Ken Livingstone

The U.S. Air Force on Tuesday rescinded an order barring its personnel from visiting London in the wake of Thursday's bombings, after the edict brought public scorn and indignation. A spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in London confirmed that the order had been withdrawn but did not say why.

When Al Qaeda struck the United States on Sept. 11, the response was immediate and visceral. Led by President Bush, Americans were angry and determined to hold those responsible to account. In less than a month, the United States had launched a war in Afghanistan. When bombers struck in Spain last year, the Spanish people also were galvanized.

Left, right or center, there's two things nearly everybody in Hollywood agrees on: There's no disease that can't be cured by raising enough money and the state of Israel deserves unabashed support. These days, sympathy for Israel puts the American entertainment industry at odds with much of the European film and academic communities. In those circles, vehement criticism of Israeli policies toward the Palestinians and boycotts of Israeli scholars and artists have become almost fashionable.

Having already exported the sport of ice hockey to such strange environs as Phoenix, Nashville and Raleigh, N.C., the NHL will next take its game to a place that makes more sense: chilly, fog-swept London. The Ducks and the Kings will open their 2007-08 regular season by playing a two-game series in the new 23,000-seat O2 Arena on Sept. 29 and 30.

On the last day of his first overseas trip, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Wednesday told Britain's Labor Party leaders about efforts to turn Los Angeles into "the greenest and cleanest city in America." His address on the environment and climate change came during a panel discussion of the annual party conference in the northern England city of Manchester. The visit, which began Monday in London, focused on counterterrorism and security and included business and trade discussions.

Nearly three months after the city started charging motorists to drive into the center of London, traffic jams have shrunk, taxis are unusually abundant and red double-decker buses' rush-hour speed has increased 15%. In traffic-clogged London, this is progress. Things are going so well that supporters and earlier critics alike agree that the ambitious and contentious "congestion charge" is working -- at least so far.

With football's bowl season approaching and Iowa headed for the Capital One Bowl, Mike Hlas of the Cedar Rapids Gazette got to thinking about how some bowls have distinctly better names than others. "You have the Alamo Bowl, named for a landmark in U.S. history," Hlas wrote. "There's the Orange Bowl, named for a famous fruit. The Sun Bowl is named for the sun, a very important part of sustaining life. (If dogs ever hold a postseason football game, the Water Bowl would be a good name for it.

Shocking post-Super Bowl news from Miami: Peyton Manning turns down endorsement deal! According to CNBC, Manning passed on the customary "I'm going to Disney World!" endorsement that usually goes to the Super Bowl's most valuable player. Instead, running back Dominic Rhodes and Coach Tony Dungy will represent the Indianapolis Colts at Disney World. That's OK. Manning can afford to give them Disney World.

Los Angeles Police Chief William J. Bratton isn't about to cross the Atlantic Ocean and become Bobbie Bill anytime soon, he insists. Yet some of Great Britain's most eminent newspapers in recent days named him as a top contender for the job of Metropolitan Police commissioner, the legendary head of New Scotland Yard. One referred to him as the "Yank of the Yard." But Bratton said he would not go.

The deadly blasts that ripped through London's transit system on Thursday came only one day after London was awarded the 2012 Summer Games, raising anew security concerns relating to the Olympics.