House Democrats' tactic for health-care bill is debated An obscure parliamentary maneuver favored by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) suddenly ignited Tuesday as the latest tinder in the year-long partisan strife over reshaping the nation's health-care system, triggering debate over the strategy's legitimacy and political wisdom.

Tiger Woods announces his comeback and plans to return to competitive golf at the Masters Since his marital indiscretions became part of the daily public discourse, Tiger Woods has lived his life in something of a cocoon, speaking publicly just once even as his formerly impeccable image crumbled around him. When he returns to competitive golf next month -- a move he announced Tuesday ...

Immigrants vulnerable as recession spurs more bosses to shortchange workers On a recent Saturday morning, a group of Latino men wearing paint-spattered jeans and grim expressions strode through Adams Morgan in search of the contractor who had cheated them. He'd hired them to remodel a wine shop in the Northwest neighborhood in November and December but paid a fraction of...

Financial reform would shift Fed's authority away from regional banks In the details of the financial reform legislation introduced this week are fundamental changes to the Federal Reserve that would shift power from the regional Fed banks around the country and concentrate it in Washington and New York.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce sets sights on Democrats ahead of midterm elections The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, already one of Washington's largest lobbying groups, is gearing up to play a major role in this year's midterm elections on a scale that rivals the nation's two main political parties.

Budget Cut for Fence on U.S.-Mexico BorderAbout $1.1 billion has been spent on a virtual fence along the Mexican border, with little to show for it.

Jobs Bill Passes in Senate With 11 Votes From RepublicansDemocrats hope the measure, approved on a bipartisan vote of 68 to 29, will be the first in a series of bills spurring employment by providing hiring incentives to businesses.

Pittsburgh Journal: ‘Mister Rogers’ Still Looms Large in PittsburghFred Rogers died in 2003, and while many children nationwide no longer see his TV show, images and memories of him abound in the city where he lived and worked.

States’ Rights Is Rallying Cry for LawmakersDriven by conservatives’ anxiety about federal authority, state declarations of their rights are on a roll.

News Analysis: Opportunity in a Fight With IsraelA dispute could shore up President Obama’s credibility as a peacemaker by showing that he has the fortitude to push Israelis and Palestinians toward an agreement.

Violence Prompts Debate Over Medical MarijuanaA shooting and a beating death linked to medical marijuana have drawn calls to change how Washington State protects those who grow and use the drug.

Having Bought High, Owners of Sports Teams Find They Must Now Sell LowNew owners, like the Charlotte Bobcats’ Michael Jordan, face the prospect of not being able to make up short-term losses by selling for a hefty profit.

Administration Seeks Converts to Education PlanThe Obama administration is trying to persuade union leaders and teachers that its proposed education policies are good for teachers and for public schools.

Pentagon Memo: Obama Revises Bush Administration Succession Plan for the PentagonAn executive order does away with a system for Pentagon succession instituted by former President George W. Bush that elevated positions held at the time by trusted aides to Donald H. Rumsfeld.

Report Finds States Holding Fewer PrisonersState prison populations have begun to dip after decades of growth, largely because of efforts to keep parolees out of prison and reduce prison time for nonviolent offenders.

Sex Assault Reports Rise in MilitaryThe Department of Defense said there was an 11 percent increase in reports of sexual assault in the military over the past year.

Iran Unlikely to Develop a Nuclear Weapon This Year, Petraeus SaysGen. David H. Petraeus said the country still remained the greatest threat to stability in the Middle East and Central Asia.

Panels Studying Banking Reform Seek More StudiesBy suggesting further examination at every turn, Congress is delaying tough regulatory decisions.

Square Feet: In Phoenix, Real Estate Downturn Hits Commercial PropertiesAfter years of growth, the downturn in commercial real estate has hit Phoenix hard, with rents down more than 50 percent in a year.

F.C.C. Questioned on Its Plan to Expand Broadband AccessThe Federal Communications Commission characterized its proposal, which it sent to Congress, as a step for keeping the country competitive.

Big Insurance Rate Increase for Pennsylvania PoorIn Pennsylvania, the monthly bill for participants in a state insurance program has almost doubled, and some may not be able to afford it.

