U.S. Sets Conditions for Talks With Iran  —  The United States is willing to join European nations in direct talks with Iran if the Iranian government first agrees to suspend its programs to enrich uranium and reprocess spent nuclear fuel, activities that Washington charges are part of plans to build nuclear weapons.

U.S. troops kill pregnant woman in Iraq  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - U.S. forces killed two Iraqi women — one of them about to give birth — when the troops shot at a car that failed to stop at an observation post in a city north of Baghdad, Iraqi officials and relatives said Wednesday.

Paulson Pick Goes From Bad to Worse  —  A few things to add to my earlier report on the nomination of Henry M. Paulson Jr. to replace John Snow as Treasury secretary.  Let me preface this post by noting that what you read here is depressing.  At a time when the Bush Administration desperately needs …

DHS to Slash Funds for N.Y., Washington  —  Smaller Cities to Receive Larger Antiterror Grants  —  The two cities attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, will receive far less antiterrorism money under plans unveiled today by the Department of Homeland Security, which has designated more money for many smaller cities throughout the country.

[UPDATED] EXCLUSIVE: BOBBY KENNEDY JR. TO QUESTION 2004 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN MAJOR ROLLING STONE FEATURE ARTICLE!  —  Tells BRAD BLOG: 'Evidence Shows High-Level Republicans Succeeded in Scheme to Steal Election in Ohio'!  —  Mag to Hit Stands Friday, Internet on Thursday, Publicity Push to Accompany

GI'S BIG FAT SUIT VS. MOORE  —  SEEKS $85M FOR 'LYING' 9/11 CLIP  —  A double-amputee Iraq-war vet is suing Michael Moore for $85 million, claiming the portly peacenik recycled an old interview and used it out of context to make him appear anti-war in "Fahrenheit 9/11."

AP: Reid Acted Unethically By Not Breaking the Law  —  One more detail that the AP's John Solomon left out in his piece on Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV).  —  The crux of Solomon's story was that Reid acted wrongly by accepting free boxing tickets from the Nevada Athletic Commission.

The film the world never viewed:  —  Fahrenheit Jimmy Carter  —  Ex-U.S. President Jimmy Carter is in league with Osama bin Laden.  —  A paper trail shows that more than $1 million has been funneled from Bakr M. Bin Laden on behalf of the Saudi Bin Laden Group to The Carter Center.

Bill to Bolster Election Clout Gains  —  The Assembly passes a measure to pledge the state's Electoral College votes to the presidential candidate who wins the national popular vote.  —  SACRAMENTO — Seeking to force presidential candidates to pay attention to California's 15.5 million voters …

Taheri Invited to the White House  —  Wait until you read this one.  It is simply incredible.  —  I've been all over the Iranian badge story, as you undoubtedly know by now.  But this latest development defies all rational thinking.  —  The man who fabricated the whole story was invited to the White House as an "expert" yesterday.

What You Don't Know About the Immigration Bill  —  The Senate passed legislation last week that Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) hailed as "the most far-reaching immigration reform in our history."  You might think that the first question anyone would ask is how much it would actually increase or decrease legal immigration.

So, How Bad Are Things in Iraq Really?  —  We all know that despite news reports of massacre and carnage, the civilian death toll in Iraq has gone down considerably since the war to remove Saddam Hussein began back in March 2003.  —  Here are more figures on how the Iraq War stacks up historically:

Coin dealer admits illegal donations  —  TOLEDO, Ohio - A coin dealer and prominent GOP fundraiser at the center of an Ohio political scandal pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal charges he illegally funneled about $45,000 to President Bush's re-election campaign.

New Vehicle for Dissent Is a Fast Track to Prison  —  Bloggers Held Under Egypt's Emergency Laws  —  CAIRO J ust over a year ago, Alaa Seif al-Islam was one of a growing number of Egyptian bloggers who recounted their lives online, published poetry, provided Web tips, helped private aid agencies use …

A Senate Challenger Works to Shorten His Long Odds  —  HARTFORD, May 29 — Ned Lamont has already shown that his candidacy should be taken seriously.  On May 19, a third of the delegates to the Democratic state convention voted to endorse him instead of Senator Joseph I. Lieberman.