Mrs G's Dawn Patrol

• Outspoken Nigerian cardinal a top contender

  Cardinal Francis Arinze of Nigeria, one of the top contenders to become pope next week, is best known for his interfaith experience with Muslims and his meteoric rise from a poor African village to the halls of the Vatican.

• Iraqi Parliament to Appoint Kurd as New President

  Iraq's parliament was set to name a president and two vice presidents on Wednesday after weeks of haggling, in a major step toward forming a new government more than two months after historic elections.

  • Bush Selects Khalilzad as Iraq Ambassador

    Citing his ?proven record of building consensus and achieving results in very tough situations,? Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice announced today that Zalmay Khalilzad is President Bush?s choice as the next U.S. ambassador to Iraq.

• Top militants killed as Saudi shootout enters third day

  The clash between Saudi security forces and militants has entered its third day, with a gun battle still continuing in the northern town of Al-Ras.

• Top Police Official Is Abducted In Baghdad

  A senior Iraqi police official was kidnapped on a Baghdad street early Tuesday and at least 11 other Iraqis, including a cleric, a translator and a councilman, were killed or wounded in continuing violence around the country. U.S. military officials reported the deaths of four U.S. service members.

• Faulting U.S., Report Urges Arab Lands to Democratize

  A group of Arab intellectuals have called for rapid progress toward democracy in the Arab world and contended that the United States and Israel have impeded such progress, in a report issued here Tuesday.

• Report Urges Arab Governments to Share Power

  A United Nations-sponsored report on the Arab world called for greater political freedom, warning that the region could face "chaotic upheavals" if Arab governments refuse to curtail corruption and yield some of their absolute power.

• Israel considers barring Palestinian workers

  The Israeli government is considering a plan that would prohibit Palestinians from working within Israel's borders, according to two senior Israeli officials

• Minutemen catch 141 illegals so far

  New Mexico official hopes to expand citizen volunteer project to 2nd state. In its second day of operations, the civilian volunteer Minuteman Project claimed to have aided the Border Patrol in the apprehension of 141 illegal aliens along the Arizona border and deterred many more from attempting to cross from Mexico.

• Google to start - video blogging

  Google announced that users would be able to archive their video clips in a few days. Larry Page, co-founder of Google Inc, the world leading search engine , announced on Monday in a conference in San Francisco`s Moscone Center that the company is beta testing a `video blogging` application.

  • Google Feature Incorporates Satellite Maps

    Online search engine leader Google has unveiled a new feature that will enable its users to zoom in on homes and businesses using satellite images, an advance that may raise privacy concerns as well as intensify the competitive pressures on its rivals.

• Jennings' cancer fight to be public

  Peter Jennings says lung cancer won't force him to follow Dan Rather and Tom Brokaw out of the anchor chair, yet.

• Mel Gibson pushed for president

  Activist inspired by actor's stand on Schiavo, says his charisma needed. Inspired by Mel Gibson's strong stand against the dehydration death of Terri Schiavo, an Oregon businessman has begun a campaign to see the "Passion" director run for president as a Republican in 2008, saying he's the only potential candidate who has the star power and charisma needed to keep Democrat Hillary Clinton out of the White House.

• Gere Meets With West Bank, Israel Leaders

  Actor Richard Gere has embarked on another Mideast peace mission, touring the West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday and endorsing an end to violence.