Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 Make us your homepage
Leading the News
Treasury to Recoup AIG Bonus Funds . . . Will deduct $165 million cost of bonuses from pending $30 billion for AIG. Lawmakers consider steeply taxing payouts.
Wall Street Journal
U.S. Considers Deeper Strike Into Pakistan . . . Obama may expand war into province of Baluchistan to get at Taliban leaders. New York Times
Russia Sells Anti-Aircraft Missiles to Iran . . . Providing S-300s would change Middle East military balance and complicate Israeli attack on nukes. Associated Press
Politics
White House Says it Backs Geithner . . . Feels compelled to express Obama's confidence in Treasury Secretary amid questions on handling of AIG bonuses. Associated Press
Conservatives Challenge Voting Rights Act . . . Invoke Obama's election in arguing that some of nation's most protective civil rights laws can be ended. Los Angeles Times
Obama Presses Ahead for His Budget . . . Meets with Congressional budget panel chairman. Takes act on the road to California.
New York Times
Obama Chief Information Officer Reinstated . . . Vivek Kundra had been taken off the job after FBI raided his old D.C. government office.
New York Times
Federal Aid Finally Flowing to New Orleans . . . More than $700 million worth of public projects will start to emerge in the embattled city this year. USA Today
Obama to Back Homosexuality Decriminalization . . . Bush had refused to support UN resolution calling for worldwide legalization.
Associated Press
National Security
Pentagon Official Warns of Cyberattacks . . . Strategic Command chief says critical networks threatened and more must be done to defend. Washington Post
Kremlin Signals Harder Line . . . Medvedev strikes Cold War tone pledging rearmament program in response to what he says is NATO's expansion close to Russia. Wall Street Journal
Iraq Deaths at Six Year Low . . . U.S. combat deaths have flattened at the lowest level since war began. Navy hasn't lost anyone since early 2008. USA Today
Proxy Fight Over IAEA Succession . . . South African Abdul Samad Minty favored by developing countries sympathetic to Iran. The West likes Japan's Yukiya Amano. Los Angeles Times
North Korea Rejects U.S. Food Assistance . . . In a sign of rising tensions, demands aid groups leave the country. Associated Press
Business
IRS Aiding Some Madoff Victims . . .Guidelines could allow them to seek reimbursement of up to five years of past tax payments.
Los Angeles Times
Regulators Failed to Act . . . Identified problems in how some large banks' monitored risk but didn't take strong action until after crisis took hold.
Wall Street Journal
IBM in Talks to Buy Sun Microsystems . . . May spend at least $6.5 billion, in a deal that could bolster their computer server products against rivals like HP. Reuters
AIG Firestorm Raises Alarms at Other Firms . . . Executives say they need to pay retention bonuses, worry government meddling will stifle recovery efforts. Washington Post
International
Opposition Leader Takes Power in Madagascar . . . Backed by army, Andry Rajoelina dethrones President Marc Ravalomanana.
Reuters
Israeli-Hamas talks Fail to Release Soldier . . . PM Olmert refuses to free all the prisoners demanded by the Islamic militants in exchange for Gilad Shalit. Associated Press
Josef Fritzl Pleads Guilty to Murder . . . Admits to negligent homicide in death of baby. Also fully acknowledges raping daughter, with whom he fathered seven children. BBC
Up To 11 Tourists Die in Mexico Bush Crash . . . Americans and Canadians killed when a cargo truck swerved lanes and slammed into their bus. Reuters
Pope Says Condoms Aren't the Answer to AIDS . . .Remark during trip to Africa stirs critics in region torn by AIDS. Associated Press
Also Today. . .
Actress Natasha Richardson is Brain Dead . . . Moved to New York City from Montreal as family gathers to say goodbye after head injury in ski accident. New York Post
Obesity Can Take Ten Years Off Your Life . . . Morbidly obese may lose a decade while others 40 pounds or more overweight could lose three years. USA Today
Two Octuplets Released From Hospital . . . Surrounded by mob scene of paparazzi and dozens of spectators, two of the babies come home.
Los Angeles Times
Seventies-Era Terrorist Goes Free . . . Former Symbionese Liberation Army member Sara Jane Olson had hid out as a Minnesota housewife. Served seven years. Associated Press
Newspaper Closings Raise Fears About Industry . . . San Francisco, Miami, Minneapolis and Cleveland all are in danger of losing last daily newspaper. USA Today
Today's Video
Prince William to Wed Longtime Girlfriend . . . CBS
