Dems end week with another Iraq failure  —  The Senate will adjourn for the weekend after a long week of tense debate over Iraq in which Democrats failed to move the ball and Republicans decided to stick with the White House in backing an unpopular war.  —  Yet another Democratic amendment …

Mandela still alive after embarrassing Bush remark  —  JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Nelson Mandela is still very much alive despite an embarrassing gaffe by U.S. President George W. Bush, who alluded to the former South African leader's death in an attempt to explain sectarian violence in Iraq.

2 arrested in noose incident near Jena  —  ALEXANDRIA, Louisiana (CNN) — Authorities in Alexandria, Louisiana, arrested two people after nooses were seen hanging from the back of a red pickup Thursday night, the city's mayor told CNN.  —  Alexandria is less than an hour away from Jena …

Protesters give McCain best line at NRA gathering  —  McCain: "We beat you yesterday.... We'll beat you today . . . And we'll beat you tomorrow!"  File photo by Chuck Kennedy, McClatcthy/Tribune  —  by Christi Parsons  —  Anti-war protesters barged into a speech Sen. John McCain was giving …

MIT Student Arrested For Fake Bomb At Logan  —  Police Say Simpson Had Circuit Board, Wiring, and Play-Doh  —  Blog Chatter: See what people are saying about this story  —  (WBZ) BOSTON An MIT student with a fake bomb strapped to her chest was arrested at gunpoint Friday at Logan International Airport …

George Bush the Texan is 'scared of horses'  —  President Bush may like to be seen as a swaggering tough guy with a penchant for manly outdoor pursuits, but in a new book one of his closest allies has said he is afraid of horses.  —  Vicente Fox, the former president of Mexico …

O'Reilly surprised "there was no difference" between Harlem restaurant and other New York restaurants … During the September 19 edition of his nationally syndicated radio program, discussing his recent trip to have dinner with Rev. Al Sharpton at Sylvia's, a famous restaurant in Harlem …

Hillary Clinton: I'm not a lesbian  —  Hillary Clinton officially declared she's not a lesbian - not that there's anything wrong with that.  —  During an interview with The Advocate to be published next week, Sean Kennedy, the gay magazine's news and features editor, asked the presidential candidate …

Press Briefing by Dana Perino  —  MS. PERINO: Good afternoon.  Happy Friday.  Sorry I'm a little late.  I have nothing to start with, so we'll go to questions.  Does anyone have a question?  (Laughter.)  If not, I've got plenty of other things to do.  —  Wendell.

Boycott Ahmadinejad  —  A Columbia student asked how he could effectively protest his university's invitation to Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to speak Monday.  My first response was to suggest petitions, e-mails to President Bollinger and the university trustees, letters to the student paper, peaceful protest, and the like.

NRCC chair threatens to resign  —  House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) is trying to force out the top two staffers of the National Republican Campaign Committee — leading to a threat of resignation from the NRCC by Chairman Tom Cole (R-Okla.) if it happens, said GOP insiders.

Climate change may help rainforests  —  Climate change may lead to lush growth rather than catastrophic tree loss in the Amazonian forests, researchers from the US and Brazil have found.  A study, in the journal Science, found that reduced rainfall had led to greener forests …

A Beloved Professor Delivers The Lecture of a Lifetime  —  Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon University computer-science professor, was about to give a lecture Tuesday afternoon, but before he said a word, he received a standing ovation from 400 students and colleagues.  —  He motioned to them to sit down.

Anti-War YouTube 'Vet' Admits He Is Faker  —  Brian Ross and Vic Walter Report:  —  A Washington man, whose claims to have slaughtered civilians as a U.S. Army Ranger in Iraq were seen by millions on YouTube, admitted in federal court in Seattle today that he was a fake and a liar.

Breaking news (and SL&P exclusive?): federal Judge Paul Cassell resigning!  —  Though I am not sure whether to be sad or excited, I am intrigued to be able to break the news that that affirms Sentencing Hall of Famer District Judge Paul Cassell today has submitted to President George Bush his …