"The State Department is investigating whether Israel's use of American-made cluster bombs in southern Lebanon violated secret agreements with the United States that restrict when it can employ such weapons."

African Command: the Pentagon plans for the Long War.

What's going to be my new #1 news go-to, now that both Dana Milbank and Howard Kurtz are on hiatus? (And Andrew Cohen just doesn't write enough?) Hellooo, Abu Aardvark. (Here's a good example of why.)

FRIDAY NEWS:
* Sadr's militia continues to seize power in Iraq.
* The Army is reviewing combat deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan.
* Wal-Mart gets criticism from all sides as it opens up to gays and lesbians.
* Administration opposes school integration plans.
* Republican poll numbers slip among the religious.
* Ehrlich isn't afraid to exercise his clemency powers.
* Unrevealed evidence in the maligned Duke rape case.
* Andrew Cohen on patience and the Karr-Ramsey case.
* Scythian mummy on display in Germany.
* The tallest female twins join the volleyball team at AU.

Cruise v. Paramount: yes, celebrity still matters, but money rules all. Was it all due to a slump in DVD sales?

Technical Emmys named, plus Conan O'Brien's plans to screw up.

Evolutionary biology "accidentally" left off the list of acceptable fields of study for recipients of a federal education grant.