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 …

Bush Leans On Petraeus as War Dissent Deepens  —  Almost every time President Bush has defended his new strategy in Iraq this year, he has invoked the name of the top commander, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus.  —  Speaking in Cleveland on Tuesday, Bush called Petraeus his "main man" — a …

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):

Bush Is Prepared to Veto Bill to Expand Child Insurance  —  The White House said on Saturday that President Bush would veto a bipartisan plan to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program, drafted over the last six months by senior members of the Senate Finance Committee.

An Open Letter to CNN from Michael Moore  —  Well, the week is over — and still no apology, no retraction, no correction of your glaring mistakes.  —  I bet you thought my dust-up with Wolf Blitzer was just a cool ratings coup, that you really wouldn't have to correct the false statements you made about "Sicko."

SIRIUS doesn't think you're patriotic  —  I just was a guest on Mike Feder's show SIRIUS Satellite Radio show and learned something deeply, deeply offensive.  —  The liberal channel is called "SIRIUS Left."  —  The conservative channel is called "SIRIUS Patriot."  —  SIRIUS Satellite Radio doesn't think you're patriotic.

Generals' warning on Afghanistan  —  Military chiefs warn No.10 that defeat could lead to change of regime in Pakistan  —  Britain's most senior generals have issued a blunt warning to Downing Street that the military campaign in Afghanistan is facing a catastrophic failure …

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.

Thompson delays filing as campaign ramps up  —  He has collected millions of dollars.  Aides go to work every day in a secret suite of offices in McLean, Va. He has policy briefings.  He is preparing for nationally televised Republican debates.  He just named a communications director and a political director.

L.A. archdiocese to pay $660M for abuse  —  LOS ANGELES - The nation's largest Catholic archdiocese has settled its abuse cases for $660 million, by far the largest payout in the church's sexual abuse scandal, The Associated Press has learned.  —  The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles …

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 …

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 …