LURID AP REPORT ON IRAQ OUTRAGE DOESN'T CHECK OUT  —  WELL, the Iraqi Ministry of Interior says disputed Associated Press source Jamil Hussein does exist.  But at least one story he told the AP just doesn't check out: The Sunni mosques that as Hussein claimed and AP reported as "destroyed …

Kurdish Iraqi soldiers are deserting to avoid the conflict in Baghdad  —  SULAIMANIYAH, Iraq - As the Iraqi government attempts to secure a capital city ravaged by conflict between Sunni and Shiite Muslim Arabs, its decision to bring a third party into the mix may cause more problems than peace.

EXCLUSIVE: Richardson Enters 2008 Presidential Race  —  New Mexico Governor Would Be Nation's First Hispanic President  —  The field for the Democratic presidential nomination got still more crowded this morning, with New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson announcing he will take the first step …

Youth arrested in Turkish journalist's killing … ISTANBUL, Turkey (CNN) — Police have arrested a suspect in the shooting death of outspoken Turkish journalist Hrant Dink after a 32-hour search, authorities said Sunday.  —  Police have identified him as Ogun Samast.

Yawn: Hillary's Running  —  Hillary Clinton made it official today and joined the fray.  Click here to listen to Clinton's official announcement from her website and here to read the actual text.  —  Frankly, reading and listening to Hillary's announcement is like drinking soda without carbonation.

Colombian Government Is Ensnared in a Paramilitary Scandal  —  The government of President Álvaro Uribe, the largest recipient of American aid outside the Middle East, has found itself ensnared in a widening scandal as revelations surface of a secret alliance between some of the president's …

Windows Vista Content Protection - Twenty Questions (and Answers)  —  A conversation has cropped up since the recent publication of a paper scrutinizing how Windows handles digital rights management, especially for HD video.  I've since looped back with Dave Marsh, a Lead Program Manager responsible …

Iran Plans to Conduct Missile War Games  —  TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran plans three days of military maneuvers, including short-range missile tests, beginning Sunday - its first since the U.N. Security Council imposed sanctions against it in late December, state-run television said.

Insurance that lets you decide your own rates  —  The governor's healthcare plan puts a premium on personal responsibility.  —  Should smokers, brie eaters and bungee jumpers bear the higher health insurance costs they inflict on others through their risky behavior?

Hands up if you've lost the plot  —  First, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad alienated the rest of the world with his religious extremism, nuclear ambitions and global grandstanding.  Now, due to domestic failures and economic incompetence, he is doing the same to ordinary Iranians  —  Imagine you are the president of Iran.

Kristol On War Critics: 'It's So Irresponsible That They Can't Be Quiet For Six Or Nine Months'  —  This morning on Fox News, Weekly Standard editor William Kristol said that opponents of escalation in Congress are "leap-frogging each other in the degrees of irresponsibility they're willing to advocate."

Sunday Roundup  —  The last week has featured several extraordinary articles from the mainstream media.  In addition to the must-read Charlotte Allen article in Weekly Standard (highlighted yesterday by Liestoppers), begin with a two-part commentary from John Podhoretz in the New York Post, "Senseless" and "Orwell University."

Embattled, Bush Held To Plan to Salvage Iraq  —  Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki had a surprise for President Bush when they sat down with their aides in the Four Seasons Hotel in Amman, Jordan.  Firing up a PowerPoint presentation, Maliki and his national security adviser proposed …

Nearly 40 illegal immigrants arrested at military bases  —  ATLANTA: Nearly 40 illegal immigrants hired by contractors working on three military bases in Georgia, Virginia and Nevada were arrested over the last three days by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, the agency said Friday.

The Cause Bush Did Justice To  —  The courtroom crackled with tension on the final day of the Supreme Court's 2004-05 session.  It was shaping up to be a historic day, many believed, and the seats were packed with top government officials and people who had camped out overnight in the sticky heat of a Washington summer.

Banned Station Broadcasts Voice of Rebels in Iraq  —  The video starts with a young American soldier patrolling an Iraqi street.  His head is obscured by leaves, so a red target is digitally inserted to draw the viewer's eye.  A split second later, the soldier collapses, shot.

Bush to Urge New Tax Plan for Health Care Coverage  —  President Bush intends to use his State of the Union address Tuesday to tackle the rising cost of health care with a one-two punch: tax breaks to help low-income people buy health insurance and tax increases for some workers whose health …

Jane Hamsher Update  —  I talked to Jane three times on the phone Friday and today.  She sounds unbelievably strong after such an intense procedure.  It looks like she'll be out of the hospital by Monday if all goes well.  Thanks so much for all your support—it has really helped and meant a lot to her.