7 Indicted in Sears Tower Plot  —  The seven men indicted in Miami for allegedly plotting to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago never had actual contact with the al-Qaeda terrorist network or access to weapons and explosives, U.S. law enforcement officials said today.

ACLU Says Government Spying on Bank Records is Further Abuse of Power  —  NEW YORK — The ACLU today condemned the U.S. government for gaining access to vast troves of international financial data with no judicial or Congressional oversight nor definition of how the information is being used.

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:

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 …

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.

Clinton: Democrats 'struggling' with Iraq  —  WASHINGTON - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton conceded Friday the Democrats are "openly struggling with a lot of the difficult issues," but said that was better than the GOP's "hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil."

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.

Analysis: CIA program expands Bush's power  —  WASHINGTON - A secret CIA-Treasury program to track financial records of millions of Americans is the latest installment in an expansion of executive authority in the name of fighting terrorism.  The administration doesn't apologize …

A MESSAGE FROM TNR'S LIEBERMAN-LOVING NEOCON OWNER:  —  Forgive me.  But I never read Daily Kos until today.  Well, now that I've read it, the first thought that came to me is how illiterate Kos is, just plain illiterate.  There has been other not-with-a-pick-axe-but-with-a- bludgeon left-wing journalism …

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.

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 …

Television producer Aaron Spelling dies  —  LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — Aaron Spelling, a onetime movie bit player who created a massive number of hit series, from the vintage "Charlie's Angels" and "Dynasty" to "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place," died Friday, his publicist said.  He was 83.

New intel report reignites Iraq arms fight  —  WASHINGTON - Hundreds of chemical weapons found in Iraq were produced before the 1991 Gulf War and probably are so old they couldn't be used as designed, intelligence officials said Thursday.  —  Two lawmakers — Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio …

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.