KIEV, Ukraine – Russian President Vladimir Putin (search) arrived in Ukraine on Saturday for his first visit since last year’s Orange Revolution (search) ushered in a new, pro-Western government here. Putin is scheduled to hold talks with President Viktor Yushchenko (search) and dine with Prime Minister Yuliya Tymoshenko. Yushchenko’s office …

WASHINGTON – ChoicePoint’s (search) chief executive apologized Tuesday to 145,000 customers exposed to identity theft, but he had difficulty convincing some lawmakers the company was doing enough to resolve the problem. Derek Smith’s testimony before a House Energy and Commerce Committee (search) panel was the first congressional appearance by a …

WATERBURY, Conn. – A woman and her daughter allegedly tried to sneak a clip loaded with .40-caliber handgun bullets to a sexual assault defendant at a courthouse lockup Wednesday, state police said. Lynda Schoon-Lang (search), 60, and her 28-year-old daughter, Zsakieta, allegedly hid the clip in a pair of sneakers …

WASHINGTON – Rep. Albert Wynn (search) said the “527” committees that flourished during the 2004 presidential campaign lacked “transparency, accountability and diversity,” and he wants to do something about it. But instead of reining in the 527s, the Maryland Democrat said he will introduce legislation that would remove limits on …

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (search) raised $11.6 million in the month of February to give it more than a 2-1 advantage in money raised over the Democrats (search) during the first two months of this year. Republicans announced Friday the amount the party raised in February, in addition …

NEW YORK – Dear Readers — I hope you remembered to send Nina Olson a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day. Trust me, your real sweetie will understand: Olson holds the position of Taxpayer Advocate, which means she’s the government employee who’s job is to stand up to the IRS …

WASHINGTON – Congressional Republicans are expressing doubt that President Bush’s plan for personal accounts (search) in Social Security can win approval, saying lawmakers fear the political consequences of voting major change to the popular retirement program. Some suggested that Bush jettison the central feature of his plan, which is to …

WASHINGTON – The $419 billion defense budget (search) that President Bush submitted to Congress on Monday would buy fewer planes, ships and submarines than the Pentagon previously planned, but it puts extra emphasis on anti-terror commandos and expands the Army and Marine Corps. Spending for the budget year that starts …

A small study of prostate cancer (search) patients taking hormone therapy shows small, temporary effects on some areas of thinking. Prostate cancer hormone therapy — doctors call it androgen deprivation therapy (search) — has been increasingly used in recent years. Prostate cancer grows when exposed to the male hormone testosterone. …

CHARLESTON, S.C. – A 15-year-old boy who claimed the antidepressant Zoloft (search) drove him to kill his grandparents and burn their house down was found guilty of murder Tuesday and sentenced to 30 years in prison. The jury took six hours to reject Christopher Pittman‘s (search) claim that he was …