U.S. faces tough sell for missile shield
President George W. Bush faces public hostility and tough negotiations in Central Europe this week over U.S. plans to deploy elements of a missile shield in the region.
- Tough talk from Putin before G-8 meeting
- Bush critics warming to his plans for cutting emissions

The African penguin - adorable and endangered
A century ago, at least 1.5 million African penguins waddled and swam the coasts of Namibia and South Africa. Now experts say there are 120,000 at most.

Fighting in Lebanon spreads to a 2nd camp
Shelling and sniper fire at the Nahr al Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon took a more serious turn Sunday as fighting broke out between militias at another refugee camp in southern Lebanon.

U.S. forces hit militants in Somalia
Somali officials said over the weekend that U.S. forces struck inside Somalia on Friday, bombarding a mountainous area where suspected militants were hiding.

Mortar fire wounds 4 Israeli soldiers at border crossing
The military wing of Hamas claimed responsibility for firing mortar shells at the Erez crossing on the Gaza-Israel border Sunday, hours after Israeli forces killed a Palestinian man in the West Bank city of Jenin.
- Attacks by Israelis and Palestinians wane

4 planned fuel blasts at airport, U.S. alleges
Four men, including a onetime airport cargo handler and a former member of the Parliament of Guyana, have been charged with plotting to blow up fuel tanks, terminal buildings and the web of fuel lines running beneath John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

U.S. ponders a 'Korea model' for long-term presence in Iraq
The subject is so fraught with political landmines that officials are tiptoeing around questions about what the long-term mission would be. Photo: An Iraqi in front of destroyed buildings in Baghdad.
- Car bomb kills at least 10 northeast of Baghdad

Roger Cohen: The Blair effect
Neither poodle nor lackey, Tony Blair has been point man and link.

A love affair like no other
"Sgt. Pepper's" meant everything once. Does it still?

Language: A sop to Cerberus
What moved a private-equity colossus to name itself so hellishly?

Bicycle programs catching on in major cities
Paris plans to put 10,000 bicycles on its streets this summer as part of its efforts to cut down on automobile use in the city center.

Insurers brace for risks of climate change
Increased storms and flooding associated with global warming force companies to raise premiums and scale back coverage.

Europe leads in designing buildings that save energy
After more than a decade of tightening guidelines, the European Union has made buildings that are good for the environment an everyday reality.

Solar-hydrogen homes try to overcome doubts
The premise and secret promise is to provide energy independence - and the permission to keep all your toys.

Singapore housing agency tries a greener look
Treelodge@Punggol, an eco-friendly development of 712 midprice public housing units, incorporates energy-saving and water-conserving technologies to cut utilities bills and offer a better environment.