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The first federal trial over the painkiller Vioxx begins Tuesday in Houston. Pharmaceutical company Merck has defended its handling of the drug in two previous state cases, losing one of them. Merck withdrew Vioxx from the market last year after a study showed that the drug posed heart risks.

Dennis Rader, the confessed BTK serial killer, receives 10 life sentences for murders committed in Kansas. In June, Rader pleaded guilty to 10 murders that took place between 1974 and 1991.

Major U.S. newspapers continue to cut staff to offset disappointing revenue. But recent layoffs and buyouts at two newspapers owned by the Tribune Company prompted editorial cartoonists to protest. The cartoonists fear the cost-cutting measures may signal the end of an era for their profession.

Confessions on a Dance Floor, the new CD from Madonna, represents her renewed devotion to dance music. The songs echo propulsive disco favorites of the '70s, updated with Madonna's flair for the dramatic.

It will be very difficult for Sunnis to support the constitution as it is, according to Ghassan Attiyah, director of the Baghdad think tank the Iraq Foundation for Development and Democracy. But Attiyah also predicts Sunnis may not be able to muster the votes to defeat it in the coming referendum.

The prospect of holiday parties fill some with dread. But mastering the art of small talk can make conversations with strangers more enjoyable. Debra Fine shares her tips for getting through holiday parties unscathed.

Richard Thompson grew up in post-war Britain, listening to Les Paul and Django Reinhardt. Known for his exceptional guitar work, Thompson's latest release, Front Parlour Ballads, is his first solo acoustic album in more than 20 years.

Thousands of Iraqis attend funeral services for more than 900 people who died Wednesday in a panicked crush on a Baghdad bridge. The rumor of a suicide bomber sparked a mad rush during a Shiite religious festival. Amid the funerals there are calls for an investigation into the cause and accusations of a fumbled response to the disaster.

Our series on hobbies continues with an old favorite: the barbecue grill. Charcoal and meat seems to bring out the fanatic in some people. Robert Smith visits a group of devoted grillers.

In California, federal authorities announce indictments against the head of an Islamic prison gang and three Los Angeles men suspected to be involved in terrorist plot to attack synagogues, National Guard facilities and at LAX airport.