Hastert Vows to Overcome Scandal  —  J. Dennis Hastert, who was installed as House speaker eight years ago through backroom maneuvering in a moment of crisis for his party, has no distinct power base in Congress, not much of a national reputation and, in an age of television politics, little polish in front of the camera.

Kim's message: War is coming to US soil  —  Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to have their say.  Please click here if you are interested in contributing.  —  The Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea announced on October 3 …

Investigation to Look at Facebook  —  University Says Social Networking Site 'Not Exempt'  —  Columbia will review information and images posted on students' Facebook profiles as part of its investigation into Wednesday night's Minutemen brawl, a University spokesman confirmed Thursday evening.

A special comment about lying  —  Keith Olbermann on the difference between terrorists and critics  —  SPECIAL COMMENT  —  While the leadership in Congress has self-destructed over the revelations of an unmatched, and unrelieved, march through a cesspool ...

GOP's Hold on Evangelicals Weakening  —  Party's Showing in Midterm Elections May Be Hurt as Polls Indicate Support Dropping in Base  —  ANOKA, Minn. — Lynn Sunde, an evangelical Christian, is considering what for her is a radical step.  Come November, she may vote for a Democrat for Congress.

Pelosi says she would drain GOP 'swamp'  —  WASHINGTON - Franklin Roosevelt had his first hundred days.  —  House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is thinking 100 hours, time enough, she says, to begin to "drain the swamp" after more than a decade of Republican rule.

Bush says he can edit security reports  —  WASHINGTON - President Bush, again defying Congress, says he has the power to edit the Homeland Security Department's reports about whether it obeys privacy rules while handling background checks, ID cards and watchlists.

Seizures of radioactive materials fuel 'dirty bomb' fears  —  SEIZURES of smuggled radioactive material capable of making a terrorist "dirty bomb" have doubled in the past four years, according to official figures seen by The Times.  —  Smugglers have been caught trying …

Senator Says U.S. Should Rethink Iraq Strategy  —  The Republican chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee warned Thursday that the situation in Iraq was "drifting sideways" and said that the United States should consider a "change of course" if violence did not diminish soon.

Moronic Convergence: Last Gasp of the Socialist Geezers  —  It's a Michael Moore remake of Todd Browning's Freaks, in the World Can't Wait Day of Mass Resistance.  El Marco was there and has a photo gallery at Flickr: Last Gasp NYC Oct. 5, 2006.  —  "Mass Resistance," in this case, being defined as: about a thousand people.

Purported spokesman for an Iraqi insurgent group offers negotiations with the United States  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq A purported spokesman for a Sunni insurgent group, the Islamic Army in Iraq, offered to open negotiations with the Americans in an audiotape aired by Al-Jazeera television on Thursday.

New Media A Weapon in New World Of Politics  —  At first glance, three uproars that buffeted American politics in recent weeks have little in common.  —  Former congressman Mark Foley (R-Fla.) ended his political career over sexually charged e-mails to former House pages.

Human Rights Campaign Involved in Gay GOP Witchhunt  —  **UPDATE BELOW**  —  David Corn, who said he would never publish the names on "The List", seems to be outing by dribbles now.  He has already named a name, proving he is a hypocrite.  —  But in a stab to the heart of every gay …

Angels and Intelligence Estimates  —  Lost between the Foley tsunami and the Woodward hurricane is the storm that began the great Republican collapse of 2006.  It was only a few weeks ago that the Republicans were clawing their way back to contention for the November elections …

Race for Senate control tightens  —  WASHINGTON — Democrats are within striking distance of winning control of the Senate in the Nov. 7 elections, USA TODAY/Gallup Polls in six key states show as the campaigns head into their final month.  —  The number of Republican-held seats …

Murtha accused of bribe cover-up  —  Rep. John P. Murtha's Republican challenger has accused him of negotiating a $50,000 bribe and of trying to cover it up for 26 years.  —  A recently released FBI video recorded in 1980 shows the Pennsylvania Democrat talking with an FBI agent posing …

'Shoot Me First,' Amish Girl Said to Ask  —  Friend of the Victims' Families Says Girl Tried to Divert Killer From Classmates; Killer Allegedly Said, 'Pray for Me'  —  ABC Law & Justice Unit  —  The oldest of the five Amish girls shot dead in a Pennsylvania schoolhouse is said to have stepped forward …

California Court Upholds State's Ban on Same-Sex Marriage  —  In the latest turn to a long and winding legal fight over same-sex marriage, a California appeals court on Thursday upheld the state's ban against it.  —  The 2-to-1 decision, which reversed a lower court's finding that the ban violated …