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U.S. troops stationed outside Karbala maintain a low profile as the Iraqi holy city shows signs of a return to normalcy. Electricity is restored, civilian volunteers police the streets and a religious pilgrimage -- banned for decades under Saddam Hussein's rule -- ends peacefully. Hear NPR's Steve Inskeep.

New Orleans is struck by another round of street killings, with five people gunned down in the city Friday night. The killings come nearly a month after multiple killings drove the state to seek troops from the National Guard.

Thousands of pilgrims defy an icy rain to celebrate Christmas in Bethlehem, the West Bank town where tradition holds Jesus was born. City officials expect the turnout will be the largest since the Palestinian uprising began in 2000.

President Bush and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder put aside their differences over Iraq Wednesday and pledged to focus instead on areas of agreement. Thousands protested as Bush visited the German city of Mainz, but the two leaders promised to work together to build democracy in Iraq.

NPR's Melissa Block talks with Rick Atkinson, Washington Post correspondent with the Army's 101st Airborne Division, near Najav in central Iraq. Atkinson describes the firefights the 101st Airborne Division has been engaging in around the Shiite holy city of Najav.

Novelist Dennis Lehane and screenwriter Brian Helgeland describe making a best seller into a feature film. Mystic River, directed by Clint Eastwood, is a mystery hinging on two tragic crimes in a rundown Boston neighborhood. The film opens Wednesday in major cities. NPR's Michele Norris talks with the writers.

The city of Fallujah is now in the control of U.S. and Iraqi forces. But observers say there's much more to the insurgence than just Fallujah, and the problem of holding timely elections remains. Hear NPR's Tom Gjelten and Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The Aceh region of Indonesia, at the northern tip of the island of Sumatra, was one of the hardest-hit areas of Sunday's earthquake and tsunami. The city of Bande Aceh is all but destroyed, and in smaller towns along the coast the death toll continues to grow. NPR's Michael Sullivan reports.

U.S. forces continue to encounter sporadic resistance from insurgents holed up in several parts of the city, and efforts to administer supplies to civilians have been hampered by the appearance of suspected insurgents at aid sites. Hear NPR's Anne Garrels.

The Italian city of Turin just wrapped up its Taste Fair, where foodies gather to sample wines and dishes from around the world. This year's fair focused on protecting traditional and heirloom foods from culinary extinction. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports.