New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin Wins Re-Election  —  NEW ORLEANS — Mayor Ray Nagin, whose shoot-from-the-hip style was both praised and scorned after Hurricane Katrina, narrowly won re-election over Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu on Saturday in the race to oversee one of the biggest rebuilding projects in U.S. history.

Saudi Men Who Rode School Bus Arrested  —  TAMPA - Two Saudi men were arrested Friday after they boarded a school bus and rode to Wharton High School in New Tampa.  —  Students on the bus became alarmed, as did the bus driver, who called ahead.  Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies met the bus at the school and detained the men.

This is a Saudi textbook.  (After the intolerance was removed.)  —  This is a Saudi textbook.  (After the intolerance was removed.)  —  S audi Arabia's public schools have long been cited for demonizing the West as well as Christians, Jews and other "unbelievers."

Plea of the Democratic Pariah: Forgive My Defeat  —  IN so much as the term "rehabilitation" applies to Al Gore, he is enjoying a nice little run of late.  —  Mr. Gore — the former vice president, would-be president, almost-president and, in some circles, should-be president …

F.B.I. Searches Congressman's Office in Ethics Inquiry  —  WASHINGTON, May 20 — The F.B.I. raided the Congressional offices of Representative William J. Jefferson, Democrat of Louisiana, on Saturday night as part of a corruption investigation focused on the lawmaker and on a Kentucky businessman …

For soldiers, gratitude and praise from an Iraqi mayor  —  COLORADO SPRINGS - An Iraqi mayor stood before troops lined up on the lawn at Fort Carson on Friday morning and said only two words in English.  —  But those two words brought the crowd to its feet.  —  "Thank you."

Reunited: boys saved from slavers  —  A SENIOR member of an Islamic organisation linked to Al-Qaeda is funding his activities through the kidnapping of Christian children who are sold into slavery in Pakistan.  —  The Sunday Times has established that Gul Khan, a wealthy militant who uses …

Religious Liberals Gain New Visibility  —  The religious left is back.  —  Long overshadowed by the Christian right, religious liberals across a wide swath of denominations are engaged today in their most intensive bout of political organizing and alliance-building since the civil rights …

In House Races, More G.O.P. Seats Look Vulnerable  —  James Votruba, left, president of Northern Kentucky University, and President Bush appearing Friday with Representative Geoff Davis, a Republican of Kentucky, who once seemed headed for an easy victory.  But he and others in the party now appear to be facing stronger challenges.

Baghdad's Lionel Richie Obsession  —  American Pop Star Is an Iraq Obsession  —  May 19, 2006 — I have been to Iraq nine times since the American invasion three years ago, for a total of about 10 solid months.  (My wife is counting.)  During that time, I have seen bombs and blood …

Despite Pledge, Taxes Increase for Teenagers  —  The $69 billion tax cut bill that President Bush signed this week tripled tax rates for teenagers with college savings funds, despite Mr. Bush's 1999 pledge to veto any tax increase.  —  Under the new law, teenagers age 14 to 17 with investment income …

Gaza Blast Stokes Hamas-Fatah Tensions  —  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - An apparent attempt to assassinate Gaza's intelligence chief with a bomb planted at his headquarters Saturday heightened tensions between President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction and the Islamic militant group Hamas.

Bush Is Losing Hispanics' Support, Polls Show  —  Surveys Find the Immigration Debate Is Also Alienating White Conservatives  —  Hispanic voters, many of whom responded favorably to President Bush's campaign appeals emphasizing patriotism, family and religious values in Spanish-language media in 2004 …

The Code Before 'Da Vinci'  —  Confronted with "The Da Vinci Code," the motion picture version of Dan Brown's best-selling update on the ripe tropes of 19th-century Know-Nothingism (the Vatican as conspiracy central, the priesthood as perverse hit men), a previous generation of American Catholics …