Tuesday edition - May 9, 2006

• A Look at U.S. Military Deaths in Iraq AP

• Iraq Body Count

• Eleven bodies found in Tigris near Baghdad Washington Post

• More than 30 killed in Iraq Chicago Tribune

• Pentagon holds back troops due for Iraq Seattle Times

• US dismisses Iranian president's letter Detroit Free Press

• Peres Warns Iran for Threatening Israel AP

Democratic Backbone

Senator Russ Feingold challenged fellow Democrats today to show more backbone in dealing with President Bush on Iraq and other security issues.

The Wisconsin Democrat told a National Press Club audience that Democrats need to get out of their "political foxholes" and call the war in Iraq a mistake.
 

• Shell says oil spills up 50 pct in 2005 Reuters

• U.S. Newborn Survival Rate Ranks Low AP

• Lengthy hormone therapy tied to cancer risk: study Reuters

• Fla. Governor Declares State of Emergency AP

• Southeast US still singing the blue roof blues Reuters

Democrats sued the Secret Service on Monday for copies of White House logs to determine how often allies and associates of convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff visited the Executive Mansion.

The Democratic National Committee filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Washington, saying the Secret Service has failed to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request for the logs.

 

Mercenaries Private Militias in Iraq

A half-dozen armoured sport utility vehicles with guns pointing out the windows, careen onto Baghdad's busy airport highway, bringing traffic to a screeching halt.

Iraqis have learned to keep a wary distance from the convoys of foreign guns-for-hire in mirrored sunglasses and bulletproof vests, who have a reputation for firing at any vehicle that gets too close

Customers will get more than a burger and fries at the Northport McDonald's where President Reagan chomped down on a Big Mac during a 1984 stop.

They'll get to see a bronze bust of the former president, inside a case with a halogen light shining on it 24 hours a day.
 

"This agency [FEMA] worked well under Bill Clinton. It didn't work under Bush's father. It didn't work under Bush. And, you know, Republicans always say government doesn't work; it's inefficient. Yeah, the way you do it." – Bill Maher
 

Political comedy often is intended to stir controversy, but this doesn't usually involve broadcasting rights and the public affairs network C-SPAN.

The cable network asked two Internet video providers, YouTube and IFILM, to pull clips of Stephen Colbert's April 29 performance at the White House Correspondents Association dinner from their Web sites.