Canada's PM doubts Israeli bombing of UN outpost deliberate  —  OTTAWA (AFP) - Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper said an Israeli attack on a UN outpost that killed four, including a Canadian, was a "terrible tragedy" but not likely deliberate.  —  At the same time, he questioned …

Howard Dean Calls for End to Divisiveness  —  WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Down with divisiveness was the message Wednesday delivered by Democratic Party Chairman Howard Dean as he told a group of Florida business leaders that Republican policies of deceit and finger-pointing are tearing American apart.

'Waiting to Get Blown Up'  —  Some Troops in Baghdad Express Frustration With the War and Their Mission  —  BAGHDAD, July 26 Army Staff Sgt. Jose Sixtos considered the simple question about morale for more than an hour.  But not until his convoy of armored Humvees had finally rumbled …

Administration and Critics, in Senate Testimony, Clash Over Eavesdropping Compromise  —  WASHINGTON, July 26 — Senior Bush administration officials said Wednesday that it would be impractical for them to obtain individual warrants every time they needed to eavesdrop on a conversation suspected of involving Al Qaeda.

Poll Shows Skepticism in U.S. Over Peace in Mideast  —  Americans are overwhelmingly pessimistic about the state of affairs in the Middle East, with majorities doubtful there will ever be peace between Israel and its neighbors, or that American troops will be able to leave Iraq anytime soon …

CNN or CBN?  Phillips asks apocalypse authors: "[A]re we living in the last days?" … For the second time in three days, CNN featured a segment on the potential coming of the Apocalypse, as indicated by current conflicts in the Middle East.  The July 26 edition of CNN's Live From …

Best of the Web  —  War on Words  —  Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki spoke this morning to a joint meeting of Congress, and some Democrats seized an opportunity to burnish their credentials as supporters of Israel, CNN reports: … Well, what exactly did al-Maliki say?  Here are some quotes:

Al-Qaida calls for holy war against Israel  —  CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaida's No. 2 leader issued a worldwide call Thursday for Muslims to rise up in a holy war against Israel and join the fighting in Lebanon and Gaza until Islam reigns from "Spain to Iraq."  —  In the message broadcast …

To raise profile, Murtha will stump for 41 Dems  —  Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), who has suspended his race to become majority leader in the event that the Democrats capture the House, plans to campaign in 41 races around the country where he said party leaders believe he can be helpful.

Annan's Claims On Casualties May Unravel  —  UNITED NATIONS — An apparent discrepancy in the portrayal of events surrounding the deaths of four unarmed U.N. observers in Lebanon threatens to unravel Secretary-General Annan's initial accusation that Israel "deliberately" targeted the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon.

Chicago Orders 'Big Box' Stores to Raise Wage  —  After months of fevered lobbying and bitter debate, the Chicago City Council passed a groundbreaking ordinance yesterday requiring "big box" stores, like Wal-Mart and Home Depot, to pay a minimum wage of $10 an hour by 2010, along with at least $3 an hour worth of benefits.

Security cabinet decides against expanding Lebanon operation  —  The security cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, decided Thursday morning against expanding the Israel Defense Forces operation in southern Lebanon, Israel Radio reported.  —  The discussion came a day after nine IDF troops …

Overseas Tensions Force Bush to Change Direction  —  The latest crisis in the Middle East has disrupted President Bush's plans domestically and internationally at a sensitive juncture, reopening divisions with allies abroad and jeopardizing attempts to restore public confidence at home, according to officials, analysts and diplomats.

A message for Democrats  —  WASHINGTONNANCY PELOSI bared fangs to show that the Democratic Party no longer has toothless gums.  On national security, she said, ``When you think of women and defense and security, think of a lioness.  You come anywhere near our cubs, you're dead.

UN SPYING FOR HEZBOLLAH?  —  United Nations & Hezbollah flags flying side by side at the Lebanese Observation post where four UN "observers" three from Ghana and one Chinese were reportedly killed by someone.  —  Reports originally stated that the observation post, which had been there for 28-years …

IDF: Nasrallah talk less bellicose  —  An Israel Defense Forces analysis of the messages transmitted by Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah to his men during the fighting in Lebanon reveals a slightly different tone from the one he took in three public television interviews …