Israel mounts fresh Lebanon raid  —  Israel carried out an overnight raid inside Lebanon aimed at disrupting an arms transfer, the Israeli army says.  —  One soldier died and two were injured in the Bekaa Valley operation, it said.  Lebanese sources earlier told Reuters agency that three militants also died.

Allen Flap May Give A Boost To Webb  —  RICHMOND — The nationwide fallout from controversial remarks Sen. George Allen (R-Va.) made last week has given Democrats new hope in a race many thought would be difficult to win in the historically conservative state.

Experts Fault Reasoning in Surveillance Decision  —  Even legal experts who agreed with a federal judge's conclusion on Thursday that a National Security Agency surveillance program is unlawful were distancing themselves from the decision's reasoning and rhetoric yesterday.

Fight fear-mongering with fear-mongering?  —  Slate's John Dickerson offers Dems some advice in responding to Republicans' election-year fear-mongering: fight fire with fire.  With the GOP telling voters, "Vote for Democrats and more Americans will die," it's the only reasonable approach.

Ruling Against Wiretaps Further Sharpens Partisan Divide  —  A federal judge's ruling that the National Security Agency's warrantless wiretapping is unconstitutional set off a flurry of political responses yesterday, as Republicans tried to keep control of the national security debate amid signs …

In Nashville, Sounds of Political Uprising From the Left  —  A bar on Music Row in Nashville.  Democrats in the music industry are frustrated with country and western's reputation for being conservative.  —  NASHVILLE — Country music videos flashed on a television set at the Idle Hour …

G.O.P. Deserts One of Its Own for Lieberman  —  Alan Schlesinger, in Hartford last month, has dismissed calls for him to exit the race.  One poll shows him with just 4 percent of the vote.  —  Facing Senator Joseph I. Lieberman's independent candidacy, Republican officials at the state …

Intelligence officials doubt Iran uranium claims, say Cheney receiving suspect briefings  —  The Bush administration continues to bypass standard intelligence channels and use what some believe to be propaganda tactics to create a compelling case for war with Iran, US foreign policy experts …

Ahmadinejad roadshow seduces an adoring public  —  Eyewitness report: Iran's president arrives on a US-made helicopter - an evangelist from the sky  —  He arrives amid a hurricane of swirling brown dust and deafening noise.  A dense, rolling cloud of straw and dirt sweeps across the parched field …

It's art, says the naked woman who'll hug a dead pig on stage  —  After pickled sheep, unmade beds and painting with elephant dung, some questioned where modern art could go next.  —  Kira O'Reilly will provide her own answer today by spending four hours naked, hugging a dead pig - at the taxpayer's expense.