Broader Privilege Claimed In Firings  —  White House Says Hill Can't Pursue Contempt Cases  —  Bush administration officials unveiled a bold new assertion of executive authority yesterday in the dispute over the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, saying that the Justice Department will never …

Olbermann: Go fight in Iraq, Mr. President  —  Bush's latest choice of scapegoat — Hillary Clinton — boggles the mind  —  Special Comment: Blame Hillary?  —  July 19: Keith Olbermann says the choice to scapegoat Sen. Clinton is unfathomable — go fight your war yourself, Mr. President.

Edwards, Trailing Rivals, Holds Sway Over Party's Agenda  —  NEW ORLEANS — John Edwards may be stuck in third place in the polls and fund raising in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination.  But the populist seems to be playing an outsized role in driving the terms of the party's debate …

Giuliani Sees Progress Since Sept. 11, but Criticizes Bush's Way of Pursuing Al Qaeda  —  Saying he still believes that the United States is safer than it was on Sept. 11, Rudolph W. Giuliani on Thursday nevertheless criticized the way the Bush Administration pursued Al Qaeda and suggested …

Senate Democrats foil attempt to bar 'Fairness Doctrine'  —  Senate Democrats last night beat back a Republican attempt to attach an anti-Fairness Doctrine bill as an amendment to education legislation.  —  The doctrine, a former requirement that broadcasters present opposing points of view …

U.S. Generals Request Delay in Judging Iraq  —  The top commanders in Iraq and the American ambassador to Baghdad appealed for more time beyond their mid-September assessment to more fully judge if the new strategy was making gains.  —  Lt. Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, the No. 2 commander in Iraq …

Obama: Don't stay in Iraq over genocide  —  SUNAPEE, N.H. - Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama said Thursday the United States cannot use its military to solve humanitarian problems and that preventing a potential genocide in Iraq isn't a good enough reason to keep U.S. forces there.

Overhaul Plan for Vote System Will Be Delayed  —  Democratic leaders in the House and Senate are slowing their drive to revamp the nation's voting systems, aides said yesterday.  —  Under pressure from state and local officials, as well as from lobbyists for the disabled …

IRAN: THE CONSPIRACY THAT WASN'T  —  EVER since its creation in 1979, the Islamic Republic in Iran has been obsessed with conspiracy theories, especially "foreign plots" to topple it.  This paranoia was demonstrated again Wednesday with the televised confessions of two U.S. citizens …

Trouble With the Neighbors  —  One of the most infuriating problems in Iraq seems to generate precious little fury.  —  In a kind of malicious chemistry experiment, hostile powers are adding accelerants to Iraq's frothing chaos.  Iran smuggles in the advanced explosive devices that kill and maim American soldiers.

Breakdown in Relations in the Senate Hobbles Its Ability to Get Things Done  —  Arlen Specter is a senior United States senator who expects to be allowed his say on the Senate floor.  So he bristled when Senator Harry Reid, the majority leader, brusquely cut him off at the end of the Iraq debate.

Eating beef ' is less green than driving'  —  Producing 2.2lb of beef generates as much greenhouse gas as driving a car non-stop for three hours, it was claimed yesterday.  —  Japanese scientists used a range of data to calculate the environmental impact of a single purchase of beef.

Romney aide's bogus badges: Sources detail 'illegal' security tactic  —  In an apparent violation of the law, a controverisal aide to ex-Gov. Mitt Romney created phony law enforcement badges that he and other staffers used on the campaign trail to strong-arm reporters, avoid paying tolls …

Denmark secretly evacuates Iraqi aides from Basra  —  Fred Attewill and agencies  —  Denmark has evacuated 200 Iraqis from Iraq ahead of the Danish military withdrawal next month, the government has announced.  —  The Iraqis, many of whom were interpreters, had been supporting Danish troops …