Democrats set to call for phased pullout  —  Congressional debate on war enters 2d week  —  WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats, seizing on public discontent over the war in Iraq, will offer legislation this week calling for a phased withdrawal of troops from Iraq and a shifting of forces …

Lieberman Will Primary  —  MIDDLETOWN — Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman said today that he will not withdraw from the Aug. 8 Democratic primary , but he left open the possibility of running in November as a petitioning candidate if he loses the primary.  —  "I will be in the Democratic primary.

Doubts About Duke  —  The prosecutor insists his rape case is strong.  One big problem: the facts thus far.  —  June 29, 2006 issue - The order had come, signed by a judge, requiring that the Duke lacrosse team give DNA samples.  The prosecutor was trying to identify the three players …

Al Qaeda-linked group claims it kidnapped 2 U.S. soldiers  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — An al Qaeda-affiliated group on Monday claimed it kidnapped two U.S. soldiers south of Baghdad, although the captives were not named.  —  The group — Mujahedeen Shura Council — made the unverified claim in a statement posted on a Web site.

Deputy Secretary of State Zoellick Resigning  —  Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick, one of the administration's most prominent figures in foreign and economic policy, is resigning to join the Wall Street investment firm of Goldman Sachs.  —  Zoellick's interest in leaving …

Telco Argument Implodes During DC Debate  —  Amazon.com's Paul Misener handily defeated Mike McCurry — co-Chair of the telecom front group "Hands off the Internet" — in a debate over Net Neutrality at George Washington University on Friday.  —  Watch the segment in question, posted at PoliticsTV.

Freedom of speech and thought R.I.P.  —  The Washington DC Examiner Newspaper, The Examiner  —  WASHINGTON - Robert Smith, Roman Catholic and now-former Metro board member, believes homosexuality is a form of "deviancy."  Jim Graham, District of Columbia Council member, believes Smith's beliefs are "ancient and archaic."

3 U.S. soldiers charged with killing of Iraqis  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — Three members of the 101st Airborne Division have been charged in connection with the deaths of three detainees during an operation in Salaheddin province, Iraq, the U.S. military announced Monday.

Louisiana gov. signs law that would ban abortions  —  NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Louisiana Democratic Gov. Kathleen Blanco signed into law a ban on most abortions, which would be triggered if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns its 1973 ruling legalizing the procedure, a spokesman said on Saturday.

NBC's chief confident on 'Today,' Brian Williams vs. Couric  —  E-mail Peter Johnson at pjohnson@usatoday.com  —  Just two weeks after CBS Evening News-bound Katie Couric said a tearful goodbye to NBC's Today, her old boss now sings the praises of her successor, Meredith Vieira …

US warns North Korea against 'provocative' missile launch  —  The United States warned that a North Korean launch of a long-range missile would be a "provocative act" and began intensive diplomatic consultations on a response.  —  "There are reports they may be preparing for a long-range missile launch …

Trying to Get Even  —  Democrats keep betting on failure in Iraq.  —  During last week's congressional debate over the war in Iraq, critics of the Bush administration's policy made three arguments: that President Bush more or less lied when claiming Saddam Hussein was a threat to the U.S. …

Waste Oil Dumps Threaten Towns in Northern Iraq  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq, June 18 — An environmental disaster is brewing in the heartland of Iraq's northern Sunni-led insurgency, where Iraqi officials say that in a desperate move to dispose of millions of barrels of an oil refinery byproduct called …

The Party of Retreat and Defeat  —  As the fall elections approach, the Democrats have formally unveiled their platform for the war in Iraq: snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.  —  At the very moment that documents captured from the Zarqawi death site indicate that Al Qaeda feels …

Washington Whispers  —  Here's an idea for those Bush-bashing Dixie Chicks, whose summer ticket sales have taken a licking in markets upset with their ranting.  Stop whining about your country fans and do what you did in 2004: Give in to your political outrage by following the model of groups like the Dave Matthews Band.