Libby Says Bush Authorized Leaks  —  Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff has testified that President Bush authorized him to disclose the contents of a highly classified intelligence assessment to the media to defend the Bush administration's decision to go to war with Iraq …

Senate Republicans Strike Immigration Deal  —  WASHINGTON, April 5 — A group of Senate Republicans reached agreement Wednesday night on a compromise proposal that they hope can garner bipartisan support and bring passage of a bill on the future of the nation's 11 million illegal immigrants.

McKinney apologizes for scuffle with officer  —  Grand jury to hear testimony on incident, sources say  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Rep. Cynthia McKinney apologized on the House floor Thursday for a confrontation with a Capitol Police officer last week.  —  "There should not have been any physical contact …

On national stage, potential gains and pitfalls for Romney  —  The first-of-its-kind healthcare plan passed by the Legislature provides Governor Mitt Romney valuable political capital, but it is also fraught with potential perils as he aims to make the top tier of Republican presidential contenders.

A high fence and a big gate  —  America today is struggling to find the right balance of policies on immigration.  —  Personally, I favor a very high fence, with a very big gate.  —  So far, neither President Bush's proposal to allow the nation's 11 million illegal immigrants to stay temporarily …

Arrest of Official Prompts Probe By House Panel Into DHS Hiring  —  The arrest of a Department of Homeland Security deputy press secretary on charges that he used a computer to seduce and send pornography to a child has triggered a congressional inquiry into hiring practices and security clearance policies at the department.

'Gospel of Judas' Surfaces After 1,700 Years  —  An early Christian manuscript, including the only known text of what is known as the Gospel of Judas, has surfaced after 1,700 years.  The text gives new insights into the relationship of Jesus and the disciple who betrayed him, scholars reported today.

Poll Finds Steele May Be Magnet for Black Voters  —  Candidate's Ties to President Bush Judged a Potential Vulnerability  —  An internal document prepared by a top Democratic strategist warns that a majority of African American voters in Maryland are open to supporting Republican Senate …

Benzene Levels in Soft Drinks Above Limit  —  WASHINGTON - Cancer-causing benzene has been found in soft drinks at levels above the limit considered safe for drinking water, the Food and Drug Administration acknowledged Wednesday.  —  Even so, the FDA still believes there are no safety concerns …

South Park Takes On Islamists, Cowardly Broadcast Executives, And 'Family Guy'  —  Last week, when the raunchy cartoon series South Park killed off Chef after Isaac Hayes complained about the show's religious intolerance, some CQ readers noted that Matt Stone and Trey Parker had never taken on Muslims.

Climate Researchers Feeling Heat From White House  —  Scientists doing climate research for the federal government say the Bush administration has made it hard for them to speak forthrightly to the public about global warming.  The result, the researchers say, is a danger that Americans …

Senate Dems to pursue new strategy on abortion  —  The Senate Democratic leadership says it has found a wedge issue to strengthen the party's position on abortion rights, which top strategists think has become a liability in recent years.  —  The wedge is legislation expanding access …

President Discusses Global War on Terror  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.  Firoz, thanks a lot.  So I said, that's an interesting name.  He said, I've lived in seven countries.  But he also said he's proud to be an American.  And we're proud you're an American.  Thank you very much for inviting me.

Saddam Targeted American Assets For Terrorism (Update)  —  One of the most contentious issues of the Iraq War is whether the invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein served as a distraction from the war on terror or as an integral part of the overall war itself.

Program on Vouchers Draws Minority Support  —  WASHINGTON, April 5 — As a student at Shaw Junior High School here, Amie Fuwa strained to shut out the distractions of friends cutting up.  She struggled through math, and used photocopies or the library when textbooks were scarce.