U.S. Asks Judge to Drop Suit on N.S.A. Spying  —  DETROIT, June 12 — A National Security Agency program that listens in on international communications involving people in the United States is both vital to national security and permitted by the Constitution, a government lawyer told a judge …

Terror Links to Saddam's Inner Circle  —  What was the relationship between Saddam Hussein's inner circle and Islamic terrorists?  A newly released document appears to provide evidence that in 1999 the Taliban welcomed "Islamic relations with Iraq" to mediate among the Taliban …

Bush: Democracy in Mideast is worth price  —  CAMP DAVID, Md. - President Bush declared Monday to a nation weary of war that democracy in the Middle East is worth the high price to the United States.  He also said Iraq's neighbors should be doing more to help.

Fatah gunmen go on anti-Hamas rampage  —  RAMALLAH, West Bank - Palestinian forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas went on a rampage against the Hamas-led government Monday, riddling the parliament and Cabinet buildings with bullets and setting them afire to protest an attack on their comrades in the Gaza Strip.

The Beat Didn't Go On  —  Contrary to the AP's uncorroborated witness who claimed that American servicemen beat Abu Musab al-Zarqawi to death, an autopsy performed on his corpse reveals that the al-Qaeda leader died from injuries consistent with close encounters to two 500-lb bombs.

ILARIO PANTANO'S MISSION  —  ***update: Ilario on the Today Show***  —  I couldn't put down 2nd Lt. Ilario Pantano's new book, Warlord.  Put it at the top of your summer reading list.  Send a copy to your local troops-bashing columnist or cartoonist.  The writing is riveting.  The timing fortuitous.

Vilsack fourth in presidential poll  —  Edwards, Clinton top Democratic choices for president in 2008  —  Former U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina leads a list of potential Democratic presidential candidates while Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack holds fourth place, trailing Edwards by 20 points …

So-Called Christians who make me ill  —  John Stephenson has a video up of this Phelps-Roper woman spewing her disgusting "bible-based" rhetoric.  Watching just a bare minute of it made tremble, not in fear of the Lord, as this woman might like, but in pure revulsion.  I transcribed a little:

Armor on Iraq Humvees Is Linked to Deadly Rollovers  —  DAYTON, Ohio, June 11 — Thousands of pounds of armor added to military Humvees in Iraq have made the vehicles more likely to roll over and kill or injure soldiers, a newspaper reported.  —  "I believe the up-armoring has caused …

Moran: Democratic Majority Means More Money for 8th District  —  If Democrats win back control of the U.S. House of Representatives in November, U.S. Rep. Jim Moran said he would use his position in the majority to help funnel more funds to his Northern Virginia district.

Clinton Links GOP Policies to More Storms  —  As Tropical Storm Alberto threatened to strengthen into the ninth hurricane in 22 months to affect Florida, former President Clinton predicted Monday that Republican environmental policies will lead to more severe storms.

Doctors call for 'fat tax' on Coca-Cola and Pepsi  —  Doctors will this week declare war on America's soft drinks industry by calling for a 'fat tax' to combat the nation's obesity epidemic.  —  Delegates at the powerful American Medical Association's annual conference will demand a levy …

Body Suit  —  She Grew in Her Career as a Dancer, Maybe Too Much.  Cue the Lawyers.  —  MIAMI  —  Alice Alyse is quite plainly a bombshell, a knockout: She's slim, leggy and gorgeous, with long, dark hair and a great set of cheekbones.  —  Also, she's stacked.  —  And that, she says, is why she's out of a job.

Sealed vs. Sealed  —  Four weeks ago, during the time when we reported that White House political adviser Karl Rove was indicted for crimes related to his role in the leak of covert CIA operative Valerie Plame Wilson, the grand jury empanelled in the case returned an indictment that was filed under seal …

At the U.N., Bluster Backfires  —  Last month President Bush issued a rare apology.  "Saying 'Bring it on,' kind of tough talk, you know, that sent the wrong signal," he confessed.  "I think in certain parts of the world it was misinterpreted."  —  Well done, Mr. President, you've understood that bluster can backfire.

Democrats Are Winning... Except at the Polls  —  "This is just to cover Bush's (rear) so he doesn't have to answer questions" about things in Iraq, said Rep. Pete Stark, second ranking Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee.  "This insurgency is such a confused mess that one person …

The Coulter Conundrum  —  Is it time for the media to stop lavishing attention on Ann Coulter?  —  In her latest book attacking godless liberals, the conservative author trashes as "witches" some of the women whose husbands were killed at the World Trade Center — precisely the kind of ugly …

Prisoners' Ruse Is Inquiry Focus at Guantánamo  —  WASHINGTON, June 11 — Three detainees at the United States military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, tried to conceal themselves in their cells — behind laundry and through other means — to prevent guards from seeing them commit suicide …

CNN RELIABLE SOURCES  —  White House Mounts Media Blitz After Killing of Zarqawi;  —  THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT.  THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.  —  HOWARD KURTZ, HOST: On target.  The White House mounts a media blitz after a missile strike kills Abu al-Zarqawi.