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The hot new thing in crime fiction comes from countries with cooler climes. Nordic crime stories are selling, and the biggest name is Henning Mankell, who may be the most famous Swedish writer since Strindberg. He has a huge global following.

The apparent decision by Dubai Ports World to transfer ownership of its rights to U.S. port operations culminated a three-week long firestorm over the deal that took the White House by surprise. When the country learned of the deal, mostly through news reports and talk shows, the reaction was overwhelmingly negative.

The FBI says it has positively identified the remains of Thomas Fox, a peace activist from Virginia who was taken hostage in November in Iraq. The fate of three of Fox's colleagues is not known. Fox was helping families of prisoners held by U.S. forces when he was abducted.

Civilian truck drivers who haul freight between military bases in Iraq find themselves on the war's frontlines. The constant exposure to violence puts them at risk for post-traumatic stress disorder. And some complain they're forgotten once they return home.

When it comes to back pain, there are alternatives to surgery and prescriptions. Some doctors prescribe a combination of over-the-counter medications, exercise and pain-management techniques to get patients moving and pain-free.

Los Angeles police have arrested two elderly women on mail fraud charges for allegedly luring two homeless men into a life-insurance scam. The men turned up dead in still- unresolved hit and run cases; the women were $2.2 million richer after collecting their life insurance policies.

Georgia lawmakers are expected to pass a bill authorizing a Bible literacy class in public high schools. The class, "History and Literature of the Old and New Testament," will be taught with the Bible as the text. The bill does not require that schools teach the course, or that students take it. Emily Kopp of Georgia Public Broadcasting reports.

American combat deaths in Iraq have been declining since late last year. Iraqi security forces now appear to be bearing the brunt of violence in the country. The decline was especially significant in February, when 55 American service personnel were killed, compared to 96 in October. More than 2,300 American military personnel have died supporting operations in Iraq.

After 40 years of working in politics, pundit Mark Shields has seen the best and worst of our democracy. But he still believes good politics and courageous politicians can benefit our society.

The new season of The Sopranos opens on Sunday, bringing the world of Tony and Carmela, Christopher and Paulie Walnuts back to dens around the country. The show's last previous episode aired in the summer of 2004.