Metrodome Takes Chill Out of Spring Games in the MidwestTo get away from snow-covered fields, assorted Midwest teams line up to play at the former home of the Twins.

Obama to Be Interviewed by Bret Baier of Fox NewsPresident Obama will give a rare interview to Fox News on Wednesday despite its reputation as being close to the Republican Party.

2 Convictions in a Program With MexicoAn agreement allows some Mexicans arrested at United States border crossings to be returned to their country for federal prosecution.

Terror Suspect Likely to Change PleaDavid C. Headley, who has been tied to high-level figures in the militant group responsible for the Mumbai attacks in 2008, is expected to plead guilty.

National Briefing | West: California: Rains Improve Farm OutlookInterior Secretary Ken Salazar announced that storms had freed up more water for farms and cities in California.

National Briefing | Midwest: Ohio: Execution After Suicide AttemptA death row inmate who tried to kill himself last week by overdosing on pills was executed for robbing and strangling his neighbor in 1994.

National Briefing | Northwest: Alaska: Aerial Wolf Hunt BeginsState employees began an aerial wolf hunt on the Yukon border in what officials describe as an effort to preserve caribou for shooting by hunters.

National Briefing | Southwest: Arizona: Autopsies Released in Sweat Lodge DeathsAutopsy reports point to heat stroke as the cause of death for two people at an Arizona sweat lodge ceremony last year, and multisystem organ failure for a third death.

National Briefing | Washington: For a Fee, Trial RecordingsFederal judges have voted to make available digital audio recordings of some trials and hearings for a small fee.

Sports Briefing | Sled Dog Racing: 4th Straight Iditarod WinWhen Lance Mackey crossed the finish line in Nome, Alaska, he became the only musher in the 38-year history of the Iditarod to win four consecutive races.

Tim Holland, 79, Backgammon Champion, DiesMr. Holland was widely considered the world’s greatest player during the game’s modern heyday, in the 1960s and ’70s.

Names of the DeadThe Department of Defense confirmed the deaths of the following Americans on Tuesday.

Democrats Cite 2 New Pledges as They Press Health BillRepresentative Dennis Kucinich announced that he would switch his vote to yes, and an abortion foe said that restrictions in the bill were sufficient.

Irish Cardinal Apologizes to Abuse VictimsThe leader of Ireland's Catholics, who admitted that he knew about the abuse of children in the 1970s but did not report it to the authorities, said in a St. Patrick's Day homily that he apologized "to all those who feel I have let them down."

Textbooks a Texas Dentist Could LoveA conservative activist is working to correct what he sees as the liberal bias of the experts who write American history and science textbooks.

Suspected Militant Worked at Nuclear PlantsSharif Mobley, who is being held in Yemen as a suspect militant with an Al Qaeda-affiliated group, reportedly worked at the Salem and Hope Creek nuclear reactors in New Jersey.

Slim Leads Gates in Billionaire RaceAccording to Forbes magazine, Carlos Slim Helu, the son of a Lebanese immigrant to Mexico who has become a major shareholder in and lender to The New York Times, is now the world's richest man.

Kucinich to Support House Health BillKucinich, in reversal, said he will support Obama's health-care overhaul bill when the House considers it.

Senate Clears Jobs BillThe Senate voted 68-29 to give final approval to $17.5 billion legislation creating a payroll-tax credit for employers who hire unemployed Americans.

Blagojevich Denied Trial DelayA judge denied a request by former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich to push back his trial date.

Health Overhaul Splits Party FaithfulThe pending health-care overhaul remains unpopular with a broad swath of the public, but core Democrats the party needs to vote in November are strong backers, a WSJ/NBC News poll finds.

In El Paso, Violence Is Never FarTexas border residents press for measures to reduce homicides in sister city of Ciudad Juárez, where two Americans were killed Saturday.

Banks Squeezed by Cities, StatesSeveral states are trying to funnel more of their money into small financial institutions, which have gotten less criticism over the industry's reluctance to lend.

