The Pope's Words  —  There is more than enough religious anger in the world.  So it is particularly disturbing that Pope Benedict XVI has insulted Muslims, quoting a 14th-century description of Islam as "evil and inhuman."  —  In the most provocative part of a speech this week on …

Behind the Debate, Controversial CIA Techniques  —  President Bush's push this week for legislation that narrowly defines U.S. obligations under the Geneva Conventions is motivated by his aides' conviction that the CIA must continue using a small number of highly controversial interrogation techniques …

We Don't Support Gropers except for Bill Clinton  —  In a recent post, Ann Althouse rightly pokes fun at a picture of a group of left-leaning bloggers who met with and posed with Bill Clinton.  Professor Althouse points out the irony of a female blogger from a "feminist" …

Bloomberg Secretly Considers Presidential Campaign  —  CBS 2 Exclusive: Despite Public Denials, Mayor Has Secret Meeting With National Political Strategist, Wall Street Money Man  —  (CBS) NEW YORK New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has always denied it, but CBS 2 has learned the details of a secret meeting …

Corn Denies Charge in 'WSJ' That He Outed Plame  —  NEW YORK David Corn, co-author with Michael Isikoff of the new book "Hubris" that has made so much news lately, today heatedly denied what he called an old and false charge in the Wall Street Journal that he — not Robert Novak — outed Valerie Plame as a CIA operative.

Late Nite FDL: Liza, Liza, Liza...  Ah, there's nothing like other people's brushes with power to bring out the self-righteous twerp in some folks.  I was just waking up and splashing around in Technorati-land this morning when I came across this homesick abortion of a post by hitherto unknown to me blogger "Liza" of "Culture Kitchen".

In a replay of Iraq, a battle is brewing over intelligence on Iran  —  WASHINGTON - In an echo of the intelligence wars that preceded the U.S. invasion of Iraq, a high-stakes struggle is brewing within the Bush administration and in Congress over Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program and involvement in terrorism.

Republican Voters Dismayed by Biggest Spending Rise Since 1990  —  Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) — Republican voters are angry, not for the first time, at big-spending politicians in Washington.  This year, their wrath is aimed at their own party.  —  The Republican-controlled Congress heads …

Lebanon Must Disarm Hezbollah, Israeli Foreign Minister Warns  —  The Lebanese government must fully implement a recent U.N. resolution requiring the disarming of the militant Shiite group Hezbollah or Israel will be less reluctant to attack the Lebanese state if Hezbollah resumes hostilities …

Neo-Nazis join quiet march to poll victory  —  THERE was not a skinhead to be seen in this Baltic town at the heart of Germany's neoNazi revival.  No thugs with steel-tipped paratroop boots, no ranting xenophobes.  —  Yet the signs are clear: the far Right is on the march in Eastern Germany.

Los Angeles Times Editor Openly Defies Owner's Call for Job Cuts  —  The editor of The Los Angeles Times appears to be in a showdown with the paper's owner, the Tribune Company, over job cuts in the newsroom.  —  In a highly unusual move, Dean P. Baquet, who was named editor last year …

Hynes to Obama: Run for president  —  Barack Obama's one-time rival for the U.S. Senate wants him to run for president in 2008 — a move that could leave Obama's Senate seat vacant again.  —  State comptroller Dan Hynes, a fellow Democrat whom Obama trounced in the 2004 primary …