Rep. Wilson Says She Contacted Prosecutor  —  Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) acknowledged today that she contacted a federal prosecutor to complain about the pace of his public corruption investigations, as the Senate Ethics Committee signaled that it had opened a preliminary inquiry …

Companies to pull ads from Coulter's Web site … WASHINGTON (CNN) — At least three major companies want their ads pulled from Ann Coulter's Web site, following customer complaints about the right-wing commentator referring to Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards as a "faggot."

Kidnapped or Defected?  Top Iranian General Disappears  —  Hoda Osman and Christopher Isham Report:  —  The mysterious disappearance of an Iranian general in Turkey in early February has led to speculation he either was kidnapped or defected.  —  Iran has reportedly asked Interpol to investigate the general's disappearance.

9 U.S. soldiers killed north of Baghdad  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Nine American soldiers died in explosions north of Baghdad, the U.S. military announced Tuesday after the deadliest single day for U.S. troops in Iraq in nearly a month.  —  Six soldiers died when a bomb exploded Monday near …

Apologies, Anger at Walter Reed Hearing  —  Army Chiefs Plead Ignorance, But Lawmakers Are Skeptical  —  Senior commanders of the Army offered profuse apologies yesterday for the poor treatment accorded many soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, but lawmakers expressed skepticism …

A WARMING WORLD  —  China about to pass U.S. as world's top generator of greenhouse gases  —  Far more than previously acknowledged, the battle against global warming will be won or lost in China, even more so than in the West, new data show.  —  A report released last week …

Hil & Bam gear up for battle over Jewish vote  —  WASHINGTON - Fresh off their battle for the hearts of black Americans, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are about to go head to head for Jewish votes.  —  The leaders for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 plan dueling receptions Monday …

WEBB INTRODUCES BILL BARRING FUNDING FOR MILITARY ACTION AGAINST IRAN  —  WASHINGTON — A Democratic senator on Monday introduced legislation that in some cases would deny funding for the Bush administration to take military action against Iran without first getting congressional approval.

Democrats Alter Plan To Restrict Iraq War  —  Senior House Democrats, seeking to placate members of their party from Republican-leaning districts, are pushing a plan that would place restrictions on President Bush's ability to wage the war in Iraq but would allow him to waive them if he publicly justifies his position.

States may force megaprimary, winnow the 2008 field early  —  19 states look to have early say in '08 race  —  WASHINGTON — States with more than half the nation's population are zeroing in on Feb. 5 next year to stage their presidential primaries, creating a single day that could determine …

Russian Journalist Dies in Fall From Window  —  A military correspondent for Russia's top business daily has died after falling out of a window, and some media alleged Monday that he might have been killed for his critical reporting.  —  Ivan Safronov, the military affairs writer for Kommersant …

Privacy board clears U.S. spy programs  —  WASHINGTON - A White House privacy board is giving its stamp of approval to two of the Bush administration's controversial surveillance programs — electronic eavesdropping and financial tracking — and says they do not violate citizens' civil liberties.

She's No Fundamentalist  —  WHAT PEOPLE GET WRONG ABOUT AYAAN HIRSI ALI.  —  W.H. Auden, whose centenary fell late last month, had an extraordinary capacity to summon despair—but in such a way as to simultaneously inspire resistance to fatalism.  His most beloved poem is probably September 1 …