Stingray kills 'Crocodile Hunter' Irwin  —  CAIRNS, Australia - Steve Irwin, the hugely popular Australian television personality and conservationist known as the "Crocodile Hunter," was killed Monday by a stingray while filming off the Great Barrier Reef.  He was 44.

G.O.P. Seen to Be in Peril of Losing House  —  After a year of political turmoil, Republicans enter the fall campaign with their control of the House in serious jeopardy, the possibility of major losses in the Senate, and a national mood so unsettled that districts once considered safely Republican …

Attacking Inequality  —  Tax Reform Has the Greatest Potential To Narrow the Gap  —  By now almost everyone agrees that inequality is serious.  Economic growth no longer seems to help the majority of workers; the proceeds flow to the top fifth or so of the workforce, and the top within the top has done especially handsomely.

A Different Face of Iran  —  Despite the Politics, an American Finds Hope in a Forbidden Land  —  As a journalist, I've spent considerable time over the years in places where America was not always popular.  In the bad old days, that meant Russia, China and Vietnam; more recently I've reported …

What a shambles over Iran  —  The collapse of resolve towards Tehran's nuclear plans will deeply undermine international order  —  PERSIAN PROVERBS have a particularly poetic quality to them.  Among my personal favourites are: "The wise man sits on the hole in his carpet" …

On America Working The war on workers  —  U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige labeled one "a terrorist organization."  Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, called them "a clear and present danger to the security of the United States."  And U.S. Rep. Charles Norwood, R-Ga. …

Caine hits out against today's 'banal' films  —  FILMS made today pale against cinema classics of the past because they are so lacking in dialogue, character and plot, Sir Michael Caine told The Times yesterday.  —  The Oscar-winning star has lost count of the number of times he has seen films …

Barzani Threatens Secession;  —  Sistani Aide Assassinated;  —  4 GIs Killed  —  Massoud Barzani reacted angrily to criticisms of him by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki and many other Iraqi politicians for his call that the Iraqi flag not be flown in Iraqi Kurdistan.

US Muslims plagued by discrimination after 9/11 attacks  —  DEARBORN, United States (AFP) - Discrimination and harassment by law enforcement have come to plague American Muslims in the years since the terrorist attacks of September 11.  —  There have been suspicious looks, slurs …

FACTBOX-Security developments in Iraq, Sept 4  —  Source: Reuters  —  Sept 4 (Reuters) - Following are security and other developments in Iraq reported on Monday, as of 1515 GMT:  —  Asterisk denotes new or updated item.  —  *TIKRIT - A U.S. soldier was killed after his vehicle was hit …