Leave Him Alone  —  I understand the impulse to treat politics as a bloodsport, but even those who prefer that mode should really limit their attacks to the combatants.  Today's story about the arrest of Al Gore III provides a case in point: … I know that some bloggers are having fun with this …

New al-Qaeda video calls on Muslims to unite in jihad  —  CAIRO, Egypt - Al-Qaeda's No. 2 has issued a new video tape calling on Muslims to unite in jihad, or holy war, and support the Islamist movement in Iraq, a U.S.-based intelligence monitoring group said Wednesday.

Splitting Hairs, Edwards's Stylist Tells His Side of Story  —  Man Behind Pricey Coifs Details Long Relationship  —  For four decades, Joseph Torrenueva has cut the hair of Hollywood celebrities, from Marlon Brando to Bob Barker, so when a friend told him in 2003 that a presidential candidate needed grooming advice, he agreed to help.

Jihadi Transvestite Busted in Islamabad  —  Now here's the sort of story that brightens the 4th of July: … It's like an upper-class Indian masquerading as an Untouchable, or a Ruler of the Universe in blackface, trying to fool the cops.  The deputy information minister has it precisely right …

Taliban Radio station back On air  —  Radio Voice of Shariat has been launched again by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan.  Locals and authorities have accepted that they started broadcasting in the southern provinces.  Radio Voice of Shariat has been heard in the provinces of Paktia, Paktika and Khost.

Construction Woes Add to Fears at Embassy in Iraq  —  U.S. diplomats in Iraq, increasingly fearful over their personal safety after recent mortar attacks inside the Green Zone, are pointing to new delays and mistakes in the U.S. Embassy construction project in Baghdad as signs that their vulnerability could grow in the months ahead.

A Mob-Rule Moment  —  Former senator Fred Thompson has begun his unannounced quest for the Republican presidential nomination by telling audiences in New Hampshire that Washington is badly out of touch with the country.  —  As a senior campaign adviser put it to The Post's Michael Shear …

45 Muslim doctors planned US terror raids  —  A group of 45 Muslim doctors threatened to use car bombs and rocket grenades in terrorist attacks in the United States during discussions on an extremist internet chat site.  —  Police found details of the discussions on a site run by one of a three-strong "cyber-terrorist" gang.

Radioactive devices disappearing at alarming rate  —  Radioactive devices — some of which have the potential to be used in terrorist attacks — have gone missing in alarming numbers in Canada over the past five years.  —  A new database compiled by The Canadian Press shows that the devices …

Severe Weather Hit D.C. Suburban Area  —  WASHINGTON — Fourth of July crowds have been evacuated from the National Mall until severe storms pass through the area, according to Rob Lachance, of the U.S. Park Police.  —  The West Front of the U.S. Capitol also was evacuated due to inclement weather.

Fed Up With War, Some Won't Pay Taxes  —  NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) - When the United States invaded Iraq more than four years ago, war opponent David Gross asked his bosses for a radical pay cut, enough so he wouldn't have to pay taxes to support the war.  —  "I was having a hard time looking at myself in the mirror," Gross said.

Conyers questions presidential pardons  —  The House Judiciary Committee, upset over President Bush's decision to grant clemency to I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, will hold a hearing on July 11 to examine presidential clemency power, Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.), the panel's chairman, announced on Tuesday afternoon.

Gadget boom to drive up energy demand: report  —  LONDON (Reuters) - Flat-screen televisions, computers and other hi-tech gadgets will use nearly half of a typical British household's total electricity by 2020, an energy conservation body said in a report on Wednesday.