Analysis: An issue-less election? By PETER ROFF UPI Senior Political Analyst WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The passing of the year brings with it an end to the legislative rough and tumble that has marked much of 2003 in Washington. The New Year brings with it the certainty of a national election, one of potentially tremendous significance.

Analysis: Honduran military's secrets By JULIO MEDINA MURILLO TEGULCIGALPA, Honduras, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Analysis: A look at Chile's future elections By PAOLA AGUILLON ESPINOZA SANTIAGO, Chile, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Argentine bank workers strike again By CARMEN GENTILE UPI Latin America Correspondent BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: Haitians mark bicentennial By LES KJOS MIAMI, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Bicentennial celebrations by Miami Haitians Thursday will be filled with passion -- passion for the country, passion for its rulers and passion for change.

UPI Hears... WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Profile: Pat Fitzgerald, special counsel By AL SWANSON CHICAGO, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Fitzgerald is being hailed as the perfect choice to investigate who leaked the name of a CIA operative to syndicated columnist Robert Novak.

Analysis: Golan settlements hinder peace By CLAUDE SALHANI UPI International Editor WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Queen's honors stir debate in the UK By PETER ALMOND LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: Cheney breaks VP mold By RICHARD TOMKINS UPI White House Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Dick Cheney alone could probably never bring a crowd to its feet in rapturous enthusiasm no matter how partisan the group was, even if he wanted to and tried. So what gives with America's vice president?

Israel seeks to expand Golan settlements By JOSHUA BRILLIANT United Press International TEL AVIV, Israel, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Tight security planned for New Year's Eve By THOM J. ROSE UPI Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- New Year's Eve brings one of the biggest celebrations nights in the United States -- and one of the biggest security problems -- as thousands gather in locations around the country to mark the start of the new year.

Analysis: end of the 'political dinosaur?' By CARLOS ALBERTO BECERRIL MEXICO CITY, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

U.S. citizens can contribute to Iran fund By ANWAR IQBAL WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The United States asked its citizens Tuesday to send cash contributions directly to relief agencies if they want to help earthquake victims in Iran. U.S. laws do not permit citizens to send contributions to a country or group that is regarded as a spon

Anlaysis: Why Sharon gambled on Golan By MARTIN SIEFF UPI Senior News Analyst WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: China, India moved closer By KRISHNADEV CALAMUR UPI Deputy International Editor WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Can China, India remain the new El Dorado? By SHIHOKO GOTO UPI Senior Business Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Strolling along Shanghai's bustling Nanjing Road, it's hard to find a badly dressed shopper...On the subcontinent, meanwhile, India's economy has started taking off...but there are rumblings that other countries could push out or at least compete fiercely

Analysis: No more trips for Pope John Paul By ROLAND FLAMINI Chief International Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: Year of Rome and Islam By UWE SIEMON-NETTO UPI Religious Affairs Editor BORDEAUX, France, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: A look back at Iraq By P. MITCHELL PROTHERO WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- While Iraq in general -- and Baghdad in particular -- appear far safer and move vibrant than in April and May, there continue to be major underlying problems in both Iraqi society and with the occupation itself.

Analysis: Kremlin organizes victories By PETER LAVELLE UPI Moscow-based Analyst MOSCOW, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: Experts forecast 2004 for France By ELIZABETH BRYANT United Press International PARIS, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Strong year for UK in 2004, with pitfalls By PETER ALMOND LONDON, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: EU, U.S. -- after the frost... By GARETH HARDING UPI Chief European Correspondent BRUSSELS, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Ireland's euro-headaches By MARTIN WALKER UPI Editor WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

More terrorism predicted in the year ahead By RICHARD SALE UPI Intelligence Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The year 2004 may be new but it may not prove pleasant as America faces an unprecedented number of challenges.

Analysis: Tanzi to stay in jail By ROLAND FLAMINI Chief International Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Food: Thinking outside the Christmas box By JULIA WATSON WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- New Year's Eve, probably the most anticipated celebration of the year, is a little like the taste of coffee. The expectation of it is generally more fulfilling than the reality.

