With President Bush unable to get much traction so far in moving his agenda through Congress or in improving his job-approval ratings with the public, White House advisers are casting about for ways to jump-start his final two years, including issuing executive orders to get things done without having to ask for support from the Democratic-controlled Congress.
AP - Unrelenting violence and insecurity in Iraq could cause as many as 1 million Iraqis to flee their homes this year, the world's migration body said Friday.
AP - Democrats are challenging President Bush's power to wage war, contending they've found a way to block a troop increase in Iraq and prevent any pre-emptive invasion of Iran. But first Congress will vote on a nonbinding measure stating opposition to Bush's decision to send 21,500 more troops to Iraq.
AP - Al-Qaida posted Friday a video showing what it claimed to be an insurgent attack on a military position of U.S. and Afghan forces in southern Afghanistan.
The U.S. military today cast doubt on a report from the Iraqi government that al Qaeda in Iraq chief Abu Ayyub al-Masri was wounded in clashes with police. Despite the doubts, Iraq's Interior Ministry stood by its initial report that police wounded al-Masri, said ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf.
An Italian court ruled Friday that 35 people should stand trial in connection with a CIA "extraordinary rendition" program that involves the alleged kidnapping and transfer of terror suspects to third countries, where critics say they are tortured.