Yahoo Politics - Source Information

Source URL: http://news.yahoo.com/i/703;_ylt=AgZl0irjvliKqC0xuqkaGqayFz4D
Number of headlines in database: 489
Last update: 2010-03-19 08:13:06

Yahoo Politics Headlines

  • Senate Democrats Crafting Broad Message Campaign(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-19 04:40:21)
    CQPolitics.com - Senate Democrats are planning an aggressive message campaign between now and November focusing on jobs, national security, the immediate impact of health care reform and their party's efforts to "take on Wall Street."
  • Healthcare bill to cut deficit: CBO(Reuters) (2010-03-19 03:55:09)
    Reuters - Congressional budget analysts said on Thursday a broad healthcare overhaul would cut the U.S. deficit over 10 years and sharply expand insurance coverage, boosting the momentum for final passage in the House of Representatives.
  • Obama drops Indonesia, Australia trip over health care(AFP) (2010-03-19 02:58:21)
    AFP - US President Barack Obama dramatically postponed his trip to Indonesia and Australia until June, so he can battle for a historic health reform bill that could shape his legacy.
  • Amanpour: A surprise — and a risk(Politico) (2010-03-19 01:35:36)
    Politico - New "This Week" host defies Washington's Sunday talk show conventions.
  • Retired gen. rips DADT repeal(Politico) (2010-03-19 01:22:42)
    Politico - Former commander says gays in military contibuted to "worst massacre in Europe since World War II."
  • Dems steam toward Sunday vote(Politico) (2010-03-19 00:26:30)
    Politico - Yearlong reform push picks up unmistakable momentum as votes begin falling into place.
  • Obama backs "framework" to revamp immigration(Reuters) (2010-03-19 00:19:49)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama, under pressure to keep a campaign promise to revamp U.S. immigration policy, embraced a "promising, bipartisan framework" on Thursday offered by two senior senators.
  • Cornhusker Kickback gets the boot in health bill(AP) (2010-03-19 00:13:32)
    AP - Bye bye, Cornhusker Kickback. Hello, special treatment for Tennessee and North Dakota.
  • Student aid linked to health care gets a trim(AP) (2010-03-18 23:59:42)
    AP - Congressional Democrats on Thursday trimmed their original student loan plans, reduced spending for community colleges, and eliminated early childhood money from a broad rewrite of a college aid bill piggybacked on to fast-track health care legislation.
  • Dems sweeten health bill, set showdown Sunday vote(AP) (2010-03-18 23:11:10)
    AP - Historic health care change in the balance, Democrats plowed fresh billions into insurance subsidies for consumers on Thursday and added a $250 rebate for seniors facing high prescription drugs, last-minute sweeteners to sweeping $940 billion legislation headed for a climactic weekend vote.
  • Obama backs senators' immigration overhaul outline(AP) (2010-03-18 23:08:39)
    AP - President Barack Obama, facing criticism from advocates of immigration reform, pledged Thursday "to do everything in my power" to get immigration legislation moving in Congress this year.
  • US, Russia clash over startup of Iran nuke plant(AP) (2010-03-18 23:06:02)
    AP - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and her Russian counterpart clashed openly Thursday over the planned launch this summer of Iran's first, Russian-built nuclear power plant, highlighting a split in views over how to steer Iran away from nuclear weapons.
  • New Dem lawmakers feeling heat on health care(AP) (2010-03-18 23:03:43)
    AP - Freshman Rep. Steve Driehaus is getting it from all sides on President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. The Ohio Democrat opened his local newspaper, The Cincinnati Enquirer, on Wednesday to find a giant ad urging him to vote against the bill — featuring a photo of him with his two young daughters. Tea party protesters stormed his office and berated his staff.
  • Netanyahu calls Clinton to defuse tensions(AP) (2010-03-18 22:57:48)
    AP - Hoping to diffuse a fight between friends, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton agreed Thursday to meet next week in Washington to confront face to face an embarrassing dispute over Israeli land claims.
  • Obama administration says near deal on Haiti debt(AP) (2010-03-18 22:56:27)
    AP - The Obama administration says it is near an agreement with other nations to cancel the $447 million that Haiti owes to the Inter-American Development Bank.
  • A Fundraiser Gets Taken to the Mat(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-18 22:33:16)
    CQPolitics.com - Republican Jim Gibbons, a former college wrestling coach who is challenging Democratic Rep. Leonard L. Boswell, held a fundraiser with former Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) that some of Gibbons' opponents say is evidence that he is the choice of GOP political insiders.
  • Romanoff falls short of 50 percent(Politico) (2010-03-18 22:26:43)
    Politico - Romanoff falls just under the 50 percent benchmark as the final counties report their totals.
  • Insurance-rate regulation dropped from latest health bill(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-18 21:35:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — A Democratic plan for new federal power over health insurance rates was dropped Thursday from the final health care bill, squeezed out by the way the Democrats are pushing the bill through Congress.
  • Poll: Critz up by 5 in special election(Politico) (2010-03-18 21:19:54)
    Politico - Republicans hold a credible chance to pick up the seat of the late Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) in a May special election, according to a new poll. Democrat Mark Critz holds a narrow 36 to 31 percent lead over Republican businessman Tim Burns, with a significant 31 percent undecided.
  • Obama scraps Asia-Pacific trip for healthcare push(Reuters) (2010-03-18 21:03:34)
    Reuters - Bowing to political pressure at home, President Barack Obama on Thursday scrapped his trip to Indonesia and Australia next week to stay in Washington for a final push for a healthcare overhaul.
  • Reid says he's proud of Senate accomplishments(AP) (2010-03-18 21:03:18)
    AP - U.S. Sen. Harry Reid says he proud of his accomplishments during his four terms in the Senate, and he's challenging critics and opponents who say he's lost touch with Nevada.
  • Retired general links gays in army to genocide(AP) (2010-03-18 20:59:31)
    AP - A retired U.S. general says Dutch troops failed to defend against the 1995 genocide in the Bosnian war because the army was weakened, partly because it included openly gay soldiers.
  • Multimillion-dollar U.N. corruption case uncovered(AP) (2010-03-18 20:57:05)
    AP - The deal looked simple enough: U.S. military equipment suppliers bribed an African defense minister's salesmen to secure part of a $15 million gig to outfit a presidential guard.
  • Grand jury subpoenas GOP unit in Sen. Ensign probe(AP) (2010-03-18 20:50:05)
    AP - A federal grand jury has issued subpoenas to a Republican campaign committee and companies in Nevada in a probe of Sen. John Ensign, who has been under scrutiny for his efforts to find lobbying work for the husband of his former mistress.
  • French court convicts woman of killing 6 newborns(AP) (2010-03-18 20:27:54)
    AP - A court in Normandy on Thursday convicted a 38-year-old woman of killing six of her newborn babies — a deed she acknowledged — and sentenced her to 15 years in prison.
  • Putin: Iran's new nuclear plant to start up soon(AP) (2010-03-18 19:31:38)
    AP - Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said Thursday that Iran's new Russian-built nuclear power plant will begin operating this summer, even as the United States called for Russia to delay the startup.
  • Obama health plan faces Sunday make-or-break vote(AFP) (2010-03-18 18:48:03)
    AFP - President Barack Obama's Democrats predicted victory in a cliffhanger vote Sunday on his historic plan to extend health care coverage to some 32 million Americans who lack it now.
  • House unveils final healthcare bill changes(Reuters) (2010-03-18 18:39:33)
    Reuters - Democrats in the House of Representatives unveiled the final changes to a sweeping healthcare overhaul on Thursday, boosting subsidies to make coverage more affordable ahead of a Sunday vote on final passage.
  • NRSC subpoenaed in Ensign probe(Politico) (2010-03-18 18:28:13)
    Politico - The NRSC is to turn over documents related to Ensign’s tenure as NRSC chairman.
  • UN rejects export ban on Atlantic bluefin tuna(AP) (2010-03-18 18:24:38)
    AP - A U.S.-backed proposal to ban the export of Atlantic bluefin tuna prized in sushi was rejected Thursday by a U.N. wildlife meeting, with scores of developing nations joining Japan in opposing a measure they feared would devastate fishing economies.
  • AP source: AFL-CIO endorsing health care bill(AP) (2010-03-18 18:19:28)
    AP - A union official says the nation's largest labor federation is strongly endorsing the Obama administration's health care overhaul bill and plans to push wavering lawmakers for support.
  • Remains of Italian teen believed found in church(AP) (2010-03-18 18:15:38)
    AP - The case of an Italian teenager who disappeared in 1993 has returned to the spotlight after decomposed remains believed to be hers were discovered in the church where she was last seen, police said Thursday.
  • Frank rips Boehner over 'punk' jab(Politico) (2010-03-18 18:11:09)
    Politico - Nobody calls Barney Frank’s aides “little punk staffers.”
  • Senate GOP Will Keep Options Open on Financial Legislation(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-18 18:00:14)
    CQPolitics.com - The Senate Banking Committee's top Republican said the GOP will "keep our options open" for the March 22 markup of legislation that would overhaul the nation's financial system.
  • Czech doctors apologize to Jews for persecution(AP) (2010-03-18 17:34:35)
    AP - A Czech doctors organization has apologized to Jewish doctors for the persecution they endured in pre-World War II Czechoslovakia before the Nazis invaded, an official said Thursday.
  • Obama's Mideast double standard(Politico) (2010-03-18 17:23:44)
    Politico - In an Ideas piece, GOP rep says W.H. is trying to be the “honest broker” in Israel and Palestine.
  • UK delays new guidelines for spies, soldiers(AP) (2010-03-18 17:19:05)
    AP - New British guidelines on handling terrorism suspects held overseas have been delayed over a dispute about how to deal with potentially life-saving information from detainees who may be at risk of torture by allies.
  • Pelosi: GOP, insurers ready to attack health bill(AP) (2010-03-18 17:12:53)
    AP - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is predicting an all-out assault by Republicans and the insurance industry as Democrats prepare to push their health care overhaul through Congress.
  • Obama signs multibillion-dollar bill to create jobs(AFP) (2010-03-18 17:08:39)
    AFP - President Barack Obama offered hope Thursday that a growing US economy may soon bring more jobs, as indicators pointed to a still-fragile recovery from the "great recession."
  • Obama postpones Asia trip to focus on health care(AP) (2010-03-18 17:02:35)
    AP - President Barack Obama is postponing his trip to Asia until June so he can stay in Washington for a possible Sunday vote on his health care overhaul plan.
  • Grand jury subpoenas issued in Sen. Ensign probe(AP) (2010-03-18 16:58:14)
    AP - A federal grand jury reportedly has issued subpoenas in a probe of Sen. John Ensign of Nevada, who has been under scrutiny for his efforts to find lobbying work for the husband of his former mistress.
  • Budget analysts say health bill to cut deficit(Reuters) (2010-03-18 16:55:41)
    Reuters - Democrats in the House of Representatives on Thursday predicted weekend passage of a sweeping healthcare overhaul that budget analysts said would hit President Barack Obama's fiscal targets and cut the U.S. deficit over 10 years.
  • Tanker fight leaves bitter wake(Politico) (2010-03-18 16:24:10)
    Politico - The competition may be all but over, but bad feelings linger on both sides of the Atlantic.
  • VA seeks to make benefits easier for vets to get(AP) (2010-03-18 16:10:15)
    AP - The Veterans Affairs Department is taking steps for the first time to make it easier for veterans of the Iraq or Afghanistan wars to get disability benefits for malaria, West Nile Virus and other diseases.
  • Obama signs jobs bill, says more must be done(AP) (2010-03-18 15:48:16)
    AP - President Barack Obama has signed into law a package of tax breaks and spending designed to give the nation a jobs boost.
  • Budget office: Dems health care bill cuts deficit(AP) (2010-03-18 15:43:19)
    AP - Congressional budget scorekeepers say President Barack Obama's health care bill would reduce the federal deficit by $138 billion over 10 years.
  • Ex-Scotland Yard detective jailed for cocaine plot(AP) (2010-03-18 15:41:12)
    AP - A former detective with Scotland Yard's drug squad was jailed Thursday for his role in a botched attempt to smuggle hundreds of millions of dollars worth of cocaine into Ireland.
  • Obama extolls health bill's deficit reduction help(AP) (2010-03-18 15:34:43)
    AP - President Barack Obama says his health care overhaul would be the most significant effort to reduce the nation's deficit since the balanced budget act of the 1990s.
  • Gaza rocket kills one in Israel, clouds peace moves(AFP) (2010-03-18 15:30:38)
    AFP - A flurry of Middle East diplomacy was marred on Thursday as a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip killed a civilian in Israel as the EU foreign policy chief was visiting the Palestinian enclave.
  • Obama's health care plan cuts deficit, CBO concludes(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-18 14:57:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Democratic health care efforts got an important boost Thursday as the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported that the $940 billion health care package could reduce federal deficits $130 billion over the next 10 years.
  • House Dems on track for vote on $940B health bill(AP) (2010-03-18 14:55:27)
    AP - House Democrats are pushing to the brink of passage a landmark, $940 billion health care overhaul bill that would deliver on President Barack Obama's promise to expand coverage while also reducing the federal deficit in a bid to attract the backing of the party's fiscal conservatives.
  • Obama calls for more job creation(AFP) (2010-03-18 14:53:10)
    AFP - US President Barack Obama Thursday called on lawmakers to break out of Washington's "partisan morass" and help create more jobs, before signing a 17.6 billion dollar employment bill into law.
  • Subpoenas reportedly issued in Sen. Ensign probe(AP) (2010-03-18 14:46:42)
    AP - A federal grand jury reportedly has issued subpoenas in a probe involving Sen. John Ensign of Nevada.
  • Stupak's family getting 'abusive' calls(Politico) (2010-03-18 14:45:41)
    Politico - The Michigan Dem says his decision to withhold his vote for health reform has triggered the behavior.
  • Health overhaul to cut deficit by $100 billion: Hoyer(Reuters) (2010-03-18 14:39:44)
    Reuters - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said on Thursday that sweeping healthcare overhaul legislation was on track for passage by the U.S. House of Representatives and would cut the deficit by more than $100 billion in the first 10 years.
  • A Southern-style taste of health care politics(AP) (2010-03-18 14:25:41)
    AP - It may not bode well for Rep. Travis Childers that many voters in his rural Mississippi district have stronger opinions about President Barack Obama's health care plan than they do about the Democratic congressman.
  • CBO releases health bill estimates(Politico) (2010-03-18 14:03:27)
    Politico - The bill will cost $940 billion over 10 years -- figures that should help ease worries of fiscal hawks.
  • Poll: Boxer in tough fight to keep CA Senate seat(AP) (2010-03-18 13:20:16)
    AP - California Sen. Barbara Boxer's re-election campaign is shaping up as the fight of her political career, according to a Field Poll released Thursday.
