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The leader of the Islamic State group who died during a U.S. raid overnight in northwest Syria was largely a mystery, with almost no known photos, never appearing in public or in the group's videos.

Orthodox Christianity is a relatively small faith tradition in the U.S., but in recent years it has expanded to new regions. Some new converts are using the religion to spread white nationalist views.

Kidnappings are the latest scourge in the impoverished Caribbean nation of Haiti. Despite the presence of a 6,000-strong U.N. force, Haiti has seen a sharp increase in violence and kidnappings in recent months. The interim government, under Prime Minister Gerard Latortue, is desperate to establish a semblance of order before elections in November.

Reports emerge on an Islamic militant Web site that insurgents in Iraq have beheaded another U.S. hostage, Jack Hensley. The group led by Jordanian-born terrorist Abu Musab al-Zarqawi killed one American captive Monday. Hear NPR's Robert Siegel and NPR's Peter Kenyon.

Norma Khouri, author of the international best-seller Honor Lost, is being accused of fabricating the story of a Jordanian who kills his daughter to defend the family's honor. The work has been pulled from bookshelves. NPR's Renee Montagne speaks with Malcolm Knox of the Sydney Morning Herald, who broke the story.

Diana Abu-Jaber's new book is a memoir told through food. It explores the lessons food can bring about cultural identity, faith and love.

More than 100 people in Iraq have died in 19 suicide bombings in the last three days. Dozens were killed when a suicide bomber blew up a fuel tanker, causing the heaviest death toll since Iraq's new government took power. Al Qaeda in Iraq has claimed responsibility for the string of attacks.

In an effort to win back reluctance Japanese consumers, a small U.S. beef producer has proposed testing all of its cattle for mad cow. But Creekstone Farms is meeting resistance from the USDA and others in the beef industry worried the move would pressure them to follow suit. NPR's Greg Allen reports.

Walter Hyatt's widow, Heidi, has finished one of her husband's last albums. The singer-songwriter who inspired Lyle Lovett and Nancy Griffith left more than 40 tracks behind when he died in a plane crash in 1996. Some Unfinished Business showcases the variety of styles that Hyatt played and wrote.

In his memoir, Crossing Mandelbaum Gate, Bird describes his childhood experience growing up near a checkpoint that separated Israeli and Arab sections of Jerusalem. "These are two people who are filled with victimhood," he tells NPR's Robert Siegel.