President Bush presented his case to the world last night in a prime-time speech where he dismissed Saddam Hussein's actions as a "willful charade," and emphasized the U.S. doesn't "need anybody's permission" to go to war. Dissenting U.N. Security Council members, meanwhile, will be listening closely to today's crucial report from chief U.N. weapons inspector Hans Blix on the extent of Iraq's cooperation. Stay tuned to find out about the aftermath of Blix's report. In the meantime, here's a snapshot of what's being reported around the globe:

Bush's New Iraq Warning Spreads Gloom - The Guardian

Iraq strengthens air force with French parts - Washington Times

Iraq military strategies - Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Quagmire in northern Iraq deepens - Asia Times

Between Iraq and a Hard Place - The Harvard Crimson

Saddam's popularity may be waning - MSNBC

Here's an informative overview of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons in the Middle East:

Weapons of Mass Destruction in the Middle East - Center for Nonproliferation Studies

And here's an analysis from the Energy Information Administration of Iraq's energy production and consumption.