Bin Laden in video calls for martyrdom  —  (CNN) — Osama bin Laden stresses the importance of martyrdom for Muslim causes in a videotape that purportedly contains a 50-second message from the al Qaeda leader.  —  The 40-minute videotape, whose audio was being translated from Arabic by CNN …

Gilmore drops out of the race  —  Former Virginia Gov. James S. Gilmore III is dropping his underdog bid for the Republican presidential nomination today, he told The Politico in an interview.  —  Gilmore said he has been approached about running for Virginia governor a second time …

Why Bush Will Be A Winner  —  I suppose I'll merely expose myself to harmless ridicule if I make the following assertion: George W. Bush's presidency will probably be a successful one.  —  Let's step back from the unnecessary mistakes and the self-inflicted wounds that have characterized the Bush administration.

Bill Moyers talks with Bruce Fein and John Nichols  —  BILL MOYERS: One of the fellows you're about to meet wrote the first article of impeachment against President Clinton.  Bruce Fein did so because perjury is a legal crime.  And Fein believed no one is above the law.

L.A. archdiocese to pay $660M for abuse  —  LOS ANGELES - Hundreds of people who claim they were abused by clergy affiliated with the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles can expect to be paid more than $1 million each in a $660 million settlement of their lawsuits.

Ship of fools: Johann Hari sets sail with America's swashbuckling neocons  —  The Iraq war has been an amazing success, global warming is just a myth - and as for Guantanamo Bay, it's practically a holiday camp... The annual cruise organised by the 'National Review', mouthpiece of right-wing America …

Maliki Says His Forces Are Able to Secure Iraq  —  Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki declared Saturday that Iraqi forces could secure the country on their own "any time" American troops decided to withdraw, his first response to the White House report this week that found his government falling …

An Open Letter to CNN from Michael Moore  —  Well, the week is over — and still no apology, no retraction, no correction of your glaring mistakes.  —  I bet you thought my dust-up with Wolf Blitzer was just a cool ratings coup, that you really wouldn't have to correct the false statements you made about "Sicko."

Thompson delays filing as campaign ramps up  —  He has collected millions of dollars.  Aides go to work every day in a secret suite of offices in McLean, Va. He has policy briefings.  He is preparing for nationally televised Republican debates.  He just named a communications director and a political director.

Generals' warning on Afghanistan  —  Military chiefs warn No.10 that defeat could lead to change of regime in Pakistan  —  Britain's most senior generals have issued a blunt warning to Downing Street that the military campaign in Afghanistan is facing a catastrophic failure …

SIRIUS doesn't think you're patriotic  —  I just was a guest on Mike Feder's show SIRIUS Satellite Radio show and learned something deeply, deeply offensive.  —  The liberal channel is called "SIRIUS Left."  —  The conservative channel is called "SIRIUS Patriot."  —  SIRIUS Satellite Radio doesn't think you're patriotic.

Having a torrid time at the BBC - Busy Blurting Confessions  —  The BBC has been forced to apologise for a trailer clip that seemed to show the Queen snarling "stitch this, love" at the American photographer Annie Leibovitz and then nutting her between the eyes.  A palace spokesman angrily denied the Queen had done any such thing.

In Intelligence World, A Mute Watchdog  —  Panel Reported No Violations for Five Years  —  An independent oversight board created to identify intelligence abuses after the CIA scandals of the 1970s did not send any reports to the attorney general of legal violations during the first 5 1/2 years …

Bush Is Prepared to Veto Bill to Expand Child Insurance  —  The White House said on Saturday that President Bush would veto a bipartisan plan to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program, drafted over the last six months by senior members of the Senate Finance Committee.

Bush Leans On Petraeus as War Dissent Deepens  —  Almost every time President Bush has defended his new strategy in Iraq this year, he has invoked the name of the top commander, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus.  —  Speaking in Cleveland on Tuesday, Bush called Petraeus his "main man" — a …

Ted Rall Cartoon Depicts American Soldier as a Suicide Bomber  —  Ted Rall has created some truly offensive cartoons and articles during his career.  However, this might be one of the most disgraceful statements made by a media representative since this war began (h/t Dan Gainor):

N. Korea Shutters Nuclear Facility  —  Move Follows Delivery of Oil; U.N. Team to Verify Shutdown  —  After four years of off-and-on negotiations, North Korea said it began closing down its main nuclear reactor Saturday, shortly after receiving a first boatload of fuel oil aid.