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.

Lamont Pulls Even With Lieberman In Latest Poll  —  HAMDEN, Conn. — Democratic challenger Ned Lamont has pulled into a dead heat in his U.S. Senate race with incumbent Joe Lieberman, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.  —  The poll shows Lamont ahead 51-47 percent …

In Spain, anti-Semitism is new leftist trend  —  Spanish Jews knew there were hard times ahead.  Prime Minister Zapatero has not disappointed them  —  Madrid: Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, Prime Minister of Spain and Secretary General of the Socialist Party, arrived to power at a time nobody expected, not even inside the Party.

Devoted Fans of Glenn Greenwald Emphasize the Same Points About His Resume — From the Same IP Address!!  —  Read on, Gentle Reader.  I promise you, this will be worth your time.  —  See if you see any similarities between the following comments, from three completely different people.  (Or are they?)

Why I'll Vote for Bolton  —  As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, I have had the rare opportunity to witness firsthand how the diplomatic process works and, in some cases, how it fails.  Recently, despite our nation's best efforts, the world — and particularly the Middle East …

Experts rip Rove stem cell remark  —  Researchers doubt value of adult cells  —  When White House political adviser Karl Rove signaled last week that President Bush planned to veto the stem cell bill being considered by the Senate, the reasons he gave went beyond the president's moral qualms with research on human embryos.

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.

New Israeli-Hezbollah fighting breaks out  —  BEIRUT, Lebanon - A large fight between Israeli forces and Hezbollah guerrillas broke out Thursday evening on the Lebanese side of the border, the Israeli army said, adding that its troops suffered casualties but did not elaborate.

Middle East: Hezbollah to Blame for Current Strife, 56% Say  —  Many Fear a Wider Regional Conflict to Come  —  A week into the renewed violence between Israel and Lebanon triggered by the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers, 56% of Americans say that Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah is to blame for the conflict.

In Neutral Switzerland, A Rising Radicalism  —  Islamic Extremists Newly Seen as Threat  —  BERN, Switzerland — For centuries, this Alpine nation has successfully relied on a strict policy of political neutrality to insulate it from the wars, invasions and revolutions that have raged outside its borders.

U.S.: Iranians witnessed N. Korea missile test  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) — One or more Iranians witnessed North Korea's recent missile tests, deepening U.S. concerns about growing ties between two countries with troubling nuclear capabilities, a top U.S. official said Thursday.

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 …