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.

White House Week  —  New Faces, a New Plan, as Bush Nears His Endgame  —  President Bush shook up his administration last week, putting in place the lead elements of a new team to deal with military and diplomatic policy in Iraq-and even with Congress.  The changes carried the feel …

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 …

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.

ISRAEL DENIES CLAIMS IT'S PREPARING NUKE ATTACK ON IRAN  —  Israel's Foreign Ministry is denying a British newspaper report that claims Jerusalem has drafted plans for a low-level nuclear strike on Iran to wipe out its uranium enrichment facilities using nuclear-tipped "bunker busters."

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 …

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 …

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.

Dallas-based food chain to accept Mexican pesos  —  Starting Monday, patrons of the Dallas-based Pizza Patrón chain, which caters heavily to Latinos, will be able to purchase American pizzas with Mexican pesos.  —  Restaurant experts and economists said they knew of no other food chain …

Limp language leaves kids with an awesome paucity of speech  —  Eavesdrop on any group of teens hanging around outside your local high school.  Their emotions may run the gamut, but their ability to express themselves generally does not.  They've got one all-purpose word — "awesome" …

Now, a jumbo dilemma  —  Jan 7: It is an odd dilemma for forest officials of the district — torn as they are between the need to save human life and crops from marauding elephants and risking a decline in pachyderm population, as herds of them flee into neighbouring Bangladesh when chased away from the border district.