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Near Basra in southern Iraq, police find the body of an American freelance journalist -- Steven Vincent -- who was abducted Tuesday night and shot dead. Vincent had been living in Basra for three months while working on a book.

Iraq will have a new constitution by Monday's deadline. Several politicians involved in drafting the document say it may even be ready by Sunday. Will it be effective? A key question -- the role of Islam in government -- remains.

A former Afghan warlord was sentenced in a London court this week to 20 years in prison for torture and hostage-taking in Afghanistan. The trial coincided with appeals from human rights groups for many more of Afghanistan's warlords -- including those now in government -- to be called to account for crimes committed during that period. There are many such men who are still fighting.

The Oct. 8 earthquake in Pakistan has left more than 3 million people at risk of disease and exposure as the winter intensifies. The earthquake killed more than 73,000 people, but aid officials warn this number will rise unless survivors get adequate shelter.

In Iraq, fighting breaks out between rival Shiite Muslim militiamen in two cities. The clashes involved gunmen loyal to radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and members of the Badr Brigade, the paramilitary arm of the most powerful Shiite political party.

Iraq's leaders hold last-minute talks in an effort to prevent a crisis over the constitution. Monday is the deadline for a draft to go to Iraq's National Assembly, but members of parliament are still arguing over the contents.

In its update of ethics rules aimed at protecting patients, the Obama administration decided against a provision that scientists said would hinder research. Consumer advocates aren't happy.

A series of explosions Saturday in the Indian capital, New Delhi, left about 50 people dead. Bombs went off at three marketplaces in the city. The bazaars were crowded with shoppers preparing for major Hindu and Muslim holidays.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Bush announce that their nations have reached agreement on a landmark nuclear deal. Under the accord, India has agreed to separate its civilian and military nuclear programs. Civilian nuclear plants in India will now be open to international inspection.

Sri Lankans vote Thursday in a close presidential race. The election comes as the country grapples with a range of problems, including the distribution of tsunami aid. But political analysts say at heart, it's referendum on the peace process in an ongoing ethnic conflict.