Iraqi official: Al-Qaida in Iraq leader wounded  —  Al-Masri reportedly hurt, in custody; aide slain in skirmish north of Baghdad  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - The leader of al-Qaida in Iraq was wounded and an aide was killed in a clash Thursday with Iraqi forces north of Baghdad, the Interior Ministry spokesman said.

Reid Schedules Saturday Vote on House's Iraq Resolution  —  Senate Democratic leaders abruptly switched course in the Iraq war debate today, shelving a complicated non-binding resolution that has run into procedural hurdles, in favor of a House version that simply states Congress's objections to President Bush's troop escalation plan.

Auditors: Billions squandered in Iraq  —  WASHINGTON - The U.S. government has squandered as much as $10 billion in public money on Iraq reconstruction aid because of overcharges and unsubstantiated expenses.  More is yet to come, federal investigators said Thursday.

CNN: White House Now Blames Briefer For Going Too Far On Iran Intel  —  Last Sunday, the Bush administration finally presented its long-delayed intelligence briefing on Iranian arms shipments into Iraq.  Prior to the presentation, a U.S. official told the New York Times that it had been delayed …

Why I had to quit the John Edwards campaign  —  During my brief tenure as blogmaster for a Democratic presidential contender, I experienced the right-wing smear machine firsthand  —  As one of the thousands, possibly millions, of bloggers out there holding forth on everything from cooking to politics …

Keith Olbermann, NBC agree on second term  —  'Countdown' host extends through 2011; will contribute more to network  —  MSNBC is a joint venture between NBC and Microsoft  —  NEW YORK - Keith Olbermann will continue to be a thorn in Bill O'Reilly's side for at least four more years.

Democrats in State Capitols Push Antiwar Resolutions  —  Frustrated by the inability of Democrats in Congress to pass a resolution opposing President Bush's policies in Iraq, state legislators across the country, led by Democrats and under pressure from liberal advocacy groups, are pushing forward with their own resolutions.

U.S. senator: It's time to ban Wikipedia in schools, libraries  —  Here's the newest from Sen. Ted Stevens, the man who described the Internet as a series of tubes: It's time for the federal government to ban access to Wikipedia, MySpace, and social networking sites from schools and libraries.

Rudy's New Social Conservatism  —  Pundits of all political persuasions have been chattering about whether Rudy Giuliani, whose name is invariably modified by the description "social liberal," can overcome the objections of many religious conservatives to win the Republican nomination.

Chavez threat to seize food shops  —  Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez has threatened to nationalise stores that sell meat above a government-set price.  —  The government says supermarkets have been artificially boosting prices of basic foods by manipulating stockpiles.

Libertarians in America  —  Free to choose, and a good thing too.  —  Scores of books have been written on the role of communists and socialists in the U.S., dour chronicles of welcome failure.  But very few writers have devoted much attention to the role of libertarians …

Bush Regains His Footing  —  It may seem perverse to suggest that, at the very moment the House of Representatives is repudiating his policy in Iraq, President Bush is poised for a political comeback.  But don't be astonished if that is the case.  —  Like President Bill Clinton …

Rep. Jefferson Gets Seat on Homeland Security  —  Rep. William Jefferson, the Louisiana Democrat who's facing an ongoing federal corruption probe, is being granted a spot on the Homeland Security Committee, according to Democratic aides.  —  The appointment will be announced Friday …