Senate panel defies Bush on terror  —  WASHINGTON - A rebellious Senate committee defied President Bush on Thursday and approved terror-detainee legislation he has vowed to block, deepening Republican conflict over a key issue in the middle of congressional campaigns.

Inside the Oval Office  —  President Bush gives journalists a "heads up" about the mid-term elections, among other things.  —  WE NOW KNOW WHY the Bush administration hasn't made the capture of Osama bin Laden a paramount goal of the war on terror.  Emphasis on bin Laden doesn't fit …

Democrats Hold Solid Lead; Strong Anti-Incumbent, Anti-Bush Mood  —  Terrorism Focus Increases, But No GOP Boost  —  Summary of Findings  —  As the congressional midterm campaign begins in earnest, the mood of the electorate is sharply drawn.  Voters are disappointed with Congress and disapproving of President Bush.

Iraqi Official Testifies to Links Between Saddam and Al Qaeda  —  WASHINGTON — A deputy prime minister of Iraq yesterday offered a sharp contradiction of the conventional wisdom here that Saddam Hussein's Iraq and Al Qaeda had no connection before the 2003 war, flatly contradicting a recent report …

Muslim Leaders Assail Pope's Speech on Islam  —  As Pope Benedict XVI arrived back home from Germany, Muslim leaders strongly criticized a speech he gave on his trip that used unflattering language about Islam.  —  Some of the strongest words came from Turkey, possibly putting in jeopardy Benedict's scheduled visit there in November.

Frist Targets Internet Gambling  —  WASHINGTON — Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist is trying use a bill authorizing U.S. military operations, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, to prohibit people from using credit cards to settle Internet gambling debts.  —  Frist, R-Tenn. …

Santorum ad accusing Casey of corruption features dead man, pols linked to Santorum himself  —  GOP Pa. Sen. Rick Santorum's flagging re-election campaign has launched a new TV attack ad that can only be described as absurdist theatre, if not out-and-out absurd.

Lebanon - a reassessment  —  Anyone following the war in Lebanon in the Israeli media could not but come away engulfed in deep depression.  Israelis and their media tend to focus obsessively on themselves, their own losses and failings, remaining largely oblivious to what is happening on the other side of the divide.

Sen. Reid: The Specter bill will NOT be enacted.  Period.  —  (updated below)  —  Sen. Harry Reid participated in a conference call with a dozen or so bloggers this afternoon.  For the first question, I asked him about the Specter bill — specifically, what the Democrats' strategy …

Ney to plead to criminal charge  —  Bob Ney, R-Ohio discusses his bid for re-election, during a campaign rally at the Tuscarawas County GOP headquarters in Dover, Ohio.  Ney has agreed with the Justice Department to plead guilty to at least one criminal charge.

U.S. Military: Senior Al Qaeda Member Arrested in Iraq  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq — A senior member of Al Qaeda in Iraq was killed during an operation in Baghdad this week carrying letters for Usama bin Laden and the new leader of the terror group's Iraqi offshoot, an Interior Ministry official said Thursday.

U.N. Inspectors Dispute Iran Report By House Panel  —  U.N. inspectors investigating Iran's nuclear program angrily complained to the Bush administration and to a Republican congressman yesterday about a recent House committee report on Iran's capabilities, calling parts of the document …

Analyst predicts plunge in gas prices  —  WASHINGTON — The recent sharp drop in the global price of crude oil could mark the start of a massive sell-off that returns gasoline prices to lows not seen since the late 1990s — perhaps as low as $1.15 a gallon.  —  "All the hurricane flags are flying" …

AL-DURA: THE TRIAL (PART ONE)  —  Starting September 14, three Frenchmen go on trial in Paris for questioning the veracity of the 2000 videotape of the putative murder of Palestinian child Mohammed Al-Dura by Israeli soldiers.  This tape - promulgated by the French state-run channel France 2 …

Hezbollah war crimes: Amnesty International cries  —  Heads up!  —  Amnesty International has introduced a comprehensive report accusing a terrorist group of war crimes.In utter defiance of the predominant American left, European and United Nations view that Israel engaged in gross war crimes …

Blair attacks Europe's "mad anti-Americans"  —  LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Tony Blair launched a withering attack on Thursday on what he called "mad anti-Americanism" among European politicians.  —  Blair, U.S. President George W. Bush's closest ally in the so-called war on terror …