WASHINGTON – Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon (search) is counting on President Bush to keep his commitment that Israel (search) can retain several large Jewish towns near Jerusalem as part of a peace accord with the Palestinians, Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday. In fact, “we do not need …

JERUSALEM – Israel’s security officials warned Thursday of plans by Jewish extremists to attack Jerusalem’s most sensitive holy site in an attempt to prevent a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip (search) this summer. Withdrawal opponents plan to hold a rally this weekend at the shrine, revered to Jews as the …

BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan – The Kyrgyz parliament on Monday accepted the resignation of ousted President Askar Akayev (search), clearing the way for new presidential elections this summer and giving a stamp of legitimacy to the country’s interim leadership. The legislators voted 38-2 to “suspend Askar Akayev’s presidential powers in connection with …

BOSTON – Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (search) — a Republican and abortion opponent — is vowing to veto a bill that will give scientists more freedom to conduct embryonic stem cell research in the state. The bill could be ready for him as early as this week. State lawmakers say …

VATICAN CITY – Pope John Paul II (search), his heart and kidneys failing, was near the end as the sun rose over the Vatican early Saturday. In St. Peter’s Square (search), the sprawling plaza adjacent to the pope’s quarters, as many as 70,000 people gathered Friday evening to pray and …

NEW YORK – A day after Morgan Stanley (MWD) announced its plan to spin off its Discover Card division, dissident shareholders demanded Tuesday that the investment firm’s chief executive, Philip Purcell (search), be dismissed and replaced by one of their own. Morgan Stanley shares sank more than 3 percent. In …

LONDON – The first comprehensive survey of glaciers on the Antarctic peninsula has shown that the rivers of ice are shrinking, mostly because of warming of the local climate. It is unclear, however, whether the increased temperature causing the shrinkage is a natural regional effect or a result of global …

This is a partial transcript from “On the Record,” April 20, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: Despite searches by foot, air and boat, there are no leads in the frantic search for missing Pennsylvania prosecutor Ray Gricar (search). He was last heard from on …

WASHINGTON – Concerned the Social Security (search) debate has become mired in the conflict over private investment accounts, some Senate Republicans want President Bush to switch his focus to the retirement program’s looming insolvency and how to fix it. “The more you talk about solvency, the harder it is for …

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghan soldiers conducting a sweep in a mountain area south of the capital exchanged fierce fire with suspected Taliban (search) rebels, killing eight and capturing 16 in some of the heaviest fighting in months, officials said Tuesday. Mohammed Zahir Azimi (search), a spokesman for the Afghan defense …