Senate Rejects Flag Desecration Amendment  —  The Senate rejected by a single vote yesterday an effort to amend the Constitution to allow Congress to ban desecration of the American flag, after a two-day debate freighted with political calculations and sharp disputes over the limits of free speech.

Israeli Troops Move Into Gaza  —  Captured Soldier Sought; Palestinians Reach Political Pact  —  GAZA CITY, June 28 — Israeli ground troops pushed into the Gaza Strip early Wednesday in a military operation aimed at freeing a captured soldier whose fate has transfixed much of the country.

GOP bill targets NY Times  —  House Republican leaders are expected to introduce a resolution today condemning The New York Times for publishing a story last week that exposed government monitoring of banking records.  —  The resolution is expected to condemn the leak and publication …

Bush's Use of Authority Riles Senator  —  WASHINGTON, June 27 — Senators on the Judiciary Committee accused President Bush of an "unprecedented" and "astonishing" power grab on Tuesday for making use of a device that gave him the authority to revise or ignore more than 750 laws enacted since he became president.

Incumbent wins easily as Jacob's immigration challenge fizzles  —  LEHI - Incumbency overcame the anti-immigration wave in Utah's 3rd Congressional District Republican Primary.  —  Five-term Rep. Chris Cannon had a commanding lead over political newcomer John Jacob with 89 percent of the precincts reporting at press time.

Democrats vow to block pay raises until minimum wage increased  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Democrats ratcheted up their election-year push for an increase in the federal minimum wage Tuesday by promising to block a congressional pay hike unless some of the lowest-paid hourly workers get their first raise in nearly a decade.

AP INCORRECTLY CLAIMS SCIENTISTS PRAISE GORE'S MOVIE  —  The June 27, 2006 Associated Press (AP) article titled "Scientists OK Gore's Movie for Accuracy" by Seth Borenstein raises some serious questions about AP's bias and methodology.  —  AP chose to ignore the scores of scientists …

Limbaugh case alerts travelers to rules for prescriptions  —  Carrying a vial of Viagra without his name on it got talk-show host Rush Limbaugh in hot water with U.S. customs officers Monday.  —  And his detention at Florida's Palm Beach airport raises questions for U.S. travelers …

Bush jogs with wounded soldier  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush took a jog Tuesday with a soldier who lost part of both legs in Iraq, following through on a bedside promise even the president had doubts about at the time.  —  Despite a slight drizzle, Bush and Staff Sgt. Christian Bagge took …

Coming Home  —  Hundreds turn out for arrival of Pfc. Kristian Menchaca  —  June 27, 2006 — The body of Army Pfc. Kristian Menchaca, 23, arrived at the Brownsville airport Monday in a solemn ceremony broken only by the sobs of his young widow.  —  Eighteen-year-old Christina Menchaca of Big Spring …

A Single Person Could Swing an Election  —  Electronic Systems' Weaknesses May Be Countered With Audits, Report Suggests  —  To determine what it would take to hack a U.S. election, a team of cybersecurity experts turned to a fictional battleground state called Pennasota …

Damage Study Urged on Surveillance Reports  —  WASHINGTON, June 27 — Senator Pat Roberts, the chairman of the Senate intelligence committee, asked the director of national intelligence on Tuesday to assess any damage to American counterterrorism efforts caused by the disclosure of secret programs …