Study Doesn't Share Bush's Optimism on Terror Fight  —  Three years ago, Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld wrote a memo to his colleagues in the Pentagon posing a critical question in the "long war'' against terrorism: Is Washington's strategy successfully killing or capturing terrorists faster than new enemies are being created?

Deal Is Likely on Detainees but Not on Eavesdropping  —  Senator John W. Warner, right, Republican of Virginia, after a party caucus meeting Tuesday.  Mr. Warner is one of three senators who have resisted the administration on wording of legislation on terrorism suspects.

Opera Cancelled In Germany For Being Offensive To Muslims  —  How far have political correctness and political fears gone?  This far: … Perhaps you didn't know that Mozart is considered offensive and should be banned.  —  But the uproar has been over the more modern staging …

What Clinton Didn't Do . . .  . . . .and when he didn't do it.  —  Bill Clinton's outburst on Fox News was something of a public service, launching a debate about the antiterror policies of his administration.  This is important because every George W. Bush policy that arouses the ire of Democrats …

Iraq is 'cause celebre' for extremists  —  WASHINGTON - A declassified government intelligence report says the war in Iraq has become a "cause celebre" for Islamic extremists, breeding deep resentment of the U.S. that is likely to get worse before it gets better.

Musharraf: Iraq war makes world more dangerous  —  (CNN) — The war in Iraq has not made the world safer from terror, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has told CNN, saying he stands by statements on the subject he makes in his new book, "In the Line of Fire."

Russia rejects move to give Putin third term  —  MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's top election authority on Wednesday threw out a call for a people's poll that would clear the way for President Vladimir Putin to stay on in power, making it more likely he will step down as he plans in 2008.

OMB enlists bloggers' aid in pushing management agenda  —  The Office of Management and Budget has launched a back-channel effort to reach out to political bloggers for their help in pushing the Bush administration's management agenda on Capitol Hill, OMB officials said Tuesday.

NYC Mulls Ban on Trans Fats in Eateries  —  NEW YORK (AP) — Three years after the city banned smoking in restaurants, health officials are talking about prohibiting something they say is almost as bad: artificial trans fatty acids.  —  The city health department unveiled a proposal Tuesday …

White House said to bar hurricane report  —  WASHINGTON - The Bush administration has blocked release of a report that suggests global warming is contributing to the frequency and strength of hurricanes, the journal Nature reported Tuesday.  —  The possibility that warming conditions …

Third Night of Ramadan Rioting in Capital of Europe  —  It looks as if immigrants youths want to turn nightly rioting during the Islamic holy month of ramadan into an annual tradition.  Around 8:30pm last night violence erupted again in Brussels, the capital of Europe.

New Campaign Ads Have a Theme: Don't Be Nice  —  Clockwise from top, Connecticut: Representative Rob Simmons, a Republican, points out his challenger's lack of service.  New Mexico: A Democratic spot details campaign contributions to Representative Heather A. Wilson.

Britain must pay traitor Blake for breaching his human rights  —  George Blake, who spied for the Soviet Union, won a human rights claim against the British Government yesterday, 40 years after he escaped from prison in London and fled to Moscow.  —  Britain was ordered by judges in Strasbourg …

Romania, Bulgaria Favored to Join E.U.  —  The European Commission recommended Tuesday that Romania and Bulgaria be admitted to the European Union on Jan. 1 but attached unprecedented conditions, signaling that there is still deep unease about the union's expansion eastward and the potential economic …