World

Despite the efforts of Sunni Muslim leaders to defeat it, voters across Iraq appeared to have endorsed their proposed constitution. The Electoral Commission said partial returns indicated the "yes" vote was at 75 percent in one province that Sunni leaders were counting on to help defeat the charter, and in London, visiting Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said "it probably has passed." Sunni nationalist leaders complained bitterly that her remark was "a signal to the Electoral Commission" that the US was demanding a fixed result.

Relief helicopters had to be grounded Sunday because of steady rain in devastated Kashmir as Pakistan's government raised the count of deaths from the 7.6-magnitude earthquake to 39,422. A US diplomat said he'd learned from aircraft pilots that emergency crews had yet to reach at least 20 percent of the area devastated by the Oct. 8 quake.

Three Israelis died and five others were hospitalized in serious condition after Palestinian gunmen sprayed bullets from speeding cars into a bus station and another popular gathering place for Jews in a Jerusalem suburb. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks. Security officials had warned that terrorist activities would shift to the West Bank after Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

Ideal weather conditions were expected for the planned landing Monday of two Chinese astronauts after their five-day mission in space. Touchdown for Nie Haisheng and Fei Junlong is scheduled for a site in Mongolia, but if necessary their Shenzhou 6 capsule could land on Australian soil, the Xinhua news agency said. Other reports said China will begin training women for missions in space early next year.

Islamist militants struck an unguarded Buddhist temple in southern Thailand Sunday, hacking a monk to death, shooting two youths, and setting fire to the living quarters. Eight other people died in additional attacks. Buddhist temples normally are heavily protected, but police said the one in question was not because its guards had quit in a dispute over their pay.

A prison riot was being brought under control 75 miles south of Buenos Aires as the Monitor went to press, Argentine TV reports said. But at least 17 people were dead, some of them from a fire started by inmates after authorities turned down their request that visiting hours for Mother's Day be extended.