Karzai and Musharraf at the White House

Bush hosted an uneasy dinner with Karzai and Musharraf last night. No one looked very comfortable. Perhaps it's because new reports that the "tribal leaders" Musharraf made a peace deal with intend to defy the pact by sending suicide bombers into Afghanistan. Or perhaps it's the British report that the Pakistani intelligence services have close ties to terrorism. All that makes for some pretty awkward dinner conversation.

Iraq

That giant sucking sound you hear? It's the cost of the war in Iraq. The Boston Globe reports today that the Congressional Research Service has just put the cost of the war in Iraq at $2 billion a week - or twice as much as in 2003 and 20 percent over last year.

And here's some more bad news. Last week saw the highest number of suicide bomb attacks of any week since the war began. And Sadr is losing control of his Madhi Army. Some groups are splintering off into freelance death squads. Then the alleged leader of Al Qaeda in Iraq declares Ramadan a month of holy war. Depressed yet?

Elsewhere

Five of the candidates for the next U.N. secretary-general tell you why they should get the top slot. The EU and Iran fail to reach a deal over Iran's nuclear ambitions. Everyone wants Mozart back on the stage. Zambians go to the polls. Another top Shanghai official is implicated in a corruption scandal. And there's a possible summit between Olmert and Abbas in the works.