Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Leading the News
Support for Afghanistan War at a Low As casualties mount, 42 percent say war was a mistake. Figure was at 30 percent in February.
USA Today
AIG Feels The Heat . . . Officials step up pressure over bonuses for executives. Obama vows to pursue ways to block $165 million in payouts. Wall Street Journal
Pakistan's Zardari May Become Figurehead . . . After uproar over Chief Justice Chaudhry, many question whether president can maintain full power. Los Angeles Times
Politics
Obama Damaged by AIG Bonus Flap . . . Lawmakers express outrage that White House didn't do more to block it. "I warned them," says Senator Dodd. Washington Post
White House Rebuffs Cheney . . . Former vice president slammed Obama on terror policies. "I guess Rush Limbaugh was busy," Press Secretary Gibbs says. Washington Post
Obama Acts to Increase Small Business Lending . . . Plan allows Treasury to direct up to $15 billion in TARP funds to credit-hungry small businesses. Los Angeles Times
Shovel Ready, Or Not? . . . Local delays in getting projects started haunt the stimulus. Wall Street Journal
Minnesota Standoff Aiding GOP . . . Keeps Democrats at 58 seats. Legal challenges by Sen. Norm Coleman, who trails Al Franken by 225 votes, may continue. Wall Street Journal
GOP 'Trackers' Stalk Dems . . . Armed with video cameras, they seek to annoy lawmakers into a "Macaca Moment." McClatchy Newspapers
Obama To Go On Leno . . . Will test his wit against the Tonight Show host's during appearance Thursday. Washington Post
National Security
U.S. Shot Down Iranian Drone Over Iraq . . . U.S. warplanes followed unmanned aircraft for an hour, firing on it about 60 miles northeast of Baghdad. Los Angeles Times
Gates Prepares Major Weapons Cuts . . . Will announce up to a half-dozen cancellations later this month. Boston Globe
Dalai Lama Too Hot for Calif. Legislature . . . Chinese government sinks resolution honoring Tibet's spiritual leader and marking 50th anniversary of revolt. Los Angeles Times
Its the Drones vs. al Qaeda . . . A third of them crash, they're controlled from halfway around the world, but they're working. New York Times
U.S. Barred New Israeli National Security Chief . . . Uzi Arad has been kept out for nearly two years on the grounds that he is an intelligence risk. Washington Times
Business
Obama Seeking to Avoid Automaker Bankruptcies . . . Auto task force focuses on restructuring GM and Chrysler outside of bankruptcy court. Wall Street Journal
Mexico Slaps Tariffs on U.S. Goods . . . Retaliation for cancellation of pilot program allowing Mexican trucks to transport cargo throughout the U.S. Wall Street Journal
GM to Cut Prices to Lure Back Buyers . . . Carmakers’ financial woes driving away consumers. Financial Times
Bernanke May Need to Make Massive Asset Buys . . . Federal Reserve policy makers may have to ramp up purchases of mortgage securities amid deteriorating economy. Bloomberg
International
Darfur Camps Struggle With Aid Groups' Exit . . . Scramble to bridge shortfall in assistance after President Bashir expelled 13 groups in anger over arrest warrant. Los Angeles Times
Lieberman to be Top Israeli Diplomat . . . Leader of controversial nationalist political party takes foreign minister post as part of deal on coalition. Wall Street Journal
New Salvadoran Leader Promises Moderate Rule . . . Mauricio Funes, leftist leader of former guerillas, promises open-minded leadership as president. Washington Post
Fighting to Save the Polar Bear . . . Conference will convene on ways to help polar bears amid Arctic warming. But experts disagree on the problem. Der Spiegel
Also Today. . .
Seattle Newspaper Says Goodbye to Print . . . Post-Intelligencer becomes nation's largest newspaper to shift publication entirely to the Web.
Los Angeles Times
Websites Being Seeded With Infections . . . Attack on sites number 450,000 a day. They then infect your PC and steal sensitive data.
USA Today
Actress Natasha Richardson Hospitalized . . . In serious condition after skiiing accident in Canada. Montreal Gazette
Right Whale Makes a Comeback . . . Population may be as many as 400, rising from a low of about 100. New York Times
Brain Cancer Linked to Kids Using Cell Phones . . . Fivefold elevated risk of malignant brain tumors in children who begin using mobile phones before age 20. Canwest News Service
A Monster Reptile Hunted the Deep . . . It was fifty feet long, had ten-foot flippers, and jaws more powerful than T-Rex. Cousin of Loch Ness?
New York Times
Today's Video
America Sounds Off on AIG Bonuses . . . CNN
