Powell endorses efforts to block Bush's terrorist plan  —  WASHINGTON - Former Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday endorsed efforts by three Republican senators to block President Bush's plan to authorize harsh interrogations of terror suspects.  —  The latest sign of GOP division …

Bush Tells Barnes Capturing Bin Laden Is 'Not A Top Priority Use of American Resources'  —  Weekly Standard editor Fred Barnes appeared on Fox this morning to discuss his recent meeting with President Bush in the Oval Office.  The key takeaway for Barnes was that "bin Laden doesn't fit …

U.N. Inspectors Dispute Iran Report By House Panel  —  U.N. inspectors investigating Iran's nuclear program angrily complained to the Bush administration and to a Republican congressman yesterday about a recent House committee report on Iran's capabilities, calling parts of the document …

Iraqi Official Testifies to Links Between Saddam and Al Qaeda  —  WASHINGTON — A deputy prime minister of Iraq yesterday offered a sharp contradiction of the conventional wisdom here that Saddam Hussein's Iraq and Al Qaeda had no connection before the 2003 war, flatly contradicting a recent report …

Despite Pledges, Congress Clings to Pet Projects  —  Nine months after Congressional leaders vowed to respond to several bribery scandals with comprehensive reforms, their pledges have come to next to nothing.  —  On Wednesday, leaders of the House prepared to take up a rule requiring individual lawmakers …

Blair attacks Europe's "mad anti-Americans"  —  LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair launched a withering attack on Thursday on what he called "mad anti-Americanism" among European politicians.  —  Blair, U.S. President George W. Bush's closest ally in the so-called war on terror …

Frist Targets Internet Gambling  —  WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is trying use a bill authorizing U.S. military operations, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, to prohibit people from using credit cards to settle Internet gambling debts.  —  Frist, R-Tenn. …

So we're divided — is that George Bush's fault?  —  Ask yourself this question: What actions, or series of actions, could President Bush and GOP leaders in Congress have taken in the war on terror that would cause Democratic leaders to say, seven weeks before mid-term elections …

Air Force chief: Test weapons on testy U.S. mobs  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Nonlethal weapons such as high-power microwave devices should be used on American citizens in crowd-control situations before being used on the battlefield, the Air Force secretary said Tuesday.  —  The object is basically public relations.

Santorum ad accusing Casey of corruption features dead man, pols linked to Santorum himself  —  GOP Pa. Sen. Rick Santorum's flagging re-election campaign has launched a new TV attack ad that can only be described as absurdist theatre, if not out-and-out absurd.

Seriously, Folks - How Low Can You Go?  —  The Connecticut Post reports that Joe Lieberman's campaign, through honesty-challenged spokesman Dan Gerstein, is now saying Ned Lamont has never taught school.  Apparently, Lieberman wants us to believe that all the kids in this campaign commercial are just lying.

I Love My Think Tank  —  For eight years after I got my P.h.D, I was a professor of linguistics.  I first found myself involved with the media in 1996 when the Ebonics controversy hit.  I happened to be the black linguist working closest to Oakland where the issue arose (I was at UC Berkeley), and so the media called me.

Hezbollah war crimes: Amnesty International cries  —  Heads up!  —  Amnesty International has introduced a comprehensive report accusing a terrorist group of war crimes.In utter defiance of the predominant American left, European and United Nations view that Israel engaged in gross war crimes …

Novak Accuses Plame Source Of Distortion  —  Armitage Minimizes Role In Leak; Columnist Differs  —  Columnist Robert D. Novak, who first revealed Valerie Plame's employment by the CIA and touched off a lengthy federal leak investigation, is accusing his primary source of misrepresenting …

Stuart Buck and Megan McArdle: Media map gives wrong directions on incomes  —  WASHINGTON - It often gets dicey for readers when journalists, who are rarely math majors, play with numbers and then publish misleading or mistaken conclusions.  It happened Labor Day when the Detroit Free Press published …

The Pope Tackles Faith and Terrorism  —  In a provocative speech citing the concept of jihad and referencing the Muslim prophet by name, Benedict sends the world a signal that it's time for hard questions—not hugs and handshakes  —  This past Monday it was Sept. 11 in Bavaria too …

U.S. passes up chance to strike Taliban  —  Predator had suspected fighters in its sights, but military passed on shot  —  This undated photo obtained by NBC News, reportedly taken by an unmanned U.S. aircraft, shows a Taliban gathering in Afghanistan that the U.S. Army wanted to attack.  —  NBC VIDEO

Meet the Next President: Kerry's Second Shot  —  KEENE, N.H. - Moments before Sen. John Kerry shows up to campaign for a local politician at a backyard rally here, voter Sue Borden wrinkles her nose at the mention of the man who lost to President Bush.  —  "You get one chance," the Democrat tells a reporter.

Libertarians, Conservatives and Warrantless Eavesdropping  —  I find this so, so interesting and genuinely revealing.  Back when he was still a "libertarian" — a mere 5 years ago — Glenn Reynolds was vigorously opposed to warrantless surveillance and even shared the view of Judge Anna Diggs Taylor …