The Kennedy KGB letter Updated with info about the NIE leak  —  So you want answers, eh?  Not satisfied with the CNS report?  —  I've got answers.  —  There's a new book on Ronald Reagan making the rounds, The Crusader: Ronald Reagan and the Fall of Communism.

Bush: I Won't Change Strategy in Iraq  —  WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush conceded Friday that "right now it's tough" for American forces in Iraq, but the White House said he would not change U.S. strategy in the face of pre-election polls that show voters are upset.

HOUSE INTEL COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN SUSPENDS STAFFER FOR POSSIBLE LEAK  —  WASHINGTON — A Democratic staff member on the House Intelligence Committee has been suspended by the Republican chairman of that committee over concerns about the leak of a secret intelligence estimate …

Report: N. Korea 'Sorry' for Nuke Test  —  North Korean leader Kim Jong Il said Pyongyang didn't plan to carry out any more nuclear tests and expressed regret about the country's first-ever atomic detonation last week, a South Korean news agency reported Friday.

Clinton, Spencer Hold Debate in New York  —  ROCHESTER, N.Y.  —  The Republican seeking to unseat Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton went on the attack against the Democratic senator in their first debate Friday, accusing her of putting presidential aspirations ahead of voters.

The Woman Who Would Be Speaker  —  Uncompromising Pelosi Set to Seize Opportunity  —  On election night 2004, Nancy Pelosi faced a painful reality: Her party was again a big loser, failing to win the presidency and losing three more House seats.  Pundits were suggesting Pelosi should accept …

Blackwell steps up attack  —  Ken Blackwell's gubernatorial campaign today distributed harsh comments by radio talk show host Bill Cunningham related to Ted Strickland's sexuality and about a former campaign aide arrested in 1994 for public indecency.  —  In a news statement emailed …

Iran 'blocks Israel soldier deal'  —  Israel's ambassador to the UN has accused Iran of paying Hamas $50m to block the release of an Israeli soldier captured by Palestinian militants.  —  The ambassador in New York, Dan Gillerman, made the claim without giving any further evidence or details.

Survivor!  —  The GOP Victory  —  JUBILANT DEMOCRATS SHOULD RECONSIDER their order for confetti and noisemakers.  The Democrats, as widely reported, are expecting GOP-weary voters to flock to the polls in two weeks and hand them control of the House for the first time in 12 years — and perhaps the Senate, as well.

Anger Festering in French Areas Scarred in Riots  —  When the call went out about a car burglary in the raw suburb of Épinay-sur-Seine north of here last weekend, three officers in a patrol car rushed over and found themselves surrounded by 30 youths in hoods throwing rocks and swinging bats and metal bars.

Why 112 cars are burning every day  —  A year after the Paris riots violence and despair continue to grip the immigrant suburbs  —  FLAMES lick around a burning car on a tiny telephone screen.  Omar, 17, a veteran of France's suburban riots, replayed the sequence with pride.  "It was great.

Many GOP Donors Pitch In For Joe  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman collected millions of dollars in campaign cash since his Democratic primary loss by tapping a lengthy list of major contributors to President Bush, dozens of Washington special interest groups and a lot of loyal Democrats.

Boo!?  An Inevitable October Surprise  —  In the Month Before Elections, a Glut of 'Gotcha' Stories  —  The October surprise: It's as much a seasonal sure thing in Washington as cherry blossoms and the National Christmas Tree.  —  When leaves fall and elections loom, the term gets tossed around more than a Manning family football.

Censoring Iraq  —  Why are there so few reporters with American troops in combat?  Don't blame the media.  —  In a counterinsurgency, the media battlespace is critical.  When it comes to mustering public opinion, rallying support, and forcing opponents to shift tactics and timetables …

Poll Signals More Republican Woes As Disapproval of Congress Grows  —  WASHINGTON — With just 19 days until the midterm elections, a new poll shows both President Bush and his party in worse shape among voters than Democrats were in the October before they lost control of Capitol Hill a dozen years ago.

Veil teacher link to 7/7 bomber  —  The Muslim teacher suspended for refusing to work without her veil is connected to a hardline mosque where the ringleader of the July 7 bombers worshipped, it has emerged.  —  The family of classroom assistant Aishah Azmi, 24, plays a key role …