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This is a partial transcript of “Special Report With Brit Hume ,” Feb. 4, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. Watch “Special Report With Brit Hume” weeknights at 6 p.m. ET (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) PRESIDENTBUSH: We’re not going to play politics with the issue. We’re going to say if …

WASHINGTON – It was Justice Antonin Scalia’s (search) standard speech. He bemoaned the Supreme Court’s growing political role in cases such as abortion, then joked about how Democrats are wary of a “Chief Justice Scalia” in a second Bush term. But in an appearance one week after President Bush’s re-election, …

CHICAGO – A broad-based attempt by major U.S. airlines to raise ticket prices this week may succeed where past efforts have failed as struggling carriers try desperately to blunt the impact of soaring fuel prices, analysts said Friday. This week, major airlines, including Northwest Airlines (NWAC), AMR Corp’s (AMR) American …

NEW YORK – Trudy looked like such a sweet Dalmatian (search). A black spot over her left eye, she gobbled down a pretzel treat and wagged her tail when a little girl in a Valentine’s Day outfit came up to pet her. Only moments later Monday at the Westminster Kennel …

WASHINGTON – With military costs since Sept. 11, 2001, now expected to exceed $300 billion, the Pentagon is spending more per soldier to fight in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere than it did during earlier conflicts. High technology, the costs of paying and protecting a modern soldier, and the worldwide nature …

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon is unsure how long it can sustain the current pace of National Guard (search) and Reserve deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior official said Thursday. “If we stress (the reservists) too much and have too many multiple call-ups, we’re going to reach a point to …

BUSHEHR, Iran – Russia and Iran signed a deal Sunday that would deliver nuclear fuel to the Middle East country for the startup of its first reactor — a project the United States had for years pushed Moscow to drop, claiming Iran is trying to build a nuclear bomb. Iranian …

NEW DELHI – At least 16 people were feared dead as an avalanche swept away a tiny mountain village in India’s portion of Kashmir (search), police said Monday, raising the toll from a series of avalanches and landslides over the weekend to 41. The avalanche — triggered by the region’s …

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia’s (search) two senators are calling for investigations into the death of a Marine recruit who drowned during a water survival training exercise. Jason Tharp — of Sutton, W. Va. — died Feb. 8 at the Marine Corps base at Parris Island (search), S.C. The day …

NEW YORK – Stocks closed a touch lower Monday as investors digested a mixed bag of earnings reports following a two-week rally. The Dow Jones industrial average (search) inched down just 0.37 of a point, or unchanged from a percentage standpoint, to close at 10,715.76. The Standard & Poor’s 500 …