The House of Representatives voted to condemn news media yesterday for reporting on a program tracking terrorists’ finances. The GOP-backed resolution did not mention any publication by name, but during the debate the New York Times was singled out for criticism.

In another vote, the House ended the 25-year moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling. The bill would allow oil and gas companies to drill within 50 miles of U.S. coastlines. Much of the royalties paid by the companies would be diverted from the federal government to coastal state governments. A measure to raise the minimum average gas mileage of American cars was defeated.

A new audiotape from Osama bin Laden was released on a jihadist website yesterday. In the tape he called Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a former leader of the Sunni insuregency in Iraq, “a brave knight” and a “lion of jihad.” He also referred to Zarqawi’s attacks on Iraqis, saying, “those who…stood to fight on the side of the crusaders against the Muslims, then he should kill them…regardless of their sect or tribe.”

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya condemned Israel’s Gaza offensive in his first public address since the campaign began on Tuesday. Haniya accused Israel of using the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier as a pretext to bring down the Hamas-led government. He said steps were being taken to secure the soldier’s release.

Kuwaiti women competed in a parliamentary election for the first time but won no seats in the National Assembly. Conservative Islamist candidates and secular reformists formed a loose coalition based on fighting government corruption.

President Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will take a private tour of Graceland, home of Koizumi’s favorite musician, today. The U.S. will offer Koizumi a jukebox loaded with Elvis hits before he returns to Japan.