Rick Perry to President Obama: No handshake  —  Texas Gov. Rick Perry declined an official White House offer to greet President Barack Obama when he lands at Austin's airport Wednesday.  —  The Republican governor, who has repeatedly criticized Obama for his handling of the crisis along …

Israel launches major operation against Hamas in Gaza Strip  —  GAZA CITY — The Israeli army, air force and navy launched a major operation Tuesday against the Islamist militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip, striking dozens of sites in the coastal enclave and mobilizing infantry troops along …

Cruz: Investigate Cochran primary  —  Sen. Ted Cruz is calling for an official investigation into the Republican Senate primary runoff in Mississippi between Sen. Thad Cochran and the challenger, state Sen. Chris McDaniel.  —  The Texas Republican on Monday evening called the runoff contest …

Peace is the only path to true security for Israel and the Palestinians  —  In an exclusive article for Haaretz's Israel Conference on Peace, Barack Obama says that the only solution is a democratic, Jewish state living side-by-side in peace and security with a viable, independent Palestinian state.

Why Teenagers Today May Grow Up Conservative  —  There was a time not so long ago when the young seemed destined to be liberal forever.  Americans in their teens and 20s were to the left of their elders on social issues.  They worried more about poverty.  They voted strongly Democratic.

'Surveillance on Merkel's Phone Was Absolutely Wrong'  —  Interview Conducted By Marc Hujer and Holger Stark  —  In an interview, Hillary Clinton discusses the growing gap between the rich and poor that threatens democracy, Americans' discontent with politics, her regrets over NSA spying …

Bled dry by the New Class: Column  —  Bureaucrats push pencils at the expense of real workers  —  Life is hard.  It's harder still when an entire class of people with their hands out stands between you and success.  —  Unfortunately, that's increasingly the problem, all around the world.

Why Your Yoga Class Is So White  —  Ironically, the practice is full of racial tension—but some studios are trying to change that.  —  Thick, glossy copies of LA Yoga, Yoga Journal, and Yoga Magazine cover the rickety folding table in the lobby of Green Tree Yoga and Meditation.

Dems plot legislative offensive on high court's birth control decision  —  Democrats want to lure Republicans into a fight over birth control with legislation to reverse the Supreme Court's decision that ObamaCare may not require certain businesses to include contraception in their employee health coverage.

Release Detail  —  July 8, 2014 - Clinton Owns Dem 2016 Nod; Tops Top Republicans, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; 2014 Generic House Race Tied, But Voters Hate Dems Less  —  Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sweeps the Democratic primary field for the 2016 presidential race …

The Letters That Warren G. Harding's Family Didn't Want You to See  —  Warren G. Harding, right, perhaps the worst chief executive in U.S. history, and Carrie Fulton Phillips, his longtime mistress and sexy pen pal.  —  Left: the Calvin H. Topliff family.  Right: the Ohio History Connection.

For Taylor Swift, the Future of Music Is a Love Story  —  The Singer-Songwriter Says Artists and Fans Will Still Form Deep Bonds, but They Will Do It in New Ways  —  Where will the music industry be in 20 years, 30 years, 50 years?  —  Before I tell you my thoughts on the matter …

States Continue to Enact Abortion Restrictions in First Half of 2014, but at a Lower Level Than in the Previous Three Years  —  So far this year, 13 states have adopted 21 new restrictions designed to limit access to abortion, about half the number (41) of similar restrictions that had been enacted by this point last year.

Every Day is an All-Out Assault  —  RUSH: Where you been, Snerdley?  Snerdley walks in here, brings me his Stack of show prep that he wanted me to see today, and he's outraged.  Have you not been listening to this program?  “More than half of privately insured women are getting free birth …

Mistrust in North Carolina Over Plan to Reduce Precincts  —  SHELBY, N.C. — When Alan Langley, a Republican member of the local elections board here, explains a new proposal to consolidate five voting precincts into two, it sounds procedural and well-meaning: He speaks of convenient parking …