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America's No. 2 diplomat has ended his weekend visit to Islamabad, Pakistan. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte met Saturday with military ruler Pervez Musharraf, telling the general to lift emergency rule and release all political detainees. Musharraf seems to be holding his ground.

Police in India have uncovered an illegal kidney transplant racket in which hundreds of poor laborers were duped or forced into giving up their organs for wealthy Indians and foreigners. Several such operations have been discovered in India, but the scale of this one is described as unprecedented.

Poet Ouyang Yu imagines an Olympic event in which he lifts up just one extraordinary word. "The magic of the word is that, when well lifted, it has the power to transform," Yu says.

The Austin band performed a special concert at a small venue in their hometown.

For five days, several hundred Pakistani soldiers have been held captive in a tribal region near the Afghan border. They were seized in South Waziristan by pro-Taliban militants — who never even had to fire a shot. Now efforts are under way to secure their release. The affair is causing anger and embarrassment in Pakistan.

U.S. Marines have reportedly halted street-to-street battles with insurgents in the Iraqi city of Fallujah. But despite a unilateral U.S. call for a truce, skirmishes continue there and in several other Iraqi cities on the first anniversary of the fall of Baghdad. NPR's Philip Reeves reports.

India Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee concedes defeat in the country's general election, clearing the way for Sonia Gandhi to become India's next prime minister. Sonia Gandhi is the widow of assassinated former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. Hear NPR's Steve Inskeep and NPR's Philip Reeves.

Iraqi security forces raid the town of Madaen, near Baghdad, seeking to free a large number of Shiite hostages. More than 100 hostages were reportedly taken by Sunni militants.

Car bombs kill more than 30 Iraqis in Samarra, and more attacks wound more tha 20 American Marines in Ramadi. U.S. and Iraqi forces stepped up attacks on Fallujah, preparing for a major offensive against insurgents there. Hear NPR's Jennifer Ludden and NPR's Philip Reeves.

A new truce has been announced that may end the U.S. siege of Fallujah. Marine commanders say their forces will pull back, and an Iraqi unit led by one of Saddam Hussein's former generals will take over the city. Clashes between the Marines and insurgents were reported soon after the plan was announced. Hear NPR's Robert Siegel and NPR's Philip Reeves.