AP - Minnesota's offense isn't dead. With the steady hand of Brad Johnson, neither is the Vikings' season.

AFP - Deputies were expected to complete the process of dissolving Israel's parliament, paving the way for early elections after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's dramatic decision to split from his right-wing Likud party.

AFP - Angela Merkel will make history when she is elected German chancellor, becoming the first woman, the first from the former communist east and the youngest person to lead the reunited country.

AFP - Ukraine marks the first anniversary of its "orange revolution," the mass protests over a rigged election that ousted an entrenched pro-Russian regime, installed pro-Western President Viktor Yushchenko in power and deeply divided the ex-Soviet country.

Reuters - Ariel Sharon is on course to win Israel's coming election, opinion polls showed on Tuesday in an initial boost for the prime minister a day after he quit his rebellious right-wing Likud to form a centrist party.

AFP - US President George W. Bush planned to bomb pan-Arab television broadcaster al-Jazeera, British newspaper the Daily Mirror said, citing a Downing Street memo marked "Top Secret".

AFP - Train passengers in France faced major travel disruption amid a nationwide strike called by trade unions over job security.

AP - Reaching out to the Sunni Arab community, Iraqi leaders called for a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S.-led forces and said Iraq's opposition had a "legitimate right" of resistance.

AP - Angela Merkel was elected Tuesday as Germany's first female chancellor, taking power at the helm of an unwieldy alliance of the right and left that now officially has the job of turning around Europe's biggest economy.

Reuters - Angela Merkel was elected Germany's first woman chancellor on Tuesday in a parliamentary vote that ends months of uncertainty and ushers in a fragile new government with the task of reviving Europe's largest economy.

Reuters - The United Nations' food and farming body on Tuesday renewed its plea for more effort to improve agriculture in poor countries to ease hunger and malnutrition which kill nearly 6 million children a year.

Reuters - Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward on Monday expressed regret about some of his conduct in the CIA leak probe, and compared his pledge not to name his source to the promise he made to "Deep Throat" in the Watergate case.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Angela Merkel was elected Germany's first woman chancellor on Tuesday in a parliamentary vote that ends months of uncertainty and ushers in a fragile new government that must prove it can revive Europe's top economy.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU states will write a joint letter to the United States seeking clarification after allegations that Washington ran illegal prisons in Europe as part of its 'war on terror,' an official said on Tuesday.

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Chief U.N. investigator Detlev Mehlis returned to Lebanon on Tuesday, preparing to wrap up his inquiry into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri.

OSLO (Reuters) - About 190 nations meet in Canada next week to try to enlist the United States and such developing nations as China and India in the U.N.-led fight against global warming beyond 2012.

AP - Attorneys for Rep. Tom DeLay are hoping a judge will dismiss the conspiracy and money laundering charges against the former House majority leader so he can regain the powerful seat.

AP - The sales outlook looks brighter for the holiday season, a retail trade group says.

AP - Gaming fanatics turned out overnight across the country to buy up Microsoft's Xbox 360 as it went on sale today. GameStop, EB Games and Best Buy opened hundreds of stores across the country for midnight launch events. Buyers also lined up at 24-hour Wal-Mart stores.

AP - President Bush is set to make the traditional pardon of a Thanksgiving turkey today. But this bird isn't heading to some petting zoo. It's going to Disneyland.

AP - Fear gave way to relief at Joe Louis Arena when Detroit Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer collapsed on the bench and was revived after his heart stopped.

AFP - Angela Merkel made history when she was elected German chancellor, becoming the first woman, the first from the former communist east and the youngest person to lead Europe's biggest economy.

AFP - Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki conceded defeat in a landmark referendum on a proposed new constitution soundly rejected by voters this week in a blow to his political fortunes ahead of elections in 2007.

AFP - A nationwide rail strike in France brought travel woes for commuters and tourists -- and provoked a strong backlash against the main union responsible.

AP - Attorneys for Rep. Tom DeLay are hoping a judge will dismiss the conspiracy and money laundering charges against the former House majority leader so he can regain the powerful seat.

AP - Angela Merkel was elected Tuesday as Germany's first female chancellor, taking power at the helm of an unwieldy alliance of the right and left that now officially has the job of turning around Europe's biggest economy.

AP - The sales outlook looks brighter for the holiday season, a retail trade group says.

AP - Soul diva Mariah Carey continued her journey along the comeback trail, heading into Tuesday's 33rd annual American Music Awards with a leading four nominations, including two for her chart-topping album "The Emancipation of Mimi."

Reuters - U.S. troops were handing over some of Saddam Hussein's former palaces to Iraqi forces on Tuesday in a ceremony attended by the American ambassador when two mortar rounds landed a few hundred meters away.

Reuters - EU states will write a joint letter to the United States seeking clarification after allegations that Washington ran illegal prisons in Europe as part of its "war on terror," an official said on Tuesday.

