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California's fire season begins with two wildfires raging in Southern California, where more than 4,000 homes have been evacuated. Experts predict an especially harsh summer because warm weather in April caused an early snow melt. Hear NPR's Robert Siegel and Rick Ochoa, manager of the National Fire Weather program.

Two American soldiers are killed in an explosion while raiding a Baghdad building suspected of producing chemical munitions. It's unclear whether the blast, which destroyed four U.S. Humvees and a large part of a building, was a deliberately detonated bomb or the result of an accident. Meanwhile, one U.S. soldier is killed in fierce fighting in Fallujah. Hear NPR's Philip Reeves.

Sen. John Kerry launches a $25-million TV ad campaign focusing entirely on his record of service -- in Vietnam, as a prosecutor and in the Senate. The ads, which include testimonials from Kerry's wife and daughter, are designed to introduce Kerry to voters and counter a barrage of negative ads from the Bush campaign. Hear NPR's John McChesney.

CIA Director George Tenet tells the Sept. 11 commission it will take another five years to fix problems with U.S. intelligence operations that allowed the 2001 attacks to happen. Tenet acknowledges his agency failed to uncover the Sept. 11 plot. But he says a panel report was wrong in concluding the CIA had no strategic plan to fight terror before the attacks. Hear NPR's Libby Lewis.

U.S. troops engage in an overnight gun battle with militiamen loyal to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr near the holy city of Najaf. The U.S. military says dozens of Iraqis died in the fighting. The battle comes as U.S. forces begin replacing departing Spanish troops. NPR's Philip Reeves reports.

Marines uncover suicide-bomber belts along with other weapons in besieged Fallujah. Also found were documents suggesting that foreign Muslim fighters have come to Iraq to attack the U.S.-led forces. Despite criticizing the U.S. strategy in the region, the Iraqi Governing Council continues to negotiate a truce. Hear Eric Niiler from member station KPBS and NPR's Philip Reeves.

Three U.S. soldiers are wounded in a roadside bombing just outside of Fallujah, west of the Baghdad. The attack comes as U.S. civilian and military officials in Baghdad condemn the events of Wednesday, when the bodies of four U.S. civilians killed by insurgents were dragged through the streets of Fallujah. Hear NPR's Ivan Watson, NPR's Melissa Block and former Marine "Bing" West.

President George Bush's re-election campaign begins running hard-edged ads against likely Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry, with the election eight months away. Analysts are divided on the effectiveness of negative campaign ads, saying they lower voter turnout. NPR's Don Gonyea reports. Hear NPR's Elizabeth Blair.

Rossen observes the state of his southwestern landscape, a long arc now rapidly changing as he turns to his young daughter, who can't grow up fast enough to see it as he does now.

Shiite Muslims take steps to ensure their safety as the Ashoura celebration draws to a close. Iraqis establish checkpoints to protect the Kadhimiya mosque, site of one of several bomb attacks Tuesday that left hundreds of Shiite pilgrims dead or wounded. Criticizing U.S. security efforts, Shiites renew calls for an armed militia. Hear NPR's Steve Inskeep and NPR's Ivan Watson.