Former President Ford dies at 93  —  LOS ANGELES - Gerald R. Ford, who picked up the pieces of Richard Nixon's scandal-shattered White House as the 38th president and the only one never elected to nationwide office, has died.  He was 93.  —  "My family joins me in sharing the difficult news …

Bush in Texas to rethink Iraq course  —  CRAWFORD, Texas - President Bush went to his ranch Tuesday to rethink U.S. involvement in Iraq as his spokesman hailed a Baghdad court's decision upholding the death sentence for former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.  —  Saddam, who was deposed …

Islamist Forces in Somalia Are on the Retreat  —  Islamist forces in Somalia beat a hasty retreat today to their stronghold in Mogadishu, Somalia's battle-scared capital, crumbling faster than anyone expected after a week of attacks by Ethiopian forces.  —  Burhakaba, a large inland city …

Star Tribune being sold to private equity firm  —  A private equity firm has reached an agreement to buy the Star Tribune from the McClatchy Co., publisher Keith Moyer announced today.  —  Avista Capital Partners, an investment group focused on media, health care and energy companies …

TROOPS HALP JON CARRY IN IRAK  —  On his visit to Iraq, Senator Kerry apparently got something like the silent treatment from the troops who are "stuck" there.  WDAY's Scott Hennen quotes a message from a friend serving in Iraq: … Scott comments:

Court: Execute Saddam Within 30 Days  —  Iraq's highest appeals court on Tuesday upheld Saddam Hussein's death sentence and said he must be hanged within 30 days for the killing of 148 Shiites in the central city of Dujail.  —  The sentence "must be implemented within 30 days," chief judge Aref Shahin said.

Military considers recruiting foreigners  —  Expedited citizenship would be an incentive  —  An Armed Forces center in Plymouth.  US officials are trying tactics to find recruits; one involves attracting noncitizens.  (JULIA CUMES/ASSOCIATED PRESS)  —  WASHINGTON — The armed forces …

Working at Cross Purposes  —  Consider this policy aimed to help workers at the bottom of the income distribution:  —  1. A wage subsidy for unskilled workers, paid for by  —  2. A tax on employers who hire unskilled workers.  —  Now, if you think like an economist, you might wonder about the logic of part 2 of this proposal.

Human Rights Watch debunks Zombie's ambulance-hoax claims?  Update: Zombie promises response  —  Remember this?  HRW went back and interviewed the victims and Red Cross workers involved, checked patient intake forms, revisited the scene of the attack and the two ambulances that were allegedly hit …

Biden vows to fight any Iraq troop boost  —  WASHINGTON - Incoming Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Joseph Biden, a potential Democratic presidential candidate, said Tuesday he would oppose any effort by President Bush to increase U.S troops in Iraq as part of a new war strategy.

Bush is bracing for new scrutiny … WASHINGTON // President Bush is bracing for what could be an onslaught of investigations by the new Democratic-led Congress by hiring lawyers to fill key White House posts and preparing to play defense on countless document requests and possible subpoenas.