Terror Suspects Sought Ties With al-Qaida  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - Seven young men arrested in an alleged plot against the Sears Tower were part of a group of "homegrown terrorists" who sought to work with al-Qaida but ended up conspiring with an informant, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Friday.

Jon Stewart, Enemy of Democracy?  —  This is not funny: Jon Stewart and his hit Comedy Central cable show may be poisoning democracy.  —  Two political scientists found that young people who watch Stewart's faux news program, "The Daily Show," develop cynical views about politics and politicians …

State of emergency declared in Baghdad  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Iraqi government declared a state of emergency and imposed a curfew Friday after insurgents set up roadblocks in central Baghdad and fired on U.S. and Iraqi troops outside the heavily fortified Green Zone.

Executive Order: Protecting the Property Rights of the American People  —  By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, and to strengthen the rights of the American people against the taking of their private property, it is hereby ordered as follows:

The Great Divide: How Westerners and Muslims View Each Other  —  Europe's Muslims More Moderate  —  Introduction and Summary  —  After a year marked by riots over cartoon portrayals of Muhammad, a major terrorist attack in London, and continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan …

Mondale: Force an option for stopping North Korea  —  Former Vice President Walter Mondale says he supports a pre-emptive U.S. strike against a North Korean missile that is raising nuclear fears around the globe.  —  Earlier this week North Korea announced it was preparing to test a missile that could reach United States mainland.

Mineta Resigns As Transportation Secretary  —  WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta is stepping down from his Cabinet position.  —  Mineta, 74, is one of President George W. Bush's longest-serving Cabinet members.  He has served in the position since Bush assumed the presidency in 2001.

Why I Love Australia  —  WASHINGTON — In the Australian House of Representatives last month, opposition member Julia Gillard interrupted a speech by the minister of health thusly: "I move that that sniveling grub over there be not further heard.''  —  For that, the good woman was ordered removed from the House, if only for a day.

Bandanna banned in Springfield mall  —  Officials won't explain how headgear is offensive.  —  SPRINGFIELD (AP) - A southwest Missouri mall defended its dress code after a security guard told a 10-year-old girl her bandanna decorated with peace signs, smiley faces and flowers violated the mall's code of conduct.

Mollohan Helped Steer U.S. Contracts to Family-Charity Donors  —  June 22 (Bloomberg) — Representative Alan Mollohan helped funnel at least $179 million in U.S. government contracts over the last six years to companies that gave to the West Virginia Democrat's family-run charity, tax records and other documents show.

Does The New Republic have a new Stephen Glass in Jason Zengerle?  —  Over the last few days, Jason Zengerle of The New Republic has been engaged in a bizarre crusade to depict "liberal bloggers" as a bunch of mindless, obedient zombies who take orders about what to write from Markos Moulitsas …

Ex-DIA analyst admits passing secrets to China  —  A former Defense Intelligence Agency analyst has pleaded guilty to illegally holding classified documents and admitted in a plea agreement to passing "top secret" information to Chinese intelligence officials.

DEMOCRACY RISING  —  KUWAITIS' VOTE A NEW ARAB MILESTONE  —  June 23, 2006 — KUWAITIS go to the polls next week to elect a new National Assembly, which will in turn approve a new prime minister and Cabinet.  —  The Kuwaitis will be making history for a number of reasons.