Experts Advise Bush Not to Reduce Troops  —  President Looking Beyond Study Group's Plan  —  President Bush heard a blunt and dismal assessment of his handling of Iraq from a group of military experts yesterday, but the advisers shared the White House's skeptical view of the recommendations …

Kennedy drops support for a Kerry presidential run in '08  —  WASHINGTON —Senator Edward M. Kennedy Monday dropped his public commitment to support Senator John F. Kerry in a 2008 presidential race, saying that he won't wait "indefinitely" for Kerry to declare his intentions while the Democratic primary field takes shape.

A Dictator's Double Standard  —  Augusto Pinochet tortured and murdered.  His legacy is Latin America's most successful country.  —  AUGUSTO PINOCHET, who died Sunday at the age of 91, has been vilified for three decades in and outside of Chile, the South American country he ruled for 17 years.

Saudi Ambassador Abruptly Resigns, Leaves Washington  —  Prince Turki al-Faisal, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United States, flew out of Washington yesterday after informing Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and his staff that he would be leaving the post after only 15 months on the job …

Annan Criticizes U.S. in Farewell Speech  —  U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, in his farewell address, criticized the Bush administration, warning that America must not sacrifice its Democratic ideals while waging war against terrorism.  —  In remarks prepared for delivery Monday …

Christmas trees are going back up at Sea-Tac airport  —  The holiday trees that went away in the middle of the night are back.  —  Tonight, Port of Seattle staff began putting up the trees they had taken down Friday night after a local rabbi requested that a Hanukkah menorah also be displayed.

Gay and Evangelical, Seeking Paths of Acceptance  —  RALEIGH, N.C. — Justin Lee believes that the Virgin birth was real, that there is a heaven and a hell, that salvation comes through Christ alone and that he, the 29-year-old son of Southern Baptists, is an evangelical Christian.

Iraqis Consider Ways to Reduce Power of Cleric  —  After discussions with the Bush administration, several of Iraq's major political parties are in talks to form a coalition whose aim is to break the powerful influence of the radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr within the government, senior Iraqi officials say.

Tom DeLay launches comeback  —  Former Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) yesterday began the long haul to restore the GOP to power and to repair his personal reputation following a year of scandal and bruising electoral defeat.  —  His vehicle for both is a blog and grassroots political organization hosted at www.tomdelay.com.

To Stem Iraqi Violence, U.S. Aims to Create Jobs  —  As Iraq descends further into violence and disarray, the Pentagon is turning to a weapon some believe should have been used years ago: jobs.  —  Members of a small Pentagon task force have gone to the most dangerous areas of Iraq …

Bush courts Democrats — but may be 6 years too late  —  (12-12) 04:00 PST Washington — Hoping to avoid a lame-duck final two years in the White House, President Bush is openly wooing moderate and conservative House Democrats as potential allies on a variety of issues as their party prepares to take control of Congress in January.

Small nuclear war could lead to cooldown  —  SAN FRANCISCO - Some of the scientists who first advanced the controversial "nuclear winter" theory more than two decades ago have come up with another bleak forecast: Even a regional nuclear war would devastate the environment.

Gore chases Oscar nod, possible 2008 bid  —  NEW YORK - Al Gore is waging a fierce campaign for recognition and an Oscar statuette for his global warming documentary, while reviving talk that he's pursuing a bigger prize: the presidency.  —  His recent itinerary has been the ultimate in high profile.

$20bn gas project seized by Russia  —  Shell is being forced by the Russian government to hand over its controlling stake in the world's biggest liquefied gas project, provoking fresh fears about the Kremlin's willingness to use the country's growing strength in natural resources as a political weapon.

The Big Lie About the Middle East  —  Tell James Baker: Arab nations don't care about the Palestinians  —  No sensible person is against peacemaking in the Holy Land.  Applause and hopefulness would seem the reasonable reaction to the Iraq Study Group's recommendation that the Bush Administration …

Poll: 7 Out of 10 Americans Disapprove of Handling of Iraq War  —  Negative assessments of the war in Iraq — the central issue in last month's midterm election — continue to hold down President Bush's job approval ratings and could cast a pall on the final two years of his presidency.