New Worry Rises After Iran Claims Nuclear Steps  —  Of all the claims that Iran made last week about its nuclear program, a one-sentence assertion by its president has provoked such surprise and concern among international nuclear inspectors they are planning to confront Tehran about it this week.

Anger at Bush May Hurt GOP At Polls  —  Intense and widespread opposition to President Bush is likely to be a sharp spur driving voters to the polls in this fall's midterm elections, according to strategists in both parties, a phenomenon that could give Democrats a turnout advantage over Republicans for the first time in recent years.

Palestinian militant leaders rally behind Iran  —  TEHRAN (AFP) - Palestinian militant leaders have rallied behind Iran, vowing to resist pressure to recognise Israel and supporting the Islamic republic in its stand-off with the West over its nuclear programme.

Demonstrations on Immigration Harden a Divide  —  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 14 — Al and Diane Kitlica have not paid close attention to the immigration debate in Congress.  But when more than 100,000 mostly Hispanic demonstrators marched through Phoenix this week, the Kitlicas noticed.

Outrage at Funeral Protests Pushes Lawmakers to Act  —  Members of Westboro Baptist Church demonstrating in February in Anoka, Minn., near the funeral for Cpl. Andrew Kemple, who was killed in Iraq.  People opposed to the church's views carried flags nearby.

Second Dancer At Duke Lacrosse Party Speaks Out  —  DURHAM, N.C. — The woman who has accused members of the Duke University men's lacrosse team of raping her at a party last month "definitely was under some sort of substance" after leaving the party, according to a second woman at the party.

Why Newt Is So Much Fun to Watch  —  He's older and wiser, but as refreshingly unorthodox as ever  —  "How many of you have ever used an automatic bank machine overseas?"  Newt Gingrich asks, and since this is a pretty affluent New Hampshire audience, a fair number of people raise their hand.

YES, YES, 'THE GOP IS DOOMED IN NOVEMBER.' SOMEHOW I FEEL LIKE I'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE.  —  I don't doubt that the GOP base is cranky and dissatisfied, and that most Democratic voters are as angry as the lovely lady the Washington Post profiled on Saturday.  —  I look at the Post this morning, and I read:

Parks Feel '80 Percent' Squeeze  —  Visitor Services Getting Pinched in Move to Cut Costs  —  The Bush administration has ordered America's national parks to show that they can function at 80 percent or less of their operating budgets, which is forcing some parks to cut services for visitors as summer approaches.

'Roe v. Wade': The divided states of America  —  COLUMBUS, Ohio — Two hours after South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds signed an abortion ban last month, NARAL Pro-Choice America blasted an e-mail to its supporters: "Is your state next?"  —  The South Dakota legislation and the abortion rights group's warning …

Muslims outraged by new cartoon of Prophet in Hell  —  An Italian magazine has infuriated Muslims by publishing a cartoon showing the Prophet Mohammed cut in half and burning in Hell.  —  The drawing appears in Studi Cattolici, a monthly magazine with links to the ultra-conservative Roman Catholic group, Opus Dei.

America's 10 Best Senators  —  Those who make a difference in the U.S. Senate — and five Senators who are falling short  —  By law, just about anyone can be a U.S. Senator.  The Constitution requires only that you have reached your 30th birthday, reside in the state you represent and have held American citizenship for nine years.

Meet Masood Farivar  —  The Afghan Yale refused to admit.  —  In February, former Yale admissions dean Richard Shaw was explaining why the university had admitted Sayed Rahmatullah Hashemi.  Yale once had, as the Times put it, "another foreigner of Rahmatullah's caliber" who applied.

Generals, See Progress  —  The struggle to form a unity government in Iraq continues, but signs of hope are emerging.  One of the sticking points continues to be Prime Minister Ibrahim Jaafari, who has so far refused to resign; however, on Sunday the Iraqi Shia Alliance reported it was close to a deal to replace him.