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KIBBUTZ KINNERET, Israel – Former Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch (search) was baptized Saturday in the Jordan River (search), just weeks after quitting his band, drug habits and rock-and-roll lifestyle for religion. Welch, a founding member of the multi-platinum band, and about 20 other white-robed Christian pilgrims from a Bakersfield …

LOS ANGELES – The nation’s largest charities collectively take in tens of billions of dollars each year. And with that, they accumulate substantial power. The law is clear on how they can use that power: Tax-exempt charities cannot financially back a particular candidate or bill. But that’s not stopping charities …

KAOHSIUNG, Taiwan – More than 15,000 protesters marched in Taiwan (search) on Sunday, denouncing China’s planned anti-secession law and pledging to fight what they claim is Beijing’s attempt to force this self-ruled, democratic island to unify with the mainland. The procession through the southern city of Kaohsiung (search), a major …

President Bill Clinton will head back to a New York hospital on Thursday for more surgery. He will have fluid and scar tissue removed from his left chest cavity. This follows a successful quadruple bypass heart surgery on Sept. 6, 2004 after imaging tests showed up to 90 percent atherosclerotic …

SEOUL, South Korea – North Korea (search) acknowledged an outbreak of bird flu (search) for the first time, saying Sunday that hundreds of thousands of chickens were killed to prevent its spread, and the disease was not passed on to humans. The outbreaks occurred at a “few chicken farms,” and …

KABUL, Afghanistan – The United States is pouring $83 million into upgrading its main military bases in Afghanistan, an Air Force general said Monday in a sign that American forces will likely be needed in the country for years to come as Al Qaeda (search) remains active in the region. …

JAKARTA, Indonesia – Bomb squad officers searched Saturday for explosives in a Jakarta shopping mall known as the World Trade Center complex — the focus of a U.S. terror alert — but found no suspected bombs and shops resumed business as usual. On Friday, the U.S. Embassy (search) warned its …

DENVER – Secret Service (search) officials say they had nothing to do with the removal of three people from one of President Bush’s town hall meetings on Social Security (search). But they are investigating the incident that allegedly happened last week in Denver. Three people who say they got tickets …

LONDON – Being a practicing homosexual is no bar to becoming a priest, the Scottish Episcopal Church (search) says, a stance that puts it at odds with the Anglican Communion (search) in other parts of the world. In a response to a February meeting of 35 top world Anglican leaders, …

This is a partial transcript of “Special Report With Brit Hume,” March 3, 2005, that has been edited for clarity. Watch “Special Report With Brit Hume” weeknights at 6 p.m. ET BRIT HUME, HOST: If you look at the polling on Social Security reform (search), one thing that emerges is …