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Senators of both parties weigh in on the prisoner abuse scandal in Iraq after a closed-door briefing on the subject by Pentagon officials. Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee, which heard from senior military officers, called for investigations and accused the Pentagon of a cover-up. NPR's David Welna reports.

An internal Army report details "sadistic, blatant and wanton abuses" of Iraqi detainees at the Abu Ghraib prison in Baghdad. The report, completed two months ago, came to light following the dissemination last week of images of U.S. military personnel humiliating inmates at the prison. Seven U.S. soldiers have been reprimanded for the abuses. Hear NPR's Jackie Northam.

Efforts are underway in Afghanistan to register at least 7 million of its 10 million eligible voters -- a number the United Nations deems necessary to declare the country's upcoming elections legitimate. International volunteers say they face many cultural obstacles in convincing women to take a more active civic role. Hear NPR's Renee Montagne.

Confusion continues to grow over Medicare's discount-drug program, which had its official start Monday. The new plan provides seniors with a choice of discount drug cards, but reports arose late last week that many of the discounts listed on the government's Web site were not accurate. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Rapper Mike Skinner is Britain's version of the hip-hop star, but his second CD is more soap opera than thug life. Known as "The Streets," Skinner tells an entire story from start to end, involving girls, drugs, and returning video rentals. Critic Will Hermes a review the new CD, A Grand Don't Come for Free.

Sporadic fighting continues between U.S. forces and insurgents loyal to Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr in Karbala. In southern cities of Basra and Amarah, British troops took fire from other al-Sadr loyalists after a close aide to the cleric offered rewards for the capture or killing of British soldiers. Hear NPR's Scott Simon and NPR's Eric Westervelt.

NPR's Robert Siegel reports on Friday's testimony of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Air Force Gen. Richard Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, before the Senate Armed Services Committee regarding allegations of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers at a facility once used for torture by Saddam Hussein's regime.

The EU ban on Russian oil imports will likely lead to higher crude and gasoline prices, further upending energy markets.

The State Department issues its annual report on global human rights, spelling out what the United States is doing to advance rights in 101 countries determined to have the worst records. The document's release was delayed for two weeks, amid international outrage over the pictures of prisoner abuse by U.S. personnel in Iraq. NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports.

Army Spc. Jeremy Sivits pleads guilty to three counts of abuse in the first court-martial to result from the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners held at Abu Ghraib prison. Sivits received the maximum sentence -- one year in prison, a reduction in rank and a bad conduct discharge. His testimony is likely to be used against other military personnel facing courts-martial on abuse charges. Hear NPR's Peter Kenyon.