McCain promises to balance budget  —  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plans to promise on Monday that he will balance the federal budget by the end of his first term by curbing wasteful spending and overhauling entitlement programs, including Social Security, his advisers told Politico.

Conservatives Ready To Battle McCain on Convention Platform  —  Conservative activists are preparing to do battle with allies of Sen. John McCain in advance of September's Republican National Convention, hoping to prevent his views on global warming, immigration, stem cell research …

So Where's Murphy?  —  From the gun clubs of Northern Virginia to the sports bars of Capitol Hill — wherever D.C.-area Republicans gather — you hear the question:  —  “Where's Murphy?”  —  “Murphy” is Mike Murphy, the 46-year-old G.O.P. strategist who masterminded John McCain's 2000 primary race …

UAE to cancel Iraq's $7 billion debt  —  DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — Dubai has forgiven the nearly $7 billion Baghdad owes it, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced Sunday.  —  UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan promised to “put out these debts,” …

Obama Faces Resistance From Top Supporters of Clinton  —  Sen. Barack Obama, the presumed Democratic presidential nominee, faces dissent from dozens of top fund-raisers and other supporters of former rival Sen. Hillary Clinton, who are angry over how she was treated during their bruising primary battle …

Sunday Talkers Not Kind  —  There was much discussion this Sunday over whether Barack Obama is shifting ground.  Over at This Week, Mark Halperin, Ted Koppel and host George Stephanopoulos were not shy about pointing out the divergence between the old and new Obama.

Zogby Poll: Building Mo-bama!  Democrat Leads McCain in Electoral College Tally, 273-158...  The Democrat also leads 44% to 38% in the nationwide horserace test as Libertarian Bob Barr wins 6%  —  UTICA, New York - As the race for President passes the Independence Day holiday and heads toward …

An agenda for a ‘politics of aspiration’  —  The GOP might want to keep it handy after the coming debacle  —  Steven Greenhut  —  Syndicated columnist Bob Novak, writing about the surprising number of conservatives who are backing Democrat Barack Obama rather than Republican John McCain …

Radical Islam stirs in China's remote west  —  KASHGAR, China (Reuters) - In a backstreet of the old Silk Road city of Kashgar, the Chinese government has been spray-painting signs on dusty mud brick walls to warn against what it says is a new enemy — the Islamic Liberation Party.

Old guy vs change: McCain, Obama images take shape  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Now more than ever, it's the old guy against the agent of change.  —  Ask people to blurt out their first words about the two presidential candidates and one in five say “change” or “outsider” for Barack Obama and …

Behind the Bush Bust  —  By huge margins, Americans think the economy is in lousy shape — and they blame President Bush.  This fact, more than anything else, makes it hard to see how the Democrats can lose this election.  —  But is the public right to be so disgusted with Mr. Bush's economic leadership?

Gallup Daily: Obama Leads, 48% to 42%  —  Little signs of change over the first part of the July 4 weekend  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Democratic candidate Barack Obama continues to maintain a slim margin over Republican John McCain, 48% to 42%, according to Gallup Poll Daily tracking conducted July 2-3 and July 5.

Doctors Press Senate to Undo Medicare Cuts  —  WASHINGTON — Congress returns to work this week with Medicare high on the agenda and Senate Republicans under pressure after a barrage of radio and television advertisements blamed them for a 10.6 percent cut in payments to doctors who care for millions of older Americans.

AP Exclusive: US removes uranium from Iraq  —  The last major remnant of Saddam Hussein's nuclear program - a huge stockpile of concentrated natural uranium - reached a Canadian port Saturday to complete a secret U.S. operation that included a two-week airlift from Baghdad and a ship voyage crossing two oceans.