Obama salutes victims of war in Afghanistan in pre-dawn trip to Dover Air Force Base

On Wednesday, President Obama started his day in the Oval Office as he always does, with intelligence and economic advisers alerting him to trouble spots and bits of improvement. He ended it 20 hours later, after a surprise trip to Dover Air Force Base, where he witnessed the return of 18 Americans killed this week in Afghanistan.

Md. scientist said he gave Israelis secrets, prosecutors say

A Chevy Chase scientist accused of attempted espionage told an undercover FBI agent that he gave classified information to an aerospace company owned by the Israeli government, federal prosecutors said Thursday.

Clinton rebukes Pakistan on hunt for al-Qaeda leaders

ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN -- Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton expressed doubt Thursday over Pakistan's failure to locate top al-Qaeda leaders in the eight years since they escaped over the border from Afghanistan, telling a group of Pakistani journalists that she found "it hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to."

Coalition seeks investigation of Homeland Security privacy office

Privacy advocates have asked lawmakers to investigate the Department of Homeland Security office in charge of protecting Americans' privacy, saying it has shown "an extraordinary disregard" for its duty.

Benefits changes finally in sight for federal employees

Long-sought changes to the pay and benefits structure for current and former federal employees await President Obama's signature.

World digest: Pakistani troops fight to control Taliban chief's home town

PAKISTAN

Jack Nelson, 80; Pulitzer-winning L.A. Times reporter

Jack Nelson, 80, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter who covered the civil rights movement in the South during the 1950s and 1960s, the Watergate scandal in the 1970s and national politics until 2001, died Oct. 21 at his home in Bethesda. He had pancreatic cancer.

World Digest

IRAQ

Business Digest: European Commission Concerned Over Opel Sale

AUTOMOTIVE

U.S. Officials Say Zazi Had Links to Bin Laden's Inner Circle

The airport shuttle driver accused of plotting a bombing in New York had contacts with al-Qaeda that went nearly to the top, to an Osama bin Laden confidant believed to be the terrorist group's leader in Afghanistan, according to U.S. intelligence officials.

Number of U.S. Troops in Afghanistan Overlooks Thousands of Support Troops

President Obama announced in March that he would be sending 21,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. But in an unannounced move, the White House has also authorized -- and the Pentagon is deploying -- at least 13,000 troops beyond that number, according to defense officials.

'Most' Hostages Rescued in Assault on Pakistani Army Bastion

RAWALPINDI, Pakistan, Oct. 10 -- Militants staged a deadly attack on the Pakistani army headquarters Saturday in the most audacious indication yet of their willingness to battle the government -- even at the doorstep of the nation's large and powerful security forces.