An Iraq Success Story's Sad New Chapter  —  Bush's Struggle in Reassuring U.S. Is Illustrated by City's Renewed Strife  —  CLEVELAND, March 20 — As President Bush tells the tale, the battle for Tall Afar offers a case study in how U.S. and Iraqi forces working together can root out insurgents and restore stability.

The Stone Face of Zarqawi  —  Iraq is no "distraction" from al Qaeda.  —  In February 2004, our Kurdish comrades in northern Iraq intercepted a courier who was bearing a long message from Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to his religious guru Osama bin Laden.  The letter contained a deranged analysis …

FBI Was Warned About Moussaoui  —  Agent Tells Court Of Repeated Efforts Before 9/11 Attacks  —  An FBI agent who interrogated Zacarias Moussaoui before Sept. 11, 2001, warned his supervisors more than 70 times that Moussaoui was a terrorist and spelled out his suspicions that the al-Qaeda operative …

"WE WILL CUT HIM INTO LITTLE PIECES"  —  ***scroll for updates***  —  The Chicago Tribune is paying attention to Abdul Rahman, the Afghan man facing the death penalty for being a Christian convert.  The paper provides background on Rahman's troubled relations with his family, which has spurned him and accused him of mental illness.

I'm boss, Hil tells Bill  —  Senator's word is now 'final,' says the ex-Prez  —  WASHINGTON - After being surprised by her husband's role in the Dubai ports deal, Sen. Hillary Clinton has insisted that Bill Clinton give her "final say" over what he says and does, well-placed sources said.

2 Years After Soldier's Death, Family's Battle Is With Army  —  SAN JOSE, Calif. — Patrick K. Tillman stood outside his law office here, staring intently at a yellow house across the street, just over 70 yards away.  That, he recalled, is how far away his eldest son, Pat …

Europe hands over Palestinian aid  —  The European Union has handed over 64m euros (£44m) in aid to help the poorest Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.  —  But it said that future aid depended on the incoming Hamas government showing a commitment to work for peace, saying the group was "at a crossroads".

Cheney at Fund-Raiser, but Not With the Candidate  —  NEWARK, March 20 — In the biggest campaign fund-raiser yet on behalf of State Senator Thomas H. Kean Jr., Vice President Dick Cheney traveled to New Jersey on Monday and praised Mr. Kean as someone with "the experience …

New Business Blooms in Iraq: Terror Insurance  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq — Twice in the past year, Muhammad Said has survived assassination attempts that left his car riddled with bullets.  He works part time as a bodyguard for his father, a Baghdad city councilman, and helps a friend who has contracts with the American military.

Pastors' Get-Out-the-Vote Training Could Test Tax Rules  —  WASHINGTON, March 20 — Weeks after the Internal Revenue Service announced a crackdown on political activities by churches and other tax-exempt organizations, a coalition of nonprofit conservative groups is holding training sessions …

FBI, you've got mail — NOT!  —  FBI official says budget doesn't cover accounts for all agents  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Budget constraints are forcing some FBI agents to operate without e-mail accounts, according to the agency's top official in New York.  —  "As ridiculous as this might sound …

THE UNITED NATIONS SMEARS LEGO  —  ***scroll for updates***  —  Today is The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.  The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights is celebrating the day with this vile poster portraying Denmark's most famous company as racist:

My Vision For Iraq  —  BAGHDAD — The elections last December in Iraq were a monumental stage in my country's history and a testament to the courage of its people, who refuse to bow to any dictator or terrorist.  As the wheels of democracy have begun to turn in Iraq, the people's wishes …

"South Park" Chef back after Scientology skirmish  —  LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Soul singer Isaac Hayes may have quit his job as the voice of Chef on "South Park" after a disagreement over religion, but his character will live on when the satiric cable TV cartoon returns to Comedy Central this week, the network said on Monday.