Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Thursday, February 12, 2009 Make us your homepage
Leading the News
Congress Strikes Deal on $789 Bil. Stimulus . . . Agreement all but assures passage this week. Package dwarfs military budget and exceeds the cost of Iraq war. Wall Street Journal
Netanyahu Has Upper Hand in Israel . . . Right bloc has 65-55 advantage over the left. He'll ask Livni to join coalition. Jerusalem Post
Politics
Bank CEOs Face Congressional Grilling . . . Yield to demands to suspend foreclosures for three weeks while U.S. finalizes financial rescue plans. Financial Times
Obama Guarding Records . . . So far flunking early tests of new "openness" by delaying action on requests for access to records or refusing to disclose them. McClatchy Newspapers
Most want Inquiry into Anti-Terror Tactics . . . In poll, close to two thirds back probe into Bush team's warrantless wiretapping and into whether torture was used. USA Today
Blago Spits Back . . .Former Illinois governor accuses lawmakers who booted him of having affairs and drinking too much while being "holier than thou." Chicago Sun-Times
Stimulus Includes $30 Mil. for Pelosi's Mouse . . . Dems create political football by including wetlands spending that protects San Francisco-area rodent. Washington Times
Obama Using Scare Tactics? . . . Bush used similar warnings of economic catastrophe to tout need for legislation. Dems said he was talking down economy. Reuters
National Security
Obama Envoys Sent to Moscow to Save Base . . . Hope to see what Russians and Kyrgyz want in exchange for not closing critical U.S. base in Kyrgyzstan. Washington Times
Oil Price Declines Slam Venezuela . . . Growing poverty could be factor in upcoming referendum on whether Chavez can stay in power for a decade or more. USA Today
FBI May Shift Agents From Terrorism to Fraud . . . a further sign of break with the Bush, who pledged every available resource to averting another terrorist attack. Associated Press
Bagram Prison Next Flash Point . . . With Gitmo set to close, Afghan prison is expanding. Human rights activists mobilize for more oversight. Christian Science Monitor
Afghan Arms at Risk . . . Pentagon fails to track thousands of weapons shipped to Afghan security forces, leaving them at risk of being stolen or sold to militants. New York Times
Business
FBI Expects More Bailout Fraud Cases . . . Investigations to focus on big-name companies. Cases likely similar in scope and complexity to that of Enron. Los Angeles Times
Geithner Promises to Move Quickly on Details . . . After markets tank due to lack of info about rescue plan, Treasury Secretary says it's coming soon. New York Times
Home Foreclosures Declined in January . . . An indication that an array of efforts to curb the process may be having an impact. Reuters
They'll Give Us the Money! . . . China to stick with U.S. bonds, figuring it's still the safest option in a perilous world. Financial Times
Cuomo: Merrill 'Secretly' Gave Bonuses . . . New York AG says company quietly moved up date of bonuses, hid it from his office.
Wall Street Journal
International
U.S., Russian Satellites Collide . . . Scientists wary about orbital debris after Iridium satellite is smashed by defunct Russian satellite. Threat to space station low. Associated Press
Pope to Meet Angry Jewish Leaders . . . First face-to- face talks since row erupted over a Holocaust-denying bishop. BBC
Pakistan Admits Link to Mumbai . . . Acknowledges last year's attack was largely planned on its soil and that it had arrested most of the key plotters. Wall Street Journal
Also Today. . .
Octuplet Mom Seeking Donations . . . Establishes website which will take your credit cards. And she promises not to have any more children.
Los Angeles Times
Peanut Factory Owner Takes the Fifth . . . Producer of salmonella-tainted products won't answer congressional panel's questions. Victims' relatives express outrage. Chicago Tribune
Get Ready to Duck . . . Unseen "dark" comets could pose hazard to earth, astronomers warn. Telegraph
Employers Contesting Unemployment Claims . . . As rolls swell, firms fight claims by alleging wrongdoing or quitting. Washington Post
Today's Video
Michelle Obama's Vogue Layout . . . CNN
