Tentative Deal in N. Korea Nuclear Talks  —  BEIJING (AP) — The U.S. envoy to talks on North Korea's nuclear program said Tuesday that negotiators reached a tentative agreement on initial steps for the communist nation's disarmament.  —  Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill …

Top American General Disputes US Military Claim on Iran  —  The top American military officer, General Peter Pace, declined Monday to endorse the conclusions of U.S. military officers in Baghdad, who told reporters on Sunday that the Iranian government is providing high-powered roadside bombs to insurgents in Iraq.

For Clinton and Obama, Different Tests on Iraq  —  Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton was challenged on Iraq from corner to corner of New Hampshire this weekend, while Senator Barack Obama drew cheers in Iowa for his opposition to the war.  —  Besides giving voters a chance to probe the views …

First Attack by Al Qaeda in Japan?  —  Alexis Debat and Maddy Sauer Report:  —  There was a scare today at a U.S. military base outside Tokyo when two small explosions occurred shortly after 11 p.m. there.  While no one was injured, investigators are looking at the possibility that it was an attempted terrorist attack.

Pincus Reveals Fleischer As Leak Source  —  Washington Post reporter Walter Pincus testified in court this morning that then-White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, not I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, was the first person to tell him that a prominent critic of the Iraq war was married to undercover CIA officer Valerie Plame.

Four Syllables, Starts With M, Ends With Uh-Oh  —  William M. Arkin, a military analyst who writes a blog for The Washington Post's Web site, says he knew that his criticism of American troops would be "highly inflammatory."  —  He got that part right.  —  Arkin, invoking an NBC report …

Libby Live: Novak One  —  NOTES: (1) This is not a transcript — It's the blogger's approximation, and no one really knows what that is yet!  But I do know you shouldn't quote anything not in quotation marks.  (2) I'll timestamp the updates and will update about every 15 minutes, servers willing.

More On Prison Rape  —  Another personal history from Human Rights Watch's report on prison rape, this one with an example of victim-blaming from the authorities: … And here's another history, though this one is more of a remembrance: … These are not atypical tales, click on any of the histories and similar horrors unfold.

Dixie Chicks Lead Grammys With 5 Awards  —  LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Dixie Chicks completed a defiant comeback on Sunday night, winning five Grammy awards after being shunned by the country music establishment over the group's anti-Bush comments leading up to the Iraq invasion.

Announcement  —  I was hired by the Edwards campaign for the skills and talents I bring to the table, and my willingness to work hard for what's right.  Unfortunately, Bill Donohue and his calvacade of right wing shills don't respect that a mere woman like me could be hired for my skills …

Video: Obama says lives of troops killed in Iraq were "wasted"  —  Now we know for sure he's not the messiah.  The messiah doesn't make mistakes.  —  Of course he thinks their lives were wasted.  Everyone on the anti-war side does; that's one of the reasons they want to end the war.

Iran in Iraq: The PowerPoint Presentation  —  We've just added yesterday's briefing on Iranian EFPs in Iraq to our Document Collection.  This is a 16-page brief presented to reporters, and not the transcript of the press conference itself, since the anonymous military briefers in Baghdad …

Thousands of Army Humvees Lack Armor Upgrade  —  The Army is working to fill a shortfall in Iraq of thousands of advanced Humvee armor kits designed to reduce U.S. troop deaths from roadside bombs — including a rising threat from particularly lethal weapons linked to Iran and known as …

2008 Democratic Presidential Primary  —  Clinton 28% Obama 23% Edwards 13%  —  Senator Hillary Clinton (D) continues to enjoy frontrunner status and now attracts 28% of the vote from Likely Democratic Primary Voters nationwide.  The former First Lady of the nation recently asserted that …

EXCLUSIVE: Iranian President Ducks Charges That Iran Is Arming Iraqi Insurgents  —  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Says His Country Is Asking for Peace and the U.S. Should Leave Iraq  —  In an exclusive interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad refused to address accusations …

Review of Children of Men  —  A film that has scenes like these is bound to be more interesting than usual.  —  Warning: I don't do non-spoiler reviews.  You've been warned.  —  I've seen some feminist bloggers take on the movie Children of Men, but none so far from an explicitly feminist point of view …

Michael Gordon, the administration's best friend at the Times  —  In the lead-up to the Iraq War, Michael Gordon of The New York Times wrote one of the most discredited, journalistically irresponsible, and damaging articles of the last decade — a September 8, 2002, front-page article …