Politics
Senate votes to roll back media ownership rule
The Senate Thursday night voted to nullify a Federal Communications Commission rule that allows media companies to own a newspaper and a television station in the same market.
Gates: Some in Pentagon still not on 'war footing'
The Pentagon's slow response to wartime challenges such as protecting troops against roadside bombs stemmed in part from a mistaken belief within the defense establishment that the Iraq and Afghanistan wars would be short, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday.
Tenn. GOP mocks Michelle Obama's 'proud' remark
The Tennessee Republican Party "welcomed" Michelle Obama's visit for a fundraiser Thursday night with an online video that takes the Democratic presidential front-runner's wife to task for a comment some considered unpatriotic.
Democrats drop first-responder bill
Senate Democrats on Thursday dropped a bill allowing all police, firefighters and other first responders to unionize after Republicans complained they didn't get enough time to offer amendments.
Afghan narco-terrorist convicted on drug charges
A federal jury has found an Afghan enemy combatant guilty of drug charges in what the Justice Department calls the first convictions under new narco-terrorism laws.
Analysis: Gay marriage back as campaign issue
A California Supreme Court decision clearing the way for gay marriages in the state injects an element of uncertainty into a presidential race in which the Iraq war and the sputtering economy have largely overshadowed social issues.
Edwards endorsement pays off for Obama
Barack Obama collected the support of seven of John Edwards' Democratic convention delegates on Thursday, then gained the backing of four superdelegates and a large labor union as he marched steadily toward the party's presidential nomination.
Fact check: Clinton vote claims under scrutiny
Hillary Rodham Clinton's assertions that she leads Barack Obama in the popular vote are a stretch, at best.
E-mail from VA worker says to avoid PTSD diagnosis
An internal e-mail written by a Veterans Affairs Department employee suggested avoiding a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder for veterans and instead considering a diagnosis that might result in a lower disability payment.
Administration credits China with policy shifts
Launching a congressional critique of China, Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte said Thursday that persistent, peaceful dialogue is paying off in aligning Beijing with the United States on several major world fronts.
IRS says up to 350,000 didn't get child credit
As many as 350,000 households are not getting the $300 per child refund owed as part of economic stimulus rebate payments, the Internal Revenue Service said Thursday.
Colombian pleads not guilty to US drug charges
Days after being hurriedly extradited from Colombian prisons, a group of right-wing paramilitaries expressed surprise Thursday as they stood in a U.S. courtroom, flanked by armed marshals and wearing bright orange jumpsuits and slippers.
Unions turn toward Democratic front-runner Obama
The union tide is turning toward Democratic presidential front-runner Barack Obama, but cracks are showing inside the labor movement as its leaders grapple with internal and external strife as the nomination race drags on.
House panel votes to extend child credit, energy tax breaks
The House's tax-writing committee on Thursday approved a multifaceted tax package it said would save people almost $10 billion through expansion of the child tax credit and creation of a new deduction for property taxes.
Colombian paramilitary pleads not guilty to US drug charges
Right-wing Colombian paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso has pleaded not guilty to a U.S. drug trafficking indictment.
Senate roll vote: farm subsidies, food stamps bill
The 81-15 roll call by which the Senate on Thursday passed a bill boosting farm subsidies and money for food stamps.
Senate roll call: farm subsidies, food stamps bill
The 81-15 roll call by which the Senate on Thursday passed a bill boosting farm subsidies and money for food stamps.
Old friends recall Obama's years in LA, NY
The way Sohale Siddiqi remembers it, he and his old roommate were walking his pug Charlie on Broadway when a large, scary bum approached them, stomping on the ground near the dog's head.
NY congresswoman gives birth
Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand from New York gave birth Thursday to a healthy baby boy, a day after voting on a major piece of legislation. The delivery makes her the sixth woman to have a child while a member of Congress.
White House Notebook: Bush a bit wary of drinking the water
On a sun-baked tour Thursday of an ancient Israeli fortress overlooking the Dead Sea, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took a sip of water from a silver cup, then handed it to President Bush.