Morning headlines brought to you by

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

The World

Israel pounds Hezbollah's strongholds
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Israel pounded Hezbollah's southern Beirut strongholds with missiles early Friday, and in a sharp expansion of its bombing targeted bridges for the first time in the Christian heartland north of the capital.

France, U.S. step up Mideast negotiating
UNITED NATIONS - The United States and France have "come a long way" in negotiating a Security Council resolution that calls for an immediate end to Middle East hostilities, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton said, as diplomats promised a deal on a resolution in days.

Russia urges Iran to heed UN resolution on uranium enrichment
MOSCOW (AFP) - Russia has urged Iran to heed a United Nations Security Council resolution giving the Islamic republic until the end of the month to suspend uranium enrichment activities.

Conservatives shrug off gloomy new poll
CORNWALL, Ontario (Reuters) - Prime Minister Stephen Harper shrugged off a poll on Thursday that showed his minority Conservative government was losing support, saying he was sure people would keep backing his right-wing agenda.

The Nation

Pentagon generals warn of Iraq civil war
WASHINGTON - Two top Pentagon commanders said Thursday that spiraling violence in Baghdad could propel Iraq into outright civil war, using a politically loaded term that the Bush administration has long avoided.

Sept. 11 investigations still going on
WASHINGTON - Five years after the Sept. 11 attacks, investigators are still looking into the government's response to the hijackings, specifically to determine why aviation and military officials inaccurately reported their performance on that day.

Senate rejects estate, minimum wage bill
WASHINGTON - A bill combining an estate tax cut with a boost in the federal minimum wage, an election-year combination engineered by Republicans, may see another vote this fall.

Pension overhaul bill sent to president
WASHINGTON - Congress passed major pension legislation designed to assure American workers, including millions of baby boomers nearing the end of their working careers, that the pensions they have been promised will be there when they retire.

Critics say library case 'overcensored'
WASHINGTON - The Bush administration is often accused of an obsession with secrecy, and critics say the case of the Justice Department versus Connecticut librarians proves their point.

Court refuses to replace DeLay on Texas ballot
NEW ORLEANS - A federal appeals court panel on Thursday refused to let Texas Republicans replace Tom DeLay’s name on the November congressional ballot. A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling by U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks, who said in July that DeLay name had to stay on the ballot even though he quit from Congress and moved to Virginia.

GOP to take DeLay case to Supreme Court
AUSTIN, Texas - Texas Republicans said they will take their fight to remove indicted former congressman Tom DeLay from the election ballot to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Economy & Business

Dow closes up 43, Nasdaq finishes up 14
NEW YORK - Mild economic data and strong retail sales lifted stocks Thursday and helped investors overcome concerns about the Federal Reserve's expected decision on interest rate hikes next week.

Jobless claims rose to 315,000 in latest week
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of workers seeking initial jobless aid rose 14,000 last week, the government said on Thursday, but remained at levels still indicative of a stable labor market.

Economy rises despite high energy prices
WASHINGTON - Retailers scored solid sales and factories saw orders pick up, hopeful signs the economy isn't cracking under the pressure of high energy prices.

Services, factory data below expectations
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Business activity in the U.S. services sector in July and new orders at U.S. factories in June were surprisingly weak, two reports showed on Thursday, signaling that economic growth was decelerating.

Science & Technology

Ants More Aggressive When in Gangs
Whether in a bar or on the battlefield, it’s easier to fight knowing friends have your back. The same is true in the ant world. A new study shows ants are more aggressive when they think they’re part of a larger group.

Wow! Just like people.—Caro

Doctors Paid up to $5,000 to Recruit Human Guinea Pigs
If your doctor suggests you're the perfect candidate for some clinical trial, you might ask how much he's getting paid to recruit you. Finders fees from $2,000 to $5,000 are common, say University of Toronto researchers Trudo Lemmens and Paul Miller. The fees are being paid to physicians, nurses and other health care professionals.