Castro Reportedly in Grave Condition  —  MADRID, Spain (AP) — Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro is in "very grave" condition after three failed operations and complications from an intestinal infection, a Spanish newspaper said Tuesday.  —  The newspaper El Pais cited two unnamed sources …

Poll: Bush's new Iraq strategy fails to rally public support  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush's address to the nation last week failed to move public opinion in support of his plan to increase U.S. troop levels in Iraq and left Americans more pessimistic about the likely outcome of the war.

U.N.: 34,452 Iraq civilians killed in '06  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Nearly 35,000 civilians were killed last year in Iraq, the United Nations said Tuesday, a sharp increase from the numbers reported previously by the Iraqi government.  —  Gianni Magazzeni, the chief of the U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq …

51% of Women Are Now Living Without Spouse  —  For what experts say is probably the first time, more American women are living without a husband than with one, according to a New York Times analysis of census results.  —  In 2005, 51 percent of women said they were living without a spouse …

A Rifle in Every Pot  —  IT'S a phenomenon that gives the term "gun control" a whole new meaning: community ordinances that encourage citizens to own guns.  —  Last month, Greenleaf, Idaho, adopted Ordinance 208, calling for its citizens to own guns and keep them ready in their homes in case of emergency.

Second Iraq Hanging Also Went Awry  —  Iraq's turbulent effort to reckon with the violence of its past took another macabre turn on Monday when the execution of Saddam Hussein's half brother ended with the hangman's noose decapitating him after he dropped through the gallows trapdoor.

'All Star Game' Taking Shape in Libby's Trial  —  The much-anticipated trial of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby begins tomorrow in Washington.  What follows is a comprehensive spectator's guide to a legal drama that involves the White House, the CIA, and the press.  —  Who is the defendant?

Al Gore Says U.S. States May Force Change in Climate Policy  —  Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) — Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore said many businesses and state governments ``embrace'' the aims of the Kyoto Protocol, which may force President George W. Bush to alter his opposition to the effort to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Allard Announces He Won't Run in 2008  —  Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard will not run for a third term in 2008, he announced Monday at a press conference in the state capital of Denver.  —  The 63-year-old Allard, whose retirement had long been the subject of speculation in national …

Adultery could mean life, court finds  —  That's what the law says in sex-drug case Cox appealed  —  In a ruling sure to make philandering spouses squirm, Michigan's second-highest court says that anyone involved in an extramarital fling can be prosecuted for first-degree criminal sexual conduct …

Dodd's Quest: A Long Haul  —  White House Run To Test All Of Senator's Skills  —  It was a vintage Chris Dodd moment, that morning last summer in Fort Lauderdale, one that could, perhaps, put the shot in long shot.  —  The Connecticut senator had addressed a small group at the Florida Democratic State Convention.

Secret understandings reached between representatives of Israel, Syria  —  In a series of secret meetings in Europe between September 2004 and July 2006, Syrians and Israelis formulated understandings for a peace agreement between Israel and Syria.  —  The main points of the understandings are as follows:

Kucinich: Congress To Take On FCC  —  Over the weekend, the National Conference for Media Reform was held in Memphis, TN, with a number of notable speakers on hand for the event.  Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) made an surprise appearance at the convention to announce that he would be heading …

Democrats Seek the Middle on Social Issues  —  The promise may not outlast their political honeymoon, but Democratic Congressional leaders say they are committed to governing from the center, and not just on bread-and-butter issues like raising the minimum wage or increasing aid for education.

UAE beats Americans' environmental harm  —  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - When it comes to squandering the earth's natural resources, residents of this desert land of chilled swimming pools, monster 4x4s and air-conditioned malls are on a par with even the ravenous consumption of Americans, according to the World Wildlife Fund.