  • Rocket kills 1 in Israel while EU top diplomat in Gaza(Reuters) (2010-03-18 12:52:29)
    Reuters - Palestinian militants fired a rocket into Israel from the Gaza Strip on Thursday, killing a Thai agricultural worker, while the European Union's foreign affairs chief was visiting the Hamas-controlled enclave.
  • Holocaust survivor Veil joins Academie Francaise(AP) (2010-03-18 12:40:39)
    AP - Simone Veil, a French political icon who survived Nazi death camps and went on to lead Europe's joint parliament, is joining the prestigious Academie Francaise.
  • UN chief signs deal with Russia-led security group(AP) (2010-03-18 10:52:40)
    AP - The United Nations chief has signed a cooperation agreement with a Russia-led security group of ex-Soviet nations that some see as a counterbalance to NATO.
  • Gov't orders recall of 1.2 million high chairs(AP) (2010-03-18 10:35:43)
    AP - The government is announcing a recall of some 1.2 million high chairs, saying they pose a fall hazard to children.
  • Scorekeepers: Prognosis for Dems?(Politico) (2010-03-18 10:27:08)
    Politico - Morning Score asked its panel of House race experts "Which vulnerable members of Congress are playing their cards right on health care? If a bill passes, how would a smart member of your party play that news?"
  • Gov't bank auditors got big bonuses(AP) (2010-03-18 10:22:55)
    AP - Banks weren't the only ones giving big bonuses in the boom years before the worst financial crisis in generations. The government also was handing out millions of dollars to bank regulators, rewarding "superior" work even as an avalanche of risky mortgages helped create the meltdown.
  • DNC spotlights McConnell story(Politico) (2010-03-18 10:15:24)
    Politico - The DNC circulated a memo Wednesday to Democratic lawmakers, committee staff and strategists urging them to highlight the New York Times's profile of Mitch McConnell that depicted the Senate minority leader as a maestro of obstruction.
  • US, British, French troops to march on Red Square(AP) (2010-03-18 09:40:10)
    AP - The British Embassy says British, French and U.S. troops will march with Russian soldiers on Red Square to mark the 65th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany.
  • Shopping elsewhere for pork(Politico) (2010-03-18 09:05:31)
    Politico - Partisan pledges to crack down on earmarks are forcing lobbyists to redirect their clients.
  • GOP attacks on Pelosi ring familiar(Politico) (2010-03-18 09:04:41)
    Politico - In an Ideas piece, Farrell says former Dem speaker Tip O'Neill suffered a similar assault.
  • AP IMPACT: Gov't bank auditors got big bonuses(AP) (2010-03-18 09:03:11)
    AP - Banks weren't the only ones giving big bonuses in the boom years before the worst financial crisis in generations. The government also was handing out millions of dollars to bank regulators, rewarding "superior" work even as an avalanche of risky mortgages helped create the meltdown.
  • Obama says no crisis in US-Israeli relations(AFP) (2010-03-18 08:56:30)
    AFP - President Barack Obama denied a crisis was rocking US-Israeli relations as his top diplomatic aide arrived Thursday in Moscow for a meeting of the Middle East quartet.
  • 'No Drama' Obama wins over CHC(Politico) (2010-03-18 08:55:02)
    Politico - Obama makes a more personal pitch that resonates with many skeptics.
  • A symbol of the slave trade joins US and Cuba(AP) (2010-03-18 08:43:42)
    AP - Days from now, a stately black schooner will sail through a narrow channel into Havana's protected harbor, its two masts bearing the rarest of sights — the U.S. Stars and Stripes, with the Cuban flag fluttering nearby.
  • GOP plots Senate health roadblock(Politico) (2010-03-18 08:39:07)
    Politico - Republicans prepare to sentence healthcare to a slow, procedural death.
  • Idaho first to sign law against health care reform(AP) (2010-03-18 07:58:14)
    AP - Idaho is leading the charge in a states-rights push to defeat a proposal in Congress that would require people to buy health insurance, a key piece of reforms being pushed by President Barack Obama.
  • Clinton in Moscow for Mideast, nuclear arms talks(AP) (2010-03-18 07:53:33)
    AP - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday opened two days of talks with Russian leaders on nuclear arms control and other security issues, and separately with top international diplomats on the outlook for bringing Israel and the Palestinians back to peace talks.
  • Obama back to campaign-style politics, a strength(AP) (2010-03-18 07:51:50)
    AP - After a rousing campaign rally for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine last summer, President Barack Obama flashed a broad smile to an aide as he boarded his helicopter back to the White House.
  • Lawmakers struggle to finish health overhaul bill(AP) (2010-03-18 07:15:24)
    AP - Pushing toward a history-making vote, Democrats struggled to eliminate lingering complications standing in the way of House action this weekend on President Barack Obama's landmark health care overhaul.
  • Obama says Israel home plans not helpful for peace(Reuters) (2010-03-18 06:58:20)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama said on Wednesday Israeli plans to build more homes near East Jerusalem were not helpful for the Middle East peace process, but he said the issue had not led to a crisis with one of the United States' closest allies.
  • Obama argues for health care effort on Fox News(AP) (2010-03-18 05:06:57)
    AP - President Barack Obama on Wednesday took to the Fox News Channel, derided by his White House as a wing of the Republican Party, to sell his embattled health care overhaul in an interview punctuated with interruptions from the host and chiding from the guest.
  • Clinton in Moscow for talks on arms pact, Mideast(AP) (2010-03-18 04:52:48)
    AP - U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is in Moscow to meet with senior Russian officials and to join top international diplomats in assessing the stalled Mideast peace process.
  • Obama's Jakarta home district sees shift in Islam(Reuters) (2010-03-18 04:48:33)
    Reuters - Some things in the central Jakarta district of Matraman have barely changed since the late 1960s, when United States President Barack Obama lived and played there.
  • Clinton to attend Mideast session amid crisis(AP) (2010-03-18 04:25:52)
    AP - With the Mideast peace process stalled and U.S.-Israeli relations in crisis, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton headed Wednesday to a Mideast strategy meeting of top international diplomats.
  • Can Polling Memos Change the Narrative About 2010 Races?(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-18 04:06:15)
    CQPolitics.com - Here's a bulletin for you: Anytime a campaign releases a polling memo, it is making an argument, not merely offering survey data for your information. Polling memos aren't written to make you smarter.
  • Health Debate Could Hurt First-Quarter Totals(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-18 04:05:29)
    CQPolitics.com - With the end of the first quarter just two weeks away and a difficult health care vote looming, the campaigns of some vulnerable House Democrats caught in the middle of the contentious fight aren't optimistic about what they'll show in their first fundraising reports of 2010.
  • Health bill gains ground but release delayed(AP) (2010-03-18 03:03:54)
    AP - President Barack Obama's sweeping health care legislation won precious support from a longtime liberal holdout in the House on Wednesday and from a retired Catholic bishop and nuns representing dozens of religious orders — gaining fresh traction ahead of a climactic weekend vote.
  • Woods will still be 'terrific,' says Obama(Reuters) (2010-03-18 02:57:19)
    Reuters - U.S. President Barack Obama said on Wednesday he was sure Tiger Woods will still be a "terrific golfer" when he returns to competition, while one of the PGA Tour's most senior players urged America to forgive the scandal-hit golfer.
  • Retired Catholic bishop endorses health care bill(AP) (2010-03-18 02:37:03)
    AP - A retired Catholic bishop is announcing his support for President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, despite the church's official opposition.
  • EPA: More pets injured by flea and tick products(AP) (2010-03-18 02:28:52)
    AP - Products intended to treat cats and dogs for fleas and ticks kill hundreds of pets each year and injure tens of thousands, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday as it outlined plans to make the products safer.
  • Grand jury subpoenas Ensign-tied companies(Politico) (2010-03-18 01:38:31)
    Politico - A federal grand jury issues document subpoenas to at least a half-dozen Nevada companies.
  • GAO peeved with Capitol Police(Politico) (2010-03-18 01:27:13)
    Politico - Oversight agency isn't getting the cooperation it wants in investigation of $5.5M budget error.
  • Lawmaker says health care ad distorts and hurts(AP) (2010-03-18 01:21:10)
    AP - A Pennsylvania lawmaker whose parents recently died of cancer is among the targets of an ad campaign by a conservative group that questions congressional Democrats' interest in preventing the disease.
  • Senate votes to change cocaine sentencing rules(AP) (2010-03-18 00:51:21)
    AP - Legislation approved by the Senate on Wednesday would significantly reduce the disparity in sentences handed out to those convicted of crack and powder cocaine.
  • Obama picks up new support for health bill(Reuters) (2010-03-18 00:50:49)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama picked up support for healthcare reform on Wednesday from a prominent liberal and a group of Catholic nuns, who broke with bishops on the issue of abortion and urged passage of the overhaul.
  • Health bill gains ground with weekend vote likely(AP) (2010-03-18 00:44:41)
    AP - President Barack Obama's sweeping health care legislation won precious support from a longtime liberal holdout in the House on Wednesday and from Catholic nuns representing dozens of religious orders, gaining fresh traction in the run-up to a climactic weekend vote.
  • Pelosi's twisting path to 216(Politico) (2010-03-18 00:39:42)
    Politico - Every tough vote has its arithmetic, and health reform is no different.
  • Senior official: Al-Qaida leader believed killed(AP) (2010-03-18 00:34:39)
    AP - An al-Qaida leader believed to have played a key role in the bombing of a CIA post in Afghanistan last December was apparently killed by an American missile strike last week, a senior U.S. official said Wednesday.
  • NY senator sworn in, replaces expelled predecessor(AP) (2010-03-18 00:33:41)
    AP - The New York state Senate's newest member has taken office, ending a lengthy saga in the chamber after his expelled predecessor was convicted of assault.
  • Obama-Fox sitdown gets testy(Politico) (2010-03-18 00:21:09)
    Politico - With health care in the balance, Baier repeatedly interrupts Obama, who asks not to be cut off.
  • Everything divides Congress these days, even basketball(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-17 23:17:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — The Maryland men's basketball team isn't getting much love in the nation's capital these days.
  • Obama appears on Fox News, long White House target(AP) (2010-03-17 23:07:25)
    AP - After weeks of the White House belittling Fox News, President Barack Obama has appeared on the cable network to sell his embattled health care overhaul.
  • Indictment says Ky. man threatened Obama in poem(AP) (2010-03-17 23:06:10)
    AP - A Louisville man has been indicted on a charge of threatening to kill President Barack Obama in a poem posted on a white supremacist Web site.
  • Idaho high court: No new trials for 6 on death row(AP) (2010-03-17 23:05:24)
    AP - The Idaho Supreme Court has denied requests from six death row inmates who said they were entitled to new trials because a U.S. Supreme Court ruling after their convictions called on juries, not judges, to impose the death penalty.
  • Idaho first to sign law aimed at health care plan(AP) (2010-03-17 23:05:10)
    AP - Idaho took the lead in a growing, nationwide fight against health care overhaul Wednesday when its governor became the first to sign a measure requiring the state attorney general to sue the federal government if residents are forced to buy health insurance.
  • Health bill's wording expected in hours, vote by weekend(AP) (2010-03-17 23:04:57)
    AP - President Barack Obama's sweeping health care legislation won precious support from a longtime liberal holdout in the House on Wednesday and from Catholic nuns representing dozens of religious orders, gaining fresh traction in the run-up to a climactic weekend vote.
  • GOP gears up for health bill lawsuits(Politico) (2010-03-17 22:28:52)
    Politico - Republican lawyers say they’re conducting research and drafting arguments for lawsuits.
  • More pet owners report injuries from skin products(AP) (2010-03-17 22:22:11)
    AP - Products intended to treat cats and dogs for fleas and ticks kill hundreds of pets each year and injure tens of thousands, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday as it outlined plans to make the products safer.
  • 'Wow, no,' U.S. general hasn't given up on bin Laden's capture(AP) (2010-03-17 21:23:11)
    AP - The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday that it remains the goal of U.S. troops to capture Osama bin Laden alive and "bring him to justice."
  • Another Paul nettles GOP(Politico) (2010-03-17 21:10:14)
    Politico - There's growing concern among Republicans about Rand Paul's growing strength.
  • Congress tries to stamp out tobacco smugglers(AP) (2010-03-17 20:56:05)
    AP - Congress has moved to stamp out a multibillion-dollar tobacco trafficking industry that has enriched criminals and terrorists and made it easier for kids to buy cigarettes online.
  • Obama taps NPR reporter's sister for federal bench(AP) (2010-03-17 20:48:31)
    AP - President Barack Obama has nominated the sister of National Public Radio legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg (TOH'-ten-burgh) for a federal judgeship.
  • Rep. Kucinich switches to 'yes' on health care(AP) (2010-03-17 20:36:24)
    AP - President Barack Obama's much-challenged health care overhaul gained traction Wednesday as a liberal lawmaker became the first to switch his opposition and Catholic nuns declared their support in an unusual public break with the bishops.
  • FBI Director defends handling of Christmas case(AP) (2010-03-17 20:27:40)
    AP - FBI Director Robert Mueller on Wednesday defended his bureau's handling of the Christmas airline bombing attempt, insisting agents in Detroit moved quickly to protect lives. The suspect, he added, has been cooperating after his arrest.
  • Book makes new claims about Anne Frank(AP) (2010-03-17 20:24:38)
    AP - A Holocaust survivor claims in a new book that Anne Frank distracted younger children from the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp by telling them fairy tales — an account disputed by at least one Frank authority and a childhood friend of the diarist.
  • Fed boss makes case to keep all banking duties(AP) (2010-03-17 20:24:27)
    AP - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke urged Congress Wednesday to let the Fed keep all of its banking oversight, arguing that information gleaned from that process helps the central bank guide the economy.
  • FACT CHECK: Obama plan only slows premiums rise(AP) (2010-03-17 20:21:53)
    AP - Buyers, beware: President Barack Obama says his health care overhaul will lower premiums by double digits, but check the fine print.
  • Merkel: Sex abuse scandal major challenge(AP) (2010-03-17 20:01:03)
    AP - Chancellor Angela Merkel called the sex abuse scandal rocking the homeland of Pope Benedict XVI a major challenge to German society and warned the only way to come to terms with it was to "find out everything that has happened."
  • Carter laments 'unprecedented' partisan divide(AP) (2010-03-17 19:01:16)
    AP - Former President Jimmy Carter on Wednesday called the divide among Republicans and Democrats in Washington "unprecedented," and said President Barack Obama should hold private meetings with GOP leaders to make sure the gap doesn't grow.
  • EPA begins more scrutiny of flea and tick products(AP) (2010-03-17 18:58:27)
    AP - Complaints of dogs and cats injured and sometimes even killed by flea treatments have increased significantly, the Environmental Protection Agency said Wednesday as it outlined plans to make the products safer.
