In Big Shift, U.S. to Follow Geneva Treaty for Detainees  —  WASHINGTON, July 11 — In a sweeping change of policy, the Pentagon has decided that it will treat all detainees in compliance with the minimum standards spelled out in the Geneva conventions, a senior defense official said today.

40 killed in Mumbai train blasts  —  MUMBAI, India (CNN) — At least 40 people have been killed in seven explosions on crowded rush-hour commuter trains in the Indian financial capital of Mumbai, police said.  —  More than 100 people were injured in the blasts, which took place between 6:20 and 7 p.m. …

Beheading Desecration Video of Dead U.S. Soldiers Released on Internet by al Qaeda (Video/Images)  —  A brutal video showing the desecration of the bodies of two U.S. soldiers has been released on the internet by an al Qaeda linked group.  The Jawa Report has obtained a copy of the video.

Smaller Budget Deficit Projected  —  Tax Cuts Credited; Long-Term Outlook Still Seen as Bleak  —  The Bush administration is planning to trumpet today a midyear revision of its budget estimates projecting that a recent surge in tax revenue will help to shrink this year's federal deficit below $300 billion …

The UW 9/11 denialist appears on "Hannity and Colmes."  —  The day the university announced its decision to permit Kevin Barrett to teach the one course he was hired to teach, he appeared on "Hannity and Colmes," introduced by Alan Colmes as "University of Wisconsin professor Kevin Barrett."

Tastes great, less filling  —  Remember preemption?  —  It seems like just a few months ago — and it was — that the Bush administration laid out a National Security Strategy in which it said that the United States held itself free to use force "before attacks occur," even if the time and place of such attacks isn't yet known.

General Speaks of Immigrant Father  —  MIAMI, July 10 — A congressional hearing on immigration came to a dramatic pause Monday when Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, choked up as he talked about his Italian immigrant father and the opportunities that America had given to his family.

British Muslims Mock 7/7 & 9/11 Victims, Support Terror.  U.K./Birmingham Subsidizing (UPDATED/BUMPED)  —  Allah now has the video up.  It's truly sickening.  In it, the speaker makes fun of Korean hostage Kim Sun-Il, murdered by Tawhid i Jihad (predecessor of al Qaeda) for begging for his life.

Read my lips: the taunt that made Zidane snap  —  Our correspondent finds out what may have caused a great player to lose his head in such spectacular style  —  WITH his monkish mien backed by a sense of brooding menace, Zinédine Zidane has always been something of an enigma …

Kos The Democratic Keyboard Kingpin  —  Welcome to the newly inaugurated All Things Beautiful!  —  To those of you who have waited patiently for the last couple of days, thank you, I hope it was worth the wait, and thank you for all the wonderful e-mails of encouragement and offers of technical support, it was much appreciated.

Chechen Terror Leader Shamil Basayev Killed in Russia  —  MOSCOW — Chechen warlord Shamil Basayev, who claimed responsibility for modern Russia's worst terrorist attacks, was killed Monday, Russia's top intelligence official said.  —  Federal Security Service head Nikolai Patrushev told …

The GOP's Looming Battle  —  As it looks beyond the elections of 2006, a Republican Party known for ideological solidarity is on the cusp of a far more searching philosophical battle than are the Democrats, historically accustomed to bruising fights over the finer points of political theory.

Aggression Under False Pretenses  —  GAZA, Palestine — As Americans commemorated their annual celebration of independence from colonial occupation, rejoicing in their democratic institutions, we Palestinians were yet again besieged by our occupiers, who destroy our roads and buildings …