The head of the GOP Senate campaigns on Sunday sought to deflect growing criticism about the war in Iraq, saying her party will prevail in Tuesday's elections partly because "Democrats appear to be content with losing." Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C., acknowledged that Republicans face a tight race to maintain control of the Senate but that voters will focus more narrowly on local issues. Democrats need to take six seats to gain power in the 100-member Senate.
In the midst of tensions over North Korea's nuclear program, a Western company is there searching for oil. Another just bought a bank. "North Korea is hungry for business," said Roger Barrett, the British founder of Beijing-based Korea Business Consultants, who recently took 11 Asian and European clients to Pyongyang to play golf and make contacts.
President George W. Bush said Sunday that Saddam Hussein's conviction was a signature achievement for Iraq's fledgling democracy. Bush called the verdict "a milestone in the Iraqi people's efforts to replace the rule of a tyrant with the rule of law. ... It's a major achievement for Iraq's young democracy and its constitutional government," the president said before flying to Nebraska and Kansas on a campaign swing for Republican candidates two days before congressional elections.
A group of prominent Catholics is challenging church leaders' opposition to stem cell research and to the proposed constitutional amendment that would protect such research in Missouri. The group, led by former Sen. Tom Eagleton, e-mailed a letter to fellow Catholics last week explaining its reasons for supporting Amendment 2, upon which Missourians will vote Tuesday. The amendment would ensure that any federally approved stem cell research and treatments would be available in Missouri.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged Sunday to press ahead with Israel's offensive in northern Gaza, brushing off international calls to halt the fighting and Palestinian complaints of dwindling supplies of water, food and other staples. The death toll in Israel's five-day sweep through the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun rose to 47 Sunday, when three Palestinians, including two Hamas militants, were killed, according to Palestinian health officials. Israel launched the drive last week to try to stop to daily rocket barrages aimed at Israeli towns.
Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian on Sunday apologized for causing political turmoil that hurt "the nation's image," but he denied prosecutors' allegations that he was involved in embezzling money from a special fund for diplomacy. The president also refused to resign in his first public comments since prosecutors indicted first lady Wu Shu-chen on embezzlement, forgery and perjury charges Friday. She was accused of taking $450,000 from a special diplomacy fund in 2002-06. Prosecutors said Chen could be implicated in the case, but he cannot be indicted as a sitting president. The graft allegations have re-energized an opposition campaign to topple Chen, who has served for six rocky years and has 18 months left in his term.
