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Associated Press:
Iranian President Says Nuclear Program Poses No Threat — KHONDAB, Iran — Iran's hard-line president on Saturday inaugurated a heavy-water production plant, a facility the West fears will be used to develop a nuclear bomb, as Tehran remained defiant ahead of a U.N. deadline that could lead to sanctions.
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Michael Slackman / New York Times:
Iran Opens Plant That Can Produce Plutonium — Just days before it is supposed to suspend enrichment of uranium or face the prospect of sanctions, Iran continues to project an image of defiance and confidence. Its position regarding the demand it suspend enrichment remains a determined "No."
Jennifer Medina / New York Times:
Mrs. Clinton Offers to Raise Money for Lamont Campaign — In a private meeting at her Chappaqua, N.Y., home on Friday, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton offered to help Ned Lamont in his battle to unseat Senator Joseph I. Lieberman by sponsoring a fund-raiser, campaigning by his side and lending him one of her top political strategists.
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Neil Vigdor / Stamford Advocate:
Hillary Clinton pledges to back Lamont — Ned Lamont's winding road from the political fringe to the darling of his party took him to the Chappaqua, N.Y., home of U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton yesterday, where the former first lady pledged her full support for the Senate nominee over coffee.
Susan Haigh / Associated Press:
Lieberman to consider Iraq pullout plan
Lieberman to consider Iraq pullout plan
Discussion:
PBD, Mia Culpa, Balloon Juice, The Democratic Daily, Eschaton, My Left Nutmeg and ConnecticutBLOG
DEBKAfile:
DEBKA-Net-Weekly 267 Revealed: Palestinian warlord Zakaria Dughmush (picture) kidnapped the Fox News journalists on behalf of Hamas — The Hamas team which abducted Israeli soldier Gilead Shalit on June 25 sought to ease the pressure for his release by staging a more spectacular snatch.
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Allahpundit / Hot Air:
Breaking: Pali PM says Centanni could be released "within hours" …
Breaking: Pali PM says Centanni could be released "within hours" …
Discussion:
The Jawa Report, A Blog For All, Ynetnews, Ms Underestimated, Ace of Spades HQ and Associated Press
White House:
President's Radio Address — THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. — Earlier this week, I had coffee with Rockey Vaccarella in the White House. Rockey is from Saint Bernard Parish in Louisiana, and he and his family lost everything they owned to Hurricane Katrina.
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Washington Post:
Katrina's Damage Lingers For Bush — For Rep. Patrick T. McHenry (R-N.C.), three images define George W. Bush's presidency: Bush throwing out the first pitch of the 2001 World Series at Yankee Stadium, Bush with a megaphone atop the rubble of the World Trade Center — and Bush staring …
Rick Weiss / Washington Post:
Critic Alleges Deceit in Study On Stem Cells — A landmark scientific report that was supposed to bridge the gap between proponents and opponents of human embryonic stem cell research has become the focus of an escalating feud, with a prominent critic of the research alleging that scientists were deceptive in presenting their results.
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Unmesh Kher / Time:
Poll: Iraq, Lebanon Hurt the U.S. War on Terror — In survey, 59% say Bush has no clear policy to deal with terrorism, but his job-approval ratings improve — While President Bush may be getting a slight uptick in his job-approval numbers, the situation in Iraq and Lebanon has been a setback in the war on terrorism, Americans say.
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Michelle Roberts / Associated Press:
Army Corps worries about Big Easy levees — NEW ORLEANS - Despite aggressive efforts to repair the New Orleans levee system following the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, it isn't clear yet whether it could withstand a hurricane with heavy storm surge this year, the head of the Army Corps of Engineers conceded Saturday.
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Eric Lipton / New York Times:
Despite Steps, Disaster Planning Still Shows Gaps
Despite Steps, Disaster Planning Still Shows Gaps
Discussion:
Taylor Marsh
Michael Isikoff / Newsweek:
The Man Who Said Too Much — A book coauthored by NEWSWEEK's Michael Isikoff details Richard Armitage's central role in the Valerie Plame leak. — Katsumi Kasahara / AP (l.) ; Lawrence Jackson / AP — According to a new book, the State Department has known for years that Armitage (left) outed Plame
Iain Dale / Iain Dale's Diary:
Fined for Being a Christian — I was listening to the news this morning and caught the tail end of a piece which I thought said that a footballer had been arrested to making the sign of the cross during a football match. Nah, I thought. Must have misheard.
Jim Stratton / Washington Post:
Rep. Harris Condemns Separation of Church, State — Rep. Katherine Harris (R-Fla.) said this week that God did not intend for the United States to be a "nation of secular laws" and that the separation of church and state is a "lie we have been told" to keep religious people out of politics.
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Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
The Katherine Harris Follies Continue
The Katherine Harris Follies Continue
Discussion:
Middle Earth Journal
Glenn Frankel / Washington Post:
The McCain Makeover — IT'S FEBRUARY 15, 2000, a pivotal moment in the race for the Republican nomination for president, and at the televised candidates' debate in Columbia, S.C., temperatures are rising. — John McCain, fresh off an upset victory in the New Hampshire primary …
Discussion:
Eric Umansky
Sarah El Deeb / Associated Press:
Israel seeks troops from Muslim nations — JERUSALEM - Israel said Saturday it was encouraging some Muslim countries to send peacekeepers to southern Lebanon, a contribution that would lend credibility to the heavily European force. — EU nations pledged 6,900 troops Friday …
Jennifer Loven / Associated Press:
Protests intrude on Bush's trip to Maine — KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine - President Bush came to his parent's century-old summer home on the Maine coast for a little relaxation, a distant cousin's wedding and some family time. He got all that, along with a boisterous reminder nearly on his bucolic doorstep …
DownWithTyranny!:
JERRY McNERNEY: TURNING NORTHERN CALIFORNIA A DEEPER SHADE OF BLUE — If someone— like Charlie Cook or Larry Sabato— held a gun to my head and demanded I pick one congressional district that is the model for nationalizing a campaign I'd... try to get out of answering. But if I heard the gun cock, I'd say CA-11.