Moderate Dems pivotal in Saturday health care vote
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Suitably opaque, Section 2006 takes up only a few dozen lines in a sweeping health care bill that runs to 2,074 pages and mentions neither Sen. Mary Landrieu nor her state of Louisiana....

Analysis: Outlook for tough Iran sanctions is dim
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Obama administration is shifting the focus of its Iran policy from talk to sanctions, but the prospect of winning early international support for toughened new penalties appears dim....

Sen. Nelson a 'yes' on health care test vote
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska is a "yes" in a crucial weekend test vote on health care....

Ethics committee: No punishment for Burris
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Senate ethics committee on Friday admonished Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., for making "inconsistent, misleading or incomplete" statements about the circumstances surrounding his appointment to the seat once held by Barack Obama. The committee recommended no action beyond the letter....

US to drop shooting case against Blackwater guard
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Prosecutors say they'll drop manslaughter charges against one of the Blackwater Worldwide contractors charged in a deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting....

Gates: US to do its part to slow Afghan corruption
HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) -- The United States will do its part to reduce corruption in Afghanistan by examining its own contracts and projects, even as it is demanding the same from the Afghan government, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday....

Court filings: Accused spy couple to plead guilty
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A retired State Department worker and his wife accused of three decades of spying for Cuba are preparing to plead guilty in the case, according to a Friday court filing....

Pentagon looking for Fort Hood management lapses
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Pentagon said Thursday it will scour its procedures for identifying volatile soldiers hidden in the ranks following the Fort Hood shooting rampage and lapses that might allow others to slip through bureaucratic cracks....

Report: 20-somethings can go 2 years between Paps
WASHINGTON (AP) -- First mammograms. Now - in an apparent coincidence - Pap smears....

US envoy criticizes coverage of Obama China visit
BEIJING (AP) -- Washington's ambassador to Beijing hit out Friday at negative U.S. media coverage of President Barack Obama's visit to China, saying it failed to take into account important progress on many issues....