The Wall Street Journal-20080124-World-Wide
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World-Wide
Palestinians breached the Gaza border and poured into Egypt.
The influx of thousands of people in search of food, fuel and other supplies began after militants blasted open parts of the border barrier. Israel closed its border crossings into the Gaza Strip last week to pressure Hamas into halting rocket attacks. President Mubarak said he had given instructions allowing the Palestinians to enter Egypt.
An Arab diplomat said Egypt assured Washington it will rebuild the border barrier and that it expects the exodus to end by midday.
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Congressional leaders moved closer to a pact with the White House on emergency tax cuts and benefit increases to stimulate the economy. It would likely take the IRS until June to issue rebate checks.
The U.S. economy is likely to dodge a recession, but the slowdown will sap revenues, boost government spending and widen the budget gap, the CBO projected.
Sen. Dodd floated a plan to establish a government body to buy troubled mortgages and help borrowers escape subprime loans.
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Musharraf rejected concerns about Pakistan's stability, dismissing recent turmoil as "minor irritations," and said he would work with any elected government.
A group of ex-military officers in Pakistan called on Musharraf to step down as the country's president.
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A blast in northern Iraq tore through a building that authorities said was used as an insurgent weapons cache, killing at least 17 people. Shiite militia leader Sadr rejected talks with the U.S.
A CBO report estimates that $440 billion has been spent on fighting in Iraq since the war began.
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The Army and Pentagon are considering a proposal to cut soldiers' battlefield tours to 12 months from 15 months starting Aug. 1.
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The Taliban insurgency is unlikely to stage a spring offensive in eastern Afghanistan, the head of U.S. forces in that region said.
The number of students and teachers killed in Taliban attacks is surging, the Afghan education minister said.
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Contractors for Boston's Big Dig agreed to pay about $458 million to settle a suit filed by the state over a fatal tunnel-ceiling collapse and to cover the cost of leaks and flaws.
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Cheney urged Congress to extend and broaden an expiring surveillance law that lets the government eavesdrop on phone calls and see emails.
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Bush signed an executive order to implement a law Congress passed last year to tighten national security reviews of proposed foreign investments.
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Kofi Annan is due to meet Kenya's president today to try to end a postelection crisis after persuading the opposition to call off protests.
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Bypass surgery works better than drug-coated stents for heart patients with more than one clogged artery, a new study found.
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The House failed again to override Bush's veto of a children's health-insurance bill, falling 15 votes shy of the needed two-thirds majority.