Perking Up Passover's Plagues on TwitterBuilding on a growing movement to add a bit of fun to the tale of plagues and pestilence, some rabbis are acting out the Passover story in 140-character Twitter messages.

A Year of Free Subs, Doughnuts, ChickenFood giveaways are an inexpensive way for companies to stretch their marketing dollars. That means doughnuts, popcorn chicken and other fare are free for the taking.

Why 70 MPH Is the New 55American drivers like to drive at 70 miles per hour—whatever the legal speed limit happens to be.

New Skills, Few Job OffersMillions of jobless workers across the country are discovering that new skills can take you only so far when jobs are scarce.

Ready to Play, Tiger Aims at AugustaTiger Woods said he will return to professional golf at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga., in early April, ending a five-month hiatus.

Bernanke defends Fed's supervision roleThe US Federal Reserve pushed back against Congressional moves to strip it of its oversight over small banks

Kucinich backs US healthcare bill Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives won a small victory for their healthcare reform efforts, when Dennis Kucinich of Ohio said he would vote for the bill

Boost for US jobs as Senate passes billThe Senate passed an $18bn jobs bill, that offer tax breaks to companies hiring unemployed workers, a critical part of efforts by President Barack Obama'to tackle the stubbornly high jobless rate

US producer prices slide in FebruaryUS wholesale prices recorded their biggest drop in seven months in February as the cost of petrol plunged, confirming that inflation remains a distant threat

Fed signals optimism over US economyThe US central bank has given a slightly more upbeat outlook on the US economic recovery, saying that the labour market is "stabilising" and business spending on equipment has "risen significantly"

Outlook for US economy upgraded Even though the Federal Reserve did not change the language of its monetary policy stance at its meeting, officials did upgrade their outlook for the US economy on two fronts

House could bypass vote on US healthcare bill Struggling to shore up support for US healthcare reform, Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives are considering using a complicated parliamentary manoeuvre to pass a bill without having to put it to a vote

Madoff relatives try to fend off lawsuitsRelatives of Bernard Madoff have asked for a lawsuit filed by trustee charged with tracking the funds lost through his Ponzi scheme to be dismissed, calling the allegations 'senastionalist' and arguing that they too are victims

US faces united front on aircraft tenderNicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel have presented a united Franco-German front against Washington's handling of a $50bn military tender

Obama must be robust with IsraelLast week, the rightwing nationalist government of Benjamin Netanyahu gave the go-ahead to 1,600 new homes in occupied East Jerusalem. The White House must harden its line on peace

Reform is in sightSenator Dodd's new financial regulation bill is not by itself enough but it is a good starting point: solid reform in the near future is now a realistic prospect

Congress letter urges action on renminbiMore than 100 members of the US Congress on Monday called on the Obama administration to label China a currency manipulator, in a move that highlighted the pressure on Washington to take a more confrontational stance towards Beijing'

Pakistan resists call to squeeze TalibanPakistan's government has defended its decision not to launch new offensives in the country's border regions, arguing that Islamabad needed to focus on holding territory captured from Taliban militants in the past year

US housing starts dip in FebruaryNew home construction in the US slid in February, as harsh snow storms and wavering demand deterred building

CFTC chief questions 'naked' short selling banGary Gensler, head of the US agency that regulates a large part of the derivatives market, tells the European parliament he does not believe a ban on 'naked' short selling of credit default swaps would be effective

Zardari signs up for organ donationAsif Ali Zardari on Wednesday became the first Pakistani president to donate all his body organs, after signing a landmark bill to regulate transplant of human organs in the country.

Cable giant airs porn on kids' channelsUS cable giant Time Warner was left red faced after accidentally airing pornography on two television channels meant for children.

Nepal revives border feud with IndiaNepal’s lawmakers have demanded a revision in the completed survey on the Indo-Nepal border, saying problems persisted in at least 15 districts in southern Nepal, adjoining India’s Terai plains.

Osama will never be caught alive: US officialAl-Qaida chief Osama bin Laden will never face trial in the United States because he will not be captured alive, Attorney General Eric Holder told lawmakers.

