Iraqi claims U.S. GIs beat wounded man  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - An Iraqi man who was one of the first people on the scene of the U.S. airstrike targeting Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said he saw American troops beating a man who had a beard like the al-Qaida leader.  —  The witness, who lives near …

Gathering Highlights Power of the Blog  —  LAS VEGAS, June 9 — If any more proof were needed of the rising influence of bloggers — at least for the Democratic Party — it could be found here on Friday on the Las Vegas Strip, where the old and new worlds of American politics engaged …

U.S.: 3 Guantanamo inmates commit suicide  —  WASHINGTON - Three detainees at Guantanamo Bay apparently committed suicide amid protests of the U.S. military prison by inmates, the Defense Department said Saturday.  They were the first reported deaths at the controversial detention center …

Brown: E-mail shows Bush glad FEMA took Katrina flak  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — The former emergency management chief who quit amid widespread criticism over his handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina said he received an e-mail before his resignation stating President Bush was glad …

Murtha, The Gift That Keeps On Giving  —  Rep. John Murtha inadvertently provided a rare moment of unity last fall when he demanded an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.  House Republicans took him at his word and introduced a bill to that effect, and the measure only gained three votes — none of them Murtha's, as it turned out.

Lucrative Life in Revolving Door for Capitol Hill Staff Member and Lobbyist  —  WASHINGTON, June 9 — For months, Jeffrey S. Shockey has seemed to exemplify the revolving door between K Street and Capitol Hill.  —  He left a job with the House Appropriations Committee in 1999 for a partnership …

Soccer With a Side of Slavery  —  "It is truly scandalous.  People are talking about women, importing them to satisfy the base instincts of people associated with football.  It is humiliating enough for me that football is linked with alcohol and violence.  But this is worse.

Wind-Power Projects Halted  —  Supporters See Political Motive Behind Defense Dept. Study  —  CHICAGO — More than 130 wind turbines are proposed for the hilltops of central Wisconsin, but that project and at least 11 others have been halted by the Defense Department as it studies whether …

Jack the cat chases black bear up tree  —  WEST MILFORD, N.J. - A black bear picked the wrong yard for a jaunt, running into a territorial tabby who ran the furry beast up a tree — twice.  —  Jack, a 15-pound orange and white cat, keeps a close vigil on his property, often chasing small animals …

Army Meets Recruiting Goal Again  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army said Friday it surpassed its recruiting goal for May, marking the 12th consecutive month of meeting or exceeding its target.  —  Before it began the streak in June 2005, the active Army had missed its target four consecutive months.

Matalin Defends Coulter's Attack on 9/11 Widows  —  Yesterday on Imus, Mary Matlin — a former counselor to Vice President Cheney and an influential strategist for the White House — defended Ann Coulter's vicious attack on the 9/11 widows.  (In a new book, Coulter says the widows are "enjoying their husband's deaths.")