NBC: N. Korea prepares 2nd missile test  —  The revelations from South Korean media follow Wednesday's confirmation by the United States that it had prepared its missile interceptors to meet a specific threat - North Korea's launch of a long-range missile said to be capable of reaching Alaska.

Breaking: Decision reached on Yale Taliban; Update: Talibanned  —  Just got an e-mail from Clinton Watson Taylor of the "Nail Yale" blog, which is currently offline while Town Hall works out the bugs.  A reporter from the New York Times called him this afternoon for reaction to the news …

Senate Colleagues to Help Lieberman  —  WASHINGTON — Embattled Democratic Sen. Joe Lieberman is getting a little help from his Senate friends as he tries to fend off an anti-Iraq war challenger in an intraparty fight.  —  Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware, Barbara Boxer of California and Ken Salazar …

Leftist has surprise lead in Mexico recount drama  —  MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - A leftist anti-poverty campaigner took a slim lead over his conservative rival in a dramatic recount of Mexico's presidential election vote on Wednesday and warned the country's stability was at stake.

UPDATE: Coulter's Syndicate Requests Report From Plagiarism Prober — As She Hits Back at 'NY Post'  —  NEW YORK Universal Press Syndicate has requested a copy of a report about Ann Coulter's alleged plagiarism, according to a post on the TPMmuckraker.com blog.

Ken Lay's Last Evasion  —  To Some, CEO Is Cheating Them One More Time  —  Ah, Kenneth Lay of Enron: America hardly knew you before your trial, but learned after your big-hammer jury conviction that you had left countless suckers broke, employees cheated and stockholders betrayed.

ONE-WAY TICKET TO VENEZUELA  —  I've done a little browsing on Expedia for Cindy Sheehan, who says she'd rather live under Venezuelan thug Hugo Chavez than in America (transcription below).  (Here's the video via Allah.)  Here are current one-way ticket prices from NYC to Caracas:  —  Fund-raiser, anyone?

Iraq How-to Manual Directed Arab Military Operatives In Afghanistan  —  An Arab regime, possibly Iraq, supplied how-to manuals for Arab operatives working throughout Afghanistan before 9/11, and provided military assistance to the Taliban and Al Qaeda.  —  That's the most likely conclusion drawn …

A Touchy Topic: Boomer in Chief Hits the Big 6-0  —  WASHINGTON, July 5 — Let us now peek into the psyche of America's most powerful baby boomer, George W. Bush.  —  He is not given to self-analysis — "George is not an overly introspective person," his wife, Laura, once said with dry understatement …

Consultant Breached FBI's Computers  —  Frustrated by Bureaucracy, Hacker Says Agents Approved and Aided Break-Ins  —  A government consultant, using computer programs easily found on the Internet, managed to crack the FBI's classified computer system and gain the passwords of 38,000 employees …

Lady Liberty Trades In Some Trappings  —  MEMPHIS, July 4 — On Independence Day, Lady Liberty was born again.  —  As the congregation of the World Overcomers Outreach Ministries Church looked on and its pastor, Apostle Alton R. Williams, presided, a brown shroud much like a burqa was pulled away …

In Basra, state of emergency provides little relief from violence  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's first major security initiative, a 30-day state of emergency intended to restore peace to Basra, Iraq's second-largest city, appears to have failed, residents there report.

'Stars and Stripes' Lands Exclusive, and Revealing, Bush Interview  —  NEW YORK When Stars and Stripes nabbed anexclusive interview with President Bush on July 4 — aboard Air Force One — it devoted most of the questions to ones submitted by service members.