House Passes Changes in Surveillance Program  —  Under pressure from President Bush, the House on Saturday gave final approval to changes in a terrorist surveillance program despite serious objections from many Democrats about the scope of the executive branch's new eavesdropping power.

Kos Presidential Forum: Highs and Lows  —  CHICAGO, Ill. — Seven of the eight Democratic candidates for president just spent 90 rollicking minutes answering questions and — occasionally — jabbing each other in the marquee event of this year's YearlyKos gathering.

7 ARRESTED IN RAIDS AFTER EDITOR'S SLAYING  —  CRIME SPREE INQUIRY: Cops storm Oakland bakery in probe of 3 shooting deaths  —  The son of the late Yusuf Bey was among seven people arrested Friday in predawn police raids on Your Black Muslim Bakery and three homes in connection with three Oakland homicides …

Soldier Censored at Kos Convention  —  An as yet unidentified uniformed soldier attempted to address the panel on the subject of the "Surge".  He was unceremoniously escorted out by panelist Jon Soltz.  —  The soldier's words were either suppressed or inaudible on the convention's own video.

State curtails e-voting  —  L.A. system decertified; restrictions on two others  —  Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A13  —  California Secretary of State Debra Bowen, bowing to fears of computer fraud, Friday decertified Los Angeles County's electronic voting system and sharply curtailed …

The Turn  —  Defeatists in retreat.  —  Hot July brings cooling showers, / Apricots and gillyflowers, as Sara Coleridge's doggerel has it.  But for the American antiwar movement, this July brought only a cold drizzle, wilted blossoms, and bitter fruit.  —  For the Iraq war's opponents, July began as a month of hope.

Explosives Found Near Goose Creek; FBI on Scene  —  Goose Creek - Berkeley County police pulled over a vehicle in a routine traffic stop near Meyers Road and Highway 1-76 around 6 p.m. The vehicle with Florida tags was driven by two men of Middle Eastern descent.  Inside police found explosive devices.

Candidates court bloggers, avoid commitment  —  CHICAGO — The second YearlyKos convention is a show of strength for the new blogging establishment: A parade of major Democratic politicians, including the leaders of the House and Senate and almost every presidential candidate …

Fred Thompson's Powerful but Mysterious Wife  —  She wields tremendous influence over her husband's would-be presidential campaign.  But who is Jeri Thompson—and why won't the campaign discuss her?  —  Man About Town: As a celebrity bachelor during his time in D.C., Thompson …

Republicans try to rebuke Murtha  —  House Republicans sought to rebuke Rep. John P. Murtha (D-Pa.) Friday night for his actions while presiding over the chamber earlier in the day.  —  The resolution was just one of the many protest measures Republicans lobbed at the majority Friday …

AN OPENING  —  Presumably you've heard about "private contractors," the well-paid, well-armed, not always well-disciplined security people who do a lot of the work in Iraq that in earlier wars would have been done by the U.S. Army.  More than one left-wing blogger has caught flak for describing …