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Setting the stage for a ground assault on Baghdad, U.S. forces move within 10 miles of the Iraqi capital. Facing only sporadic Iraqi resistance, U.S. Army units approach from the southwest, while Marines advance from the southeast. Calm prevails inside the city as those who remain prepare for attack. Hear NPR's Jennifer Ludden and NPR's Anne Garrels.

Following arguments in two cases that challenge a University of Michigan policy that considers race in admissions, the Supreme Court appears evenly split on the issue. Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who signals she believes race can be one of many factors used in choosing among many qualified applicants, is viewed as the decisive swing vote. Hear NPR's Nina Totenberg.

NPR's John Burnett is traveling with the U.S. Marines 20 miles south of Baghdad. The closer forces got to the city, the warmer the welcome from civilians, and the less resistance the Marines experienced from Iraqi fighters. There was one scare today, in which a chemical monitor went off and Marines threw on their protective suits, only to find it was a false alarm.

A week into the war with Iraq, the White House and Pentagon find themselves defending the war plan against charges it misjudged the adversary. The senior U.S. Army commander inside Iraq provoked the latest controversy, saying the enemy his troops are fighting "is different from the one we'd war-gamed against." NPR's Tom Gjelten reports.

NPR's John Burnett, traveling with the Marine 1st Division in Iraq, reports on the troops' rations, called Meals Ready to Eat, which become the center of life in a combat zone when bullets aren't flying.

Humor has always been an important way of easing tensions during times of crisis. NPR's Robert Smith looks at the role of comedy in wartime.

U.S.-led forces attack Baghdad's international airport as American troops move within 10 miles of the Iraqi capital. Meanwhile, the city plunges into darkness in the first widespread power outage since the war began. Hear NPR's Nick Spicer.

War planners say the ability of Saddam Hussein's elite Republican Guard to resist the allied ground assault and aerial bombardment will determine the length of the conflict in Iraq. The guard is considered intelligent and adaptive, but some analysts say that without air support, the units are no match for U.S. forces. Hear military analyst Anthony Cordesman.

For several years now, historical preservationists have been stepping up efforts to transfer millions of hours of precious, perishable sound recordings to a single, stable format. At the Library of Congress, technicians are working feverishly to convert their huge collection of tapes, CDs, LPs, eight-track tapes and other audio formats to a playback format that will stand the test of time. NPR's Rick Karr reports on an effort some observers call foolish.

A new poll from the Pew Center for the People and the Press finds that public support for the war remains steadfast. About 70 percent of Americans continue to back the decision to go to war, and that's the case in a Tampa suburb. NPR's David Molpus reports that the mood in military communities like Brandon, Fla., holds steady. At the Catfish Country restaurant most patrons and staff say they're "faithful on the home front."