Hispanic voters divided, more Democratic By THOM J. ROSE UPI Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Hispanics in the United States remain more Democratic than Republican, despite George Bush's efforts to woo the country's largest ethnic group.

Analysis: Musharraf faces killers' wrath By MARTIN SIEFF UPI Senior News Analyst WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

UPI Energy Watch By JOHN C. K. DALY International Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Commentary: Co-existing in California By HIL ANDERSON LOS ANGELES, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The Christmas season in California was marked first by a strong earthquake along the central coast and, just a few days later, by a flash flood in the high desert that killed 14 people and was blamed in large part on massive wildfires that had burned thro

Commentary: Mad, mad, mad, mad cow policy By CHRISTIAN BOURGE UPI Congressional and Policy Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- When Congress returns to session next month, expect to see a flurry of legislation aimed at stemming the scourge of mad cow disease on U.S. shores and helping a potentially damaged beef industry.

Analysis: Musharraf must survive till March By MARTIN SIEFF UPI Senior News Analyst WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Civilian judges tapped for military trials By PAMELA HESS Pentagon correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Iran quake: Death and political dividend By MODHER AMIN TEHRAN, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Special counsel named for White House leak By MICHAEL KIRKLAND UPI Legal Affairs Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A special counsel from inside the Justice Department will conduct an independent investigation of the White House leak allegations, a top department official said Tuesday.

Feature: Bombs unleashed against the EU By ROLAND FLAMINI Chief International Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Analysis: Minority set-aside law flawed By AL SWANSON UPI Urban Affairs Correspondent CHICAGO, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A federal judge ruled Chicago's 14-year-old set-aside law to remedy discrimination against minority- and women-owned businesses in the construction industry is flawed and gave the city six months to make changes.

UPI Hears... WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Analysis: S.Koreans angry over U.S. beef By JONG-HEON LEE UPI Correspondent SEOUL, Dec. 31 (UPI) --

Analysis: Death penalty losing support? By MICHAEL KIRKLAND UPI Legal Affairs Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Is the United States becoming less enamored with the death penalty? A look at the number of executions and sentencing trends suggests that might be the case.

No Iraq army, no anniversary By BY HUSSAIN HINDAWI BAGHDAD, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- There will be no celebration of army day in Iraq this year. For the first time in 80 years, the Iraqi army will not mark its anniversary on January 6. U.S. officials fear an escalation in anti-U.S. attacks by former personnel who were left jobless when

Analysis: Brazil ends cliches By CARMEN GENTILE UPI Latin America Correspondent SAO PAULO, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The old saying goes: "Brazil is the country of the future ... and always will be." But every so often, some optimistic analyst trots out his prediction for Brazil's ascendancy to superpower, that one day soon, South America's largest nation will break

Analysis: 2004 -- Nigeria's year By UWE SIEMON-NETTO UPI Religious Affairs Editor BORDEAUX, France, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

China's new leaders on the rise By ED LANFRANCO BEIJING, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- While China's fourth generation of top leaders have not fully taken the reigns of control, their performance during the first nine months after taking office showed a different style of statesmanship now guiding the world's most populous nation.

Analysis: N.Korea in nuclear standoff By JONG-HEON LEE UPI Correspondent SEOUL, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Analysis: Security jitters shake S. Korea By JONG-HEON LEE UPI Correspondent SEOUL, Dec. 30 (UPI) --

Analysis: A year of surprises in the PA By SAUD ABU RAMADAN United Press International GAZA, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The year 2003 has been a turning point for Palestinian politics, marking the third anniversary of the intifada, two new Palestinian prime ministers, a new international plan for peace and factional infighting. Palestinian analysts called it a year of "sur

Despite politics, cloning advanced in 2003 By STEVE MITCHELL UPI Medical Correspondent WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The science of cloning made significant strides this year despite being hamstrung by Congress and president Bush and pushed closer to delivering on its promise of medical treatments for a variety of currently incurable diseases.