Bin Laden in video calls for martyrdom  —  (CNN) — Osama bin Laden stresses the importance of martyrdom for Muslim causes in a videotape that purportedly contains a 50-second message from the al Qaeda leader.  —  The 40-minute videotape, whose audio was being translated from Arabic by CNN …

Gilmore drops out of the race  —  Former Virginia Gov. James S. Gilmore III is dropping his underdog bid for the Republican presidential nomination today, he told The Politico in an interview.  —  Gilmore said he has been approached about running for Virginia governor a second time …

Iraq PM: Country can manage without U.S.  —  BAGHDAD - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki shrugged off U.S. doubts of his government's military and political progress on Saturday, saying Iraqi forces are capable and American troops can leave "any time they want."

Ted Rall Cartoon Depicts American Soldier as a Suicide Bomber  —  Ted Rall has created some truly offensive cartoons and articles during his career.  However, this might be one of the most disgraceful statements made by a media representative since this war began (h/t Dan Gainor):

Bill Moyers Journal  —  BILL MOYERS: Welcome to the Journal.  —  Impeachment...the word feared and loathed by every sitting president is back.  It's in the air and on your computer screen, a growing clamor aimed at both President Bush and Vice-President Cheney.  —  This week's news only agitated the clamor.

Muslim heads stuck firmly in the sand  —  Hassan Butt, a former jihadist, demands some fresh thinking  —  In the aftermath of the 7/7 bombings I remember having a passionate discussion with some friends about who was responsible for the attacks.  "It's the work of the security services; I can put my life on it!" one said.

Bush: Iraq report does not signal war is lost  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush took his critics to task Saturday for using the poor marks the Iraqi government received on a progress report this week as reason to argue that the war is lost.  —  Bush acknowledged the Iraqis received …

Fear of a global 'coldening'  —  Decrease Increase -  —  Submit comment:  —  LAST month Australians endured our coldest June since 1950.  Imagine that; all those trillions of tonnes of evil carbon we've horked up into the atmosphere over six decades of rampant industrialisation …

Democrats block amendment to prevent Fairness Doctrine  —  Senate Democrats on Friday blocked an amendment that would have prevented the return of the Fairness Doctrine, a federal rule requiring broadcasters to air opposing views on issues.  —  Although no legislation has been offered …

Here is the news (as we want to report it)  —  This week the BBC was forced to apologise to the Queen for falsely claiming that she stormed out of a photo shoot.  We shouldn't be surprised, says former producer Antony Jay.  In this exclusive extract from a brilliant new CPS pamphlet …

Blue America Welcomes Darcy Burner (What Took Us So Long?)  —  The most astounding thing about Blue America endorsing Darcy Burner is that we're just getting around to it now.  Darcy is the quintessential Blue America candidate and we missed her last year.  Let's make up for it this year …

Sunni Insurgent Leader Paints Iran as 'Real Enemy'  —  U.S. Strategy Described as Only Inflaming Iraqi Resistance  —  BAGHDAD — He wore a pale yellow dress shirt and black-rimmed glasses that lost their tint when he entered the dark lobby of a Baghdad hotel.  He drank orange soda and refused a cigarette.

No Fatah, no fems  —  Jonah, that Arafat-died-of-Aids story is "no shocker" to you, and pretty much an open secret in diplomatic circles.  I'm in Madrid at the moment, and it prompted many knowing chortles among political types I mentioned it to today, along with fond reminiscences …