Afghanistan Surge Looks Like a Bust, Economy Staggers Along, Drug Legalization Touted at the U.N.: P.M. Links

• Conditions in Afghanistan are nastier, more brutish and shorter than they were before the surge, according to the country's NATO command structure.

• Obama is losing fans among Arab-Americans, though they still favor him over the other brand, while Romney raises funds in Hong Kong where, to be honest, politicians who talk the free market talk are probably an easier sell than at home.
• Because of how the European Union calculates fines, Microsoft could be on the hook for as much as a $7.4 billion penalty over a rules-slip that it brought to the attention of officials.
• The economy, it grows not so much — up 1.3 percent in the second quarter which is (wait for it) lower than expected. Orders for manufactured goods are way the hell down, too.
• Several Latin American leaders took to the podium at the U.N. to urge legalization and other approaches to drugs that break with decades of failed prohibition.
• Uber, the start-up transportation service, has an important tip for its drivers: Don't use Apple Maps! Not until the bugs are worked out, at least.
• The .xxx domain for adult content has its own search engine — Search.xxx — courtesy of domain-managing ICM Registry. Yes, we know this isn't the first such engine, but this one is sexxxier!

Have a news tip for us? Send it to: [e-mail]

Don't forget to sign up for Reason's daily AM/PM updates for more content.