Israel strike hits Palestinian PM's office  —  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli aircraft fired missiles at the Palestinian prime minister's office early Sunday, just hours after a Palestinian official said the soldier whose abduction sent Israeli troops into Gaza is alive and in stable condition.

The Power of Hillary  —  "Hillary Clinton really is one of the weakest . . . nominees with whom the Democrats could be saddled."  —  "Democrats are worried sick about her chances."  —  "Just give someone else a chance, so we in the Democratic Party can elect a Democrat."  —  "She cannot possibly, possibly win."

Conservative pundits reveal murderous plot by the Travel Section of the NYT!  —  (updated below - updated again)  —  I learned today from Michelle Malkin, Powerline's John Hinderaker, Red State, and David Horowitz, among others, that The New York Times not only wants to help Al Qaeda launch terrorist attacks …

Farm Program Pays $1.3 Billion to People Who Don't Farm  —  EL CAMPO, Tex. — Even though Donald R. Matthews put his sprawling new residence in the heart of rice country, he is no farmer.  He is a 67-year-old asphalt contractor who wanted to build a dream house for his wife of 40 years.

Hiring Federal Lobbyists, Towns Learn Money Talks  —  TREASURE ISLAND, Fla. — Rebuffed on several requests for state and federal financing to help rebuild its crumbling bridge, this small resort town was all but resigned to raising the money by doubling the 50-cent bridge toll, increasing property taxes and issuing bonds.

Designer who rescued 406 Jews in Nazi-occupied Netherlands dies  —  Jaap Penraat, an architect and industrial designer who helped 406 Jews sneak out of Nazi-occupied Netherlands and withstood torture to protect fellow members of the resistance, has died, his daughter said.

Roberts Is at Court's Helm, but He Isn't Yet in Control  —  WASHINGTON, July 1 — As the dust settled on a consequential Supreme Court term, the first in 11 years with a change in membership and the first in two decades with a new chief justice, one question that lingered was whether …

Defiant Blair hits back at his critics  —  LONDON - British Prime Minister Tony Blair, struggling to keep his hold on power after months of questions about when he intends to resign, snapped back at critics Saturday with a defiant declaration that "this is the time to hold firm."

Discontent over Iraq may cost Republicans control of Congress, poll says  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush's job approval rating is up slightly, but discontent over the Iraq war, especially among women, is continuing to boost Democratic prospects in the struggle for control of Congress, a Times/Bloomberg poll has found.

SUPERMAN AND THE AMERICAN WAY  —  I sat through about half of Superman Returns yesterday.  The movie was boring and gave me a headache.  But that's just me.  Guess I'm just one of those people who doesn't have the patience for Hollyweird escapism that pits softened not-so-superheroes against rootless, not-so-arch enemies.

Spy Agency Sought U.S. Call Records Before 9/11, Lawyers Say  —  June 30 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. National Security Agency asked AT&T Inc. to help it set up a domestic call monitoring site seven months before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, lawyers claimed June 23 in court papers filed in New York federal court.

Woman of The Nation  —  Strident feminism can seem out of place — even tacky — in a world where women have come so demonstrably far.  With Katie Couric at the anchor desk, Condoleezza Rice leading the State Department and Hillary Clinton aiming for the top of the ticket, many of the young …

John Edwards courts tech crowd in Seattle  —  John Edwards, the former U.S. vice presidential candidate, sought common ground with bloggers and other hard-core techies in Seattle on Friday — conceding, among other things, that he's sometimes too polished for the unvarnished Internet age.