Reuters - Angela Merkel was elected Germany's first woman chancellor on Tuesday in a parliamentary vote that ends months of uncertainty and ushers in a fragile new government that must prove it can revive Europe's top economy.

AFP - Polls predicted Ariel Sharon's re-election as Israeli premier at the head of his new faction, vindicating his gamble to quit his right-wing party in a move that has raised hope of a breakthrough in the peace process.

AP - Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen held for three years as an enemy combatant suspected of plotting a "dirty bomb" attack in this country, has been indicted on charges that he conspired to "murder, kidnap and maim" people overseas.

AP - A top U.S. commander in Iraq said Tuesday he has "absolutely no reason" to believe the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, died in a weekend raid in Mosul.

AP - Rep. Tom DeLay appeared in court Tuesday before a new judge as his legal team tried to get the conspiracy charges against him dropped without a trial.

AP - A 14-year-old girl whose 18-year-old boyfriend is accused of killing her parents left with him willingly after the slayings, prosecutors said in court papers filed Monday.

The Christian Science Monitor - In many ways, the current woes of GM and other automakers merely follow a pattern long visible in other old-line industries, from steel to airlines. When overseas or nonunion competition rises, the result is cutbacks in jobs, pay, and benefits.

AP - Shopping for a premier pitcher, the Boston Red Sox put together a deal to acquire Florida ace Josh Beckett and didn't even need a general manager to do it.

Reuters - "Dirty bomb" suspect Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen held in a South Carolina military brig for more than three years, was charged with conspiracy to commit murder and aid terrorists, a federal indictment showed on Tuesday.

Reuters - Israeli President Moshe Katsav will announce shortly that he plans to issue an order dissolving parliament, Israel Radio reported on Tuesday.

Reuters - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged visiting Iraqi officials on Tuesday to ask U.S.-led forces to leave their country and pledged Tehran's cooperation in restoring security to Iraq.

Reuters - Former media baron Conrad Black's scheduled arraignment on federal charges that he looted U.S.-based Hollinger International Inc. of nearly $85 million and misused company perks for a party and a vacation was delayed on Tuesday until next week.

AFP - Polls predicted Ariel Sharon's re-election as Israeli premier, vindicating his gamble to create a new liberal party in a move that has raised hope of a breakthrough in the peace process.

AFP - Kenyan voters delivered a sharp rebuke to President Mwai Kibaki ahead of the 2007 elections by rejecting a proposed new constitution he backed amid growing disenchantment with his leadership.

AFP - Jose Padilla, a US suspect held for more than three years and accused of planning a 'dirty bomb' attack, has been indicted on terrorism-related charges, US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Key Israeli officials agreed on Tuesday to hold an early national election on March 28, a date seen likely to be approved by Israel's legislature, Israel's Army Radio reported on Tuesday.

KIRKUK, Iraq (Reuters) - A suicide car bomb blast killed 18 people, including 10 police, and wounded 28 others in an attack in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk on Tuesday, police and doctors at Kirkuk's main hospital said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The bitter battle in Washington over whether to quickly withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq is disturbing, but has not damaged U.S. military morale, a senior American Army general in Baghdad said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Under U.S. pressure, Bosnia's political leaders agreed on Tuesday to 'streamline' their tri-presidency by March, which could lead to a sole president for the divided Balkan country and bolster its chances of joining NATO and the EU.

ROME/ZURICH (Reuters) - Italian police seized around 30 million liters of baby milk produced by Swiss food giant Nestle on Tuesday after tests showed it was contaminated with traces of ink used in the packaging.

AP - Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen held without charges for more than three years on suspicion of plotting a "dirty bomb" attack in this country, has been indicted on three counts alleging he conspired to "murder, maim and kidnap" people overseas.

AP - A suicide car bomber attacked a police patrol Tuesday in the northern city of Kirkuk, killing at least 17 people, and three U.S. soldiers died in two separate attacks, pushing the American death toll in Iraq to 2,100, officials said.

AP - Angela Merkel was elected Tuesday as Germany's first female chancellor, taking power at the helm of an unwieldy alliance of the right and left that now officially has the job of turning around Europe's biggest economy.

AP - Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer was "doing very, very well" Tuesday, a day after he collapsed on the bench and his heart stopped during a game.

Reuters - "Dirty bomb" suspect Jose Padilla, a U.S. citizen held in a South Carolina military brig for more than three years, has been charged with conspiracy to commit murder and aid terrorists, the Justice Department announced on Tuesday.

Reuters - A suicide car bomb blast killed 18 people, including 10 police, in the northern city of Kirkuk on Tuesday, and mortars landed near the U.S. ambassador to Iraq during a ceremony in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit.

Reuters - Ariel Sharon is on course to win Israel's election, opinion polls indicated on Tuesday in an initial boost for the prime minister a day after he left his rebellious right-wing Likud to establish a centrist party.

