Carlos the Jackal sneers at Al-Qaeda's 'amateur' killers  —  FOR two decades until his capture in 1994, Carlos the Jackal murdered, bombed and kidnapped his way to infamy, retaining the title of world's most dangerous terrorist before Osama Bin Laden stole his crown.

Gilmore drops out of the race  —  Former Virginia Gov. James S. Gilmore III is dropping his underdog bid for the Republican presidential nomination today, he told The Politico in an interview.  —  Gilmore said he has been approached about running for Virginia governor a second time …

Bush Leans On Petraeus as War Dissent Deepens  —  Almost every time President Bush has defended his new strategy in Iraq this year, he has invoked the name of the top commander, Army Gen. David H. Petraeus.  —  Speaking in Cleveland on Tuesday, Bush called Petraeus his "main man" — a …

Ted Rall Cartoon Depicts American Soldier as a Suicide Bomber  —  Ted Rall has created some truly offensive cartoons and articles during his career.  However, this might be one of the most disgraceful statements made by a media representative since this war began (h/t Dan Gainor):

Generals' warning on Afghanistan  —  Military chiefs warn No.10 that defeat could lead to change of regime in Pakistan  —  Britain's most senior generals have issued a blunt warning to Downing Street that the military campaign in Afghanistan is facing a catastrophic failure …

Sunni Insurgent Leader Paints Iran as 'Real Enemy'  —  U.S. Strategy Described as Only Inflaming Iraqi Resistance  —  BAGHDAD — He wore a pale yellow dress shirt and black-rimmed glasses that lost their tint when he entered the dark lobby of a Baghdad hotel.  He drank orange soda and refused a cigarette.

Bush Is Prepared to Veto Bill to Expand Child Insurance  —  The White House said on Saturday that President Bush would veto a bipartisan plan to expand the Children's Health Insurance Program, drafted over the last six months by senior members of the Senate Finance Committee.

Here is the news (as we want to report it)  —  This week the BBC was forced to apologise to the Queen for falsely claiming that she stormed out of a photo shoot.  We shouldn't be surprised, says former producer Antony Jay.  In this exclusive extract from a brilliant new CPS pamphlet …

No Fatah, no fems  —  Jonah, that Arafat-died-of-Aids story is "no shocker" to you, and pretty much an open secret in diplomatic circles.  I'm in Madrid at the moment, and it prompted many knowing chortles among political types I mentioned it to today, along with fond reminiscences …

Bill Moyers Journal  —  BILL MOYERS: Welcome to the Journal.  —  Impeachment...the word feared and loathed by every sitting president is back.  It's in the air and on your computer screen, a growing clamor aimed at both President Bush and Vice-President Cheney.  —  This week's news only agitated the clamor.

Fear of a global 'coldening'  —  Decrease Increase -  —  Submit comment:  —  LAST month Australians endured our coldest June since 1950.  Imagine that; all those trillions of tonnes of evil carbon we've horked up into the atmosphere over six decades of rampant industrialisation …

BP gets break on dumping in lake  —  Refinery expansion entices Indiana  —  The massive BP oil refinery in Whiting, Ind., is planning to dump significantly more ammonia and industrial sludge into Lake Michigan, running counter to years of efforts to clean up the Great Lakes.