Death Toll Rises in Mideast Fight; Bunker Bombed  —  BEIRUT, Lebanon, July 19 — The deadliest day yet in the deepening two-front Middle East crisis claimed more than 70 lives on Wednesday in Lebanon, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and northern Israel, with no immediate cease-fire in sight.

First Bush Veto Maintains Limits on Stem Cell Use  —  WASHINGTON, July 19 — President Bush on Wednesday rejected legislation to expand federally supported embryonic stem cell research, exercising his first veto while putting himself at odds with many members of his own party and what polls say is a majority of the public.

Leading Saudi Sheik Pronounces Fatwa Against Hezbollah  —  CAIRO, Egypt — One of Saudi Arabia's leading Wahhabi sheiks, Abdullah bin Jabreen has issued a strongly worded religious edict, or fatwa, declaring it unlawful to support, join or pray for Hezbollah, the Shiite militias lobbing missiles into northern Israel.

Lieberman's Donors Include Many Who Favor Republicans  —  When it comes to supporting candidates for public office, the Associated General Contractors of America gives 90 percent of its campaign contributions to Republicans.  —  And then there is Senator Joseph I. Lieberman.

Yes, I Will Post About Glenn Greenwald  —  Fellow bloggers, readers, commenters: Lend me your eyes.  I have come to praise Glenn Greenwald, not to bury him.  —  This unsavory blog points out something curious — curious, but quite easily explained, as we shall soon see.

Ralph Reed's Comeuppance  —  Analysis: The former leader of the Christian right suffers a humiliating defeat in his Georgia primary race, thanks to his ties to a disgraced lobbyist  —  As a political operative Ralph Reed had a golden touch.  Four years ago in Georgia, as chair of the Republican Party …

GOP Lawmakers Edge Away From Optimism on Iraq  —  Faced with almost daily reports of sectarian carnage in Iraq, congressional Republicans are shifting their message on the war from speaking optimistically of progress to acknowledging the difficulty of the mission and pointing up mistakes in planning and execution.

DeWine blunder adds fuel to controversial Sept. 11 ad  —  The controversial video of the burning World Trade Center towers in a television campaign ad for Ohio Sen. Mike DeWine is doctored, U.S. News has learned.  The television spot, which has been lambasted by critics as a political exploitation …

India bloggers angry at net ban  —  India's burgeoning blogging community is up in arms against a government directive that they say has led to the blocking of their web logs.  —  The country's 153 internet service providers (ISP) have blocked 17 websites since last week on federal government orders.