  • O'Bama toasts lawmakers(Politico) (2010-03-17 18:57:39)
    Politico - Obama uses St. Paddy's day cheer to make case for bipartisanship.
  • Obama wins critic over to health overhaul(AFP) (2010-03-17 18:47:21)
    AFP - US President Barack Obama's health care overhaul got a boost Wednesday ahead of a likely weekend vote as a Democrat once fiercely against the bill threw his support to the historic legislation.
  • NOW backs Stupak challenger(Politico) (2010-03-17 18:43:05)
    Politico - The National Organization for Women is backing Bart Stupak's Democratic opponent, citing the congressman's opposition to health care reform legislation.
  • US military: Goal still to capture bin Laden alive(AP) (2010-03-17 18:19:54)
    AP - The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday that it remains the goal of U.S. troops to capture Osama bin Laden alive and "bring him to justice."
  • Kucinich's Switch on Health Care Is Boost for House Leaders(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-17 17:42:18)
    CQPolitics.com - Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio, a liberal Democratic holdout against his party's efforts to pass a health care overhaul, said Wednesday he will vote for the final legislation despite his disappointment with some provisions.
  • Spain blames ETA for death of French policeman(AP) (2010-03-17 17:21:22)
    AP - The Basque separatist group ETA was blamed Wednesday for the shooting death of a French policeman outside Paris, as authorities interrogated one suspect and hunted for at least five other assailants who fled the scene.
  • More ex-Vienna Boys' Choir members allege abuse(AP) (2010-03-17 17:18:03)
    AP - The Vienna Boys' Choir said Wednesday it has heard from eight possible abuse victims following an initial report of allegations last week.
  • Irish cardinal reflects on position(AP) (2010-03-17 17:14:58)
    AP - The leader of Ireland's Roman Catholics said Wednesday that he is ashamed of his part in dealing with a child sex abuse scandal 35 years ago, and said he is uncertain what the future holds for him.
  • Hundreds of WWII artillery shells found in Moscow(AP) (2010-03-17 17:11:45)
    AP - Dozens of people were evacuated from their homes in Russia's capital Wednesday after maintenance workers uncovered hundreds of rusty World War II-era artillery shells beneath a road.
  • UK can't guarantee allies don't torture detainees(AP) (2010-03-17 17:05:41)
    AP - Britain's government can't completely rule out that its allies torture detainees while seeking to tackle the threat from terrorism, according to an official report released Wednesday.
  • Senate Clears $17.6 Billion Jobs Bill, With More To Come(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-17 16:49:16)
    CQPolitics.com - The Senate on Wednesday sent President Obama the first major element of the Democrats' agenda to tackle high unemployment rates and put Americans back to work.
  • Obama wins first convert in healthcare push(Reuters) (2010-03-17 16:32:37)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama picked up his first convert in the push for healthcare reform on Wednesday as Democrats in the House of Representatives prepared for a close weekend vote on final passage.
  • Obama's health care plan picks up support(AP) (2010-03-17 16:22:16)
    AP - President Barack Obama's much-challenged health care overhaul gained traction Wednesday as a liberal lawmaker became the first to switch his opposition and Catholic nuns declared their support in an unusual public break with the bishops.
  • Jobs bill with tax breaks awaits only Obama's signature(AP) (2010-03-17 16:14:04)
    AP - Companies that hire unemployed workers will get a temporary payroll tax holiday under a bill that easily won final congressional approval Wednesday.
  • Obama praises GOP lawmakers for jobs bill support(AP) (2010-03-17 15:48:10)
    AP - President Barack Obama is thanking lawmakers — and Republicans especially — for their help sending him a jobs bill.
  • Illinois Dem chides administration(Politico) (2010-03-17 14:51:28)
    Politico - Democratic congressional candidate Dan Seals, running in a suburban Chicago district with a significant Jewish population, chided the Obama administration for its freshly critical stance toward Israel Tuesday.
  • Senate OKs jobs bill for Obama's signature(AP) (2010-03-17 14:46:22)
    AP - Companies that hire unemployed workers will get a temporary payroll tax holiday under a bill that easily won final congressional approval Wednesday.
  • Senate passes $17.6B jobs bill(Politico) (2010-03-17 14:42:21)
    Politico - It marks the first major economic policy victory of 2010 for the Obama administration.
  • Fed boss to make case to keep all banking duties(AP) (2010-03-17 14:36:48)
    AP - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will make the case to Congress on Wednesday that the Fed should retain supervision of smaller banks.
  • Kucinich backs healthcare bill(Reuters) (2010-03-17 14:36:19)
    Reuters - Democratic Representative Dennis Kucinich, saying he may be the "deciding vote," announced on Wednesday he will back the Senate-passed healthcare bill that President Barack Obama hopes to sign into law.
  • Poll: Whitman, Brown tied in matchup for Calif gov(AP) (2010-03-17 14:25:41)
    AP - A new poll finds former eBay chief executive Meg Whitman, a billionaire Republican, is now in a dead heat with presumed Democratic nominee Jerry Brown in the race for California governor.
  • Kucinich will support Obama health overhaul(AP) (2010-03-17 14:20:38)
    AP - Liberal Rep. Dennis Kucinich says he will support President Barack Obama's health care overhaul bill when the House considers it.
  • Kucinich is a 'yes' on health care(Politico) (2010-03-17 14:17:37)
    Politico - The liberal Ohio Democrat's support is significant because he was a “no” vote the first time around.
  • Catholic nuns urge passage of Obama's health bill(AP) (2010-03-17 14:14:44)
    AP - Catholic nuns are urging Congress to pass President Barack Obama's health care plan, in an unusual public break with bishops who say it would subsidize abortion.
  • Poll: Whitman narrowly leads Brown(Politico) (2010-03-17 14:08:03)
    Politico - Former eBay CEO holds 3 percentage point lead over Calif. AG in potential match-up for governor.
  • 3 arrested in British boy's abduction in Pakistan(AP) (2010-03-17 13:55:59)
    AP - Spanish police have arrested three people in the kidnapping of a 5-year-old British boy in Pakistan, a court official said Wednesday.
  • Medvedev: Russia must tap Arctic resources(AP) (2010-03-17 13:33:00)
    AP - Russia must defend its claims to mineral riches of the Arctic in increasing competition with other powers, President Dmitry Medvedev said Wednesday.
  • Israel moves to ease diplomatic dispute with U.S(Reuters) (2010-03-17 12:43:10)
    Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised President Barack Obama on Wednesday and spoke by telephone with his vice president as a vocal feud over Jewish settlements took on softer tones.
  • Demjanjuk trial hears how Nazi guards recruited(AP) (2010-03-17 12:14:25)
    AP - An expert witness in the trial of John Demjanjuk says former Soviet POWs used by the Nazis as death camp guards were not told what they were agreeing to do when they signed up.
  • British poet laureate pens ode to injured Beckham(AP) (2010-03-17 11:51:53)
    AP - O Beckham, where art thou?
  • House leaders joust over use of parliamentary rule(AP) (2010-03-17 11:41:02)
    AP - House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer declined to say Wednesday if Democrats have enough votes to pass historic health care legislation, but hinted that they're poised to use an arcane parliamentary process to get it done.
  • Pope hopes letter to Irish helps healing(AP) (2010-03-17 11:07:25)
    AP - Pope Benedict XVI said Wednesday he hopes his upcoming letter to the Irish faithful on the sex abuse scandal in Ireland's Catholic Church helps with "repentance, healing and renewal."
  • Irish at home, worldwide cheer St. Patrick's Day(AP) (2010-03-17 10:44:47)
    AP - Much of the world is turning green Wednesday for St. Patrick's Day, the annual celebration of all hues of Irishness.
  • Obama celebrates Ireland on St. Patrick's Day(AP) (2010-03-17 09:37:23)
    AP - President Barack Obama is celebrating St. Patrick's Day by meeting with Irish Prime minister Brian Cowen at the White House.
  • The Democrats' real 'energy' gap(Politico) (2010-03-17 09:26:50)
    Politico - In an Ideas piece, Melber says Obama never actually lost his core supporters, just their energy.
  • Dems play nice with tea partiers(Politico) (2010-03-17 09:25:52)
    Politico - When Tea Party protesters storm the Hill, they are greeted with cordial lawmakers.
  • Senators pump gas fee into bill(Politico) (2010-03-17 09:21:12)
    Politico - Co-authors hope proposal backed by big oil will bring new players to the negotiating table.
  • GOP casts Pelosi as health care villain(Politico) (2010-03-17 09:12:00)
    Politico - Republican campaigns focus on tying the bill — and Dems who support it — to the speaker.
  • FACT CHECK: Premiums would rise under Obama plan(AP) (2010-03-17 08:03:55)
    AP - Buyers, beware: President Barack Obama says his health care overhaul will lower premiums by double digits, but check the fine print.
  • Parliamentarian is rock star in health care debate(AP) (2010-03-17 07:36:04)
    AP - When Congress battles over thorny bills, parliamentarian Alan Frumin has been known to sleep in his office — on call 24/7 as the Senate's Solomon, divining the answers.
  • Obama, Irish leaders celebrate St. Patrick's(AP) (2010-03-17 07:28:28)
    AP - Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Cowen is looking to boost his flagging political fortunes in a St. Patrick's Day meeting with President Barack Obama.
  • Americans suspected of terror-related activities(AP) (2010-03-17 07:26:21)
    AP - Americans who have been charged or suspected of terror-related activities over the past year include:
  • Recent cases show challenge of US terrorists(AP) (2010-03-17 07:23:52)
    AP - One was a drywall contractor and father, another a petite woman who cared for the elderly, another a U.S. military officer. The most alarming thing about a string of recently arrested terror suspects is that they are all Americans.
  • Senate poised to clear jobs bill for Obama(AP) (2010-03-17 07:21:49)
    AP - Companies that hire unemployed workers get a temporary payroll tax holiday under a bill headed for likely Senate passage Wednesday.
  • Hawaii considering law to ignore Obama 'birthers'(AP) (2010-03-17 06:48:20)
    AP - Birthers beware: Hawaii may start ignoring your repeated requests for proof that President Barack Obama was born here.
  • Members Savor Part in Irish Peace Process(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-17 04:10:19)
    CQPolitics.com - On this St. Patrick's Day, members of Congress who care about Ireland have a lot to celebrate.
  • When tweets can make you a jailbird(AP) (2010-03-17 03:29:10)
    AP - Maxi Sopo was having so much fun "living in paradise" in Mexico that he posted about it on Facebook so all his friends could follow his adventures. Others were watching, too: A federal prosecutor in Seattle, where Sopo was wanted on bank fraud charges.
  • US Senate bill introduced to punish China on yuan(AFP) (2010-03-17 03:02:10)
    AFP - Facing election-year pressure over unemployment, US senators have introduced legislation that would impose tough new penalties on China if it failed to revalue its currency.
  • Obama pitching healthcare reform on Fox News(Reuters) (2010-03-17 01:09:12)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama is venturing into enemy territory to drum up last-minute support for healthcare reform ahead of a crucial vote in the House of Representatives.
  • Senate one-year hiatus on earmarks fails, splits GOP(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-17 00:43:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — The Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly defeated a bid to freeze spending earmarks for a year.
  • US, Israel to try and heal worst rift in years(AP) (2010-03-17 00:41:03)
    AP - The United States and Israel stepped back Tuesday from their deepest rift in decades, a dispute over new Jewish homes in a traditionally Arab part of Jerusalem that quickly became a test of U.S. and Israeli commitment to peace talks and one another.
  • House Dems under pressure to deliver(Politico) (2010-03-17 00:39:56)
    Politico - Some members are getting calls from Obama – for others the pressure tactics are less friendly.
  • Democrats defend health strategy as vote nears(Reuters) (2010-03-17 00:11:23)
    Reuters - Under heavy Republican attack, Democrats in the House of Representatives on Tuesday defended plans to pass a healthcare overhaul without a direct vote as President Barack Obama's top domestic priority neared a make-or-break showdown.
  • Clinton to visit Moscow amid strained U.S.-Russia relations(Time.com) (2010-03-17 00:05:00)
    Time.com - The Obama Administration had high hopes for wiping the slate clean with Russia and starting anew. But Washington still has a ways to go to gain Moscow's trust
  • GOP pushes back on Dodd schedule(Politico) (2010-03-16 23:42:35)
    Politico - Most of the unhappy Republicans express their displeasure in temperate terms – but not all.
  • Senate rejects freeze on earmarks(AP) (2010-03-16 23:42:15)
    AP - The Senate on Tuesday easily killed a move by conservative Republicans to temporarily ban senators from earmarking spending bills with back-home projects like roads, water projects and grants to local governments.
  • Senate rejects earmarks ban(Politico) (2010-03-16 23:17:00)
    Politico - 68-29 vote kills amendment by DeMint to establish one-year moratorium on earmarks.
  • All sides playing hardball on health care bill(AP) (2010-03-16 23:06:53)
    AP - With time and tempers short, everyone's playing hardball in the drive to pass — or stop — President Barack Obama's massive health care legislation by the weekend.
  • US, Israel try to back away from the brink(AP) (2010-03-16 23:05:05)
    AP - The United States and Israel stepped back Tuesday from their deepest rift in decades, a dispute over new Jewish homes in a traditionally Arab part of Jerusalem that quickly became a test of U.S. and Israeli commitment to peace talks and one another.
  • Obama fills out tournament bracket again for ESPN(AP) (2010-03-16 22:54:03)
    AP - President Barack Obama predicts Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky and Villanova to make the men's basketball Final Four.
  • Chamber, Wall Street lobby seek to alter Dodd bill(AP) (2010-03-16 22:51:43)
    AP - Financial institutions and their allies mobilized lobbyists and fueled their media campaigns Tuesday in a swift response to a Democratic plan to rein in Wall Street and protect consumers in their banking and borrowing transactions.
  • Reports of sexual assault in military rose 11 percent in 2009(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-16 22:37:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — The number of sexual assaults reported in the U.S. military rose 11 percent last year, the Defense Department said Tuesday, but Pentagon officials conceded that they still don't know how common sexual assaults are because many troops fear retribution if the attacks come to the attention of their commanders.
  • US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,385(AP) (2010-03-16 22:36:37)
    AP - As of Tuesday, March 16, 2010, at least 4,385 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.
  • US Senate majority leader recounts wife's harrowing crash(AFP) (2010-03-16 22:23:53)
    AFP - US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday that his wife was home recovering from surgery for a broken neck suffered when a truck plowed into the van carrying her and her daughter.
  • Pope to visit England, Scotland in September(AP) (2010-03-16 22:08:17)
    AP - Pope Benedict XVI will visit Scotland and England in September in a four-day visit combining preaching and diplomacy, Buckingham Palace announced Tuesday.
