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Since anthrax spores sent through the mail killed five people in late 2001, the federal government has boosted spending on biodefense research and pending by billions of dollars. But some experts wonder if this isn't overkill, and whether some new efforts are doing more harm than good. NPR's David Kestenbaum reports.

Insurgent bombers strike inside the so-called "Green Zone" in Baghdad, the heavily guarded area holding the Iraqi government and U.S. embassy. Five people, including three Americans, were killed in the bombings at a restaurant and market. Hear NPR's Michele Norris and NPR's Emily Harris.

A suicide driver detonates a car bomb outside Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's party headquarters in Baghdad. At least 10 people were wounded. The al Qaeda affiliate in Iraq claimed reponsibility for the attack just a day after its leader declared an all out war on the upcoming election. This is the second attack on Allawi's party in a week.

Federal prosecutors recently announced the indictments of 11 people in an "eco-terrorism" arson conspiracy dating to 1996. Prosecutors say the group was responsible for 17 arson attacks in the West. Hear NPR's Debbie Elliott and Bryan Denson of The Oregonian in Portland, Ore.

The Museum of the African Diaspora, the latest addition to San Francisco's Museum Row, opens its doors to the public Friday. Through art and artifacts, the museum aims to tell at least part of the story of all people who can trace their roots to Africa -- from present day to ancient times.

Most people say American slavery ended in the 1800s. But Douglas Blackmon argues that the practice endured into the 20th century through the nation's prisons. Blackmon's new book, Slavery by Another Name, details how prisons cashed in on the incarcerated.

An explosion during evening prayers at a Shiite mosque in Pakistan kills at least 15 people in Karachi. Many suspect the blast may have been in retaliation for the killing of a senior Sunni cleric Sunday. NPR's Melissa Block talks with Shoaib Hasan of the Pakistani English-language monthly the Herald.

The nation lost 63,000 jobs in February, the first time jobs have dropped two months in a row since 2003. We hear from people in Michigan, one of the hardest hit states, about what it's like to be unemployed and what they're doing to get back on track.

The population of the United States has officially reached 300 million. According to government calculations, America reached the milestone at 7:46 a.m. ET on Tuesday. The United States is only the third country in the world to reach 300 million people.

With a million people evacuated and more than $1 billion in damage in San Diego County alone so far, President Bush toured the Southern California fire sites.