Bush Directive Increases Sway on Regulation  —  President Bush has signed a directive that gives the White House much greater control over the rules and policy statements that the government develops to protect public health, safety, the environment, civil rights and privacy.

Dispatches From the Scooter Libby Trial  —  I wanted to raise my hand and ask, "Your Honor, may I approach the bench?"  —  I was at the Scooter Libby trial to cover it, and all of a sudden, I found myself in the middle of the case.  In his testimony today, former White House press secretary …

Missteps by Iraqi Forces in Battle Raise Questions  —  Iraqi forces were surprised and nearly overwhelmed by the ferocity of an obscure renegade militia in a weekend battle near the holy city of Najaf and needed far more help from American forces than previously disclosed, American and Iraqi officials said Monday.

We're very proud, bomber's family declares  —  The mother of Muhammad Faisal Saksak, the 21-year-old suicide bomber who carried out Monday's attack in Eilat, said she was aware of her son's plan to blow himself up and that she had wished him "good luck."  —  Dozens of Palestinians …

With Iran Ascendant, U.S. Is Seen at Fault  —  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Kuwait rarely rebuffs its ally, the United States, partly out of gratitude for the 1991 Persian Gulf War.  But in October it reneged on a pledge to send three military observers to an American-led naval exercise in the Gulf …

Only the US hawks can save the Iranian president now  —  Ahmadinejad is failing to deliver for the poor and losing support, but he could yet survive because of the international threat  —  The honeymoon is over.  Iran's controversial president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has finally come unstuck.

The 'Democrat majority' is still the talk of the capital  —  WASHINGTON — Will President Bush put the "-ic" back in "Democratic"?  —  That was the hot topic around Washington on Monday after the president was asked why, during his State of the Union address last week, he referred to Congress' new "Democrat majority."

Unfilled tunnels a weak link at border  —  Key points are plugged in U.S. and Mexico, but smugglers may still try to reuse the passages  —  SAN DIEGO — Seven of the largest tunnels discovered under the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years have yet to be filled in, authorities said …

U.S. missile defense maturing, latest test a success  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Within a year, the U.S. missile defense system should be able to guard against enemy attacks, while testing new technologies, the deputy director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency said on Monday.

As Iraqi refugees flee, let's not forget Vietnam  —  At a hearing on Capitol Hill two weeks ago, a young Iraqi gave gripping testimony of the price paid by his countrymen who have risked their lives serving the U.S. occupation.  The 27-year-old former military translator …

Baker agrees reluctantly to testify on Iraq  —  James A. Baker III, the co-chairman of the Iraq Study Group, has ended weeks of resistance and today will testify before Congress on the war, avoiding a split with his fellow co-chairman, former Rep. Lee Hamilton (D-Ind.).

A Global Balancing Act  —  Dani Rodrik, a trade economist at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard, received his introduction to the idiosyncrasies of globalization while growing up in Turkey.  —  His father made ballpoint pens, protected by high tariffs from less expensive imports.

Romney's New Approach?  Honesty  —  Via Soren Dayton, we learn that Mitt Romney has finally admitted that he used to be pro-choice. … Dayton is right to note that Romney is trying to defuse his past support for abortion.  But if you look closely at what Romney is saying …

Soldier's Death Strengthens Senators' Antiwar Resolve  —  Kerry, Dodd Demand Stronger Challenge to Bush  —  Just before Christmas, an Army captain named Brian Freeman cornered Sens. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) and John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) at a Baghdad helicopter landing zone.

GOP Right Sees Lemons in White House Race  —  Contemplating the current field of Republican presidential candidates, Rush Limbaugh sounded like a man with malaise.  —  "To be honest with you, there's nobody out there that revs me up," he confessed to his audience of several million conservative sympathizers …