In a new NEWSWEEK poll, Americans say they back the Baker-Hamilton report and want President Bush to alter his course in Iraq.  —  An insurgent armed with a heavy machine gun stands on a street in Ramadi  —  Consensus.  That was the watchword for Jim Baker and Lee Hamilton …

Traces of spy poison found in cup at hotel  —  The Millennium Hotel in London emerged as the most likely site for the poisoning of the Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko last night after it was revealed that a cup had been found containing traces of the radioactive substance which killed him.

ISG Prescribes Vietnam All Over Again  —  "...[Y]ou have my assurance of continued assistance in the post-settlement period and that we will respond with full force should the settlement be violated by North Vietnam."  —  That was a pledge by President Richard M. Nixon to Republic …

Wounded to get millions in compensation  —  Hundreds of troops wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan are to be awarded millions of pounds in compensation following a ruling by the Government that they are victims of crime not war.  —  Forty injured servicemen are to receive payments of up to £500,000 each in a series of test cases.

Bolton's successor  —  WASHINGTON — Zalmay Khalilzad, who was announced this week as leaving as U.S. ambassador to Iraq, is the leading prospect to replace John Bolton as envoy to the United Nations.  —  President Bush was reported by aides as looking for someone who approximates Bolton's combination …

Remembering Daniel Faulkner  —  We mark the 25th anniversary of Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner's murder over at Hot Air.  —  Widow Maureen Faulkner keeps the flame alive: … Michael Smerconish's book preview is here.  More on the memorials being held this weekend.

"If I quit blogging, it will be because I get tired of having to pay attention to the news all the time."  —  Glenn Reynolds says he said that back in 2002.  He's talking about blogger burnout with Bob Wright on Bloggingheads.tv.  The point is that the news is "fundamentally depressing," …

Adopt our values or stay away, says Blair  —  Your view: what next for "multicultural" Britain?  —  Full text of Blair's multiculturalism speech  —  Audio: Andrew Pierce on why Blair isn't facing questions  —  Tony Blair formally declared Britain's multicultural experiment over yesterday …

U.S. targeting Shiite militia strongholds  —  In areas where troops had been barred by the government, they now have 'carte blanche' to stage raids with Iraqis.  —  BAGHDAD — In pursuit of a missing soldier, U.S. and Iraqi special forces units have staged dozens of operations …

Defeating Terrorism: An Oddly Simple First Step  —  Funny how neo-cons want to say that everything about the Sixties was meaningless, insignificant, silly, indulgent and un-American, except the Vietnam war.  —  The war in Iraq has pushed a lot of buttons with this crowd, but it all seems to be wired, to some degree, to Southeast Asia.

Assad regime to kill Berri if he convenes parliament  —  The Assad regime is in a hurry.  Nasrallah hasn't been able to deliver quickly enough.  The Grand Serail is a fortress, and the Lebanese street is slowly turning against the protestors, who don't even have safe passage back to their homes now.

Imam, a U.S. citizen, denies terrorism links  —  An Arizona man at the center of a controversy defended his Islamic fundraising activities and his group's actions on the flight from which they were removed.  —  A Phoenix imam who was one of six Muslim men removed from a US Airways flight …

Islam advisor cites 'calmer' Guantanamo  —  The Arab American, a layman, says prisoners' behavior has improved since he began helping alter military practices.  —  GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba — Some prisoners call him "Brother."  Others call him an enemy of God.  Some don't speak to him at all.

Black-Market Weapon Prices Surge in Iraq Chaos  —  The Kurdish security contractor placed the black plastic box on the table.  Inside was a new Glock 19, one of the 9-millimeter pistols that the United States issued by the tens of thousands to the Iraqi Army and police.

4 -year-old Accused of Improperly Touching Teacher  —  BELLMEAD- A four-year-old hugged his teachers aide and was put into in-school suspension, according to the father.  But La Vega school administrators have a different story.  —  Damarcus Blackwell's four-year-old son was lining …

Tempting Fat  —  THE COMING CRACKDOWN ON TRANS FATS.  —  Put your hands in the air, and step away from the cookie.  —  That's the message from New York City, where the health department has just ordered the city's 25,000 restaurants to purge nearly all trans fats from their menus.