KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Recognizing that another terrorist attack would rock not only the nation but also his presidency, President Bush said Tuesday that he wanted to establish a Cabinet-level office of homeland security to raise the accountability of government. “I’m a person that believes in accountability,” Bush told an …

RAMALLAH, West Bank – Yasser Arafat’s master bedroom took a direct hit during Israel’s assault on his sprawling headquarters Thursday. A coat of dust covered the Palestinian leader’s bed, the nightstand mirror was smashed and knee-high rubble littered the floor of the adjacent bathroom. Arafat, who was not in the …

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Former Vice President Al Gore kicked off a weekend retreat for some of the Democratic Party’s top fund-raisers and party activists with a barbecue ribs dinner Friday night. Gore said the focus of the retreat was to plan party strategies for congressional elections in 2002. But the …

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea said Thursday that the 1994 nuclear agreement with the United States is void following a U.S. decision to suspend deliveries of fuel oil. “Now that the U.S. unilaterally gave up its last commitment under the framework, the DPRK (North Korea) acknowledges that it is …

WASHINGTON – President Bush worked the phones Monday night to influence lawmakers preparing to vote on a new homeland security agency as Democrats fought Republican changes to the bill. However, Bush lost the support of the senator who vied with him for the 2000 Republican presidential nomination. The Democrats want …

Tonight on Hannity & Colmes… In St. Paul, Minnesota… Walter Mondale returned to politics last night as Minn. Democrats loudly approved the former vice president as a fill-in for the late Sen. Paul Wellstone — and Republican nominee Norm Coleman started up his campaign again after a brief respite. Does …

UNITED NATIONS – A look at the time guidelines set out in the U.S. resolution adopted unanimously Friday by the U.N. Security Council. — Iraq has until Nov. 15 to accept its terms and pledge to comply. — Iraq has until Dec. 8 to provide weapons inspectors and the Security …

WASHINGTON – After consulting with the few famous political independents, interim Minnesota Sen. Dean Barkley said Monday that he will not organize with either party when the Senate begins a lame-duck session on Tuesday, in effect enabling Democrats to keep control of the majority. “I am an independent, the governor …

LONDON – Paul Burrell, a former butler for Princess Diana who has fascinated Britain with disclosures about her private life, will host a new TV quiz show called What the Butler Saw. The show, devised by quiz show creator Stephen Leahy, will ask questions that focus on newspaper articles, social …

WASHINGTON – Housing construction lost momentum in October, plunging by 11.4 percent, the biggest drop since 1994. But even with the sharp decline — which came after the level of housing construction shot up to a 16-year high in September — the number of housing units for which builders broke …