Israel mounts fresh Lebanon raid  —  Israel carried out an overnight raid inside Lebanon aimed at disrupting an arms transfer, the Israeli army says.  —  One soldier died and two were injured in the Bekaa Valley operation, it said.  Lebanese sources earlier told Reuters agency that three militants also died.

Allen Flap May Give A Boost To Webb  —  RICHMOND — The nationwide fallout from controversial remarks Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) made last week has given Democrats new hope in a race many thought would be difficult to win in the historically conservative state.

Fight fear-mongering with fear-mongering?  —  Slate's John Dickerson offers Dems some advice in responding to Republicans' election-year fear-mongering: fight fire with fire.  With the GOP telling voters, "Vote for Democrats and more Americans will die," it's the only reasonable approach.

Ruling Against Wiretaps Further Sharpens Partisan Divide  —  A federal judge's ruling that the National Security Agency's warrantless wiretapping is unconstitutional set off a flurry of political responses yesterday, as Republicans tried to keep control of the national security debate amid signs …

Experts Fault Reasoning in Surveillance Decision  —  Even legal experts who agreed with a federal judge's conclusion on Thursday that a National Security Agency surveillance program is unlawful were distancing themselves from the decision's reasoning and rhetoric yesterday.

In Nashville, Sounds of Political Uprising From the Left  —  A bar on Music Row in Nashville.  Democrats in the music industry are frustrated with country and western's reputation for being conservative.  —  NASHVILLE — Country music videos flashed on a television set at the Idle Hour …

Officer Called Haditha Routine  —  Marine Said Deaths Didn't Merit Inquiry  —  The Marine officer who commanded the battalion involved in the Haditha killings last November did not consider the deaths of 24 Iraqis, many of them women and children, unusual and did not initiate an inquiry …

Intelligence officials doubt Iran uranium claims, say Cheney receiving suspect briefings  —  The Bush administration continues to bypass standard intelligence channels and use what some believe to be propaganda tactics to create a compelling case for war with Iran, US foreign policy experts …

G.O.P. Deserts One of Its Own for Lieberman  —  Alan Schlesinger, in Hartford last month, has dismissed calls for him to exit the race.  One poll shows him with just 4 percent of the vote.  —  Facing Senator Joseph I. Lieberman's independent candidacy, Republican officials at the state …

The Week In Media Distraction  —  Saturday mornings always suck when you're a news junkie.  You end up hearing a lot about nothing.  This Saturday is even worse because that nothingness has been transformed into a replay of this entire week of none stop coverage of the JonBenet Ramsey murder case.