"Freedom of the press declined substantially around the world in 2003, including a worrisome drop in Italy, according to a survey released Wednesday by Freedom House. "Despite some specific recent improvements, and an overall upward trend towards greater press freedom worldwide during the late 1990s, the last two years have seen a dramatic deterioration," said Karin Deutsch Karlekar, the survey's managing editor.

"If they have sovereignty, Mr. Ambassador, what does that mean?" Senator Hagel (R-NE) asked John Negroponte, the nominee for U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, regarding the U.S. military siege on Fallujah.

Members of Congress and women's groups are asking long-time Bush adviser Karen Hughes to apologize for remarks they say "liken abortion rights advocates to those in the 'terror network'." As hundreds of thousands rallied for reproductive rights in Washington DC on Sunday, Hughes told CNN: "I think that after September 11, the American people are valuing life more and realizing that we need policies to value the dignity and worth of every life...