USA
President Bush reviewed his Iraq strategy with his top military and security advisers over the weekend, but remained unwavering in his commitment to victory. "What is changing are the tactics we use to achieve that goal," he said. The meeting occurred against a backdrop of increasing violence in Iraq, where the US death toll reached 78 Saturday, making October the deadliest month this year.
Sen. Barack Obama (D) of Illinois said on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday that is considering a run for president in 2008 despite earlier saying he would not run. He added that he won't make a decision until after the Nov. 7 mid-term elections.
The State Department said that Alberto Fernandez, a US official in Near Eastern affairs, was misquoted Saturday by the Arabic news channel Al Jazeera. In an interview printed on the station's website, Fernandez supposedly said the US had shown "arrogance" and "stupidity" in Iraq and that it was ready to talk to any Iraqi group except Al Qaeda in order to end violence.
A US judge in Houston will sentence former Enron Corp. chief executive Jeffrey Skilling Monday for his role in lying about the company's profitability before its collapse in 2001.
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings will make the first of a series of merit-based teaching grants Monday, based on success in raising student test scores. She will award $5.5 million to the Ohio Department of Eduction for results in four cities.