  • FLOTUS to grocers: 'Step it up'(Politico) (2010-03-16 22:04:07)
    Politico - Michelle Obama instructs grocery manufacturers to boost healthy food efforts to curb obesity.
  • UN chief recommends Tony Lake to head UNICEF(AP) (2010-03-16 21:58:11)
    AP - Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday selected U.S. foreign policy expert Tony Lake, who was an adviser to President Barack Obama, as his candidate to head UNICEF, the U.N. children's agency.
  • Holder: Osama bin Laden won't be brought in alive(Politico) (2010-03-16 21:28:20)
    Politico - The question of whether bin Laden would be mirandized is absurd, says Holder.
  • Poll: Public attitudes toward US census improving(AP) (2010-03-16 21:10:53)
    AP - With the 2010 census under way, about 1 in 10 people may not participate in the population count, with many saying they see little personal benefit from the government survey or have concerns that it may be intrusive, according to a poll released Tuesday.
  • Late-innings hardball in health care push(AP) (2010-03-16 21:08:58)
    AP - With time and tempers short, everyone's playing hardball in the drive to pass — or stop — President Barack Obama's massive health care legislation by the weekend.
  • Tuna ban: EU squabbling, China opposed(AFP) (2010-03-16 20:50:32)
    AFP - A bid to ban catches of bluefin tuna in two major fisheries ran into problems on Tuesday as European Union (EU) countries squabbled over the proposal while China was reported to be opposed to it.
  • GOP says Dems' plan on health bill abuses rules(AP) (2010-03-16 20:39:02)
    AP - It is a brazen abuse of Congress' rules. Or a legitimate tactic used many times by both parties.
  • Holder: Osama bin Laden will never face US trial(AP) (2010-03-16 20:36:54)
    AP - Attorney General Eric Holder told Congress on Tuesday that Osama bin Laden will never face trial in the United States because he will not be captured alive.
  • Most US forces in Afghanistan to be under NATO(AP) (2010-03-16 19:50:49)
    AP - A major reorganization of allied forces in Afghanistan will centralize both American and other foreign troops under the direct command of Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the senior U.S. and NATO commander in the theater.
  • PROMISES, PROMISES: Records not so open with Obama(AP) (2010-03-16 19:30:01)
    AP - One year into its promise of greater government transparency, the Obama administration is more often citing exceptions to the nation's open records law to withhold federal records even as the number of requests for information declines, according to a review by The Associated Press of agency audits about the Freedom of Information Act.
  • Ukraine to pass law scrapping NATO ambitions(AP) (2010-03-16 19:29:44)
    AP - Ukraine's new governing coalition in parliament said Tuesday it will pass a law against joining military alliances such as NATO, a move that is sure to please Russia while tilting Ukraine away from its previous pro-Western course.
  • U.N. chief chides Israel for confidentiality breach(Reuters) (2010-03-16 19:28:42)
    Reuters - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday criticized Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman for releasing information about what Ban said was a confidential telephone call between the two men.
  • Petraeus says Iran nuke won't happen this year(AP) (2010-03-16 18:58:25)
    AP - The top U.S. commander in the Middle East says Iran's efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon have been delayed "a bit" and that Iran won't get a nuclear weapon this year.
  • Senate bill would penalize China over yuan(Reuters) (2010-03-16 18:58:06)
    Reuters - Members of Congress on Tuesday threatened Beijing with duties on some of its exports if it fails to revalue its currency, pressuring the Obama administration to label China a currency manipulator.
  • Shark conservation proposal defeated at UN meeting(AP) (2010-03-16 18:54:26)
    AP - China, Japan and Russia helped defeat a U.S.-endorsed proposal at a U.N. wildlife trade meeting Tuesday that would have boosted conservation efforts for sharks, expressing concern it would hurt poor nations and should be the responsibility of regional fisheries bodies.
  • 'Slaughter Solution' not bulletproof(Politico) (2010-03-16 18:50:07)
    Politico - "Deem and pass" approach would be vulnerable to credible constitutional challenge, experts say.
  • Nominee pledges 'straight talk' with Syria(AP) (2010-03-16 18:45:04)
    AP - President Barack Obama's choice to be the first U.S. ambassador to Syria in five years told his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday he'll deliver "unfiltered straight talk" to Damascus about its support of terror groups.
  • Obama to speak with Fox News on Wednesday(AP) (2010-03-16 18:44:28)
    AP - President Barack Obama is taking his health care pitch directly to Fox News viewers.
  • US peace envoy cancels trip to Mideast(AP) (2010-03-16 18:33:11)
    AP - The State Department says the Obama administration's special envoy for Mideast peace, George Mitchell, has canceled plans for talks this week with Israeli and Palestinian leaders.
  • Dems defend House health care strategy(AP) (2010-03-16 18:31:12)
    AP - Democrats defended plans to push massive health care legislation through the House without a direct vote and Republicans assailed the strategy Tuesday, as both parties fenced ferociously over the health overhaul end game.
  • Obama may soon get to nominate second Supreme Court justice(AFP) (2010-03-16 18:04:58)
    AFP - President Barack Obama may have the chance within months to nominate a second justice to the US Supreme Court as the most senior member John Paul Stevens has hinted that he might be leaving.
  • Senate Panel Likely To Vote Soon on U.S. Envoy to Syria(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-16 17:54:19)
    CQPolitics.com - President Obama's nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to Syria, a post deliberately left vacant for years, encountered no resistance Tuesday at a Senate Foreign Relations confirmation hearing.
  • NJ court: Tea party bid to oust senator must wait(AP) (2010-03-16 17:02:20)
    AP - A New Jersey appeals court has put on hold a conservative tea party group's effort to throw a Democratic U.S. senator out of office.
  • Senate bill threatens stiff penalties on China(Reuters) (2010-03-16 16:42:27)
    Reuters - Members of the U.S. Congress on Tuesday threatened Beijing with duties on some of its exports if it fails to revalue its currency, pressuring the Obama administration to label China a currency manipulator.
  • Defense seeks end to trial of ex-SS man(AP) (2010-03-16 16:39:32)
    AP - The defense attorney for a former member of the Nazi SS who has confessed to killing three Dutch civilians during World War II says the case against him should be thrown out because he has already been tried in the Netherlands for the same crimes.
  • Clinton: Israel must prove commitment to peace(AP) (2010-03-16 16:37:13)
    AP - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Tuesday that Israel must prove it is committed to the Mideast peace process with actions, brushed aside suggestions U.S.-Israeli relations are in crisis and reaffirmed America's steadfast commitment to its security.
  • Court: Menendez recall can proceed(Politico) (2010-03-16 16:23:25)
    Politico - N.J. senator's lawyer had maintained senators cannot be removed by recall, but court rules otherwise.
  • Vatican completes probe of Legionaries scandal(AP) (2010-03-16 16:07:50)
    AP - Vatican investigators have completed their probe into the Legionaries of Christ, the conservative order that was once hailed by Rome but fell into scandal after it revealed that its founder had fathered a child and had molested seminarians.
  • Britain retreats on mandatory dog insurance plan(AP) (2010-03-16 15:47:28)
    AP - It seems the British government's bark is worse than its bite.
  • U.N.'s new envoy hails Karzai on poll watchdog change(Reuters) (2010-03-16 15:25:40)
    Reuters - The new United Nations special envoy to Afghanistan praised President Hamid Karzai on Tuesday for revoking a decree that barred foreign observers from a U.N.-backed electoral watchdog.
  • Wilson ad: He's not 'silent'(Politico) (2010-03-16 15:24:36)
    Politico - South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson is up with the first ad of his reelection campaign, featuring constituents praising the Republican for speaking out when "most people have been silent."
  • GOP assails Dems on approach to health bill(AP) (2010-03-16 15:07:10)
    AP - Republicans are assailing Democrats over their plans to push massive health care legislation through the House without a direct vote.
  • NJ court OKs tea party group's bid to oust senator(AP) (2010-03-16 15:06:52)
    AP - A New Jersey appeals court is allowing a conservative tea party group to proceed with an effort to throw a Democratic U.S. senator out of office.
  • Petraeus: 'Time has come' to rethink gay policy(AP) (2010-03-16 14:56:27)
    AP - The four-star Army general who is managing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan says "the time has come" for the military to rethink its policy toward gays.
  • Widespread spring flooding forecast(AP) (2010-03-16 14:50:26)
    AP - With truckloads of sandbags rolling into cities like Fargo, N.D. and Moorhead, Minn., the government confirmed residents' fears Tuesday, forecasting major flooding in the Midwest following a wetter than normal winter.
  • Israel feud hurts US national security: top lawmaker(AFP) (2010-03-16 14:17:15)
    AFP - US President Barack Obama must move to defuse a bitter diplomatic feud with Israel and pursue a Middle East "peace on Israel's terms," one of his top critics in the US Congress said Tuesday.
  • Petraeus warns of tough year ahead on Afghanistan(AP) (2010-03-16 14:13:42)
    AP - The man who oversees U.S. forces in both the Iraq and Afghan wars says the fighting in Afghanistan will "likely get harder before it gets easier" and predicts 2010 will be a difficult year.
  • VIDEO: POLITICO Playback(Politico) (2010-03-16 14:05:50)
    Politico - POLITICO rounds up the best of last night's late-night TV ...
  • Somali pirates free North Korean chemical tanker(AP) (2010-03-16 13:39:05)
    AP - Somali pirates freed a North Korean chemical tanker and its 28 crew Tuesday after the owners delivered a ransom, the European Union Naval Force said.
  • Cantor to Rahm: Ease up on Israel(Politico) (2010-03-16 13:26:50)
    Politico - House minority whip is worried about the administration forcing Israel to make new concessions.
  • Florida Senate: Can Charlie Crist Rebound Vs. Marco Rubio?(Time.com) (2010-03-16 12:30:00)
    Time.com - A growing chorus of pundits is suggesting that Charlie Crist should not even try to battle the resurgent right but instead run in the November general election as an independent
  • An Unexpected Friendship(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-16 10:50:15)
    CQPolitics.com - On any given day during House votes, Republican Reps. Don Young (Alaska) and Anh "Joseph" Cao (La.) can be seen sitting next to each other in the upper-right side of the chamber, chatting and laughing.
  • Health Care Bill: Obama Has Much at Stake in Reform Vote(Time.com) (2010-03-16 10:25:00)
    Time.com - If President Obama fails to win the upcoming congressional votes that are designed to get a health care bill to his desk, it will be one of the few times a loss truly threatens his future
  • On the fight against cyberterror(Politico) (2010-03-16 09:14:03)
    Politico - In an Ideas piece, Karp says technology may provide the map, but our values must remain the compass.
  • The case against threatening Iran(Politico) (2010-03-16 09:13:41)
    Politico - In an Ideas piece, the authors say Obama should tell regional allies a strike is highly unlikely.
  • Elite donors dodge DNC as 2010 looms(Politico) (2010-03-16 08:53:04)
    Politico - Discontent among some of Obama's biggest fundraisers helped push out Rogers, says one source.
  • Five ways to pass or sink reform(Politico) (2010-03-16 08:40:28)
    Politico - Here is how health care could survive — or falter inches from the finish line.
  • Wavering Dems in Obama's sights on health vote(AP) (2010-03-16 07:26:59)
    AP - Days away from a make-or-break vote on his health care overhaul, President Barack Obama is turning up the pressure as only presidents can, as Democratic leaders make a desperate scramble for votes.
  • Break the law and your new 'friend' may be the FBI(AP) (2010-03-16 07:25:52)
    AP - The Feds are on Facebook. And MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter, too.
  • Obama takes the long view in times of crisis(AP) (2010-03-16 07:23:29)
    AP - Just back from a recent day trip to Georgia, President Barack Obama walked into the Oval Office and told his senior staff to get a grip.
  • PROMISES, PROMISES: Is gov't more open with Obama?(AP) (2010-03-16 07:22:38)
    AP - The government's use of legal exemptions to keep records secret rose during President Barack Obama's first year in office, despite promises of increased openness, an Associated Press review found.
  • Michelle Obama talks anti-obesity to food giants(AP) (2010-03-16 07:21:00)
    AP - Michelle Obama has talked to schools and nutrition groups across the country in her effort to reduce childhood obesity. On Tuesday she will face the food companies that make the snacks and junk food that stuff grocery aisles and school vending machines.
  • Karzai, Obama discuss prospects of Taliban talks(Reuters) (2010-03-16 06:38:59)
    Reuters - Afghan President Hamid Karzai discussed prospects of peace with the Taliban in a video phone conversation with President Barack Obama, Karzai's office said on Tuesday.
  • The Senate's 2010 Roulette Wheel(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-16 04:08:19)
    CQPolitics.com - Do Republicans have any chance of winning back the Senate in November?
  • Political Spring Training Kicks Off in Colorado(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-16 04:08:17)
    CQPolitics.com - The Senate race in Colorado will enter a new and competitive phase today, when first-round precinct caucuses across the state unofficially kick off the campaign and serve as an early barometer of the candidates' organizational strength and their support among base voters.
  • CAPITAL CULTURE: Indonesia remembers young Obama(AP) (2010-03-16 04:01:54)
    AP - Somewhat bluntly, Barack Obama's former teacher sums up the neighborhood thinking when the future American president turned up with his family in Indonesia's capital more than 40 years ago.
  • UN expert: NKorean farm controls causing hunger(AP) (2010-03-16 02:55:49)
    AP - North Korea should let farms produce freely and allow food to be sold in local markets because the communist government cannot provide enough food for its people, a U.N. human rights investigator urged Monday.
  • Left to Dems: 'Yes' on reform or 3rd party challenge(Politico) (2010-03-16 02:23:37)
    Politico - Liberal leaders are expecting a wave of anger if Congress fails to pass health care.
  • Left warns Dems on health care vote(Politico) (2010-03-16 02:23:37)
    Politico - Liberal leaders are expecting a wave of anger if Congress fails to pass health care.
  • Ambitious plan seeks to make US a broadband leader(AFP) (2010-03-16 01:51:23)
    AFP - US regulators have unveiled details of an ambitious plan designed to vault the United States into the ranks of world leaders in high-speed Internet access over the next decade.
  • Stevens considers retiring from Supreme Court(AP) (2010-03-16 01:27:59)
    AP - Justice John Paul Stevens, at 89 the Supreme Court's oldest member, says he will decide in the next month or so whether this term will be his last.
  • US Israel criticism ignites firestorm in Congress(AP) (2010-03-16 00:47:03)
    AP - The Obama administration's fierce denunciation of Israel last week has ignited a firestorm in Congress and among powerful pro-Israel interest groups who say the criticism of America's top Mideast ally was misplaced.
  • Dems: Store closed for reform deals(Politico) (2010-03-16 00:30:50)
    Politico - Pelosi plays hardball with rank and file in run-up to historic health care vote.
