GOP Plans Hearings on Issue of Immigrants  —  In a move that could bury President Bush's high-profile effort to overhaul immigration law until after the midterm elections, House GOP leaders yesterday announced a series of field hearings during the August recess, pushing off final negotiations on a bill until fall at the earliest.

Al Qaeda in Iraq Leader Killed in Airstrike Near Where U.S. Troops Went Missing  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq — A key Al Qaeda in Iraq leader described as the group's "religious emir" was killed in a U.S. airstrike hours before two American soldiers went missing and in the same area, the military said Tuesday.

On Iraq, Kerry Again Leaves Democrats Fuming  —  WASHINGTON, June 20 — When Senator John Kerry was their presidential nominee in 2004, Democrats fervently wished he would express himself firmly about the Iraq war.  —  Mr. Kerry has found his resolve.  But it has not made his fellow Democrats any happier.

U.S. weighs shootdown of N. Korea missile  —  WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is weighing responses to a possible North Korean missile test that include attempting to shoot it down in flight over the Pacific, defense officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Ex-Aide To Bush Found Guilty  —  A federal jury found former White House aide David H. Safavian guilty yesterday of lying and obstructing justice, making him the highest-ranking government official to be convicted in the spreading scandal involving disgraced former lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Lawyer Representing Saddam Hussein Killed  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - One of Saddam Hussein's lawyers was shot to death Wednesday after he was abducted from his home by men wearing police uniforms in Baghdad, court and police officials said.  —  Khamis al-Obeidi, who represented Saddam …

Soldiers of fortune go free as judge denounces Chirac over island coup  —  COVERT attempts by President Chirac to exert influence over Africa were exposed by a French court yesterday, when it denounced his secret services for conniving with a band of mercenaries in a coup in the tiny Comoros Islands.

Al-Qaida video shows alleged 20th hijacker  —  WASHINGTON - Al-Qaida has identified a would-be 20th hijacker for the Sept. 11 attacks as a Saudi operative who was killed in a 2004 shootout with his country's security forces.  —  In a statement accompanying a new video …

Merrill Apparently Shot Himself On the Bay  —  Philip Merrill, the prominent publisher and former diplomat whose body was found floating in the Chesapeake Bay on Monday, suffered from a heart condition and apparently took his own life, his family said last night.

Iraq Views Improve, Small Bounce for Bush  —  After Zarqawi's Death...  Navigate this report  —  Summary of Findings  —  Summary of Findings  —  Americans are now more positive about the way things are going in Iraq than in the past few months, following the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi …

Lieberman Vs. the Democrats  —  Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman is as seasoned a pol as anyone can find, but he seems to have forgotten the very purpose of elections.  —  In a remarkable interview he recently gave to The Post's David S. Broder [op-ed, June 18], the Democrats' 2000 vice …