INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN INEPT.  Bloggers are in an understandable uproar over a Roll Call article in which a hodgepodge of nameless Democratic aides reveal that the leadership is readying to party like it's 2002 and refocus the election on economic issues.  I'm a bit skeptical.

Probe Finds Jackson Urged Favoritism in HUD Contracts  —  An inspector general's report charges that top U.S. housing official Alphonso Jackson urged staff members to favor friends of President Bush when awarding Department of Housing and Urban Development contracts.

Coming Together on Torture  —  Bush and the renegade GOP senators finally agree on a bill to define how terror suspects should be treated.  And everyone is claiming victory  —  The just-announced deal between the White House and three Republican senators over rules to govern military tribunals …

Nasrallah says no army can disarm Hizbollah  —  BEIRUT (Reuters) - Hizbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Friday rejected international calls to disarm his Lebanese guerrillas and told a huge "victory" rally they still had more than 20,000 rockets after a month of war with Israel.

Idiot press  —  I just got a call from an MSNBC booker.  She wanted to know if I wanted to go on the air to talk about Hugo Chavez.  Apparently, he went off on some rant at the UN.  —  I said, "Why would I?  Who cares about Hugo Chavez?"  —  The booker said, "well, it's all over talk radio and the blogs."

Pakistanis protest, cleric says Pope should be crucified  —  ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Hundreds of Pakistani Islamists held street protests to condemn Pope Benedict XVI for remarks they regard as anti-Islamic, with one leader saying the pontiff should be crucified.  —  Demonstrators Friday poured …

New terror that stalks Iraq's republic of fear  —  The republic of fear is born again.  The state of terror now gripping Iraq is as bad as it was under Saddam Hussein.  Torture in the country may even be worse than it was during his rule, the United Nation's special investigator on torture said yesterday.

Hijackers Were Not Identified Before 9/11, Investigation Says  —  The Defense Department's inspector general has concluded that a top secret intelligence-gathering program did not identify Mohamed Atta or any other hijacker before the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, determining that there is no evidence …

Confronted by the Islamist threat on all sides, Europe pathetically caves in  —  LATE LAST YEAR, at the invitation of Nato, and in the company of a small band of globetrotting pundits, I travelled to Afghanistan to witness first-hand the allied operation to reconstruct the benighted country.

War Signals  —  As reports circulate of a sharp debate within the White House over possible US military action against Iran and its nuclear enrichment facilities, The Nation has learned that the Bush Administration and the Pentagon have issued orders for a major "strike group" of ships …

AZ Republic, FactCheck.org lobbed misleading claims in attempt to debunk Vote Vets ad criticizing Allen … In recent days, both The Arizona Republic editorial page and the website FactCheck.org have attacked as "deceitful" and "just plain wrong" a television advertisement …

Israel: Foreign reporters' vehicles may be used terrorists  —  Government Press Office director warns Shin Bet that armored vehicles used by foreign news agencies may serve hostile groups to carry out attacks against Israel  —  Armored vehicles that were given to foreign news agencies operating …

Schweitzer, Tester say Burns fails to deliver for Montana  —  Gov. Brian Schweitzer and state Sen. Jon Tester teamed up to challenge Sen. Conrad Burns and his record of "delivering for Montana" at a press conference Thursday on the Rimrocks.  —  The Democratic pair offered a new slogan for Republican Burns …

Streisand shows what not to wear  —  You would think that by the age of 64, most women would be self-conscious enough to ensure their choice of evening wear does not expose parts of the body which have...well dropped below standards.  —  But no one seems to have shared this with legendary …

Navy retires F-14, the coolest of cold warriors  —  VIRGINIA BEACH — Today the Navy holsters the F-14 Tomcat, the top gun in its Cold War arsenal and one of the most recognizable warplanes in history.  —  Maintenance costs for the F-14 have soared, and its replacement, the F/A-18 Super Hornet …

German Woman to rescue American Navy SEAL  —  About six weeks ago, Matt from Blackfive.net called about a Navy SEAL named Justin who had been diagnosed with leukemia.  Justin's life likely could be saved with a bone marrow transplant, and with a giant database of willing donors, Justin's chances might have looked promising.

Indonesian Christians executed; girls to be stoned in Iran  —  Still traveling and catching up on news/mail.  The three Christians in Indonesia I blogged about last week were executed yesterday by firing squad.  Indonesian blogger Stan liveblogged the day's events.  BBC coverage here.

Critical Massing: The Press Critic's Press Critic On Iraq, The White House, And Why The New York Times Is — Gasp!  — Doing A Good Job  —  Michael Massing has one of those careers that journalists dream about.  His articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The New Yorker …

Top Republican Aids Lieberman Fundraiser  —  WASHINGTON — A prominent Republican who chairs I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby's legal defense fund co-hosted a fundraiser Wednesday for Sen. Joe Lieberman, who is running for re-election as an independent after losing the Democratic primary.