Gaza groups ready to deal on cease-fire, release of Shalit  —  All groups in Gaza, including Hamas, would now accept a cease-fire deal with Israel which would include releasing Gilad Shalit, according to the Palestinian Agriculture Minister, who also heads the coordinating committee of Palestinian organizations there.

Democrats' Plan Focuses on Middle Class  —  Sen. Clinton Presents Domestic Agenda Featuring Tax Breaks and Tuition Help  —  DENVER, July 24 — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) accused Republicans under President Bush of economic mismanagement and favoring the rich here on Monday …

It's Disproportionate. . .  Just my luck.  I go away on vacation and it happens to be the week when George W. Bush's strategic view of the current world situation is revealed: Russia big.  China big, too.  World leaders boring.  Lady world leaders need neck rub.  Terrorism bad.

For One Senate Candidate, the 'R' Is a 'Scarlet Letter'  —  The candidate, immersed in one of the most competitive Senate races in the country, sat down to lunch yesterday with reporters at a Capitol Hill steakhouse and shared his views about this year's political currents.

U.S. Says It Knew of Pakistani Reactor Plan  —  Congress Learned of Nation's Nuclear Expansion From Independent Analysts  —  The Bush administration acknowledged yesterday that it had long known about Pakistan's plans to build a large plutonium-production reactor, but it said the White House …

Specter Prepping Bill to Sue Bush  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - A powerful Republican committee chairman who has led the fight against President Bush's signing statements said Monday he would have a bill ready by the end of the week allowing Congress to sue him in federal court.

Massive blackout continues in St. Louis  —  AP — _ ST. LOUIS (AP) _ Nearly a quarter-million homes and businesses still had no electricity Monday as the city struggled to recover from last week's devastating thunderstorms.  —  The blackout has kept air conditioners from cooling homes since Wednesday …

Global Trade Talks Break Down Over Farm Issues  —  GENEVA, July 24 — Negotiations aimed at reaching a new global trade agreement collapsed today, dealing a blow to the Bush administration's international economic agenda and touching off a bitter new round of recriminations between the United States and Europe over farm trade barriers.

Bush Job Approval at 37%  —  Similar to 37% average rating for all of June  —  PRINCETON, NJ — A new USA Today/Gallup poll finds 37% of Americans approving of the way Bush is handling his job as president and 59% disapproving.  Despite many extraordinary events dominating the news over the past weeks …

UN official accuses Hezbollah of 'cowardly blending' among civilians  —  LARNACA, Cyprus - The UN humanitarian chief accused Hezbollah late Monday of "cowardly blending" among Lebanese civilians and causing the deaths of hundreds during two weeks of cross-border violence with Israel.

Nice Rats, Nasty Rats: Maybe It's All in the Genes  —  On an animal-breeding farm in Siberia are cages housing two colonies of rats.  In one colony, the rats have been bred for tameness in the hope of mimicking the mysterious process by which Neolithic farmers first domesticated an animal still kept today.

The New King of Big TV's Is Queen-Size  —  Will buying a TV set one day involve choosing between full, queen and king sizes?  —  Panasonic said last week that it would begin selling a 103-inch flat-panel plasma television in the United States in time for the holiday season.

Troops hurt in Maroun al-Ras clashes  —  Several IDF soldiers were wounded on Tuesday afternoon when troops encountered severe resistance in Maroun al-Ras, a Hizbullah stronghold the IDF believed it was in control of.  —  The number of casualties was unclear.