Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Monday, April 20, 2009 Make us your homepage
Leading the News
Waterboarding Used 266 Times on Two Suspects . . . C.I.A. used technique deemed torture by Obama officials repeatedly on two key al Qaeda prisoners. New York Times
Government to Own Share of Banks . . . Converting loans into equity share would avoid having to get new funding from Congress.
New York Times
Critics: Stimulus Pace Too Slow . . . Administration commits only $60 billion out of $787 billion. Critics say to speed it up to halt deepening recession. USA Today
Politics
Obama Taxes Hit Resistance in Congress . . . Resulting hole in budget threatens major health care overhaul and other policy initiatives. New York Times
Political Strategy is all in the Family . . . Peeks into the first family's life are anything but spontaneous: They are part of a White House political strategy. Los Angeles Times
Obama Defends Greeting Chavez . . . President says Americans want him to interact with foreign leaders and that the U.S. has nothing to fear from Venezuela. Los Angeles Times
Obama to Target Credit Card Fees . . . Will soon turn his attention to high credit-card rates, giving a potential boost to congressional efforts to put limits on the industry. New York Times
Senators Begin Work on Health Care Overhaul . . . They have high hopes, but grand plans to revamp health care have a half-century history of collapsing. Associated Press
Axelrod: Tea Parties Could Become 'Unhealthy' . . . Conservatives charge Obama adviser trying to say anti-tax events could form basis for domestic terrorism. Christian Science Monitor
National Security
Mental Damage From CIA Tactics Disputed . . . Justice Department memos say no permanent harm from interrogation techniques, but some disagree. Los Angeles Times
UN: North Korea Could Restart Nuke Plants Fast . . . Watchdog says they could be back in business in months, but expresses optimism on talks. Associated Press
Good Cop Bad Cop on Iran Reporter . . . Ahmadinejad calls for fair legal treatment of Iranian American reporter Roxana Saberi, sentenced to eight years for spying. Washington Post
CIA Still Short of Bilingual staff . . . Despite heavy recruitment, just 13 percent of CIA employees speak a foreign language. USA Today
Business
Administration to Put Test on TARP Repayment . . . Strong banks can repay only if they meet a test showing it is in the national interest.
Financial Times
Consumers Start to Feel Big Cost of Clean Energy . . . You may be able to find it right there in your electric bill. USA Today
Skepticism on Quick GM Bankruptcy . . . Theory that GM could get through the process quickly faces skepticism. USA Today
Earnings Deluge May Stall Wall Street Rally . . . Torrent of earnings this week threatens to swamp rally, as results so far have shown corporate outlook remains murky. Reuters
International
Mandela Steps in for Zuma . . . Rare appearance at rally for president-in- waiting Zuma, whose campaign is beset by corruption charges.
Los Angeles Times
Maliki Foe to Lead Parliament . . . Election as Speaker of Ayad al-Sammaraie, a Sunni Arab lawmaker, could lead to new confrontations.
New York Times
Hemisphere Gives U.S. a Fresh Start . . . Inspired by Obama, leaders close two-day summit meeting proclaiming a new dawn for relations in region. New York Times
Thousands Flee Sri Lanka Combat . . . Military says at least 25,000 civilians have escaped from a Tamil Tiger-held area after the army smashed a fortification. BBC
Not the Vacation They Planned . . . "Mentally challenged" gunman hijacks plane on ground in Jamaica. Passengers now released by crew still hostage. BBC
Also Today. . .
Marijuana Advocates See Signs of Change . . . Advocates of legalizing pot sense increasing acceptance of the drug - as medicine or entertainment. New York Times
Youths Addicted to Video Games . . . Nearly ten percent eschew homework, lie about how much they play and struggle without success when they try to cut back. Washington Post
Cancer 'Breaks' Could Halt Disease . . . Genetic "brakes" that could slow down or stop diseases like MS and cancer have been found by scientists. BBC
Where's DB Cooper? . . . He jumped out of a hijacked plane with $200,000 There are new clues, but fate may never be known.
McClatchy Newspapers
Author J.G. Ballard Dies . . .Pinteresque, Dickensian, Shakespearean. All were used to describe J. G. Ballard, who died after a long battle with cancer at the age of 78. Times (UK)
Today's Video
Lindsay Lohan Has a Sense of Humor! . . . YouTube