  • GOP says Brunner was snubbed(Politico) (2010-03-15 23:28:35)
    Politico - Ohio Democratic Senate candidate Jennifer Brunner attended the president’s final pitch for a health care overhaul but her opponent Lee Fisher did not.
  • Remember the financial crisis? Senate unveils its fix(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-15 23:14:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Eighteen months after Wall Street's brush with apocalypse, the Senate on Monday began to rewrite the nation's financial regulatory rules with the introduction of a sweeping bill designed to fix the causes of the deep economic crisis.
  • Dems start countdown toward health care vote(AP) (2010-03-15 23:05:01)
    AP - House Democrats triggered the countdown Monday for the climactic vote on President Barack Obama's fiercely contested remake of the health care system, even though the legislation remained incomplete and lacked the votes needed to pass.
  • US criticism of Israel ignites firestorm(AP) (2010-03-15 23:03:16)
    AP - The Obama administration's fierce denunciation of Israel last week has ignited a firestorm in Congress and among powerful pro-Israel interest groups who say the criticism of America's top Mideast ally was misplaced.
  • House heads toward close healthcare vote(Reuters) (2010-03-15 22:46:54)
    Reuters - Congressional Democrats took the first step on Monday toward a quick final vote on a healthcare overhaul, and House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed to muster the votes needed to pass it.
  • U.N. set for more discreet talks with Taliban: envoys(Reuters) (2010-03-15 22:32:15)
    Reuters - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon suggested in a new report on Afghanistan that the United Nations is ready to continue informal talks with the Taliban but the contact must be discreet, diplomats said.
  • Bipartisan jobs bill advances past GOP filibuster(AP) (2010-03-15 22:23:40)
    AP - A bipartisan bill that would provide tax cuts for businesses that hire unemployed workers cleared a GOP filibuster in the Senate Monday, opening the way for final congressional approval.
  • House weighs unusual tactic to muscle health bill through(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-15 22:21:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — As the battle over health care legislation built Monday toward a weekend crescendo, congressional Democrats considered trying to pass the controversial Senate version without voting for it, a tactic that Republicans and independent analysts warned could be politically treacherous and perhaps unconstitutional.
  • Obama's Asia trip more about influence than policy(AP) (2010-03-15 21:24:10)
    AP - President Barack Obama's second trip to Asia since taking office is unlikely to result in tangible accomplishments, but the two-country sojourn could be an important step in restoring U.S. influence in the region.
  • US wants Israel to cancel Jerusalem building plan(AP) (2010-03-15 21:02:05)
    AP - The Obama administration is demanding that Israel call off a contentious building project in east Jerusalem and make a public gesture toward the Palestinians to help defuse one of the worst U.S.-Israeli feuds in memory, officials on both sides said Monday.
  • Biggest bank crackdown since New Deal is proposed by Dodd(AP) (2010-03-15 21:02:01)
    AP - A new Democratic Senate bill to tame the financial markets would give the government new powers to break up firms that threaten the economy, force the industry to pay for its failures and create a consumer watchdog within the Federal Reserve.
  • Toyota casts doubt on man's speeding Prius claim(AP) (2010-03-15 21:01:19)
    AP - Toyota cast doubt Monday on a California man's claim that his Prius sped out of control, saying the report is inconsistent with the findings of the company's preliminary investigation.
  • Obama threatens to veto intel bill(Politico) (2010-03-15 20:54:31)
    Politico - Peter Orszag says three sections of the bill are of "serious concern to the intelligence community."
  • Salmonella product recall news(AP) (2010-03-15 20:46:43)
    AP - The following products are being recalled because they could be contaminated with salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children and others with weakened immune systems:
  • House panel takes step on final healthcare bill(Reuters) (2010-03-15 20:33:33)
    Reuters - The U.S. House of Representatives Budget Committee took the first step on Monday toward passing a healthcare reform bill, launching a process that could culminate with a final House vote this week.
  • The handwriting on the wall(Politico) (2010-03-15 20:18:28)
    Politico - In an Ideas piece, Schoen defends his argument that health care reform will be toxic for Democrats.
  • U.S. presses India on Doha trade talks(Reuters) (2010-03-15 19:39:58)
    Reuters - A top U.S. official on Monday urged India and other large emerging economies to rescue the eight-year-old Doha round of world trade talks by making better offers to open their markets to American goods.
  • Dodd lifts curtain on reform bill(Politico) (2010-03-15 19:13:46)
    Politico - Measure is tougher on financial industry than expected, but includes key concessions to Republicans.
  • Russia criticized by UN over Olympics construction(AP) (2010-03-15 19:12:25)
    AP - The top U.N. environmental watchdog has criticized Russia in a report to be released Tuesday for ignoring the effects that several construction projects for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi will have on the region's unique wildlife.
  • Republicans slam Obama's hard line on Israel(AFP) (2010-03-15 19:01:04)
    AFP - Republican lawmakers came out swinging Monday against President Barack Obama's hard line toward Israel over its controversial plans to expand a settlement in disputed East Jerusalem.
  • APNewsBreak: Governors seek wind energy boost(AP) (2010-03-15 18:48:04)
    AP - A coalition representing governors of 29 states is urging the federal government to take steps to boost wind energy, such as requiring utilities to produce at least 10 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2012.
  • Dodd unveils sweeping financial regulation plan(AP) (2010-03-15 18:08:10)
    AP - A new Democratic Senate bill to tame the financial markets would give the government new powers to break up firms that threaten the economy and would force the industry to pay for its failures.
  • It's 2010? Time to focus on statehouse elections(AP) (2010-03-15 18:03:10)
    AP - Usually out of the national spotlight, state legislative races are taking on new prominence this year. The reason? It's a year ending in a zero, when U.S. census results are the cue for state lawmakers to draw new boundaries for congressional districts across the country.
  • Obama to Congress: Pass reform now(Politico) (2010-03-15 17:46:28)
    Politico - President puts a human face on health care overhaul in speech to feisty Ohio crowd.
  • Oil and Gas Companies Warm to Possibility of Higher Taxes at the Pump(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-15 17:14:18)
    CQPolitics.com - As a rule, big business hates higher taxes. So it would come as no surprise to find the oil and gas industry upset about climate change legislation that would increase levies at the gas pump.
  • Obama seeks to reassure seniors on health care(AP) (2010-03-15 17:04:01)
    AP - With a fresh sense of urgency, President Barack Obama sought to reassure seniors Monday about health care legislation approaching a final vote in Congress, pledging it would make preventive care cost-free and close a gap in Medicare prescription drug coverage.
  • Olbermann's father dies(Politico) (2010-03-15 16:21:17)
    Politico - Theodore Olbermann played something of an unlikely role in the super-heated health care debate.
  • Health Care Ads Hitting Fever Pitch(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-15 16:12:15)
    CQPolitics.com - For many Americans it may be impossible to turn on the television in the coming days and not be bombarded with health care drama. And we are not talking about "Grey's Anatomy" and "House M.D."
  • Pentagon official allegedly hired off-the-books spies(AP) (2010-03-15 15:25:29)
    AP - A Defense Department official is under investigation for allegedly hiring private contractors to gather intelligence on suspected insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a U.S. official said Monday.
  • Lawmakers press for action on China currency(Reuters) (2010-03-15 14:52:20)
    Reuters - A bipartisan group of 130 U.S. lawmakers on Monday urged top Obama administration officials to take immediate action to address China's "currency manipulation."
  • Kirk ad spotlights 'Republican'(Politico) (2010-03-15 14:41:30)
    Politico - Illinois Rep. Mark Kirk's first Senate ad highlights his fiscal conservatism and naval service, but what is striking is that he also uses another label for himself at the outset of the ad -- "Republican."
  • North Korea rights situation has worsened: U.N. envoy(Reuters) (2010-03-15 14:27:17)
    Reuters - Human rights in North Korea have worsened over the last few years and it is time for the United Nations Security Council to protect the people who are mistreated by their own government, a U.N. envoy said on Monday.
  • Senate Dems consider jobs all-nighter(Politico) (2010-03-15 14:09:54)
    Politico - Monday evening's vote to end the debate on a $15-billion jobs bill is facing new GOP objections.
  • UN agencies say open defecation on the decline(AP) (2010-03-15 14:06:05)
    AP - Almost 170 million people have moved from the outdoors to at least the outhouse to defecate in what the United Nations is calling a major advance in global sanitation over the last two decades.
  • Federal investigators can't explain runaway Prius(AP) (2010-03-15 14:02:33)
    AP - The federal government said Monday it cannot explain a reported incident of sudden, high-speed acceleration in a Toyota Prius on a San Diego freeway and acknowledged it may not be able to solve the mystery of what happened to the hybrid.
  • UN sappers detonate leftover shells from Gaza war(AP) (2010-03-15 13:58:03)
    AP - United Nations explosives experts have blown up several Israeli white phosphorous shells as they try to rid Gaza of munitions left behind in last year's war.
  • Italian police nab Mafia suspects(AP) (2010-03-15 13:54:57)
    AP - Italian police arrested the "postmen" of the Mafia's top boss on Monday, 19 close aides who delivered the notes he writes to impart orders from his hideout, officials said.
  • UN Agency: Tiger on verge of extinction(AP) (2010-03-15 13:41:25)
    AP - The world has "failed miserably" at protecting tigers in the wild, bringing an animal that is a symbol for many cultures and religions to "the verge of extinction," a top official with the United Nations wildlife agency said Monday.
  • UK government rebuked on climate change ads(AP) (2010-03-15 13:41:22)
    AP - Britain's independent advertising watchdog agency has criticized a government ad campaign that highlights the dangers of climate change.
  • Georgian opposition denounces phony TV war report(AP) (2010-03-15 13:22:27)
    AP - Georgia's opposition politicians on Monday denounced the government over a hoax television broadcast that said Russia had invaded and the president had been killed.
  • Official: Pentagon probing alleged spy operation(AP) (2010-03-15 12:53:02)
    AP - A Defense Department official is under investigation for allegedly hiring private contractors to gather intelligence on suspected insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a U.S. official said Monday.
  • Obama outraged by consulate killings in Mexico(AFP) (2010-03-15 12:48:25)
    AFP - Suspected drug gang "hit teams" killed two Americans and a Mexican linked to a US consulate in coordinated shootings that marked an ominous turn in Mexico's drug war.
  • Frenchwoman accused of killing 6 of her infants(AP) (2010-03-15 12:44:21)
    AP - A 38-year-old woman acknowledged Monday killing six of her newborns, whose corpses were found in plastic bags in her basement, at the opening of a chilling trial in northwest France.
  • U.N. chief urges donors to keep Haiti funds flowing(Reuters) (2010-03-15 12:29:24)
    Reuters - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon vowed on Sunday to work to keep donor funds flowing for Haiti's recovery and reconstruction following the devastating January earthquake in the poor Caribbean state.
  • Gov't says it cannot explain runaway Toyota(AP) (2010-03-15 11:40:18)
    AP - The federal government said Monday it cannot explain a reported incident of sudden, high-speed acceleration in a Toyota Prius on a San Diego, Calif., freeway last week.
  • Pope to be 'clear and decisive' in Irish letter(AP) (2010-03-15 11:36:52)
    AP - A top Vatican official says Pope Benedict XVI will speak with a "clear and decisive voice" when he addresses clerical sex abuses in Ireland in a forthcoming letter.
  • Barclay clears way for Hoffman(Politico) (2010-03-15 10:35:01)
    Politico - The former Conservative Party candidate is now the GOP's main prospect to take on Owens in N.Y.
  • Gov't says it cannot explain runaway Prius(AP) (2010-03-15 10:15:17)
    AP - The federal government said Monday it cannot explain a reported incident of sudden, high-speed acceleration in a Toyota Prius on a San Diego, Calif., freeway last week.
  • US census forms arrive in the mail: What to expect(AP) (2010-03-15 09:09:45)
    AP - Let the count begin.
  • GOP surges, but storm could fade(Politico) (2010-03-15 09:04:53)
    Politico - In an Ideas piece, Davis says Democrats will build a much taller wall than in 1994.
  • Lawmakers spend 1K/month on taxpayer-funded cars(Politico) (2010-03-15 09:02:54)
    Politico - They blame fuel-efficiency mandates and short-term leases for high costs.
  • Dodd seeks difficult consensus on financial rules(AP) (2010-03-15 08:25:59)
    AP - Combining Obama administration and Republican priorities, the leading Senate author of a sweeping rewrite of the nation's financial regulations is looking for consensus with a proposal that neither side of the political spectrum is ready to embrace.
  • US lawmakers attack China ahead of Nov. elections(AP) (2010-03-15 08:20:47)
    AP - China is once again the country Congress loves to hate.
  • Health Care 101: A consumer primer on Obama's bill(AP) (2010-03-15 08:09:02)
    AP - It took lawmakers a year to shape President Barack Obama's health care bill. If it finally passes Congress, it'll take the better part of a decade to write the user manual for consumers and doctors, employers and insurance companies.
  • Obama heads to Ohio looking for health care votes(AP) (2010-03-15 07:50:53)
    AP - Still seeking votes for his proposed health care overhaul, President Barack Obama appears ready to reverse his position and allow unpopular deal-sweetening measures in the hopes of finding Democratic support for legislation whose future will be decided in coming days.
  • Common problems when filling out US census forms(AP) (2010-03-15 07:39:46)
    AP - Some common problems when filling out U.S. census forms, which arrive by mail beginning Monday:
  • Guns used to shoot at police came from police(AP) (2010-03-15 07:37:03)
    AP - Two guns used in high-profile shootings this year at the Pentagon and a Las Vegas courthouse both came from the same unlikely place: the police and court system of Memphis, Tenn.
  • A Specter-Toomey Money Split on K Street(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-15 04:04:23)
    CQPolitics.com - The reverberations on K Street are still being felt nearly a year after Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) switched political parties, with Specter loyalists maintaining their support while some big business interests and longtime Republican donors are distancing themselves.
  • Sen. Harry Reid's wife released from hospital(AP) (2010-03-15 03:34:57)
    AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife has been released from a Virginia hospital, where she was taken after being seriously injured in a traffic accident.
  • Yemen launches airstrike on al-Qaida hideout(AP) (2010-03-14 22:54:20)
    AP - Yemen's embassy in Washington says its nation's air force launched an airstrike on an al-Qaida hideout ahead of a likely terror attack.
  • Left likely to be let down by Dodd bill(Politico) (2010-03-14 21:29:36)
    Politico - Chris Dodd will unveil a revised financial reform bill Monday that seeks to find middle ground.
  • Dodd: Wall St. reform 'cannot wait'(Politico) (2010-03-14 21:29:36)
    Politico - Chris Dodd will unveil a revised financial reform bill Monday that seeks to find middle ground.
