Iran to supply Hezbollah with surface-to-air missiles  —  LONDON (AFP) - Iran will supply Hezbollah with surface-to-air missile systems in the coming months, boosting the guerrillas' defences against Israeli aircraft, according to a report by specialist magazine Jane's Defence Weekly, citing unnamed Western diplomatic sources.

CT-SEN: Richard Goodstein: "Email Me The Last Good Story You Wrote About Joe Lieberman"  —  So I just reached D.C. lobbyist Richard Goodstein on his cellphone.  Goodstein the lobbyist confirmed that he is indeed the guy on the front-page of today's Record-Journal who appeared to be heckling Lamont in a diner.

Iraqi Shiites chant 'Death to Israel'  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - Hundreds of thousands of Shiites chanting "Death to Israel" and "Death to America" marched through the streets of Baghdad's biggest Shiite district Friday in a show of support for Hezbollah militants battling Israeli troops in Lebanon.

More Frequent Heat Waves Linked to Global Warming  —  U.S. and European Researchers Call Long Hot Spells Likely  —  Heat waves like those that have scorched Europe and the United States in recent weeks are becoming more frequent because of global warming, say scientists who have studied decades …

Bush Starts 10-Day Texas Vacation  —  Shorter Summer Break Reflects Post-Katrina Criticism  —  President Bush arrived here Thursday evening to begin a 10-day stretch at his Prairie Chapel ranch, his longest planned period away from Washington during this summer vacation season.

GOP Bid On Wages, Estate Tax Is Blocked  —  Senate Democrats blocked a Republican bid to combine a tax cut for the wealthy with a wage increase for the working poor last night, adding a volatile economic issue to this fall's congressional campaigns.  —  GOP leaders fell three votes short …

The End Of the Right?  —  Is conservatism finished?  —  What might have seemed an absurd question less than two years ago is now one of the most important issues in American politics.  The question is being asked — mostly quietly but occasionally publicly — by conservatives themselves …

Star's man in Havana caught by Castro  —  Star reporter in Havana gets a taste of official Cuba at its most oppressive  —  HAVANA—"Mr. Timothy, you must come with me.  There is a problem in your room."  —  I had just tucked into a pork sandwich at the hotel bar when the ominous voice from behind stopped me in mid-bite.

Ahmadinejad's call to destroy Israel draws French condemnation  —  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday the solution to the Middle East crisis was to destroy Israel, Iranian state media reported.  —  In a speech during an emergency meeting of Muslim leaders in Malaysia …

Senator Faults Bid to Classify Report on Iraq  —  The Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee lashed out at the White House on Thursday, criticizing attempts by the Bush administration to keep secret parts of a report on the role Iraqi exiles played in building the case for war against Iraq.

General briefed Murtha after murder comment, Corp says  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Marine Corps briefed Rep. John Murtha (news, bio, voting record) on the Haditha case after the vocal war critic publicly said Marines had killed innocent civilians in that Iraqi city, the Corps said on Thursday.