France probes report of bin Laden's death  —  Unconfirmed report says Saudi convinced terror chief died in Pakistan  —  PARIS - The French defense ministry on Saturday called for an internal investigation of the leak of an intelligence document that raises the possibility that Osama bin Laden …

Amnesty International 'Deeply Disturbed' by New Detainee Legislation  —  Contact: Sharon Singh of Amnesty International USA, 202-544-0200 ext. 289  —  WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 /U.S. Newswire/ — Larry Cox, Amnesty International USA's executive director, issued the following statement in response …

Pakistan Surrenders  —  The Taliban control the border with Afghanistan.  —  INTELLIGENCE ANALYSTS woke up on September 5 to unsettling news.  The government of Pakistan, they learned, had entered into a peace agreement with the Taliban insurgency that essentially cedes authority in North Waziristan …

War price on U.S. lives equal to 9/11  —  WASHINGTON - Now the death toll is 9/11 times two.  U.S. military deaths from Iraq and Afghanistan now match those of the most devastating terrorist attack in America's history, the trigger for what came next.  Add casualties from chasing terrorists elsewhere …

A Small But Lovely Victory  —  Cory Maye will not sleep on death row tonight.  Nor, for that matter, any night for the foreseeable future.  —  At the conclusion of the hearing today, Judge Michael Eubanks ruled on two of the defense team's battery of arguments.

Diogenes, put down that lantern.  —  Thomas Edsall spent 25 years at the Washington Post, retiring this year from his post as senior political correspondent.  He has affiliated with The New Republic and Columbia School of Journalism, and now has a new book out, Building Red America.

'Democrats Offer a New Direction'  —  We need a Democratic Congress to fight the war on terror — and to end the war on America's families.  Republican policies of the last five years have damaged our economy and failed Americans.  Democrats believe strengthening the middle class is essential …

Democrats accuse Steele of 'political identity theft'  —  No, Maryland voters, the printer did not make an error.  Lt. Gov. Michael S. Steele's new campaign signs seem to identify him as a Democrat.  —  A "Steele Democrat," they read.  —  The bright blue placards and bumper stickers …

Afghan Girls, Back in the Shadows  —  Home Classes Proliferate as Anti-Government Insurgents Step Up Attacks on Schools  —  SHEIKHABAD, Afghanistan — In a small, sunlit parlor last week, 20 little girls seated on rush mats sketched a flower drawn on the blackboard.

A Scholar Is Alive, Actually, and Hungry for Debate  —  At a news conference after his spirited address to the United Nations on Wednesday, President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela expressed one regret: not having met that icon of the American left, the linguist Noam Chomsky, before his death.

Activism: Adopt a Voter  —  I'm honored that Matt has invited me to adapt and expand material from my book,  —  50 Simple Things You Can Do to Fight the Right, to post here.  —  A confession: I've never blogged before.  Of course, I've read progressive blogs like My DD for years—and they've been a constant source of inspiration.