  • Mexico gunmen kill American consulate staff(Reuters) (2010-03-14 21:24:06)
    Reuters - Gunmen in the drug war-plagued Mexican city of Ciudad Juarez killed two Americans and a Mexican linked to the local U.S. consulate, an attack U.S. President Barack Obama said "outraged" him.
  • White House says Obama's health care fix will pass this week(AFP) (2010-03-14 20:56:26)
    AFP - Top aides to President Barack Obama confidently predicted Sunday that his signature health care overhaul would finally pass through Congress this week, after a year of costly political wrangling.
  • Dodd seeking middle ground on new financial rules(AP) (2010-03-14 20:33:04)
    AP - The senator trying to rewrite the nation's financial industry rules is dropping plans to create a stand-alone consumer financial protection agency and give a single regulator the power to oversee all banks, according to people familiar with the evolving proposal.
  • Serb leader not opposed to Ganic trial in Bosnia(AP) (2010-03-14 18:52:36)
    AP - In a bid to defuse tensions over the arrest in Britain of an ex-Bosnian leader, the Serbian president said Sunday that Belgrade would not oppose his extradition to Bosnia instead of Serbia.
  • Gunmen in Mexico kill 3 with U.S. consulate ties(Reuters) (2010-03-14 18:20:03)
    Reuters - Three people connected to the U.S. consulate in Mexico's most violent border city were murdered, police said on Sunday, prompting U.S. President Barack Obama to respond with outrage and sadness.
  • Ed plan shuffles political deck(Politico) (2010-03-14 18:06:46)
    Politico - Obama's overhaul could mean wins all-around.
  • Prince Charles to visit bison-filled Polish forest(AP) (2010-03-14 18:02:40)
    AP - Britain's Prince Charles visits Poland on Monday, a journey that includes a visit to a bison-filled woodland — Europe's last remaining primeval forest thanks to preservation efforts of kings and czars of centuries past.
  • White House stands ground on high court criticism(AP) (2010-03-14 18:00:22)
    AP - The White House on Sunday defended President Barack Obama's scathing criticism of a Supreme Court decision that allows unions and corporations to funnel unlimited dollars to political campaigns.
  • US cautious on removing nuclear arms from Europe(AP) (2010-03-14 17:10:47)
    AP - The U.S. is taking a go-slow approach on one of the touchiest and least discussed national security issues — whether to remove the last remaining Cold War-era U.S. nuclear weapons in Europe.
  • 2 Americans killed in drive-by shooting in Mexico(AP) (2010-03-14 17:07:39)
    AP - Three people with ties to the American consulate in a drug-plagued Mexican city were killed in a drive-by shooting, a U.S. official said Sunday.
  • White House says Obama's healthcare fix will pass this week(AFP) (2010-03-14 16:55:39)
    AFP - Top aides to President Barack Obama confidently predicted Sunday that his signature healthcare overhaul would finally pass through Congress this week after a year of costly political wrangling.
  • Dem House vote-counter lacks health care votes now(AP) (2010-03-14 16:34:10)
    AP - The House's chief Democratic headcounter said Sunday he hadn't rounded up enough votes to pass President Barack Obama's health care overhaul heading into a make-or-break week, even as the White House's top political adviser said he was "absolutely confident" in its prospects.
  • House Democrat says still short on health votes(Reuters) (2010-03-14 16:21:07)
    Reuters - White House officials on Sunday confidently predicted quick final passage of healthcare reform but a top Democratic vote-counter said they still need to line up more support in the House of Representatives.
  • Obama's health care legacy hangs on power of Clyburn's persuasion(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-14 16:01:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — The looming vote for final passage of the historic health-care bill is the stiffest challenge House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn has faced in his three-plus years as the lawmaker responsible for counting heads and ensuring passage of major legislation.
  • Obama's health care legacy hangs on 216 House votes(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-14 16:01:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — The looming vote for final passage of the historic health-care bill is the stiffest challenge House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn has faced in his three-plus years as the lawmaker responsible for counting heads and ensuring passage of major legislation.
  • White House stands ground against Supreme Court(AP) (2010-03-14 15:59:41)
    AP - The White House isn't backing down from its criticism of the Supreme Court over a campaign finance ruling.
  • Boehner Bats Down DeLay's Criticism(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-14 15:26:23)
    CQPolitics.com - House Minority Leader John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) on Sunday downplayed recent criticism of the GOP's 2010 political strategy and asserted that Republicans "have a chance" of winning the House in November's midterm elections.
  • Israeli settlement action 'an insult': Obama aide(AFP) (2010-03-14 15:01:34)
    AFP - Israel's announcement of plans to build 1,600 settler homes in east Jerusalem was not only an "insult" to the United States but "destructive" of the Middle East peace process, a top White House official said Sunday.
  • Cantor decries ‘perversion of rules’(Politico) (2010-03-14 13:50:00)
    Politico - House Minority Whip Eric Cantor criticized Democrats on Sunday for considering “bending the rules” to pass health care reform.
  • White House: Israel construction plan an `insult'(AP) (2010-03-14 13:39:35)
    AP - The White House isn't relenting in its strong criticism of Israel for plans to build 1,600 new apartments for Jews in east Jerusalem, which Palestinians are seeking as their future capital.
  • House vote counter hunting for health care votes(AP) (2010-03-14 13:24:25)
    AP - The Democrat's chief vote counter in the House says that right now there aren't enough votes to pass President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.
  • Boehner determined to kill Dem health care bill(AP) (2010-03-14 13:01:53)
    AP - The top House Republican says the GOP can defeat the Democratic health care bill that may reach the House floor this coming week.
  • Boehner says GOP has chance of recapturing House(AP) (2010-03-14 13:00:50)
    AP - House Republican leader John Boehner says his party has a shot at recapturing the House majority it lost to Democrats in 2006.
  • Healthcare overhaul will pass: Axelrod(Reuters) (2010-03-14 12:47:59)
    Reuters - A senior White House adviser said on Sunday that President Barack Obama would get the votes necessary to pass a sweeping overhaul of the healthcare system.
  • Agencies lag in following Obama's openness order(AP) (2010-03-14 12:25:18)
    AP - President Barack Obama is having difficulty getting all federal agencies to follow his order to deliver "a new era of open government," according to a study of how they administer the Freedom of Information Act.
  • AP Exclusive: Pentagon gun was from Tenn. police(AP) (2010-03-14 12:20:22)
    AP - Two guns used in high-profile shootings this year at the Pentagon and a Las Vegas courthouse both came from the same unlikely place: the police and court system of Memphis, Tenn.
  • Social Security to start cashing Uncle Sam's IOUs(AP) (2010-03-14 12:16:53)
    AP - The retirement nest egg of an entire generation is stashed away in this small town along the Ohio River: $2.5 trillion in IOUs from the federal government, payable to the Social Security Administration.
  • Republicans need more than opposition: Rove(Reuters) (2010-03-14 12:12:14)
    Reuters - Karl Rove, architect of George W. Bush's two presidential election wins, says he believes Republicans need to offer more than just opposition to Democrats in the November congressional elections.
  • U.N. Iran sanctions may take until June: Kouchner(Reuters) (2010-03-14 11:54:29)
    Reuters - A U.N. resolution on new sanctions against Iran may not be ready until June and if a vote on it fails, European states could take unilateral measures instead, French and Finnish ministers said on Sunday.
  • Moderates' demand for Obama wanes(Politico) (2010-03-14 11:05:32)
    Politico - Some Democrats are unenthusiastic about riding the president's coattails this year.
  • AP Exclusive: Pentagon gun was from Memphis police(AP) (2010-03-14 09:11:50)
    AP - Two guns used in high-profile shootings this year at the Pentagon and a Las Vegas courthouse both came from the same unlikely place: the police and court system of Memphis, Tenn.
  • Russia-US nuclear treaty ready soon: Kremlin(AFP) (2010-03-14 08:19:47)
    AFP - US President Barack Obama and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev have agreed that Washington and Moscow are close to reaching agreement on a new nuclear disarmament treaty, the Kremlin said.
  • Colombians vote to renew tainted Congress(AFP) (2010-03-14 08:06:20)
    AFP - Colombians vote Sunday to renew both houses of their scandal-tainted Congress as major political parties choose candidates for the May election to succeed President Alvaro Uribe.
  • Child abuse claims sweep Catholic Church in Europe(AP) (2010-03-14 05:43:14)
    AP - It often starts as a voice in the wilderness, but can swell into an entire nation's demand for truth. From Ireland to Germany, Europe's many victims of child abuse in the Roman Catholic church are finally breaking social taboos and confronting the clergy to face its demons.
  • Ahead of visit, Obama reconsiders Indonesia military(AFP) (2010-03-14 05:14:59)
    AFP - The United States is looking to break a taboo and train an elite Indonesian force linked to past abuses, as President Barack Obama courts the world's largest Muslim-majority nation with a visit.
  • Despite brashness, Bunning still a hero in Ky.(AP) (2010-03-14 04:40:26)
    AP - Irascible Republican U.S. Sen. Jim Bunning has been a pariah among his congressional colleagues. Back in the conservative swath of northern Kentucky he calls home, though, he's being heralded as a hero.
  • US mom: Daughter held in Ireland 'lost her mind'(AP) (2010-03-14 02:57:45)
    AP - Before her daughter disappeared last fall, Christine Mott recalls that the 31-year-old who had been held in connection with an alleged assassination plot announced she had converted to Islam and told her family they'd go to hell if they didn't follow in her steps.
  • Obama, Medvedev encouraged on arms talks accord(AP) (2010-03-14 02:56:29)
    AP - President Barack Obama on Saturday had what the White House described as an "encouraging" phone conversation with Russian President Dmitrty Medvedev as the two countries sought to work out the remaining issues on a treaty to significantly reduce nuclear arsenals.
  • Pelosi confident House will pass health care bill(AP) (2010-03-14 02:38:20)
    AP - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Saturday she's confident the House will pass health care legislation and dismissed Republican criticism that she did not have enough votes for the measure.
  • W.H. plan to remake education law(Politico) (2010-03-14 01:20:36)
    Politico - The plan undoes much of No Child Left Behind.
  • Pelosi: Confident House will pass health care bill(AP) (2010-03-14 00:59:36)
    AP - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Saturday she's confident the House will pass health care legislation and dismissed Republican criticism that she did not have enough votes for the measure.
  • New Sen. Brown bashes Obama's 'bitter' health push(AP) (2010-03-14 00:51:47)
    AP - Newly arrived Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts accused President Barack Obama and Democrats on Saturday of a "bitter, destructive and endless" drive to pass health overhaul legislation that Brown warned would be disastrous.
  • Irish police release US woman held in alleged plot(AP) (2010-03-14 00:51:15)
    AP - Before her daughter disappeared last fall, Christina Mott recalls that the 31-year-old who had been held in connection with an alleged assassination plot announced she had converted to Islam and told them they'd go to hell if they didn't follow in her steps. Jamie Paulin-Ramirez also began talking about Jihad with her Muslim stepfather and spent most of her time online as she withdrew from her family, Mott said.
  • Irish police free 4 in alleged artist murder plot(AP) (2010-03-13 23:41:12)
    AP - Four people, including an American woman, arrested over an alleged plot to assassinate Swedish artist Lars Vilks have been freed without charge, but three others remain in custody, Irish police said Saturday.
  • Fiorina assails Washington, Boxer as out of touch(AP) (2010-03-13 23:05:58)
    AP - Senate candidate Carly Fiorina is attempting to win over California Republicans by attacking two of their strongest dislikes — incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer and a federal government she says is broken.
  • Mom says daughter held in Ireland in terror plot(AP) (2010-03-13 22:46:27)
    AP - Jamie Paulin-Ramirez was a straight-A nursing student when she abruptly left Colorado last fall with her 6-year-old son and turned up in Ireland, where her parents say she was arrested this week in an alleged plot to assassinate a Swedish cartoonist.
  • Obama promise: Focus on getting kids to college(AP) (2010-03-13 22:37:39)
    AP - President Barack Obama is promising parents and their kids that with his administration's help they will have better teachers in improved schools so U.S. students can make up for academic ground lost against youngsters in other countries.
  • A POLITICO survey: The tea party's least favorite Republicans(Politico) (2010-03-13 22:37:01)
    Politico - A survey of grass-roots tea party leaders cites John McCain as the largest GOP disappointment.
  • Political Economy: Earmarks, Smearmarks(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-13 22:19:13)
    CQPolitics.com - Again, we're talking about earmarks as if all this posturing will make much of a difference -- either to the bottom line, the credibility of Congress or the government's ability to meet the needs of the country.
  • U.S. expects to agree on new arms deal "soon"(Reuters) (2010-03-13 21:05:48)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama and Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev are committed to concluding a new pact to cut nuclear arms soon, the White House said after the two leaders spoke by telephone on Saturday.
  • Obama to submit new education initiative(AFP) (2010-03-13 19:00:51)
    AFP - US President Barack Obama announced Saturday he will be sending to Congress a new education initiative designed to better prepare high school graduates for college and a professional career.
  • Senate, Obama spar over health plan's pet projects(AP) (2010-03-13 18:53:26)
    AP - President Barack Obama says he wants projects helping specific states yanked from the health care bill Congress is writing. Democratic senators, being senators, beg to differ.
  • Utah GOP leader resigns after hot tub confession(AP) (2010-03-13 18:52:56)
    AP - Utah's House majority leader has resigned from the Legislature, two days after his confession about sitting nude in a hot tub with a teenage girl 25 years ago stunned the conservative state.
  • Bluefin tuna tops CITES conference agenda in Doha(AP) (2010-03-13 18:29:04)
    AP - A contentious battle between Asia and the West over the fate of the Atlantic bluefin tuna prized by sushi lovers overshadowed a United Nations conference that opened Saturday in the Gulf state of Qatar.
  • Holocaust monument in Poland vandalized(AP) (2010-03-13 17:50:17)
    AP - Vandals sprayed anti-Semitic graffiti on Holocaust memorials at a former Nazi concentration camp in Poland, desecration that authorities discovered Saturday and are investigating.
  • Swiss media: 60 people report abuses by priests(AP) (2010-03-13 17:47:05)
    AP - Around 60 people have reported being victims of abuse by Catholic priests in Switzerland, a Swiss abbot said in an interview published by a newspaper Saturday.
  • Catholic hospitals support health care bill(AP) (2010-03-13 17:13:53)
    AP - A group representing Catholic hospitals is rallying behind President Barack Obama's health care bill.
  • Obama delays Pacific trip over healthcare bill(AFP) (2010-03-13 16:31:52)
    AFP - The fierce and fateful battle over health care reform has forced President Barack Obama to delay his departure on a trip to Indonesia and Australia by three days, to March 21.
  • AP Source: Colo. woman held in terror probe(AP) (2010-03-13 15:50:30)
    AP - A U.S. official says a Colorado woman has been detained in Ireland in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate a Swedish cartoonist whose sketch offended many Muslims.
