CAPITOL HILL (AP) The U.S. commander in Iraq says security there is improving, but still fragile. General David Petraeus (peh-TRAY'-uhs) told Congress that he's asking President Bush for a 45-day pause in troop withdrawals after July. Beyond that, he's not speculating.

Washington (AP) A donors' conference for Afghanistan is planned in June with a goal of raising 12 to 15 billion dollars.

The U.S. is hoping to promise almost 4 billion of that. Since 2001, other countries have pledged almost 33 billion dollars to help Afghanistan.

CAPITOL HILL (AP) With only a single dissent, the House has passed a bill to expand research into traumatic brain injuries and make it easier to get rehabilitation. The Senate has passed a similar bill. Traumatic brain injuries affect some 1.5 million Americans every year.

ELDORADO, Texas (AP) Court documents say young females at the polygamist compound in Texas were conditioned to accept sexual activity with adult men once they were spiritually married. A total of 416 children were removed by the state, including some pregnant teenagers.

WASHINGTON (AP) The publisher of a popular textbook on U.S.

government says it will review the book for political bias. A high school senior in New Jersey argues that some of the views in the text, including on Global Warming, are "just plain wrong."


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