Press Conference by the President  —  White House Conference Center Briefing Room  —  THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all.  Please be seated.  Fancy digs you got here.  Thanks for your hospitality.  It's good to visit with you.  I look forward to taking some of your questions.

Ignoring the Propaganda in Tehran  —  The government of Iran appears set to reject the European incentive package on Tuesday.  A show of strength?  A diplomatic blunder?  Iranians themselves don't know what to think.  —  "No, don't worry.  We are peaceful people," Arash says.

Exclusive Poll Results Show Allen Losing Ground  —  GOP Allen's Once Large Lead Evaporates: In an election for the United States Senate in Virginia today, 8/21/06, incumbent Republican George Allen edges Democrat challenger James Webb 48% to 45%, according to an exclusive SurveyUSA poll conducted for W*USA-TV in Washington, DC.

Diplomat admits no progress in Wiig's kidnapping  —  A senior New Zealand diplomat has admitted there are no firm leads or information about kidnapped New Zealand cameraman Olaf Wiig but says officials are prepared to stay in the Middle East for as long as it takes to secure his release.

Judge Orders Justice Department Investigation of Leak to CBS Report  —  A federal judge has ordered a Justice Department probe into how CBS News obtained a story two years ago disclosing an FBI investigation into a pro-Israel lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Washington Whispers  —  Don't laugh, but a loaner training kayak in the pool of the House of Representatives gym made the difference in President Bush's House victory for a pork-busting line-item veto.  "That's spot on," says Colorado Rep. Mark Udall, who helped talk 34 other Democrats into backing the measure 247 to 172.

Scientists Offer Proof of 'Dark Matter'  —  Analysis of Galactic Collision Said to Reveal Mysterious Substance  —  For decades, many scientists have theorized that the universe is made up of nearly undetectable mysterious substances called dark matter and dark energy.

Smoking cuts for classic cartoons after UK complaint  —  LONDON (Reuters) - Turner Broadcasting is scouring more than 1,500 classic Hanna-Barbera cartoons, including old favorites "Tom and Jerry," "The Flinstones" and "Scooby-Doo," to edit out scenes that glamorize smoking.

Israel, US foil Iran arms transfer  —  ANKARA, Turkey  —  Israeli and American intelligence agencies alerted Turkish authorities last Friday that several Lebanon-bound Iranian planes, loaded with military hardware meant for the Hizbullah, were making their way through Turkish airspace, The Jerusalem Post has learned.

Sec/Def Lieberman?  —  Plus Steely Dan, Hot Tuna and more  —  Frank Rich writes here of these same folks who gave us the catastrophe that is Iraq and cheered Israel toward its folly who now "apoplectically fret that Mr. Lamont's victory signals the hijacking of the Democratic Party by the far left …

Calendars show Armitage met reporter  —  WASHINGTON - Then-Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage met with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward in mid-June 2003, the same time the reporter has testified an administration official talked to him about CIA employee Valerie Plame.

Greenland's glaciers have been shrinking for 100 years: study  —  Greenland's glaciers have been shrinking for the past century, according to a Danish study, suggesting that the ice melt is not a recent phenomenon caused by global warming.  —  Danish researchers from Aarhus University studied glaciers …

THE RISK POOL  —  The years just after the Second World War were a time of great industrial upheaval in the United States.  Strikes were commonplace.  Workers moved from one company to another.  Runaway inflation was eroding the value of wages.  In the uncertain nineteen-forties …

"RIVER ROSE ALL DAY.  RIVER ROSE ALL NIGHT."  SPIKE LEE'S HBO FLOOD CONSPIRACY FLICK  —  "Listening to Lee at the HBO press conference reminded me of an afternoon I once spent with an elderly aunt...."At a press conference for Spike Lee's new documentary, Catherine Seipp wonders …

Hip-hopper sings Steele praise  —  Hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons will be the host of a campaign fundraiser Thursday for Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele's run for U.S. Senate.  —  The fundraiser for Mr. Steele, a Republican who would be the state's first black U.S. senator if elected …