Young Officers Leaving Army at a High Rate  —  WASHINGTON, April 9 — Young Army officers, including growing numbers of captains who leave as soon as their initial commitment is fulfilled, are bailing out of active-duty service at rates that have alarmed senior officers.

Military Plays Up Role of Zarqawi  —  Jordanian Painted As Foreign Threat To Iraq's Stability  —  The U.S. military is conducting a propaganda campaign to magnify the role of the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq, according to internal military documents and officers familiar with the program.

Bush Ordered Declassification, Official Says  —  WASHINGTON, April 9 — A senior administration official confirmed for the first time on Sunday that President Bush had ordered the declassification of parts of a prewar intelligence report on Iraq in an effort to rebut critics who said the administration …

Polls: Berlusconi trailing challenger in Italy vote  —  Conservative premier is seeking third term; leftist Prodi is ex-ECU president  —  ROME - Center-left leader Romano Prodi looks set to beat Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in Italy's general election, winning a majority in both houses of parliament …

HERE WE GO AGAIN  —  ***scroll for updates***  —  They're baaack.  Illegal alien public relations experts are advising their followers to put aside the Mexican flags and tone down their radicalism, but many reconquistadors and their friends can't help themselves.  Hat tip to John A. for the protest photos today from Dallas:

Christian Coalition Shrinks as Debt Grows  —  In an era when conservative Christians enjoy access and influence throughout the federal government, the organization that fueled their rise has fallen on hard times.  —  The once-mighty Christian Coalition, founded 17 years ago by the Rev. Pat Robertson …

France to replace youth job law  —  French President Jacques Chirac has announced that the new youth employment law that sparked weeks of sometimes violent protests will be scrapped.  —  He said it would be replaced by other measures to tackle youth unemployment.

Democracy in the Arab World, a U.S. Goal, Falters  —  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, April 9 — Steps toward democracy in the Arab world, a crucial American goal that just months ago was cause for optimism — with elections held in Iraq, Egypt and the Palestinian areas — are slowing …

For McCain and the Press, the End of the Affair?  —  John McCain was expecting journalists to start slapping him around, and he hasn't been disappointed.  —  As he gears up for a likely presidential campaign, the Arizona senator knows that reporters and columnists — whom he jokingly described last year as …

Flirting With Disaster  —  Will 2006 be for Republicans what 1994 was for Democrats?  —  Democrats must be pinching themselves about their good fortune.  Last week, the Republican Congress saw deals on budget reform, immigration reform and extending the Bush tax cuts all collapse within 24 hours.

Real Or Fake? … Thanks to digital technology, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are the most photographed in history.  Photographers with digital cameras have provided, almost instantaneously, an enormous flood of accurate, dramatic, and even shocking images to people around the world.

Christians Sue for Right Not to Tolerate Policies  —  Many codes intended to protect gays from harassment are illegal, conservatives argue.  —  ATLANTA — Ruth Malhotra went to court last month for the right to be intolerant.  —  Malhotra says her Christian faith compels her to speak out against homosexuality.

Organizers Expect Crush for Immigrant Rights Rally  —  Up to 180,000 Protesters May Converge on Mall  —  In churches, shops and sidewalks across the Washington region yesterday, thousands of people bustled in preparation for a rally that immigration advocates say could be a pivotal moment …