Apparent suicide in anthrax case  —  Bruce E. Ivins, a scientist who helped the FBI investigate the 2001 mail attacks, was about to face charges.  —  A top government scientist who helped the FBI analyze samples from the 2001 anthrax attacks has died in Maryland from an apparent suicide …

McCain's Internet edge: Ad price  —  It has become conventional wisdom of this campaign season: Barack Obama is crushing John McCain on the Internet.  After all, Obama boasts higher online donations, more aggressive social networking and a viral video from rapper will.i.am that was viewed more than 8 million times on YouTube.

Employment Situation Summary  —  Technical information:  —  Household data: (202) 691-6378 USDL 08-1049  —  Establishment data: (202) 691-6555 Transmission of material in this release  —  http://www.bls.gov/ces/ is embargoed until 8:30 A.M. (EDT), Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Friday, August 1, 2008.

Wal-Mart Warns of Democratic Win  —  Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is mobilizing its store managers and department supervisors around the country to warn that if Democrats win power in November, they'll likely change federal law to make it easier for workers to unionize companies — including Wal-Mart.

Too Fit to Be President?  —  Facing an Overweight Electorate, Barack Obama Might Find Low Body Fat a Drawback  —  Speaking to donors at a San Diego fund-raiser last month, Barack Obama reassured the crowd that he wouldn't give in to Republican tactics to throw his candidacy off track.

Can This Planet Be Saved?  —  Recently the Web site The Politico asked Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the House, why she was blocking attempts to tack offshore drilling amendments onto appropriations bills.  “I'm trying to save the planet; I'm trying to save the planet,” she replied.  —  I'm glad to hear it.

The Curious Mind of John McCain  —  Ambition and Emotion Color the Complex Intellect of the Candidate  —  In his 2002 book, “Worth the Fighting For,” John McCain offered this confession — an acknowledgment of a restless mind: “Although I seem to tolerate introspection better the older I am …

Malwebolence  —  One afternoon in the spring of 2006, for reasons unknown to those who knew him, Mitchell Henderson, a seventh grader from Rochester, Minn., took a .22-caliber rifle down from a shelf in his parents' bedroom closet and shot himself in the head.

Pakistanis Aided Attack in Kabul, U.S. Officials Say  —  WASHINGTON — American intelligence agencies have concluded that members of Pakistan's powerful spy service helped plan the deadly July 7 bombing of India's embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, according to United States government officials.

Good Advice  —  As sometimes happens when I read Marc Ambinder's blog, today I'm puzzled by the mentality of the campaign reporter: … Here's my understanding of the sequence of events.  Gas prices are on the rise.  Consumers are feeling pain, harm is being done to the economy.

Run against the GOP, Cole tells hopefuls  —  Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) told GOP congressional hopefuls on Thursday that they should not be afraid to criticize both political parties - including Republican members of the House.  —  During a conference call, the National Republican Congressional …

Obama's ‘emergency’ economic plan  —  Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Friday announced an “Emergency Economic Plan” that would give families a stimulus check of $1,000 each, funded in part by what his presidential campaign calls “windfall profits from Big Oil.”  —  Details are in this six-page policy paper.

Rappers' Shout-Outs Make Obama Skip a Beat  —  In the arsenal of the culture wars, rap music remains somewhat radioactive — and Barack Obama now finds himself exposed.  —  Avowed Obama supporter Ludacris on Wednesday released a freewheeling song called “Politics” in which he repeatedly praised …