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On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average index experienced its largest single-day drop in almost two years. The decline comes on the heels of decreasing consumer spending and slowing job growth. Host Liane Hansen speaks to David Wyss, chief economist for Standard and Poor's, about the cooling off of the U.S. economy.

In California, there are a number of competitive U.S. House races to watch.

Donor nations pledge $33 billion to help rebuild Iraq. Organizers of the Madrid donors' conference call it the "most successful" meeting of its kind. But most of the $33 billion was already pledged by the United States, and nearly two-thirds of the additional money comes in the form of loans. Hear NPR's Guy Raz.

Bombs rock towns south and west of Baghdad Tuesday, a day after a series of explosions left dozens dead and more than 200 wounded. Iraq's governing council says the recent surge in attacks shows the need for greater intelligence capabilities -- even if that means hiring officials who used to work in Saddam Hussein’s regime. NPR's Deborah Amos reports.

The Bush administration re-organizes its effort to rebuild Iraq, creating the "Iraq Stabilization Group," headed by National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice. The move gives the White House a greater role -- and the Pentagon a smaller one -- in postwar planning for Iraq. Critics say the change is welcome, but overdue. Hear NPR's Michele Kelemen.

As the Senate begins debate on President Bush's $87 billion funding request for Iraq and Afghanistan, the focus is less about the money and more about the president's policies in Iraq. Democrats and some Republicans want to designate the $20.3 billion dollars earmarked for rebuilding Iraq as a loan, not a grant. Hear NPR's David Welna.

Both the House and Senate are debating President Bush's request for $87 billion in additional money for U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some lawmakers are trying to convert some of the aid money from outright grants into loans. NPR's Andrea Seabrook reports.

The International Committee of the Red Cross is considering cutting back operations in Iraq following the deaths of 12 people at its Baghdad headquarters Monday. Other aid groups are withdrawing staff from Iraq, including Doctors Without Borders and others from Greece and Germany. Hear Marc Joolen of Doctors Without Borders.

The New York Times reports that the Iraqi regime tried to make a deal with Washington to avert a war. The overture, which came a few weeks before the U.S. invasion of Iraq, reportedly included a pledge that Iraq no longer had any weapons of mass destruction. Hear James Risen, the author of the Times report.

One of three women on the 25-member Iraqi Governing Council survives an attempt to kill her. Aquila al-Hashimi is in stable condition after being shot outside her Baghdad home Saturday. She was in line to become the new Iraqi representative to the United Nations. NPR's Guy Raz reports.