Security Council unanimously OKs N. Korea sanctions … UNITED NATIONS (CNN) — The U.N. Security Council on Saturday voted unanimously to impose sanctions against North Korea in response to the country's claimed nuclear test.  —  The 15-0 vote for Resolution 1718 sent a "clear and strong message" …

First openly gay person elected to Congress dies  —  Former Mass. Rep. Gerry Studds had a blood clot in his lung, husband says  —  BOSTON - Former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, the first openly gay person elected to Congress, died early Saturday at Boston Medical Center, several days after he collapsed …

Report: FBI probing Weldon's aid to daughter  —  A glossy Democratic mailer has been circulating the district all week about how U.S. Rep. Curt Weldon allegedly used his political influence to steer lucrative contracts to his daughter.  Today, McClatchy Newspapers is expected to publish …

Democratic Faces That Could Launch Thousands of Votes  —  With a Parade of Attractive Candidates, the Party May Benefit From the Politics of Beauty  —  AUBURN, N.Y. — Maybe Democratic candidate Michael Arcuri is running strong in this Republican House district because he pledges to expand health coverage …

How Bad Will It Be?  —  The GOP debacle to come.  —  REPUBLICANS and conservatives, brace yourselves!  Strategists and consultants of both parties now believe the House is lost and House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi will become speaker.  At best, Republicans will cling to control of the Senate by a single seat, two at most.

Ethics panel holds talks with Reid  —  Senate leader seeks to detail investment  —  WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid said this week that he is in discussions with the Senate ethics committee to determine whether he should amend his financial disclosure forms to include details …

Why is President Bush talking about an Islamic caliphate?  And what does the word mean?  —  President Bush listened as Muslim cleric Imam Ahmed Dewidar spoke during a memorial service for World Trade Center victims in November 2001  —  When President George W. Bush starts using fifty-cent words …

NO GREATER LOVE  —  Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Monsoor, center, sent this photo home from Iraq days before he died. … ("To An Athlete Dying Young" by A.E. Houseman)  —  Garden Grove, California is a "stiller town" today.  The city of 166,000 lost one of its favorite sons on September 29 …

GOP Firing Back?  —  Campaign: As Democrats refuse to let up on former Rep. Mark Foley, some Republicans are returning fire.  But they'll have to do a lot more fighting back if they want to win on Election Day.  —  Time and again Democrats prove themselves to be ferocious street fighters, especially in campaign season.

Gay Marriage Losing Punch as Ballot Issue  —  The debate over same-sex marriage was a black-or-white proposition two years ago when voters in 11 states barred gay couples from marrying.  —  But this year shades of gray are everywhere, as eight more states consider similar ballot measures.

Noam's Nimrods  —  Come closer, bird-brains.  This wicked whippoorwill wants to whisper the name of the radical, blame-America blowhard who partly inspired the controversial list of 54 factoids and quotes cut into the humongo steel Funyun down at Wesley Bolin Plaza, a Funyun otherwise known as AZ's 9/11 Memorial.

Press Briefing by Tony Snow  —  White House Conference Center Briefing Room  —  MR. SNOW: One brief announcement and then questions.  The announcement, the President and Mrs. Bush will welcome Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden to the White House on October 23, 2006.

New Calls by Hamas Militants to Target the U.S.  —  Washington's efforts to isolate and topple the Islamist government is amplifying calls from its more extreme element to abandon its reluctance to directly attack U.S. interests  —  Commanders of the military wing of Hamas …