War Could Last Years, Commander Says  —  The new American operational commander in Iraq said Sunday that even with the additional American troops likely to be deployed in Baghdad under President Bush's new war strategy it might take another "two or three years" for American and Iraqi forces to gain the upper hand in the war.

Gas Smelled Over Large Area Of Manhattan  —  NEW YORK — People over a large part of New York City are smelling a gas, but no cause has been identified.  —  Numerous people have called 911 concerned about the odor.  Con Edison, the Fire Department and the U.S. Coast Guard are investigating.

Democrats Revise Agenda To Deal With War in Iraq  —  With Bush to Announce New Plan, Domestic Policy No Longer Primary Focus  —  Democratic leaders who had hoped to emphasize their domestic agenda in the opening weeks of Congress have concluded that Iraq will share top billing …

Tax Cuts Offer Most for Very Rich, Study Says  —  Families earning more than $1 million a year saw their federal tax rates drop more sharply than any group in the country as a result of President Bush's tax cuts, according to a new Congressional study.  —  The study, by the nonpartisan …

Slimmer Time in the Age of the Internet  —  Richard Stengel, the managing editor of Time, took his wife and kids out to dinner Friday night.  —  As historic moments go, not a big deal, but it does reflect a seismic change.  Time magazine, which has been coming out every Monday for over 36 years, hit the streets on Friday instead.

HELP WANTED: RIGHTY FOR '08  —  IT'S getting to the point where the conservative - dominant - wing of the Republican Party needs to take out a want ad in the newspaper or post a listing on Craigslist.com to find a candidate for president.  In the field taking shape before our eyes …

Sen. Biden announces intent to seek presidency  —  Democrat from Delaware tells 'Meet the Press' he'll file paperwork in Jan.  —  Sen. Joe Biden on Sunday told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he will seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.  —  "I am running for president," he told "Meet the Press" anchor Tim Russert.

Free-Market Justice  —  SIXTEEN years as a state trial judge have left me with a deep respect for the professionalism and competence of the public defenders who handle felony cases for indigent criminal defendants in my courtroom.  In fact, I've told friends, only half-jokingly …

VIDEO FLASHBACK: Bush Says Sending More Troops To Iraq Would 'Undermine Our Strategy'  —  On Wednesday night, President Bush is expected to announce plans to escalate the war in Iraq by sending more U.S. troops.  On June 28, 2005 — just 18 months ago — Bush said that sending more troops to Iraq would …

Scientists See Potential In Amniotic Stem Cells  —  They Are Highly Versatile And Readily Available  —  A type of cell that floats freely in the amniotic fluid of pregnant women has been found to have many of the same traits as embryonic stem cells, including an ability to grow into brain …

Intel: A Writer's Blocked  —  A CIA panel has told former officer Valerie Plame she can't write about her undercover work for the agency, a position that may threaten a lucrative book project with her publisher.  Plame's outing as a CIA officer in July 2003 triggered a criminal probe …

Conservatives Decry Terror Laws' Impact on Refugees  —  Administration's Interpretation Means Many Asylum-Seekers Are Wrongly Considered Security Threats, Critics Say  —  Conservatives who supported President Bush's reelection have joined liberal groups in expressing outrage …

Bush $1bn jobs plan to draw Iraqis into fold  —  President George Bush will this week announce a renewed reconstruction package for Iraq costing up to $1bn (£500m) and a fresh push by a reinforced Iraqi army to quell the insurgency in Baghdad to sweeten the pill of his decision to dispatch …

War's Toll on Iraqis Put at 22,950 in '06  —  Statistics From Health Ministry Official Show Tripling of Civilian, Police Deaths  —  More than 17,000 Iraqi civilians and police officers died violently in the latter half of 2006, according to Iraqi Health Ministry statistics …

I got an A in Phallus 101  —  The list of the 12 most bizarre college courses in the U.S. includes offerings such as 'The Phallus' and 'Queer Musicology.'  —  THE "DIRTY DOZEN" list of "America's Most Bizarre and Politically Correct College Courses" is out — and Los Angeles-area institutions …