Iraq Iraq's constitution has been adopted despite stiff opposition from the country's disaffected Sunni Arab minority, electoral officials announced amid an upsurge of violence nationwide. Iraq The death toll of US troops in Iraq reached 2,000 with the deaths of two more soldiers, CNN said, quoting Pentagon sources. Iraq Iraq remains "very unstable" and violent unrest looks set to grow, even if political talks remain the best way forward, an influential international security think-tank said. Germany Incoming German chancellor Angela Merkel warned there would be "no taboos" when her new government goes about slashing a staggering 35 billion euros (42 billion dollars) from the federal budget in 2007.