Most Americans in the service don't join up to guard downtown Minneapolis or serve in, say, the Pennsylvania theater. But they may have to change their outlook. Last week the Pentagon made it clear it wants to make a senior military officer responsible for the defense of the nation. This may seem... 

A s eries of bloody attacks on Shi'ite pilgrims traveling through central Iraq has raised the question of whether the Mahdi Army, a powerful Shi'ite militia loyal to Shi'ite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, should be officially allowed to bear arms as a community security force. The Mahdi Army... 

He is facing, daily and nightly, people who would gladly see him dead, and he knows it. He moves through Harlem, therefore, like an occupying soldier in a bitterly hostile country, which is precisely what, and where, he is. —Nobody Knows My Name, by James Baldwin THE soldier of the cities is the... 

Legal wrangles have always been part of celebrity chic, but more stars are finding second callings on the right side of the law. From superheroes to starlets, Hollywood's finest are suiting up to serve and protect. SHAQ-LES NBA dunkster Shaquille O'Neal gave new meaning to heat last year when... 

(WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.) — Former New York City police Commissioner Bernard Kerik (KEHR'-ihk) has pleaded guilty to lying to the White House and says he'll also admit tax crimes. Kerik made his first of an expected eight pleas on Thursday. (See pictures of the challenge of memorializing 9/11.) The... 

From animism to naturalistic pantheism, there are various belief systems that deify the natural world. But should a fervent belief in the need to fight climate change be given the same legal protection as an actual religion? A London judge said yes, ruling this week that environmentalism should carry... 

(WASHINGTON) — Banks expect to tighten terms on credit cards in response to a new law that aims to protect consumers from sudden rate hikes, the Federal Reserve said Monday. A quarterly survey by the Fed found that many banks expect to increase rates, reduce credit limits and raise annual fees... 

Men may protect more than their hearts if they keep cholesterol in line: Their chances of getting aggressive prostate cancer may be lower, new research suggests. One study found that men whose cholesterol was in a healthy range — below 200 — had less than half the risk of developing high-grade... 

(WICHITA, Kan.) — Defiant and unapologetic, a man accused of shooting a Kansas abortion provider confessed to the slaying Monday, telling The Associated Press that he killed the doctor to protect unborn children. Scott Roeder, 51, of Kansas City, Mo., spoke to the AP in a telephone call from jail,... 

Ready, Willing and Unable to Serve Mission: Readiness — Military Leaders for Kids Nov. 5, 2009 The Gist: With wars on two fronts and increasingly bellicose threats from North Korea and Iran, the Pentagon has continued to lower its recruiting standards to meet the ever-increasing demand for U.S....