AFP - Kenyan voters rejected by referendum a proposed new constitution that would have entrenched a powerful presidency, dealing a major blow to President Mwai Kibaki who backed the draft, according to official results.

AFP - France's rail network was crippled by a nationwide strike, with commuters in Paris facing the prospect of more misery to come after union leaders called for further stoppages in the city.

AP - Lines are growing longer at the world's busiest airport as holiday travelers fly out two days before Thanksgiving to be with family and friends.

AP - A suicide car bomber attacked a police patrol Tuesday in the northern city of Kirkuk, killing at least 17 people, and three U.S. soldiers died in two separate attacks, pushing the American death toll in Iraq to 2,100, officials said.

AP - President Bush spared two turkeys from becoming Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, the birds are going to Disneyland.

Reuters - A U.S. man was found guilty on Tuesday of conspiring with and aiding al Qaeda and plotting to assassinate President George W. Bush.

Reuters - Attorneys for U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay sought the immediate dismissal of conspiracy and money laundering charges against the once-powerful Republican on Tuesday, but a Texas judge said he would not rule for two weeks in the case that has derailed DeLay's political career.

Reuters - Israeli officials set an early parliamentary election for March 28 on Tuesday, a day after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon rocked the nation's political system by quitting his rightist Likud to found a centrist party.

AFP - US authorities said they had indicted Jose Padilla, held without charge for three years over an alleged plot to explode a "dirty bomb" on US soil, with separate terror charges.

AP - A suicide car bomber killed 21 people in northern Iraq on Tuesday after insurgents lured police to the scene by shooting an officer, officials said. The U.S. command said three more U.S. soldiers have been killed, pushing the American military death toll for the conflict to 2,100.

AP - Reiterating its stand against sexually active gays in the priesthood, the Vatican also says in a new document that men with 'transitory' homosexuality must have overcome their sexual tendencies for at least three years before entering the clergy.

AP - The head of a European probe into alleged secret CIA prisons in eastern Europe is investigating 31 suspected flights that landed in Europe and is trying to acquire past satellite images of sites in Romania and Poland, according to a report obtained by The Associated Press Tuesday.

AP - Breast-feeding is thought to protect babies from developing diabetes. Now research suggests it might even help keep their mothers from getting the disease, too. A study found that the longer women nursed, the lower their risks of developing diabetes.

AP - Stocks extended their rally Tuesday after the Federal Reserve's latest take on the economy raised hopes that the central bank's string of interest rate hikes are coming to an end.

Reuters - Practicing homosexuals, men with "deep-seated" gay tendencies and those who support gay culture should not be allowed to enter the Roman Catholic priesthood, according to an eagerly awaited Vatican document.

AFP - Israel is likely to go to the polls on March 28 with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fighting for re-election at the helm of a new party in a move that could have far-reaching consequences on the Middle East conflict.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The United States threatened on Tuesday to delay the two-year United Nations budget unless reforms are approved by the end of the year, a move that could cause havoc for U.N. operations.

AP - The Vatican is toughening its stand against gay candidates for the priesthood, specifying in a new document that even men with "transitory" homosexual tendencies must overcome their urges for at least three years before entering the clergy.

AP - The head of an investigation into alleged secret CIA prisons in Eastern Europe said Tuesday he was checking 31 suspect planes that landed in Europe in recent years and was trying to acquire past satellite images of sites in Romania and Poland.

AP - A suicide car bomber killed 21 people in northern Iraq on Tuesday after insurgents lured police to the scene by shooting an officer, officials said. One more U.S. soldier was killed, pushing the American death toll for the conflict to 2,100, the U.S. military said.

AP - Mariah Carey continued her career comeback Tuesday, receiving the favorite female artist in the soul/R&B category at Tuesday's 33rd annual American Music Awards — one of four honors for which she was nominated.

AP - A group led by Washington Redskins owner Dan Snyder said Tuesday it has lined up enough shareholder votes to oust three board members and assume control of amusement park operator Six Flags Inc.

AP - Kevin Bettencourt scored 20 points and keyed a late 13-2 run as Bucknell rallied past No. 17 Syracuse 74-69 on Tuesday night.

AP - The Vatican is toughening its stand against gay candidates for the priesthood, specifying in a new document that even men with "transitory" homosexual tendencies must overcome their urges for at least three years before entering the clergy.

AP - The New York Stock Exchange late Tuesday approved a revised plan by Sovereign Bancorp Inc. to sell a major stake to a Spanish banking conglomerate, handing Sovereign a victory in a dispute with shareholders.

AP - The rest of college basketball has all season to try and match this one. Adam Morrison set a tournament record with 43 points and No. 8 Gonzaga beat No. 12 Michigan State 109-106 in triple overtime Tuesday night in the semifinals of the EA Sports Maui Invitational.