3:53 CST U.S. forces have advanced to within about 100 kilometers (60 miles) of Baghdad. Lead elements of the army's 3rd Infantry Division have moved between the cities of an Najaf and Karbala. Portions of the 3rd Infantry are still engaging Iraqi forces in an Najaf, and U.S. commanders believe the Republican Guard's well-equipped Medina Division is defending the city.

3:39 CST Blackhawk down in Afghanistan. MSNBC is reporting. 6 US dead.

3:32 CST Jordanian Prime Minister Ali Abu Ragheb has confirmed that four Jordanian students were killed in northern Iraq as they attempted to return to their home country. It is not yet clear what the students were doing in Iraq.

3:27 CST MSNBC is reporting that the Chemical Plant reportedly captured, as reported by the J-Post is false.

3:24 CST International Committee of the Red Cross officials said March 23 that the water supply in the southern Iraqi city of Basra is critical after U.S. air strikes destroyed essential infrastructure.

The Israeli Air Force slightly lowered its alert level March 23 and reduced the number of patrol jets, following the capture of airfields in western Iraq by coalition forces -- which reduced the risk of Iraqi Scud missile attacks, Haaretz reports. Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and Continental Airlines have also renewed their flights to and from Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion Airport over the weekend.

3:20 CST HNN has more thoughts.

3:19 CST War mood chart.

3:15 CST More from the North: Turkey and the United States reportedly have come to an agreement concerning Turkish troop deployments in northern Iraq. During a nationally televised address, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "The military arrangements that we have made in a limited belt along the border aim at stopping a possible influx of refugees ... and prevent certain threats to our security.

"The presence of Turkish soldiers in that region will be a source of security and stability for Turkey and the region," he said.

3:13 CST More than four aircraft loaded with Special Operations soldiers have landed and unloaded troops in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, with more aircraft expected. The fight is growing in the North.

3:09 CST Cruise missiles fired through airspace in Turkey are falling on Kirkuk and Mosul.

3:06 CST A bombing run against Baghdad and surrounding Republican Guard formations has continued for more than an hour, coinciding with bombing runs in Kirkuk.