Thai military launches coup, backs king  —  BANGKOK, Thailand - The Thai military launched a coup against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Tuesday night, circling his offices with tanks, seizing control of TV stations and declaring a provisional authority pledging loyalty to the king.

Poll finds rebound in Bush approval  —  WASHINGTON — Amid falling gas prices and a two-week drive to highlight his administration's efforts to fight terrorism, President Bush's approval rating has risen to 44% in a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll.  That's his highest rating in a year.

President Bush Addresses United Nations General Assembly  —  Fact Sheet: Address to the UN General Assembly: A More Hopeful World Beyond Terror and Extremism  —  THE PRESIDENT: Mr. Secretary General, Madam President, distinguished delegates, and ladies and gentlemen: I want to thank …

McCain Stand Comes at a Price  —  Battling Bush over rules for detainee treatment, senator jeopardizes his courtship of the right.  —  WASHINGTON — Conservative activists are heaping criticism on Sen. John McCain for fighting President Bush over proposed rules for the interrogation of terrorism suspects …

Chirac calls for threat of Iran sanctions to be lifted  —  President Jacques Chirac has broken ranks with the US and Britain by calling for the suspension of UN Security Council action against Iran during negotiations over its nuclear programme.  —  In a radio interview yesterday before flying …

Canadian Was Falsely Accused, Panel Says  —  After Tip From Ally, U.S. Sent Muslim to Syria for Questioning  —  Canadian intelligence officials passed false warnings and bad information to American agents about a Muslim Canadian citizen, after which U.S. authorities secretly whisked him to Syria …

The Senator's Gentile Rebuke  —  First came Sen. George Allen's Macaca Moment.  Then we learned of challenger Jim Webb's thoughts on the "horny" women of the Naval Academy.  —  Now, just when you thought Virginia's U.S. Senate race couldn't get any weirder, the Jews of Tunis are making a cameo.

War Clouds, Plus — Worst Idea Ever  —  Fred Kaplan wonders if the "prepare to deploy" order that's "been sent out to U.S. Navy submarines, an Aegis-class cruiser, two minesweepers, and two mine-hunting ships" means we're going to war with Iran.  Sam Gardiner, former US Air Force Colonel …

Enough Apologies  —  Already, angry Palestinian militants have assaulted seven West Bank and Gaza churches, destroying two of them.  In Somalia, gunmen shot dead an elderly Italian nun.  Radical clerics from Qatar to Qom have called, variously, for a "day of anger" or for worshipers to "hunt down" the pope and his followers.

Warner: Kerry wrong on tax cuts  —  The ex-Virginia governor claims Democrats could appeal to more voters if they'd stop alienating the wealthy.  —  Former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner said in Iowa on Monday that Democrats have taken the wrong approach in arguing against tax cuts enacted under President Bush …

Campaign Gifts From Big Insurer Elude the Limit  —  New York law prevents corporations from contributing more than $5,000 a year to candidates for state office, but one of the world's largest insurance companies has skirted those limits in giving almost 20 times that amount to some of New York's …

Suicidal Hand-Wringing  —  When you enter a boxing ring, you agree to abide by the rules of boxing.  But when you are attacked from behind in a dark alley, you would be a fool to abide by the Marquis of Queensbury rules.  If you do, you can end up being a dead fool.

Pope asked to convert to Islam  —  Tripoli - The elder son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has called on Pope Benedict XVI to convert to Islam immediately, dismissing last week's apology from the pontiff for offending Muslims.  —  "If this person were really someone reasonable …