Rules Lay Out C.I.A.'s Tactics in Questioning  —  The White House said Friday that it had given the Central Intelligence Agency approval to resume its use of some severe interrogation methods for questioning terrorism suspects in secret prisons overseas.  —  With the new authority …

A White House Warning on Contempt Charges  —  The Justice Department would be likely to block any efforts by Congressional Democrats to seek contempt charges against present and former White House officials for refusing to give information to Congress, a White House spokesman said Friday.

The Phony Debate  —  THE SENATE Democratic leadership spent the past week trying to prove that Congress is deeply divided over Iraq, with Democrats pressing and Republicans resisting a change of course.  In fact that's far from the truth.  A large majority of senators from both parties favor …

Court Tells U.S. to Reveal Data on Detainees at Guantánamo  —  A federal appeals court ordered the government yesterday to turn over virtually all its information on Guantánamo detainees who are challenging their detention, rejecting an effort by the Justice Department …

Senate Debates Iraq Withdrawal; Report Shows Al-Qaida Regrouping  —  As the Senate debated different proposals for redeploying troops from Iraq, the National Intelligence Estimate revealed that al-Qaida is regrouping despite the war on terrorism.  Political analysts Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the week's events.

Bald eagles  —  Our political cartoonist casts his eye towards the presidential campaign  —  A GROWING number of Republicans are hoping that Fred Thompson, a former senator and television actor, will throw his hat into the presidential ring.  Should he do so, he'd be wise to keep his head …

"Sometimes I can't believe it when I look up in the mirror"  —  All Russian female names end in "A".  My grandmother was Sarra, her sister Raya.  My other grandma was Antonina.  My mom is Nina.  Her sister is Gyala.  So, when people meet me and learn I was born in the Soviet Union they ask "so what is your Russian name?"

Romney targets Obama - with a twist  —  Promoting sex education for kindergarten students—kind of a sexy topic — was injected into the 2008 presidential race.  It conjures up visions of condoms and cupcakes passed around before the afternoon naptime.  Except that it is not true.

Rudy and Romney: Artful dodgers  —  When the most belligerent Republicans start to beat the war drums, it's important to look at what they're trying to hide.  —  Left: Rudy Giuliani talks to students during a campaign stop in Henniker, N.H., on April 24, 2007.

Harry Potter: the economics  —  Successful magical worlds depend on basic economic principles, and that's where JK Rowling's Harry Potter falls short.  —  Why are books about magic so exciting?  The lure is almost tautological: magic is compelling because it allows us to imagine doing the things we cannot ordinarily do.

Giuliani: U.S. should focus more on Pakistan  —  Says more action needs to be taken against al-Qaeda  —  CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said Thursday that the United States should do more to capture Osama bin Laden and dismantle al-Qaeda operations in Afghanistan …