Charles Rangel charged with ethics violations: How bad for Democrats?

Zachary Chesser and Paul Rockwood: latest US citizens linked to al-Awlaki

Zachary Chesser and Paul Rockwood are two American Muslims charged with plotting to commit acts of violent jihad. Both had alleged connections with Anwar al-Awlaki, the radical cleric in Yemen who may have motivated November's Fort Hood rampage.

Harry Reid: Senate will abandon cap-and-trade energy reform

Senate majority leader Harry Reid said Thursday that Democrats faced too much Republican opposition to pass a comprehensive cap-and-trade energy reform bill. The Senate will pursue a scaled down version.

Tropical storm Bonnie: A two-week delay in Gulf oil spill cleanup?

Tropical storm Bonnie is bearing down on the Gulf oil spill, so BP is preparing to evacuate boats and crew until tropical storm Bonnie passes. It could hit Louisiana Sunday.

Venezuela cuts ties with Colombia over FARC rebels. Prelude to war?

Venezuela President Hugo Chávez severed ties with Colombia today after Colombia accused its neighbor of harboring Marxist guerrillas of the FARC rebel group. Will it lead to war? No, say most analysts.

As Iraq war winds down, US military cleans up hazardous waste

Recent reports have accused the US military of irresponsible disposal of millions of pounds of hazardous waste, mostly from the Iraq war. But after investigating, the military says EPA standards are being upheld.

Shirley Sherrod debacle: why Obama stumbles on race

The Obama administration hastily forced the resignation of a black Agriculture Department official, Shirley Sherrod, who was accused of racism. Shirley Sherrod was later exonerated. It's the second time in two summers that President Obama has become mired in a matter of race.

Kosovo independence legal, says UN court. What will Russia do?

Kosovo's independence declaration in 2008 is legit, says the International Court of Justice (ICJ). But the ruling may create a precedent for separatist movements worldwide. Russia opposed Kosovo's independence.

• The Monitor's View: Court settles legal question of Kosovo independence, but not the political issue

Boy Scout camp director nabbed in child pornography probe

A Michigan man who ran a Boy Scout camp and worked at a pool is alleged to have used his cellphone camera to covertly create video of young boys changing in the locker room. The case is part of a federal crackdown on child pornography.

Timothy Geithner: Obama will look at changing tax code next year

At a Monitor-sponsored breakfast for reporters Thursday, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner gave praise for Elizabeth Warren and discussed Obama administration plans for the estate tax and housing reform.

In Egypt, diary of 'torture' captures police brutality

Hundreds of allegations have been logged into Egypt’s “torture diary,” a chronicle of claimed police brutality compiled by the Nadeem Center for Rehabilitation of Victims of Violence, an independent victims advocacy group in Cairo.

Mutiny in Bangladesh: unsolved mystery threatens regional stability

As long the mutiny in Bangladesh remains an unsolved mystery, it opens the door to instability in a country of 150 million people struggling with rising extremism as well as a region that includes Pakistan and India.