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In Kuwait, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld takes questions from U.S. soldiers bound for Iraq. Spc. Thomas Wilson of the Tennessee Army National Guard asked the secretary why soldiers have to scrounge around in scrap piles to find material to armor their vehicles.

Congress nears an agreement on a bill to restructure the nation's intelligence-gathering operations. The House passed the measure by a wide margin Tuesday night. The Senate is expected to vote Wednesday. However, even some who backed the bill wonder how it will affect civil liberties. NPR's David Welna reports.

A U.S. helicopter is shot down during hours of fierce fighting in the Iraqi city of Najaf, where Iraqi police battled fighters loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. Injuries are reported in the downing of the helicopter, but no deaths. U.S. Marines are called in for backup as fighting escalates. Hear NPR's Ivan Watson.

Marion Jones, who won five medals at the Sydney Olympics, loses her last chance at a medal in Athens. Jones finished fifth in the long jump Friday. Then a failed handoff in the women's 4x100 meter relay led to the disqualification of the U.S. team. Hear NPR's Tom Goldman.

The World Health Organization is appealing for emergency aid in fighting an outbreak of deadly Marburg virus in Angola and southwestern Africa. So far the virus has infected 200 people, killing 173, but health workers fear there are more undocumented cases.

Two Arab TV stations broadcast audiotapes they say are by Saddam Hussein. The voice on the tapes calls for resistance to U.S.-led forces. U.S. officials say the perception that Saddam is alive and plotting a return to power may be fueling recent attacks on foreign troops. Hear NPR's Tom Gjelten and NPR's Guy Raz.

About 130 Hezbollah rockets land in Israel, killing eight civilians and injuring 15. The deadly barrage followed a near-record 230 rockets fired Wednesday. During the current conflict, 27 Israelis have died in Hezbollah rocket attacks. The rockets accompanied heavy fighting in southern Lebanon between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Republican-led Senate turns down two separate proposals to raise the minimum wage -- which has been $5.15 per hour since 1996. The rival measures were both amendments to a business-backed bill that makes it harder to erase debts through bankruptcy.

Congress holds hearings to determine how the nation wound up facing a shortage of influenza vaccine. About 40 million doses -- roughly half the anticipated U.S. supply -- were impounded in Great Britain amid fears they were contaminated with bacteria. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

The FBI is investigating whether a high-ranking official at the Pentagon passed classified documents about Iran and Iraq to Israel, U.S. government sources revealed Friday. The documents were allegedly passed by an analyst in Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's office to an Israeli lobbying group. Israeli officials categorically denied the allegations. Hear NPR News.