McCain could pull out of race by autumn  —  Presidential hopeful drops campaign staff as Republican consultants predict he'll be gone by September  —  THE former presidential front-runner, John McCain, may drop out of the 2008 race by September if his fundraising dries up and his poll ratings continue …

Court decides endangered species, religion, student speech, campaign finance cases; four new grants  —  Amid several 5-4 rulings on the merits, the Supreme Court on Monday granted four cases for review next Term, including a significant test case on the use of references to the O.J. Simpson …

Murdoch Reaches Out for Even More  —  In the fall of 2003, a piece of Rupert Murdoch's sprawling media empire was in jeopardy.  —  Congress was on the verge of limiting any company from owning local television stations that reached more than 35 percent of American homes.

Nevada Poll Puts Thompson, Clinton Ahead  —  THE RACE: The presidential race for Republicans and Democrats in Nevada.  —  THE NUMBERS  —  Republicans  —  Fred Thompson, 25 percent  —  Mitt Romney, 20 percent  —  Rudy Giuliani, 17 percent  —  John McCain, 8 percent  —  Democrats

Drilling for Justice  —  Army officers have been pleased with Michael Gordon's portrayal of the events in Baqubah.  —  On 19 June American forces sealed off Baqubah and began attacking targets within the city.  The immediate goal of Arrowhead Ripper was to free Baqubah of al Qaeda …

Al-Qaida leader urges support for Hamas  —  CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida's deputy leader called on Muslims worldwide to back Hamas with weapons, money and attacks on U.S. and Israeli interests, urging the Palestinian militant group on Monday to unite with al-Qaida after its takeover of Gaza.

Winds of War  —  Iran is making a mistake that may lead the Middle East into a broader conflict.  —  Several conflicts of various intensities are raging in the Middle East.  But a bigger war, involving more states—Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, the Palestinian Authority and perhaps …

Bush aides consider Iraq truce at Capitol  —  Wary of more fights, they're looking into the possibility of a congressional deal to satisfy war foes but preserve presidential goals.  —  WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has begun exploring ways of offering Congress a compromise deal …

Elizabeth Edwards supports same-sex marriage  —  (06-24) 11:26 PDT SAN FRANCISCO — Elizabeth Edwards, starring at the kickoff event of San Francisco's signature Gay Pride Parade, came out in support of legalized gay marriage today — taking a position which she acknowledged is at odds with her husband …

Pushing the Envelope on Presidential Power … Shortly after the first accused terrorists reached the U.S. naval prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, on Jan. 11, 2002, a delegation from CIA headquarters arrived in the Situation Room.  The agency presented a delicate problem to White House counsel …

Reclaiming Control of U.S. Security in the Middle East  —  With the Iraq war well into its fifth year, the Bush administration still lacks a realistic plan for the Middle East and Iraq.  The United States must reclaim control of its core national security interests by taking active steps …

Giuliani's Views on Abortion Upset Catholic Leaders  —  At first glance, Rudolph W. Giuliani should be an appealing presidential candidate for observant Roman Catholics.  The grandchild of Italian immigrants, Mr. Giuliani went to Catholic schools, considered joining the priesthood …

Undercover Journalism  —  Ken Silverstein says he lied, deceived and fabricated to get the story.  —  But it was worth it, he insists.  Those on the receiving end don't agree.  —  As Washington editor of Harper's magazine, Silverstein posed as Kenneth Case, a London-based executive …

High-Tech Titans Strike Out on Immigration Bill  —  Bill Gates and Steven A. Ballmer of Microsoft have led a parade of high-tech executives to Capitol Hill, urging lawmakers to provide more visas for temporary foreign workers and permanent immigrants who can fill critical jobs.