  • New Sen. Brown bashes Obama's `bitter' health push(AP) (2010-03-13 14:55:49)
    AP - Newly arrived Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts accused President Barack Obama and Democrats on Saturday of a "bitter, destructive and endless" drive to pass health overhaul legislation that Brown warned would be disastrous.
  • Obama promise: Brighter education futures for kids(AP) (2010-03-13 14:46:29)
    AP - President Barack Obama is promising parents and their kids that with his administration's help they will have better teachers in improved schools so U.S. students can make up for academic ground lost against youngsters in other countries.
  • Divided party? It's not just GOP, but also Dems(AP) (2010-03-13 13:51:49)
    AP - There are lots of signs that Republicans are a party divided. But Democrats have their own widening cracks — and that could make a potentially bleak election year even tougher.
  • Obama chooses 1st young appeals court nominee(AP) (2010-03-13 13:46:53)
    AP - Thirteen months into his presidency, Barack Obama finally gave liberal supporters the kind of judicial nominee they had sought and conservatives feared.
  • New U.N. mission chief in Kabul after tough year(Reuters) (2010-03-13 13:20:42)
    Reuters - A new United Nations mission chief arrived in Kabul on Saturday to take up his post after a difficult year that saw the mission divided over election fraud and forced to cut back staff after a deadly attack.
  • Obama prepares education overhaul(AP) (2010-03-13 11:07:31)
    AP - President Barack Obama on Saturday promised to rewrite the nation's sweeping and controversial education law known as No Child Left Behind with a plan to prepare students for life after high school and to place better teachers at the blackboards.
  • GOP warns again against passing health bill(AP) (2010-03-13 11:01:39)
    AP - Newly arrived Republican Sen. Scott Brown of Massachusetts accused President Barack Obama and Democrats on Saturday of a "bitter, destructive and endless" drive to pass health overhaul legislation that Brown warned would be disastrous.
  • Serbian police detain 9 over alleged war crimes(AP) (2010-03-13 10:56:53)
    AP - Serbian police have detained nine former paramilitary fighters suspected of killing civilians and looting homes during the Kosovo war, a war crimes prosecutor said Saturday.
  • Obama to unveil education plan(Politico) (2010-03-13 10:45:09)
    Politico - The blueprint he is sending to Congress will flesh out details of his plan.
  • Obama's reluctant populism irks left(Politico) (2010-03-13 10:44:35)
    Politico - Liberals are looking to Obama for leadership, but complain he is falling short.
  • Irish police free 3 in alleged artist murder plot(AP) (2010-03-13 10:38:54)
    AP - Three Muslims arrested over an alleged plot to assassinate Swedish artist Lars Vilks have been freed without charge, but three other men and an American woman remain in custody, Irish police said Saturday.
  • Senators resist Obama over projects in health bill(AP) (2010-03-13 08:46:39)
    AP - President Barack Obama says he wants projects helping specific states yanked from the health care bill Congress is writing. Democratic senators, being senators, beg to differ.
  • US avoids anti-abortion debate at UN meeting(AP) (2010-03-13 06:28:24)
    AP - A U.N. meeting to assess progress in advancing the fight for women's equality that ended Friday had a dramatically different slant than a similar session held five years ago: This time, the United States was not trying to make an anti-abortion declaration a crucial theme.
  • Health care battle delays Obama Pacific trip(AFP) (2010-03-13 04:53:59)
    AFP - The fierce and fateful battle over health care reform forced President Barack Obama to delay his departure on a trip to Indonesia and Australia by three days, to March 21.
  • Democrats seek agreement, vote on health care(AP) (2010-03-13 04:39:21)
    AP - Under White House pressure to act swiftly, House and Senate Democratic leaders reached for agreement Friday on President Barack Obama's health care bill, sweetened suddenly by fresh billions for student aid and a sense that breakthroughs are at hand.
  • Obama eyes Fed picks in central bank revamp(AFP) (2010-03-13 02:48:47)
    AFP - US President Barack Obama is strongly considering three candidates to fill vacancies at the Federal Reserve board, the White House said as he moves to revamp the central bank.
  • Port Authority, developer continue WTC talks(AP) (2010-03-13 01:07:14)
    AP - Both sides negotiating a new completion plan for the World Trade Center site say they're continuing to talk despite a deadline.
  • Massa media: The week on cable(Politico) (2010-03-13 00:12:37)
    Politico - Eric Massa has provided a story line that's proven irresistible to right-wing media.
  • Clinton says U.N. needs more women in top jobs(Reuters) (2010-03-12 23:58:54)
    Reuters - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday the United Nations needs more women in top positions as it strives to raise the profile of women's issues and fights gender-based violence.
  • Agency places shotgun order: FBI? No, Education Department(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-12 23:52:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Schools may be gun-free zones, but the U.S. Department of Education is locked and loaded.
  • GOP leader's skinny-dip confession stuns Utah(AP) (2010-03-12 23:50:48)
    AP - A late-night confession by Utah's House majority leader about sitting nude in a hot tub with a minor 25 years ago has shocked this conservative state's political establishment but has not prompted calls from party leaders for him to resign.
  • U.N.'s Ban to return to earthquake-devastated Haiti(Reuters) (2010-03-12 23:18:46)
    Reuters - U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will visit Haiti on Sunday to meet the country's leaders and people left homeless by a January earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands, Ban's spokesman said.
  • Dems seek agreement, quick vote on health care(AP) (2010-03-12 23:02:50)
    AP - Under White House pressure to act swiftly, House and Senate Democratic leaders reached for agreement Friday on President Barack Obama's health care bill, sweetened suddenly by fresh billions for student aid and a sense that breakthroughs are at hand.
  • Paul, once the outsider, gains GOP support in Ky.(AP) (2010-03-12 22:59:14)
    AP - Rand Paul has run his U.S. Senate campaign as the consummate outsider: a grassroots candidate drawing support from regular Joes and Janes. Now that his candidacy has gained momentum, he's beginning to pick up support from the Republican establishment.
  • AP Interview: Kerry: Energy bill more about jobs(AP) (2010-03-12 22:48:22)
    AP - Sen. John Kerry, hoping to win over wavering senators, said he is pushing environmental reforms to create jobs and spark energy independence, with climate benefits along "for the ride."
  • Obama delays Asia trip to push health care through Congress(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-12 22:42:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, claiming that momentum is building for a historic overhaul of the nation's health insurance system, on Friday postponed a trip to Asia so he can stay in the capital next week to twist arms in Congress.
  • Reid's wife undergoes surgery after traffic crash(AP) (2010-03-12 22:30:28)
    AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife underwent surgery Friday to stabilize serious injuries suffered when a tractor-trailer rear-ended the minivan she and their daughter were riding in on an interstate highway.
  • Too small to succeed? Firms still aren't getting the loans they need(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-12 22:29:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Capital is the oxygen that a small business needs to survive and thrive, yet across the country, the air's pretty thin, as business owners from coast to coast complain of huge hurdles to getting badly needed loans.
  • US military deaths in Afghan region at 936(AP) (2010-03-12 22:26:09)
    AP - As of Friday, March 12, 2010, at least 936 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to an Associated Press count.
  • Yellen at Fed would likely favor low-rate policy(AP) (2010-03-12 22:17:43)
    AP - President Barack Obama's likely choice of Janet Yellen to become vice chairman of the Federal Reserve would favor a policy that stresses low interest rates to ease unemployment over higher rates to curb inflation.
  • For Obama, big agenda and small window for results(AP) (2010-03-12 21:59:36)
    AP - President Barack Obama's intense juggling of domestic issues reflects all the realities he faces at once: a vast agenda, a smaller window for results this year and a need to keep promises to constituencies that will have a huge say in the fall congressional elections.
  • AP source: NJ man may have sought terror groups(AP) (2010-03-12 21:52:21)
    AP - A law enforcement official says a New Jersey man charged in Yemen with being a member of al-Qaida traveled to that country with the goal of joining a terrorist group.
  • Clinton's tough talk with Netanyahu(Politico) (2010-03-12 21:14:30)
    Politico - Secretary of state expresses opposition to Israel creating settlements in East Jerusalem.
  • New Shots Fired in Health Care Ad War(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-12 21:03:21)
    CQPolitics.com - Another round in the health care debate advertising assault were fired off Friday, with groups both for and against the Democratic-backed legislation dropping approximately $1.5 million on television and radio buys to push their side of the debate.
  • Government sends e-mails; it just can't save them(AP) (2010-03-12 20:43:00)
    AP - As the Justice Department hunts for the latest batch of missing federal e-mails, the officials who oversee spending of $71 billion a year for information technology got a big raspberry Friday for a 14-year-long failure to ensure that government e-mails are preserved.
  • Sen. Reid's wife has surgery after serious crash(AP) (2010-03-12 20:42:11)
    AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife underwent surgery Friday after breaking her neck and back in a traffic accident that also injured the senator's daughter, a spokesman said.
  • AG Holder didn't reveal all legal papers to Senate(AP) (2010-03-12 20:16:23)
    AP - Justice Department officials say that when senators were considering Eric Holder's nomination to be attorney general last year, he didn't given them all the legal briefs he had signed from his time in private practice.
  • Body of ETA member turns up in French morgue(AP) (2010-03-12 20:03:52)
    AP - The body of a longtime member of the armed Basque group ETA has turned up in a morgue in France, nearly a year after his mysterious disappearance, a committee of his supporters said Friday.
  • More Holder briefs acknowledged(Politico) (2010-03-12 20:02:15)
    Politico - At least six amicus briefs prepared or supported by AG didn't go to Senate.
  • US gov't knew about NJ man before Yemen arrest(AP) (2010-03-12 19:52:14)
    AP - A law enforcement official says the U.S. government knew about the New Jersey man charged in Yemen with being a member of al-Qaida, even before Yemeni officials arrested him.
  • A look at Democrats' health care overhaul(AP) (2010-03-12 19:20:10)
    AP - President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats are pulling together a final version of a health care overhaul bill and pushing for House votes as early as next week. Democrats are awaiting cost assessments from the Congressional Budget Office that will allow them to finish details. Here are some of the main features as the bill takes shape:
  • Treasury says1 million homeowners in loan modifications(Reuters) (2010-03-12 19:07:39)
    Reuters - An Obama administration program to help struggling homeowners modify their mortgages has more than a million active borrowers, though far fewer of the program's eligible borrowers have obtained permanent loan modifications, according to a Treasury Department report released on Friday.
  • Pelosi Sets Up Health Care Vote Next Week(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-12 19:01:17)
    CQPolitics.com - Speaker Nancy Pelosi has outlined provisions of a health care "corrections" bill that she hopes the House will pass next week, setting the stage for final congressional action on Democrats' health care overhaul.
  • Clinton slams Israel on housing announcement(AP) (2010-03-12 18:59:05)
    AP - Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Friday delivered a stinging rebuke to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his government's announcement this week of new Jewish housing in East Jerusalem.
  • States scramble after high court election ruling(AP) (2010-03-12 18:44:13)
    AP - The U.S. Supreme Court's rejection of decades-old campaign spending limits gives states scant time to face an election-year dilemma: brace for a flood of new money in politics, or find new ways to rein it in.
  • Internet fraud dollars doubled last year(AP) (2010-03-12 18:42:55)
    AP - The FBI says the amount of money swindled by Internet frauds doubled last year to about $560 million.
  • Would-be Cabinet secretary named to deficit panel(AP) (2010-03-12 18:40:59)
    AP - A Republican senator whom Barack Obama once tried to make his secretary of commerce will be among the members of Congress to serve on the president's deficit commission.
  • Another hassle for Illinois Senate candidate(AP) (2010-03-12 18:12:42)
    AP - The Illinois Democrat running for President Barack Obama's old Senate seat faced a new political hassle after one of his major campaign contributors was arrested on charges of defrauding banks by writing bad checks.
  • Pope to skip Alps this summer(AP) (2010-03-12 17:59:58)
    AP - The Vatican says Pope Benedict XVI, who broke his wrist last summer during his Alpine vacation, is passing up invitations to return to the mountains so he can spend his holiday near Rome.
  • U.N. force in Chad gets 2-month extension, plans exit(Reuters) (2010-03-12 17:57:09)
    Reuters - The U.N. Security Council voted on Friday to keep peacekeepers in Chad for at least another two months, but diplomats said the government is pressuring the world body to withdraw them.
  • Pelosi: House vote may be next week(Politico) (2010-03-12 17:38:19)
    Politico - The speaker vows to stay in session until the chamber comes to a vote on health care reform.
  • Obama cancels trip as health bill's rescue progresses(AP) (2010-03-12 16:51:49)
    AP - President Barack Obama delayed a scheduled Asian trip on Friday as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi forecast final passage of sweeping health care legislation in days.
  • Student loans to be in healthcare package: Pelosi(Reuters) (2010-03-12 16:49:00)
    Reuters - House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday the final version of a broad healthcare overhaul would include a revamp of the student loan program but not a government-run health insurance option.
  • Health care imbroglio delays Obama Pacific trip(AFP) (2010-03-12 16:47:36)
    AFP - The fierce and escalating battle over health care reform Friday forced President Barack Obama to delay his departure on a trip to Indonesia and Australia by three days until Sunday, March 21.
  • It's time to spring forward again(AP) (2010-03-12 16:45:35)
    AP - Good evening sunshine, America says hello, you light up our evenings, we light charcoal below.
  • Hung Parliament possible as UK polls tighten(AP) (2010-03-12 16:34:15)
    AP - The latest buzz word in the clubby world of British politics is "hung Parliament."
  • Austrian govt finds mass graves of Nazi victims(AP) (2010-03-12 16:31:06)
    AP - At least two mass graves containing dozens of people killed by the Nazis have been found on property used by the Austrian army, government officials said Friday. An army statement suggested some of the remains may be that of U.S. pilots shot down and imprisoned during World War II.
  • Court bars far-right party from taking new members(AP) (2010-03-12 16:07:15)
    AP - A British court has barred a far right, anti-immigrant political party from accepting new members until it stops discriminating against nonwhite people.
  • Unemployment higher among young war veterans(AP) (2010-03-12 15:51:54)
    AP - The Labor Department says the unemployment rate for young Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was 21.1 percent last year.
  • Rove 'proud' of waterboarding(Politico) (2010-03-12 15:51:13)
    Politico - “Yes, I'm proud that we kept the world safer than it was," former Bush adviser tells BBC.
  • Asia trip delayed to keep heat on health care(AP) (2010-03-12 15:29:29)
    AP - President Barack Obama has delayed his visit to Asia, his first international trip of the year, to focus on the push to salvage health care legislation after a year of contentious debate.
