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The Rev. Jesse Jackson spent Thursday on an apology tour after making crude remarks about Sen. Barack Obama's approach to faith-based initiatives and the black community. Veteran pollster Ron Lester and Laura Washington, of The Chicago Sun-Times, discuss the issues behind Jackson's comments and the fallout.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

President Bush is due to meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders at the White House. Afterward, he hopes they'll make progress talking with each other. This week might mark President Bush's deepest involvement in the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.

PGA Tour leaders argued a deal would allow expensive legal fights and fracturing player and fan base to end. But lawmakers caution against too much involvement with the Saudi government.