Israeli ground troops enter Lebanon  —  JERUSALEM - Israel declared Tuesday it was ready to fight Hezbollah guerrillas for several more weeks, raising doubts about international efforts to broker an immediate cease-fire in the fighting that has killed more than 260 people and displaced 500,000.

Reed concedes  —  Former Christian Coalition leader Ralph Reed conceded defeat about 9:50 p.m. in Georgia's Republican primary for lieutenant governor.  —  "Tonight my candidacy for lieutenant governor comes to an end," he said.  —  He promoied to work for the GOP ticket, including Sen. Casey Cagle …

Bush blocked eavesdropping program probe  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush personally blocked a Justice Department investigation of the anti-terror eavesdropping program that intercepts Americans' international calls and e-mails, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said Tuesday.

Senate Passes Stem Cell Bill; Bush Vows Veto  —  The Senate voted to lift restrictions on federally funded human embryonic stem cell research yesterday, setting the table for President Bush's first veto and producing an emotional campaign issue that Democrats believe will help them this fall.

Jordanian who killed 2 U.S. soldiers dies  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - A Jordanian who killed two U.S. soldiers last month was fatally wounded in a clash with security forces, a senior Iraqi official said Tuesday.  Diyar Ismail Mahmoud, known as Abu al-Afghani, was identified as the killer of the two soldiers …

Turkey signals it's prepared to enter Iraq  —  ANKARA, Turkey - Turkish officials signaled Tuesday they are prepared to send the army into northern Iraq if U.S. and Iraqi forces do not take steps to combat Turkish Kurdish guerrillas there — a move that could put Turkey on a collision course with the United States.

In Which I Condemn Glenn Greenwald for Failing to Condemn Some Stuff  —  I have a screenshot of that Sadly, No! online store with the T-shirts advocating the murder of conservatives — the one Glenn Greenwald failed to condemn.  But before we get to the screenshot, let's recap, for humor purposes.

Bush sexually harasses Angela Merkel at G8 while cameras roll!!!  —  SHOCKING PHOTOS AND VIDEO HERE!!!!!  —  I used to get in debates during my blog hiatus with some of Goldstein's commenters about whether it's worth trying to engage the left.  For all the antagonism between him and the five …

Conservative Anger Grows Over Bush's Foreign Policy  —  At a moment when his conservative coalition is already under strain over domestic policy, President Bush is facing a new and swiftly building backlash on the right over his handling of foreign affairs.  —  Conservative intellectuals …

IAF foils rocket transports from Syria  —  While army continues to strike Hizbullah, limit its weapons resources, outside groups trying to rearm group.  IAF manages to bomb trucks transporting missiles from Syria.  IDF Maj.-Gen. Eisenkot: These rockets belong to Syrian army  —  Hanan Greenberg

Arab Majority May Not Stay Forever Silent  —  Yes, world, there is a silent Arab majority that believes that seventh-century Islam is not fit for 21st-century challenges.  That women do not have to look like walking black tents.  That men do not have to wear beards and robes, act like lunatics …

U.N.: 14,000 Iraqis killed in 2006  —  Holy city bomb kills 45; Armed robbers hit Baghdad bank  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) — More than 14,000 civilians have been killed in Iraq in the first half of this year, an ominous figure reflecting the fact that "killings, kidnappings and torture remain widespread" …

GOP Unveils School Voucher Plan  —  $100 Million Proposal Targets Low-Income Students  —  The Bush administration and Republican legislators yesterday proposed a $100 million national plan to offer low-income students private-school vouchers to escape low-performing public schools.

Iraqi Death Toll Rises Above 100 Per Day, U.N. Says  —  Residents gathered at the site of Tuesday's suicide bombing.  The importance of Kufa to Shiites underlined the intensely sectarian nature of the attack.  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq, July 18 — An average of more than 100 civilians per day were killed …