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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has suffered a startling defeat in a referendum that would have greatly enhanced his power, including ending presidential term limits. Voters rejected the referendum, 51 percent to 49 percent. Opponents said the country was hurtling toward dictatorship.

Deputy Director of National Intelligence Donald Kerr tells the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence that even though Iran froze weapons development in 2003, the country still retains key nuclear capabilities and also likely still wants the ability to make nuclear weapons.

A new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran concludes that the country's efforts to build a nuclear weapon had ceased back in 2003. The report is a stark contrast to the dire warnings issued from the Bush administration about a nuclear threat posed by Iran.

In Venezuela, millions of people turned out to vote Sunday in a controversial referendum that, if approved, would fundamentally alter the country's political and economic model and give President Hugo Chavez broad new powers. One of the provisions would allow Chavez to run for reelection indefinitely.

Ministries raise millions of dollars with little oversight. One Senate lawmaker wonders whether the lavish lifestyles of the ministers violate the churches' tax-exempt status. Six megachurches have been asked to respond by Dec. 6 to questions about their spending.

Extreme temperatures boost wildfire danger, and the forecast for some Southwestern states include high winds. That means warnings are being issued for fires that could start and spread quickly.

"Depending on the outcome, it will either be viewed as genius or the dumbest political move in history," political science professor Patricia Crouse told NPR.

Merck agrees to pay nearly $5 billion to settle lawsuits from consumers contending the painkiller Vioxx caused heart attacks and strokes. The safety problems of Vioxx and the withdrawal of Vioxx from the market was a watershed event in regulating prescription drugs in the U.S.

The contentious issue of Iran dominates the Democratic presidential debate hosted by NPR and Iowa Public Radio. The candidates condemn President Bush's insistence that a new intelligence report showing Iran ceased its nuclear weapons program in 2003 made no difference.

Between the buns are 20 slices of melted American cheese. It costs around $7 and is cheaper than its meatier counterpart. People describe it as "a bit too much" and "an insane amount of cheese."