Rice says US-Iraq Coming Together on Timetables

BAGHDAD (AP) - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her Iraqi counterpart say their governments have agreed that timetables should be set for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from the battle-scarred country. Rice is in Baghdad, where she appeared at a news conference today with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari (HOH’-shayr zuh-BAH’-ree). The two officials [...]

Shooting Reported at a Tennessee High School

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Police say they’ve taken a suspect into custody after a shooting at a Knoxville, Tenn. high school. The shooting was reported to police at about 8:10 Thursday morning at Central High School. Capt. Mike Duncan of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office tells the Knoxville News-Sentinel that a suspect was found on [...]

Costs Soar for National Guard Training Overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) - Revamping the Army National Guard training program so soldiers can spend more time at home will cost at least 128 million dollars this year. Officials will need twice as much next year to properly train and equip their forces. The Guard has been trying to condense the training process, and has managed [...]

Russia: Poland risks attack because of US missiles

MOSCOW (AP) - A top Russian general says Poland’s agreement to accept a U.S. missile interceptor base makes the ex-communist nation open to attack, possibly by nuclear weapons. The statement reported by the Interfax news agency is the strongest threat that Russia has issued against the plans to put missile defense systems in former Soviet [...]

Gates Warns Russia to Pull Back in Georgia Fight

WASHINGTON (AP) - Pentagon chief Robert Gates says that if Russia doesn’t pull back from Georgia, it could damage Washington-Moscow relations for years to come. Gates is noting that the Bush administration last year started talks with Russia that officials hoped would be a long-term strategic dialogue. But he now says that Russia’s invasion of [...]

Connecticut Becomes Latest State to Sue Countrywide

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) - Connecticut has become the latest state to sue Countrywide Financial Corporation over its lending practices. State Attorney General Richard Blumenthal alleges Countrywide misled borrowers into taking on risky home loans they could not afford. He says hundreds and possibly thousands of Connecticut homeowners were affected. California, Illinois, Florida and the city [...]

Prosecutor Seeks Release of Anthrax Documents

WASHINGTON (AP) - A federal prosecutor has arrived at a U.S. courthouse in Washington as the Justice Department begins the process of unsealing documents in the investigation of anthrax mailings that killed five people. Documents are not expected to be made available until late morning or midday, once the government has finished briefing family members [...]

Bush Signs Housing Bill to Provide Mortgage Relief

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush has signed a massive housing bill intended to provide mortgage relief for 400,000 struggling homeowners and stabilize financial markets. A White House spokesman said Bush signed the measure Wednesday to “improve confidence and stability in markets and to provide better oversight of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.” The measure, regarded [...]

Cost at the Pump Drops Again

CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) - A national survey shows gas prices have dropped a fraction below the $4-dollar mark. The average price of regular gasoline at self-serve stations was $3.99 a gallon Friday. That’s according to the Lundberg Survey of 7,000 gas stations nationwide, released Sunday. Analyst Trilby Lundberg says prices are at their lowest level [...]

Cost of Gas Drops a Little

UNDATED (AP) - The price of gasoline has dipped again. Triple-A’s Fuel-Gauge report this morning puts the national average price of a gallon of regular at $4.04 a gallon. That’s down a little more than a penny from yesterday. And it’s seven cents better than the record high six days ago. Premium is also down [...]