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Lawmakers question the Bush administration's $87 billion request for Iraq and Afghanistan, but GOP leaders say they expect congressional approval. U.S. officials say the funds will boost the estimated federal deficit to more than $525 billion. And Secretary of State Powell prepares for a Saturday meeting with the permanent U.N. Security Council members. Hear NPR's David Welna, NPR's John Ydstie and NPR's Vicky O'Hara.

Testifying before a Senate panel, Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Meyers say more money is essential for military operations and reconstruction efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Lawmakers question the administration's request for $87 billion and say it is a "bitter pill to swallow." Hear NPR's David Welna.

Deep divisions remain within the U.N. Security Council over the political future of Iraq. Foreign ministers from the five nations met Saturday to work on a U.N. resolution that the U.S. hopes would pave the way for other countries to contribute to peacekeeping and reconstruction of Iraq. But there was no breakthrough. NPR's Nick Spicer reports.

Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Richard Meyers face tough questioning from the Senate Armed Services Committee about the progress of the U.S. mission in Iraq. Senators question the doubling of the mission's cost and the extension of tours of duty for U.S. reservists to one year. Hear NPR's David Welna.

In Fallujah, Iraq, crowds angry over a U.S. "friendly fire" incident that killed at least nine people stage angry protests. Meanwhile, in Najaf, the U.S. military seeks to rein in militia force loyal to the slain Shiite cleric Ayatollah Hakim. NPR's Emily Harris reports.

Secretary of State Colin Powell wraps up his trip to Iraq with a visit to the northern town of Halabja, where as many as 5,000 Kurds died in a 1988 chemical attack by Saddam Hussein's regime. Powell says he looks forward to a report expected soon from a U.S. team searching Iraq for banned weapons, which have yet to be found. Hear NPR's Emily Harris.

U.S. forces accidentally open fire on Iraqi police apparently involved in a high-speed car chase, killing at least eight Iraqis and a Jordanian hospital worker. The incident occurs in Fallujah, a hotbed of resistance to U.S. forces. Two U.S. soldiers are killed in a separate incident in a nearby town. Hear NPR's Emily Harris.

President Bush's formal request for another $87 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan arrives on Capitol Hill. Four Senate committees promise hearings on the funding request. NPR's David Welna reports.

Johnny Cash, country music's "Man in Black," dies due to complications from diabetes at 71. Cash, whose hits include "I Walk the Line," and "A Boy Named Sue," earned 11 Grammys in his six-decade career and was inducted into the Country Music, the Rock and Roll and the Songwriters halls of fame. Cash's death comes four months after the death of his wife, June Carter Cash. Hear NPR's Bob Edwards.

Alistair Campbell, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's top media strategist, steps down amid accusations that he helped exaggerate evidence on Iraq's weapons programs. The British media had dubbed Campbell the "real deputy prime minister." Campbell cites family reasons for his resignation. Hear NPR's Guy Raz.