AP - Matthew Buckingham, a stay-at-home father in Portland's suburbs and lifelong Republican, is fired up about voting for Sen. John McCain in November.

AFP - A British and a Kenyan aid worker were abducted by armed men Tuesday in southern Somalia in the latest in a string of attacks targeting humanitarian operations.

AP - Bucking party leaders who urged him not to run, U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews has decided to challenge Frank Lautenberg for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate.

AP - Hillary Rodham Clinton made fun of herself Thursday, telling 'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno she almost didn't make it to his studio.

AP - Two months after North Dakota's primary, the state's Democratic party still managed to attract Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton for the opening day of its convention Friday.

AP - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton on Saturday strengthened her pitch to allow the results of disputed primaries in Michigan and Florida to be counted in the nominating contest, noting the vote totals had been officially recognized in each state.

AP - A proposal by Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton would provide $300 million a year in increased government funding on breast cancer research, focusing on treatment and exploring possible genetic and environmental triggers for the disease.

CQPolitics.com - It's not uncommon for congressional leaders to steer fundraising assistance to party candidates who are in difficult races and in need of extra campaign cash.

CQPolitics.com - Democratic attorney Jackie Speier, a former state senator who survived a cult massacre early in her long career in the public sphere, appeared in early vote returns to be on her way to win election Tuesday in California's 12th District to fill the seat left vacant by the Feb. 11 death of 14-term Democratic incumbent Tom Lantos.

AP - Giving a peek at a broader economic plan, Sen. John McCain is calling for federal aid for well-meaning homeowners with what he called 'burdensome mortgages.'

CQPolitics.com - No one could accuse Democrat Jim Slattery, a former congressman, of being a publicity hound since he revealed to the Kansas media early last month that he intends to stage a challenge to Republican Sen. Pat Roberts in this year's election.

Reuters - Israel has removed 44 roadblocks in the occupied West Bank, short of the number promised to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a United Nations agency has found.

AFP - International officials on Friday hailed Bosnia's adoption of long-disputed police reforms, saying it moved the country closer to joining the European Union.

Politico - In the May 6 Indiana primary, the next critical contest after Pennsylvania votes on April 22, both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama can point to impressive rosters of endorsements by prominent state and local politicians.

AP - After days on the campaign defensive, Democrat Barack Obama accused rival Hillary Rodham Clinton on Monday of leveling criticism straight from the Republican playbook and said even so, he will win the White House over John McCain and an 'out of touch' GOP.

CQPolitics.com - The campaign of Democratic rabbi and psychologist Dennis Shulman for New Jersey's 5th District is beginning to gain steam, capturing local and national support as well as attention as he seeks to become the first blind member of Congress in generations.

Politico - Sen. Barack Obama faced his toughest grilling yet in a presidential debate Wednesday night, spending the first 45 minutes of his last scheduled meeting with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton defending his own words and his associations with several controversial figures.

CQPolitics.com - Congressional candidates always aspire to show big overall receipts when they file their quarterly reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC), as they did to meet a deadline that passed on Tuesday. But what is even better is to raise a lot of money and spend little of it, leaving the candidate with a daunting reserve of 'cash on hand' to be disbursed later in the campaign.

AP - It's not a good year for a farm bill.

Politico - Although John McCain's candidacy is still viewed with suspicion by many conservative leaders, polling suggests he has overcome the concerns of rank-and-file conservatives: McCain isn't viewed more unfavorably by conservative voters today than George W. Bush was at this point in the 2000 election cycle.

AP - Dwayne Giles complains that his former girlfriend's statements should not have been used against him at his murder trial because the woman couldn't be cross-examined.

Reuters - Poor security and the lack of good governance are the biggest challenges facing Afghanistan, European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana said on Monday.

Politico - Barack Obama could not 'close the deal' in Pennsylvania on Tuesday night. Hillary Clinton said so, and just about every talking head on TV used that phrase.

Reuters - A U.S. House of Representatives panel that writes rules for the financial services industry is due on Thursday to outline a new federal program that could buy $300 billion in troubled home loans.

AP - Iraq's government has kept thousands of dead, injured or absent policemen and soldiers on the payroll as a way to compensate or care for their families, an audit found.

AP - A former autoworker accused of being a Nazi death camp guard has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to reject an order by the nation's chief immigration judge that he be deported, a newspaper reported Friday.

AFP - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called for immediate concerted action on Friday to resolve the global food crisis.

AP - The former pastor of Barack Obama whose words have rallied many but offended others told an audience of 10,000 that his critics get it wrong when they call him divisive and polarizing.

AP - Republican presidential candidate John McCain wants health insurance companies to compete for your business on the open market.

AFP - Sharply rising fuel prices are sending fresh political shockwaves through the White House race, as Democrats Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama feud on how to ease pain at the pump for US drivers.