten.

U.S. efforts to enlist security help from allies in postwar Iraq are met with frustration. Turkey, Pakistan and India have said no, citing the need for a new U.N. resolution on the governance of Iraq. But even if the Security Council does pass such a resolution, those nations have grave reservations about sending forces to Iraq. NPR's Steve Inskeep reports.