WASHINGTON Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — So far this year, the civil rights and women’s groups opposed to President Bush’s conservative court nominees have been rebuffed, rebuked and rejected. And that’s just by Senate Democrats. Now, in the early stages of…

MIAMI Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — The busiest and costliest Atlantic hurricane season on record officially — and mercifully — draws to a close Wednesday, with hundreds of thousands of Americans still dealing with the devastation wrought by Katrina, Rita and…

WASHINGTON Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Tuesday defended her vote to authorize war in Iraq amid growing unease among liberal Democrats who could determine the potential 2008 presidential candidate’s future. “I take responsibility for my vote,…

WASHINGTON Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Americans have been migrating south and west for decades, but it appears they’ve been leaving some high-paying jobs behind. While there are many pockets of wealth in the South and West, the states with the…

WASHINGTON Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Sexed-up, profanity-laced shows on cable and satellite TV should be for adult eyes only, and providers must do more to shield children or could find themselves facing indecency fines, the nation’s top communications regulator says.…

WASHINGTON Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — For former soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who might be toying with the idea of getting back into uniform, the Army has a new offer: Join us and regain your old rank without repeating basic…

NEW YORK Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — There will be at least five more “American Idol” winners — and insult-wielding Simon Cowell is booked to do his part in selecting each one. Fox on Tuesday announced a deal for five more…

NEW YORK Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Controversial depictions of romance, heroism, anti-Communism and molestation scandals are part of two new biopics on the life of Pope John Paul II. When TV networks pursue the same ideas they typically pretend otherwise.…

LOS ANGELES Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — Good grief, network executives said when they first saw Charles Schulz’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” “They thought it was too slow,” executive producer Lee Mendelson recalls being told by the powers-that-were at CBS in…

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. — The Tennessee Valley Authority shared the rewards of a successful year by awarding $50 million in bonuses to its rank-and-file employees. Most of TVA’s 12,836 workers received the year-end payments handed out last week.…