washington

As the Environmental Protection Agency moves forward with the nation's first-ever regulation of mercury emissions from gold mines, the agency's top administrator vows stricter monitoring of the toxin -- which continues to accumulate in streams, air and fish.

President Obama has said that he would try to reduce the number of non-career appointees as U.S. envoys abroad. But the majority of his picks so far have been wealthy donors such as Minneapolis attorney Sam Kaplan. The prominent fund raiser, together with his wife, Sylvia, bundled or collected more than $100,000 for Obama's record-breaking presidential campaign.

People relying on TV advertising or partisan sources for information about health-care legislation in Congress have heard that it will "ration" care to the nation's oldest citizens and hike premiums "95 percent."

It's not health care that will be the hottest issue in Congress when lawmakers return Sept. 8 from their summer vacation. Far more incendiary is the U.S. Postal Service plan to shutter as many as 4,800 neighborhood post offices and other mail facilities nationwide.

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, the liberal champion whose work ranks him with the greatest lawmakers in American history, died Tuesday night at his home on Cape Cod after a long, public struggle with cancer.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wants to hear what's on your mind, so this past week he launched what is being described as "interactive, virtual town-hall sessions" by which he will take questions via the Internet from anyone on any subject, and -- eventually -- answer them.

The arrangement between George W. Bush and Richard Cheney was never a match made in heaven. As time went on a lot of Americans thought it just may have been contracted at the other end of the spectrum. Now there seems to be a residue of resentment between the two.

The arrangement between George W. Bush and Richard Cheney was never a match made in heaven. As time went on a lot of Americans thought it just may have been contracted at the other end of the spectrum. Now there seems to be a residue of resentment between the two.

Former Rep. Charlie Stenholm predicted more than two years ago that the Democrats he fondly calls "my Blue Dogs" would vault into prominence.

Washington has been relatively quiet since the anti-war movement fizzled and the Bush administration decamped. But word now comes that the first protest demonstration of Barack Obama's presidency lurks right around the corner.