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Some lawyers and economists estimate that Iraq's foreign debt tops $100 billion. Some economists say much of the debt should be forgiven so Iraqis can rebuild their nation all the faster. But creditor-nations likely would balk at sweeping debt forgiveness. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

NPR's Jackie Northam in Baghdad reports on the war from the perspective of an Iraqi army infantry officer. The Iraqi major says he expected the conflict to last much longer than it did, and he says he feels humiliated by the quick collapse of the Iraqi army.

Writer, actor, director, comedian and host of Le Show, Harry Shearer. He's starring in the new folk music mockumentary A Mighty Wind, directed by Christopher Guest, who also directed Best in Show and Waiting for Guffman. Shearer also starred with Guest in the classic heavy metal parody This is Spinal Tap. Shearer's public radio show is now in its 19th year.

For the folks of the Firesign Theatre comedy troupe, Earth Day is an opportunity to preserve pockets of surrealism on our planet. Listen to a collection of Earth Day-related satire and sheer silliness, and learn more about the men behind the microphones.

Postwar interviews confirm that torture in Saddam Hussein's Iraq was commonplace and methodical, with doctors taking part and a reward system for inquisitors who could gain confessions from their subjects. Hear NPR's Linda Wertheimer and Susan Glasser of The Washington Post.

As the war in Iraq winds down, a private research group begins efforts to count the number of Iraqi civilians killed in the conflict. But the Center for Defense Information says the task is complicated by ongoing fighting, and by the lack of an official government in Iraq. Hear Mark Burgess of the Center for Defense Information.

American forces are holding an estimated 7,000 Iraqi prisoners of war, including more than 30 captured Friday in a fresh battle north of Baghdad. Hundreds more Iraqis taken prisoner have been released because they were not soldiers. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

The University of California at Berkeley announces that students from several Asian countries won't be allowed to attend summer school. School officials are concerned that they have no facilities to quarantine students who may contract severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. Fears about the spread of SARS are also affecting business in San Francisco's Chinatown. Deirdre Kennedy of member station KQED reports.

Silicon Valley-based technology firms are increasingly worried about the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, on business. Many manufacture computer parts in Asia and are preparing for business disruptions if the disease continues to spread. NPR's John McChesney reports.

At least 16 cases of cholera are reported in the southern Iraq city of Basra. The World Health Organization says it fears the reports represent just a glimpse of an outbreak that may be affecting hundreds more. Hear Marc Santora of The New York Times.