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 Democratic Sen. Roland Burris for misleading investigators about his maneuvering to get Barack Obama's old Senate seat from the governor who was ousted for trying to sell it....

Couple pleads guilty in Cuban spying case
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A retired State Department worker and his wife accused of a three-decade-long plot to spy for Cuba have pleaded guilty in federal court....

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....

US to drop shooting case against Blackwater guard
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Justice Department intends to drop manslaughter and weapons charges against one of the Blackwater Worldwide security guards involved in a deadly 2007 Baghdad shooting, prosecutors said in court documents Friday....

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....

SC lawmakers to take up impeachment of governor
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- South Carolina lawmakers plan to formally consider impeaching Gov. Mark Sanford for the first time next week, the chairman of the committee beginning that work said Friday....

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