  • Obama delays Pacific trip for healthcare(Reuters) (2010-03-12 14:54:49)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama is delaying his trip to Indonesia and Australia next week to stay home and focus on his final push for a healthcare overhaul, White House officials said on Friday.
  • Obama delays Asia trip to deal with health care(AP) (2010-03-12 14:31:44)
    AP - President Barack Obama has delayed his first international trip of the year, a three-country visit to Asia, to focus attention on the final push to salvage health care legislation after a year of contentious debate.
  • Russia criticizes US, NATO over Afghan drugs(AP) (2010-03-12 14:26:27)
    AP - Russia's envoy to NATO has sharply criticized the alliance's battle with drug trafficking in Afghanistan, saying it has led to a surge in heroin smuggling that is endangering Russia's national security.
  • UN envoy: No indication of widespread fraud in Iraq election(The Christian Science Monitor) (2010-03-12 14:15:00)
    The Christian Science Monitor - The United Nations is not seeing widespread fraud that could affect the outcome of the Iraq election, but it is still waiting for details of hundreds of complaints launched by political parties, according to senior UN officials.
  • Man says he was abused by nun(AP) (2010-03-12 13:10:05)
    AP - A man says he was abused by a nun while a child — the first such accusation amid widening allegations of sexual misdeeds leveled against Austria's Roman Catholic church.
  • Obama to tap Yellen for Fed vice chair: source(Reuters) (2010-03-12 13:03:25)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama plans to nominate San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Janet Yellen, a respected policy dove, to be vice chairman of the central bank, a source familiar with the process said on Thursday.
  • Doing time on God's clock in Georgia(AP) (2010-03-12 12:50:24)
    AP - Convicts in Georgia can now serve their time working for the Georgian Orthodox Church.
  • AP Source: Obama wants Yellen as Fed vice chair(AP) (2010-03-12 12:19:25)
    AP - President Barack Obama intends to nominate Janet Yellen, the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, to take over as vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, a person familiar with the selection said Friday.
  • Victorian Thames tunnel in London reopens(AP) (2010-03-12 11:06:40)
    AP - A 19th-century tunnel under the River Thames that was hailed as a wonder of Victorian engineering has reopened to pedestrians for two days.
  • Gavin Newsom's next act(Politico) (2010-03-12 10:42:36)
    Politico - San Francisco Democratic mayor plans to launch a bid for lieutenant governor.
  • Reid's wife hospitalized after traffic accident(AP) (2010-03-12 10:20:25)
    AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife remained hospitalized Friday with serious injuries suffered when a tractor-trailer rear-ended the minivan she and their daughter were riding in on a suburban Virginia interstate, officials said.
  • Kilpatrick summoned by grand jury(Politico) (2010-03-12 10:06:23)
    Politico - The Detroit congresswoman has been called to testify along with one of her aides.
  • Census to redefine poverty(Politico) (2010-03-12 09:04:15)
    Politico - In an Ideas piece, the authors praise a new measure as much needed update for the 21st century.
  • Utah House GOP leader says he paid off woman(AP) (2010-03-12 09:02:03)
    AP - Utah's House majority leader said late Thursday he paid a woman $150,000 to keep silent about going nude "hot-tubbing" with her when she was minor a quarter century ago.
  • Tea parties stir evangelicals' fears(Politico) (2010-03-12 09:01:02)
    Politico - Surging libertarian streak in the new conservative movement worries the Christian right.
  • Lawmakers probe lax enforcement of animal rules(AP) (2010-03-12 08:43:39)
    AP - The knives at the slaughterhouse weren't properly sanitized, a government investigator said, and employees at the meatpacking plant didn't know how to test the carcasses of days-old veal calves for a dangerous pathogen. Food safety conditions were so poor at the Vermont processing facility that it should close before someone got sick, officials warned.
  • Senators question $1 million pay for charity's CEO(AP) (2010-03-12 08:37:16)
    AP - A group of Republican senators is questioning high salaries and expensive travel bills for executives at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, raising issues that could jeopardize millions in federal funding for the national charity.
  • Need for results drives Obama's domestic juggle(AP) (2010-03-12 08:34:28)
    AP - President Barack Obama's intense juggling of domestic issues reflects all the realities he faces: a vast agenda, a smaller window for results this year and a need to keep promises to constituencies that will have a huge say in the fall congressional elections.
  • DeMint courts Tea Party, irks GOP(Politico) (2010-03-12 08:34:21)
    Politico - DeMint is positioning himself to be the tea party movement’s best friend in Washington.
  • Leave yuan to us, China tells Obama(Reuters) (2010-03-12 08:12:14)
    Reuters - The United States should not make a political issue out of the yuan, a Chinese central banker said on Friday, as the two countries lurched toward a potential bust-up over Beijing's currency regime.
  • Democrats pare differences over health overhaul(AP) (2010-03-12 08:06:03)
    AP - Top Democrats say they are resolving disputes over President Barack Obama's health overhaul plan, but they face decisions on subsidizing coverage and are still hunting votes to push the vast package through Congress.
  • Cambodian govt accuses UN of 'flagrant interference'(AFP) (2010-03-12 07:09:56)
    AFP - Cambodia on Friday accused the United Nations of "flagrantly interfering" in its affairs after local agencies expressed concern over a controversial anti-corruption law approved this week.
  • China tells US not to 'politicise' yuan policy: report(AFP) (2010-03-12 06:46:18)
    AFP - China on Friday hit back at US President Barack Obama over his comments on the value of the yuan, saying the issue was not a political one and was not the solution to global trade imbalances.
  • Given Obamacare, How Will Democrats Fare?(CQPolitics.com) (2010-03-12 06:06:25)
    CQPolitics.com - President Barack Obama has taken to nonstop demonizing of the insurance industry -- a sign of desperation over the prospects of passing health care reform.
  • Report: Obama to tap Yellen to be Fed vice chair(AP) (2010-03-12 05:36:24)
    AP - President Barack Obama is planning to nominate Janet Yellen, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, to take over as vice chairman of central bank in Washington, The Wall Street Journal reported.
  • Pa. GOP picks Burns as nominee for Murtha's seat(AP) (2010-03-12 04:24:34)
    AP - Republicans in Pennsylvania have nominated a political newcomer to fill the congressional seat of the late Rep. John Murtha.
  • Reid's wife, daughter injured in highway accident(AP) (2010-03-12 04:23:21)
    AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife was hospitalized with a broken back and neck Thursday after a tractor-trailer truck slammed into the back of the minivan in which she and their daughter were riding on an interstate highway in suburban Virginia, officials said.
  • Dodd tries to beat the clock with bank reform(Politico) (2010-03-12 03:29:21)
    Politico - Dodd says Dems can’t keep waiting for GOP.
  • Loan bill could give Obama twin win(Politico) (2010-03-12 03:20:23)
    Politico - Democrats and the Senate Budget Committee are signaling support for the move.
  • Obama to tap Yellen for Fed vice chair:source(Reuters) (2010-03-12 02:27:55)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama plans to nominate San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Janet Yellen to be vice chairman of the central bank, a source familiar with the process said on Thursday.
  • Source: Obama to tap Yellen for Fed vice chair(Reuters) (2010-03-12 02:27:55)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama plans to nominate San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank President Janet Yellen to be vice chairman of the central bank, a source familiar with the process said on Thursday.
  • Sen. Reid's wife, daughter injured in accident(AP) (2010-03-12 02:23:25)
    AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife and daughter were hospitalized Thursday — the wife with a broken back and neck — after their minivan was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer truck on an interstate highway in suburban Virginia, authorities said.
  • Democrats block investigation of possible Massa cover-up(AP) (2010-03-12 02:23:24)
    AP - House Democrats on Thursday stopped a Republican bid to force an investigation of Democratic leaders aimed at determining whether they covered up sexual harassment allegations against ex-Rep. Eric Massa.
  • Obama pushes trade initiative as jobs helper(AP) (2010-03-12 01:52:05)
    AP - President Barack Obama sought Thursday to put some detail behind his lofty drive to double U.S. exports over the next five years, calling the effort imperative to putting people back to work. But doubts remain about how many net jobs his trade agenda will create — and how he will get it done.
  • Democrats focus on Vitter(Politico) (2010-03-12 01:46:18)
    Politico - Rep. Charlie Melancon hopes memories of scandal prove key to defeating incumbent Sen. David Vitter.
  • Ginsburg endorses end to local judicial elections(AP) (2010-03-12 01:29:16)
    AP - Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is endorsing an end to the election of judges at the state and local levels.
  • CBC: W.H. meet 'frank but cordial'(Politico) (2010-03-12 01:15:59)
    Politico - Congressional Black Caucus presses Obama to do more for African-Americans.
  • Top US senator's wife, daughter injured in car crash(AFP) (2010-03-12 00:57:51)
    AFP - Democratic Senate majority leader Harry Reid's wife suffered a broken back and broken neck and his daughter a neck injury and facial cuts in a car accident Thursday, his office said.
  • GMAC CEO will receive no cash salary for 2010(AP) (2010-03-12 00:56:00)
    AP - The CEO of bailed-out auto finance giant GMAC Inc. will receive no cash salary for 2010 and will be compensated in restricted stock, under a deal approved by Obama administration pay czar Kenneth Feinberg, according to people familiar with the matter.
  • Pelosi: 'The choice has to be made'(Politico) (2010-03-12 00:23:08)
    Politico - Dem leaders gear up for hearings that will start clock on final, down-to-the-wire vote.
  • Port Authority, developer meet over WTC plan(AP) (2010-03-12 00:15:40)
    AP - The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has met with a developer a day before a deadline to work out a new schedule for rebuilding parts of the World Trade Center site.
  • UN humanitarian chief criticizes Gaza blockade(AP) (2010-03-12 00:09:11)
    AP - The U.N. humanitarian chief says Israel's blockade of Gaza is not helping its security or weakening Hamas' hold on the territory.
  • Al-Qaida may be encouraging lone jihadists in U.S.(AP) (2010-03-12 00:06:10)
    AP - Ever since al-Qaida attacked the United States in 2001, U.S. authorities have worked to detect and prevent the next big terrorist strike.
  • US criticizes China's domestic, economic policies(AP) (2010-03-12 00:02:33)
    AP - The Obama administration accused China on Thursday of abusing its citizens' rights and maintaining currency policies that cost millions of U.S. jobs, a double-barrel attack that comes amid a growing willingness to confront and even antagonize the Asian power.
  • Where Obama's Nobel money is going(AP) (2010-03-11 23:59:41)
    AP - President Barack Obama plans to donate the $1.4 million from his Nobel Peace Prize to helping students, veterans' families and survivors of Haiti's earthquake, among others, drawing attention to organizations he said "do extraordinary work."
  • Financial regulation bill to be introduced without GOP backing(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-11 23:08:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — Long-awaited Senate legislation that would direct the broadest overhaul of financial regulation since the Great Depression will be introduced on Monday without any Republican support, despite weeks of bipartisan negotiations.
  • Obama lobbied on black unemployment, immigration(Reuters) (2010-03-11 23:05:43)
    Reuters - President Barack Obama on Thursday faced pressure to help create jobs in African-American communities and deliver an immigration overhaul even as he tried to push healthcare reform across the finish line.
  • Reid's wife, daughter injured in accident(AP) (2010-03-11 23:03:48)
    AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's wife and daughter were being treated in a hospital Thursday from serious injuries they sustained when their vehicle was rear-ended, a spokesman said.
  • Vatican criticizes condom machines in Rome school(AP) (2010-03-11 22:39:36)
    AP - The decision by a Rome high school to install condom vending machines has set off a storm in Italy, with the Catholic Church charging the move will encourage young people to have sex and Rome's mayor saying it sends the wrong message.
  • Pentagon restores spousal program(Politico) (2010-03-11 22:35:16)
    Politico - The Defense Department is switching its decision to cancel the program after it ran out of money.
  • UN food agency welcomes any probe into Somalia aid(AP) (2010-03-11 22:25:25)
    AP - A U.N. food agency said Thursday it will cooperate with any independent probe into its food operations in Somalia, after a report found that up to half the food aid intended for the nation's hungry people does not reach its destination.
  • Taking responsibility for earmarks(Politico) (2010-03-11 20:55:59)
    Politico - In an Ideas piece, Phillips says voters should reward politicians who truly value fiscal responsibility.
  • Sweden labels mass killing of Armenians genocide(AP) (2010-03-11 20:55:42)
    AP - Sweden's parliament narrowly approved a resolution Thursday recognizing the 1915 mass killing of Armenians in Turkey as genocide, prompting the Turkish government to recall its ambassador in protest.
  • Behind Obama's wavering on terror trials, critics see politics(McClatchy Newspapers) (2010-03-11 20:45:00)
    McClatchy Newspapers - WASHINGTON — As the White House reconsiders the decision to prosecute the five alleged plotters of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in civilian court, the likely change of course seems designed to protect vulnerable Democrats in Congress than it is to improve the chances for conviction.
  • 4 UK lawmakers in court over expenses scandal(AP) (2010-03-11 19:57:53)
    AP - Four legislators being prosecuted in a political scandal involving fraudulent expenses claims by hundreds of British lawmakers pleaded not guilty on Thursday.
  • Italy murder convict blames Knox and ex-boyfriend(AP) (2010-03-11 19:24:41)
    AP - A man convicted in the 2007 slaying of a British student has written a letter implicating his co-defendants and denying he had ever said they had nothing to do with the murder.
  • Cyprus ex-leader's stolen body is reburied(AP) (2010-03-11 19:20:22)
    AP - The body of former Cypriot president Tassos Papadopoulos was reburied on Thursday, three months to the day after it was dug up from its grave and stolen in an apparent extortion bid.
  • Report: Ex-Vienna choir boys say they were abused(AP) (2010-03-11 19:03:24)
    AP - Two former members of the famed Vienna Boys' Choir say they were sexually abused by their supervisors, a top Austrian newspaper reported Thursday, as allegations of misconduct against children in Austria spread beyond the Roman Catholic Church.
  • Oregon candidate pulls look-alike logo(Politico) (2010-03-11 18:59:29)
    Politico - A Libertarian Senate candidate in Oregon has removed a campaign logo from his website after an ESPN blogger pointed out it bore a striking resemblance to the insignia of the Columbus Blue Jackets hockey team.
  • Other world leaders should meet Dalai Lama: envoy(AFP) (2010-03-11 18:56:53)
    AFP - World leaders should follow the example of US President Barack Obama and meet the Dalai Lama despite China's objections, the Tibetan spiritual leader's envoy to Europe said Thursday.
  • Toyota Criticism Mounts on Eve of Recall Hearings(Bloomberg) (2010-02-23 02:28:42)
    Bloomberg - Feb. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Toyota Motor Corp.’s handling ofrecalls came under mounting criticism on the eve of theautomaker’s U.S. congressional testimony, including charges thatthe company misled the public on the adequacy of its recalls.