Italian mafia boss held after using FacebookPolice arrested Pasquale Manfredi, an alleged mafia killer, in the southern Calabrian town of Isola Capo Rizzuto, after they pinpointed his location via his frequent visits to Facebook using a prepaid pen drive.

Indians face 'racial slur' at cricket match in OzAlmost an entire cricket team in Victoria is under investigation for alleged on-field incidents of sustained racial abuse of players of Indian descent during a match on Saturday, a local media report said.

Lashkar-e-Taiba not yet on Pak's radar: US generalTerror outfits like LeT are not yet on the radar of the Pakistani establishment and the need to take action against the organization blamed for Mumbai attacks has been Washington's "source of dialogue" with Islamabad, a top US general has said.

Red-shirt protesters decamp to Thai PM's residenceRed-shirted protesters on Wednesday decamped to the residence of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva but their four-day rally in support of their deposed political hero appeared to be petering out.

Clashes erupt in JerusalemPalestinians mounted violent protests in Jerusalem on Tuesday and President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy cancelled plans to return to the region as a US-Israeli crisis over Jewish settlement plans simmered.

FBI turns online 'friend' to nab lawbreakersThe Feds are on Facebook. And MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter, too. US law enforcement agents are following the rest of the internet world into popular social-networking services.

Mummy find in China desert stirs ethnic debateIn a desert north of Tibet, Chinese archaeologists have excavated an extraordinary cemetery. Its inhabitants died almost 4,000 years ago, yet their bodies have been well preserved by the dry air.

Hefty ransom paid to free UK boy abducted in PakA British boy kidnapped 12 days ago while on vacation in Pakistan was freed unharmed by his abductors on Tuesday, police said, ending a high-profile ordeal.

Google's departure won't affect investment: China Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said that if Google quits, it would not change the fact that most foreign enterprises, including American ones, were operating well and making profits in China.

Drone strike in N Waziristan, 11 killedUS unmanned drones fired missiles into the hideouts of pro-Taliban and al-Qaida linked militants in the troubled North Waziristan tribal region on Tuesday.

British TB cases at highest since 1980s Cases of tuberculosis (TB) in Britain rose by 5.5 percent in the past year and are at their highest levels since the 1980s, health authorities said on Tuesday.

Cable giant airs porn on kids' channelsUS cable giant Time Warner was left red faced after accidentally airing pornography on two television channels meant for children.

3 Indians jailed in Dubai for lewd texting: ReportThree Indians, including two cabin crew of UAE's Emirates Airline, have been sentenced to three-month in jail in connection with a case of exchanging "lewd" text messages, a media report said.

Pak Hindu MPs stage walkout over terror slurChafing at a Lahore high court judge's comment that Hindus were financing terror attacks in that country, nine Hindu members of Pakistan's national assembly staged a walkout in protest on Wednesday.

2nd trial on hold, Fonseka may face revamped panel Sri Lanka's former army chief Sarath Fonseka on Wednesday faced another court martial in connection with alleged contravention of military procurement procedures during his tenure.

In Scotland, 'sleep lessons' to help kids stay awake in classSchools in Glasgow are running a trial of "sleep lessons" to promote a healthy sleep routine and change bad habits such as late night TV.

Greece: may turn to IMF if EU fails to deliverGreece could seek IMF funding to help overcome its debt crisis if its EU partners do not provide "clear support" next week, a government spokesman said Wednesday.

China's economy to grow 9.5% in 2010: World BankChina's economy would expand 9.5% in 2010, the World Bank said in a report released Wednesday.

Nobel laureate Ebadi says Siemens and Nokia help Iran regime Nobel prize winner Shirn Ebadi accused German engineering giant Siemens and Finnish telecoms firm Nokia of supplying Iran with technology to help it suppress democratic dissent.

Nigeria's acting president dissolves cabinet: OfficialNigeria's acting President Goodluck Jonathan dissolved the cabinet on Wednesday in a further step to assert his authority just over a month after assuming executive powers.

Dog-O-Matic: A washing machine for pets'Dog wash' will never be the same again, thanks to scientists who have developed a washing machine for pets, which is the latest canine grooming craze to hit Japan.