From CNN: A federal judge ruled Thursday that the government’s warrantless wiretapping program is unconstitutional and ordered an immediate halt to it. U.S. District Judge Anna Diggs Taylor in Detroit became the first judge to strike down the National Security Agency’s program, which she says violates the rights to free speech and privacy. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit on behalf of journalists, scholars and lawyers who say

From ABC’s The Blotter: A senior al Qaeda commander allegedly tied to the London airplane bomb plot has been arrested in Pakistan, Pakistani intelligence and law enforcement officials have told ABC News. Matiur Rehman, one of the most wanted men in Pakistan, is known to have met with the alleged plot ringleader Rashid Rauf, according to the officials. Rehman’s capture could provide the most important leads in months to the

Karr confesses.  From this morning’s Rocky Mountain News / AP: A former American school teacher said publicly Thursday he was with JonBenet Ramsey when she was killed and called the 6-year-old’s death “an accident,” a stunning admission that should help answer 10 years of questions in the unsolved murder case. John Mark Karr, 41, will be taken within the week to Colorado, where he will face charges of first degree

Because she earned the right to spit in a lot of faces, that’s for sure.  From the Rocky Mountain News, “Suspect named in JonBenet killing”: A man arrested in Thailand is being held in connection with the slaying of JonBenet Ramsey, law enforcement officials said today. John Karr, 41, a former Atlanta, Ga., resident, was arrested today in Bangkok, according to two people familiar with the investigation who spoke on

To my mind, it’s still too soon to say—and much depends upon whether or not Olmert’s strategy (if indeed what follows is his strategy) is being embraced behind the scenes—but Strategy Page seems to think that Israel has played its hand fairly well: The success of the ceasefire in Lebanon hinges on a condition that Lebanon and Hizbollah both insist will not happen. Hizbollah is supposed to disarm, but says

That UK terror plot that’s been all over the news?  Sullivan remains unconvinced that such a thing even existed.  In fact, Andrew appears to be leaning toward the position that the whole thing was a bit of cynical political theater—a thesis that would require Bush to control Tony Blair, the British press, and MI5 (which, to be fair, is hardly a stretch if the Jews can control the media, Hollywood,

Recorded at Legend Studio, Pascagoula, Mississippi, June 1979, but never released.* “Got To Get HIM Into My Life” I was alone, I took a ride, I didn’t know what I would find there Another road where maybe I could see another kind of SIGN there Ooh, then I suddenly see HIM Ooh, and it’s true that I need HIM Every single day of my life HE didn’t run, HE doesn’t

To Ann Kellett, for David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas, Bret Easton Ellis’ Lunar Park, and Walter Benn Michaels’ The Shape of the Signifier.  Looking forward to diving into each of these in its turn just as soon as I buy a nice satin smoking jacket.  And maybe one of those fancy leather reading chairs with the big rivets. — Because it’s impossible not to feel smart sitting in one of those

In a Sunday post noting the capture of the al Qaeda leader in Britain, I raised the following questions: […] should the leader of Britain’s al Qaeda be given what amounts to Geneva Convention protections / domestic civil liberties protections—especially in light of the recently foiled plan designed to bring down a score of airliners?  Or should the forces allied against Islamic terror be making other arrangements for his questioning?