Top Items:
Uzi Mahnaimi / Times of London:
Israel plans attack on Gaza — ISRAEL's new defence minister Ehud Barak is planning an attack on Gaza within weeks to crush the Hamas militants who have seized power there. — According to senior Israeli military sources, the plan calls for 20,000 troops to destroy much of Hamas's military capability in days.
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Mark Lavie / Associated Press:
2 rockets fired at Israel from Lebanon — JERUSALEM - Two Katyusha rockets fell on northern Israel Sunday, the first fired from Lebanon since last summer's inconclusive war with Hezbollah guerrillas. No one was hurt, but there was some damage, police and the military said.
Discussion:
Jihad Watch
Steven Erlanger / New York Times:
Palestinian Split Poses a Policy Quandary for U.S.
Palestinian Split Poses a Policy Quandary for U.S.
Discussion:
The Huffington Post
Chicago Tribune:
POINTING THE WAY FOR PROSECUTORS — Under fire, not in retreat — Gonzales' plan for attorney reviews would further politicize process — Atty Gen. Alberto Gonzales so far has survived a political crisis over the firing of nine U.S. attorneys, a rare potential vote of no-confidence …
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Nico / Think Progress:
Gonzales plans to 'tighten the leash' on attorneys. — Attorney General Alberto Gonzales "recently proposed tightening the leash on the men and women who prosecute federal crimes across the nation. Gonzales described what he delicately calls 'a more vigorous and a little bit more formal process' for annually evaluating prosecutors.
Discussion:
The Swamp
Mark Steyn / Orange County Register:
Beware of government as the last action hero — The other day, six Anglican archbishops called for the church to bless the unions of same-sex couples. The Anglican Church of Canada is about to have a big vote on the issue, and depending which way they swing it will either deepen the schism within …
Discussion:
Blue Crab Boulevard
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Janet I. Tu / Seattle Times:
"I am both Muslim and Christian" — Shortly after noon on Fridays, the Rev. Ann Holmes Redding ties on a black headscarf, preparing to pray with her Muslim group on First Hill. — On Sunday mornings, Redding puts on the white collar of an Episcopal priest. — She does both, she says, because she's Christian and Muslim.
The Big Trunk / Power Line:
BRIDGE PERSON TO NOWHERE — The Seattle Times runs a long profile of Episcopal priest Ann Holmes Redding. Redding has converted to Islam. "Until recently," she was director of faith formation at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral in Seattle. She doesn't hold an ecclesiastical position at the moment …
Discussion:
Maggie's Farm
Nasser Karimi / Associated Press:
Iran: Putin pulls plans on radar station — TEHRAN, Iran - Iran said Sunday it had received indications from Russia's president that he would not follow through with an offer to allow the U.S. to use a radar station in neighboring Azerbaijan for missile defense against Tehran.
Discussion:
The Newshoggers
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Ed Morrissey / Captain's Quarters:
The Putin Bait-And-Switch — Vladimir Putin surprised George Bush at the G-8 summit by offering to help the US place the missile-shield system in Azerbaijan rather than Poland and the Czech Republic. Given the conditions of the offer, which was that the system would remain in Russian control rather …
Duff Wilson / New York Times:
Prosecutor in Duke Case Disbarred by Ethics Panel — A state ethics panel on Saturday disbarred Michael B. Nifong, the Durham district attorney who pursued a false accusation of sexual assault against three Duke University lacrosse players, shortly after Mr. Nifong said through his lawyer that he thought disbarment was appropriate.
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Associated Press:
Administration pushes for mandatory sentences — WASHINGTON — The Bush administration is trying to roll back a Supreme Court decision by pushing legislation that would require prison time for nearly all criminals. — The Justice Department is offering the plan as an opening salvo …
Julian Dibbell / New York Times:
The Life of the Chinese Gold Farmer — It was an hour before midnight, three hours into the night shift with nine more to go. At his workstation in a small, fluorescent-lighted office space in Nanjing, China, Li Qiwen sat shirtless and chain-smoking, gazing purposefully at the online computer game in front of him.
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online
Gary Cleland / Telegraph:
BBC report finds bias within corporation — The BBC has failed to promote proper debate on major political issues because of the inherent liberal culture of its staff, a report commissioned by the corporation has concluded. — The report claims that coverage of single-issue political causes …
Michael E. Ruane / Washington Post:
Jefferson Memorial's Signs of Sinking Raise Fresh Alarms — Up on the surface, the signs of the trouble at the Jefferson Memorial are small: — A few blacktop patches over uneven seams in some concrete. A cordoned-off section where the sea wall has slipped below the front plaza.
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Kristen Mack / Houston Chronicle:
Melissa Noriega easily wins council seat runoff — Travis Quinn wins Ward D race in Clute by 1 vote — Melissa Noriega, a Houston educator whose campaign had strong funding and key support, easily defeated retired Air Force officer Roy Morales in Saturday's runoff for the Houston City Council At-Large Position 3 seat.
Associated Press:
Mating hares block Milan airport runways — MILAN, Italy - Wild hares at Milan's Linate airport seem to have only one thing on their mind, and their excessive mating and growing numbers have blocked takeoffs, landings and radar systems. — Officials on Sunday mounted a daylight raid to keep …