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Nearly 90 U.S. soldiers and Marines have died in the last 16 days of violence in Iraq. U.S. military commanders call for stepped-up efforts to end standoffs between U.S. forces and insurgents in Fallujah and Najaf. Meanwhile, key issues surrounding who will govern Iraq after the June 30 transfer of power remain unresolved. Hear NPR's Bob Edwards and NPR's Anne Garrels.

In a joint news conference at the White House Friday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair and President Bush reaffirm their commitment to "stay the course" in Iraq. Bush affirms that he will invite the United Nations take the lead in guiding Iraq's transition to self-rule, scheduled to begin June 30. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld says about 20,000 U.S. troops will stay in Iraq three months longer than had been expected. The Pentagon says the soldiers -- a quarter of whom serve in National Guard and military reserve units -- are needed to cope with renewed fighting in Iraq. The troops had been told they would return home this month, part of a Pentagon promise that Iraq duty would be for 12 months only. NPR's Eric Westervelt reports.

Scattered clashes are reported in the region around Fallujah, though a cease-fire declared over the weekend is largely holding. Iraqi officials report 600 civilians have died in Fallujah since U.S. Marines launched an offensive there last Monday. Those fleeing the city accuse U.S. forces of firing randomly, causing numerous civilian casualties. Hear NPR's Philip Reeves.

The town of Batavia, Ohio, holds a vigil for Matt Maupin, the U.S. Army soldier who is being held hostage in Iraq. Ann Thompson of member station WVXU reports.

American occupation authorities close two major highways in Iraq in an effort to keep U.S. supply lines open. Persistent attacks by insurgents have damaged the routes and food is running low at administrative headquarters in Baghdad. NPR's Emily Harris reports.

The EU chief concedes that that getting all 27 member countries — some of them highly dependent on Russia for energy supplies — to agree on oil sanctions will be extremely difficult.

The California Supreme Court orders San Francisco to stop performing gay weddings. Meanwhile in Massachusetts, legislators give preliminary approval to a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriages and establish civil unions instead. Hear NPR's Richard Gonzales and NPR's Tovia Smith.

National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice has refused to testify publicly before the panel investigating the Sept. 11 attacks. Former national security advisors Zbigniew Brzezinski and William Clark say Rice's refusal is in accord with the law and history of executive privilege, but it endangers the nation's trust in the Bush administration. Hear NPR's Juan Williams, Brzezinski and Clark.

Richard Clarke, the former Bush adviser who has said the president's emphasis on Iraq undermined U.S. anti-terror efforts, says he welcomes a Republican suggestion to declassify documents from his days on the Bush team. Clarke says he wants to "stimulate the public debate" on how the U.S. government is doing in the war on terrorism. NPR's Libby Lewis reports.