Lieberman, Lamont Spar in Conn. Primary Debate  —  SPEAKERS: U.S. SENATOR JOSEPH LIEBERMAN (D-CT)  —  NED LAMONT, FORMER SELECTMAN, GREENWICH, CT  —  ANNOUNCER: Live from NBC 30, Connecticut's news leader, this is a "Decision 2006" special presentation, the Democratic primary debate, Lieberman and Lamont.

N. Korea missile aimed at area off Hawaii - report  —  TOKYO (Reuters) - A North Korean missile launched on Wednesday was aimed at an area of the ocean close to Hawaii, a Japanese newspaper reported on Friday.  —  Experts estimated the Taepodong-2 ballistic missile to have a range of up to 6,000 km, putting Alaska within its reach.

Coulter Plagiarism Story Picks Up Steam  —  Is the Ann Coulter plagiarism story shifting from a one-day spark into a days-long saga?  —  Interest appears to be growing.  John Barrie, the man whose technology identified the instances of plagiarism in acidic right-wing writer Ann Coulter's columns …

Judge's ruling keeps DeLay on ballot  —  AUSTIN - A federal judge ruled today that Republicans cannot replace former U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay on the ballot for the 22nd Congressional District race.  —  U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, a Republican appointee, ruled that DeLay must appear …

Hate Groups Are Infiltrating the Military, Group Asserts  —  A decade after the Pentagon declared a zero-tolerance policy for racial hate groups, recruiting shortfalls caused by the war in Iraq have allowed "large numbers of neo-Nazis and skinhead extremists" to infiltrate the military, according to a watchdog organization.

Enron founder, facing prison, dies in Aspen  —  What he couldn't do in the courtroom, former Enron Chairman Ken Lay may finally be able to achieve in death — avoid a criminal record.  —  Lay, 64, who died of a heart attack in Aspen, Colo., early Wednesday morning, will likely have his case vacated …

Ann and Barbara  —  (Update: I'm hearing that Boxer might be going a little wobbly on her decision to stump for Joe.  If she were to issue a statement today saying she is not coming to Connecticut, that would just be a wonderful thing and she would be deserving of all praise for supporting women's rights with her decision.

Army charges officer for refusing to fight in Iraq  —  SEATTLE (Reuters) - The U.S. Army filed three charges on Wednesday against an officer who refused to fight in Iraq due to objections over the legality of the war.  —  First Lt. Ehren Watada, who supporters say is the first commissioned U.S. officer …

More from the tolerant left  —  Fresh off this bit from John Wesley Hardin (aka "Lo Ping Wong," aka "shaved chubby"), I've been treated to yet another heaping helping of that famed progressive compassion, this time from someone purporting to be Dr. Debbie Frisch, adjunct instructor of psychology …

Emergency Over, Saith the Court  —  1861. 1941.  2001. Our big wars — and the war on terrorism ranks with the big ones — have a way of starting in the first year of a decade.  Supreme Courts, which historically have been loath to intervene against presidential war powers in the midst of conflict …

N.J. Gov., Lawmakers Reach Deal on Budget  —  TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey's governor and lawmakers reached a deal Thursday on a new state budget, six days into a state government shutdown that shuttered casinos and threw more than 80,000 people out of work.  —  Gov. Jon S. Corzine …

Putin kissed boy 'like a kitten'  —  MOSCOW, Russia (Reuters) — Vladimir Putin's decision to stop a small boy as he walked through the Kremlin and kiss his stomach was prompted by a desire to "touch him like a kitten," the Russian president said on Thursday.