Concern Over Wider Spying Under New Law  —  Broad new surveillance powers approved by Congress this month could allow the Bush administration to conduct spy operations that go well beyond wiretapping to include — without court approval — certain types of physical searches on American soil …

Debates and forums going forward  —  As we head into the fall, the campaign is entering a new more engaged phase that will give voters an even greater sense of Barack's message of change and require the campaign to make decisions that balance the important role of debates and maximize time to run the kind of campaign we need to.

Shiite militia expands grip in Baghdad  —  BAGHDAD - The street market bustles in the early mornings and late afternoons as shoppers come out to buy fruit, bread, clothes and toys.  Late into the hot summer nights, whole families gather to eat grilled kebabs at tiny stalls, their small children shrieking as they play tag.

Nix That  —  From Team Thompson:

Ground Zero Blaze Kills 2 Firefighters  —  Two firefighters were killed Saturday battling a blaze in the Deutsche Bank skyscraper, a vacant relic of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack that was in the process of being dismantled.  —  The firefighters were among hundreds who poured into ground zero …

How to tell an expert from an "expert"  —  Matt and Gideon Rose are having a pretty interesting exchange regarding expertise and the Democratic foreign policy community.  I completely agree with Matt when he writes … It's not that the entire VSP community is bad.

71% Favor Requiring Foreign Visitors to Carry Universal ID Card  —  Fifty-eight percent (58%) of voters nationwide favor cutting off federal funds for "sanctuary cities" that offer protection to illegal immigrants.  A Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that just 29% are opposed.

Cops ask for guns, get missile launcher  —  Authorities trade sneakers, gift cards for 310 weapons  —  Orlando Police Sgt. Barbara Jones holds a surface-to-air missile launcher that had been turned in to the Orlando Police Kicks for Guns 2007 program on Friday.

Hundreds pose naked on shrinking Swiss glacier  —  ALETSCH GLACIER, Switzerland (Reuters) - Hundreds of people posed naked on Switzerland's shrinking Aletsch glacier on Saturday for U.S. photographer Spencer Tunick as part of a Greenpeace campaign to raise awareness of global warming.

GIULIANI ENDORSES BUSH'S SOCIAL SECURITY PLAN  —  After Bush won a second term, he entered 2005 in a relatively strong position.  He boasted about having "political capital," his approval rating was around 50%, and he looked at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue and saw a very friendly Republican majority in both chambers.

More On Wiretapping  —  Thanks to many who responded to my request, particularly to commenter LITBMueller for this highly informed comment.  —  Starting off, Marty Lederman has explained the limitations of the six-month "sunset" clause much better than I did a few days ago:

Is Tom Friedman a Bad Person?  —  All signs point to "pretty hideous human being, one which all good people should shun."