G.O.P. Senators Block Debate on Iraq Policy  —  Republicans on Monday blocked Senate debate on a bipartisan resolution opposing President Bush's troop buildup in Iraq, leaving in doubt whether the Senate would render a judgment on what lawmakers of both parties described as the paramount issue of the day.

The Other Democrats Weigh In  —  The good news for the nation's Democrats is that neither of the supposed front-runners for the party's 2008 presidential nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama, stole the show when all 10 of the likely contenders spoke last weekend to the Democratic National Committee.

Edwards latest to decline public funds for presidential campaign  —  WASHINGTON — Democrat John Edwards on Monday joined New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton in saying he will not use public money for the presidential primary campaign or, if he wins his party's nomination, for the general election.

Haggard says he's not gay  —  The Rev. Ted Haggard emerged from three weeks of intensive counseling convinced he is "completely heterosexual" and told an oversight board that his sexual contact with men was limited to his accuser.  —  That is according to one of the disgraced pastor's overseers …

Bush Plan Reins In Domestic Spending  —  Proposal Aims to Balance Budget And Fund Wars  —  President Bush took aim yesterday at domestic spending as part of a plan to balance the budget in five years without raising taxes while increasing funding for the Iraq war and permanently expanding the military.

Dear Senator Clinton, we all lived through 9/11, thank you very much.  PS Iraq has nothing to do with 9/11.  —  A lot of folks didn't notice that Hillary gave an interview last week about Iraq that read like George Bush at his worst.  Not only did she lecture Democratic voters about how Iraq …

'RUNNIN' MATES' JUDI 'N' RUDY AIM FOR '08  —  Sexy Judi Giuliani is keeping a tight lip-lock on her hubby as he moved even closer yesterday to officially announcing his presidential bid.  —  As his loyal missus bared some of the secrets of her marriage to "America's Mayor" in a candid new interview …

A.B.A. Panel Would Weaken Code Governing Judges' Conduct  —  A commission of the American Bar Association has recommended that the group weaken its code of judicial conduct by changing, from a mandatory rule to nonbinding advice, an instruction to judges to "avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety."

Iraqi Gunmen Seize Iranian Diplomat  —  Officials: Iranian Diplomat Seized by Gunmen Wearing Army Uniforms in Central Baghdad  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq Feb 6, 2007 (AP)— Gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms seized an Iranian diplomat as he drove through central Baghdad, officials said Tuesday.

Exclusive: Duke Lacrosse Grand Jurors Speak Out  —  Grand Juror Says "Would Have Made a Different Decision" If he Knew What he Knows Now  —  In the spring, a grand jury in Durham, N.C., indicted three Duke University lacrosse players on charges of rape, sexual offense and kidnapping of an exotic dancer.

Newsweek's Evan Thomas: 'Our Job Is To Bash the President'  —  On Friday night's edition of Inside Washington airing locally on Washington PBS station WETA, the first topic was whether the media's been unfair to President Bush, given his abysmal approval ratings.

Coming US challenge: a less literate workforce  —  A larger share of workers will have minimal reading skills in 2030 than today, according to a report released Monday.  —  US workers may be significantly less literate in 2030 than they are today.  —  The reason: Most baby boomers …

U.S. military: Iraqi lawmaker is U.S. Embassy bomber … BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — A man sentenced to death in Kuwait for the 1983 bombings of the U.S. and French embassies now sits in Iraq's parliament as a member of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's ruling coalition, according to U.S. military intelligence.

Libby's Grand Jury Tapes Are Heard in Court  —  Prosecutors in the perjury trial of I. Lewis Libby Jr. on Monday played audio tapes in which Mr. Libby was heard testifying under oath before a grand jury that he had not discussed the identity of a Central Intelligence Agency operative …