Kerry's website defends Kerry's "joke" Update: with video  —  Why does johnkerry.com sport a link to the following Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial? … That's posted right now on John Kerry's website.  It goes on to slam Bush and defend Kerry's crass remark.

Evangelical leader says he bought meth but 'never used it' … COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (CNN) — The Rev. Ted Haggard, who resigned as one of the nation's top evangelical leaders, admitted Friday he had contacted male prostitute Mike Jones for a massage and bought drugs from him.

Six Arab states join rush to go nuclear  —  Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, UAE and Saudi Arabia seek atom technology  —  THE SPECTRE of a nuclear race in the Middle East was raised yesterday when six Arab states announced that they were embarking on programmes to master atomic technology.

G.O.P. Turns to the Economy as Campaign Issue  —  Republicans seized on a drop in the unemployment rate to assert on Friday that tax cuts were invigorating the economy, highlighting just four days before the election an issue that party strategists are counting on to offset bad news about the war.

Hatch remark fuels flap  —  The Duluth News Tribune reported today that DFL gubernatorial candidate Mike Hatch called one of its reporters a "Republican whore" on Thursday.  —  Hatch said Friday morning his recollection was that he used the term "Republican hack," not whore.

Cheney: 'Full Speed Ahead' on Iraq  —  Vice President Tells ABC News Election, Public Sentiment Will Not Influence War Policy  —  Four days before the election, as Republican candidates are battling to save their seats in Congress amidst a backlash over the war in Iraq …

Last Call's Early For Joe As Hecklers Crash Party  —  Maybe he should have gone to the debate after all.  —  Instead of joining his two main opponents for the U.S. Senate - Democrat Ned Lamont and Republican Alan Schlesinger - at Quinnipiac University, Joe Lieberman opted for a relaxing night …

U.S. Seeks Silence on CIA Prisons  —  Court Is Asked to Bar Detainees From Talking About Interrogations  —  The Bush administration has told a federal judge that terrorism suspects held in secret CIA prisons should not be allowed to reveal details of the "alternative interrogation methods" that their captors used to get them to talk.

Papers sold to military: 'Rumsfeld must go'  —  Editorial comes days after Bush affirms defense secretary's job security  —  Just days after President Bush publicly affirmed Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's job security through the end of his term, a family of publications catering …

Ney Says He'll Resign From House  —  Rep. Bob Ney, facing certain expulsion from the House after being convicted of two felonies in relation to the Jack Abramoff scandal, said on Friday he will resign by the end of the day.  —  Ney, who pleaded guilty Oct. 13 to making false statements …

No Leave for Iraq Military Officers  —  AP Photo BAG102  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) - Iraq canceled leave Friday for all military officers two days before an expected verdict - and possible death sentence - in the trial of Saddam Hussein.  For the second time this week, a top Bush administration official huddled …

Why Israel will go to war again - soon  —  There will soon be another war in the Middle East, this time a renewal of the conflict between the Israel Defence Force (IDF) and Hizbollah.  The conflict is inevitable and unavoidable.  It will come about because Israel cannot tolerate the rebuilding …