Lawmaker: Marines killed Iraqis 'in cold blood'  —  Navy conducting war crimes probe into November violence in Haditha  —  A video provided to Reuters in March by Hamourabi, a human rights group, shows covered bodies, which Hamourabi says are of 15 civilians shot to death by Marines in Haditha in November.

NSA killed system that sifted phone data legally … WASHINGTON // The National Security Agency developed a pilot program in the late 1990s that would have enabled it to gather and analyze massive amounts of communications data without running afoul of privacy laws.

No Rush to Impeachment  —  As Republicans have become increasingly nervous about whether they will be able to maintain control of the House in the midterm elections, they have resorted to the straw-man strategy of identifying a parade of horrors to come if Democrats gain the majority.

Tony Snow at the White House  —  Possibly through Inauguration Day 2009, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C. Running time: 40 MIN.  —  In the often surreal world of the televised press briefing, the media don't stand a chance against a nice guy, and judging by his first performance …

Seeking to Control Borders, Bush Turns to Big Military Contractors  —  WASHINGTON, May 17 — The quick fix may involve sending in the National Guard.  But to really patch up the broken border, President Bush is preparing to turn to a familiar administration partner: the nation's giant military contractors.

Who Isn't A 'Values Voter'?  —  An aggressively annoying new phrase in America's political lexicon is "values voters."  It is used proudly by social conservatives, and carelessly by the media to denote such conservatives.  —  This phrase diminishes our understanding of politics.

U.S. Said to Weigh a New Approach on North Korea  —  WASHINGTON, May 17 — President Bush's top advisers have recommended a broad new approach to dealing with North Korea that would include beginning negotiations on a peace treaty, even while efforts to dismantle the country's nuclear program …

Kennedy On Immigration: Detached From Reality, Part II (Video)  —  Another example of Sen. Ted Kennedy's twisted logic on display.  According to Kennedy, "the idea that border security, in and of itself, of fencing or non-fencing is going to solve this problem just defies...DEFIES...recent history."

Anti-Incumbent Voters Sent Messages Tuesday  —  Pennsylvania voters dumped two Republican leaders in the state Senate and scared a GOP member of Congress, while Oregon voters sent a warning they are unhappy with the Democratic governor.  —  Cumulatively, the results Tuesday were the latest signals …

Senate Votes to Extend Fence Along Border  —  WASHINGTON, May 17— The Senate voted overwhelmingly today to add hundreds of miles of fencing along the border between the United States and Mexico and to bar illegal immigrants convicted of a felony or three misdemeanors from remaining …

McKinney Sponsors Bill Honoring Capitol Police  —  WASHINGTON — Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who could face criminal charges for allegedly punching a Capitol police officer in Washington, D.C., has signed on as a co-sponsor of a House bill formally honoring Capitol Police officers.

Gays flee as religious militias sentence them all to death  —  THE death threat was delivered to Karazan's father early in the morning by a masked man wearing a police uniform.  —  The scribbled note was brief.  Karazan had to die because he was gay.  In the new Baghdad, his sexuality warranted execution by the religious militias.

'Arafat used aid to buy weapons'  —  Yasser Arafat transferred millions of dollars in international aid and taxes transferred to the Palestinian Authority by Israel to purchase large quantities of weapons, the PA chairman's former financial aide, Fuad Shubaki, has told the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency).