Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Thursday, April 30, 2009 Make us your homepage
Leading the News
Swine Flu Appears to be Mild . . . Genetic data indicate this outbreak won't be as deadly as that of 1918, or even the average winter. Los Angeles Times
WHO Fears Pandemic Imminent Raises alert to level five, indicating human-to-human transmission in at least two countries. BBC
Chrysler Bankruptcy Looms . . . Debt deal falters. Company may seek protection today. New York Times
Politics
Obama's Message of Hope . . . In a prime time news conference, lays out America's problems but uses Reaganesque language to point to better days. Los Angeles Times
Congress Clears $3.5T Budget . . . Reverses Bush approach of limited government. Sets up special funds for sweeping changes in health care, energy and education. Wall Street Journal
Obama Seeks Shorter Sentences for Crack . . . Asks Congress to end disparity in penalties for poor man's crack and rich dude's powder-cocaine crimes. Wall Street Journal
GOP Debate: A Broader Party or a Purer One? . . . Struggle over how to rebuild the party in the wake of Sen. Specter’s departure.
New York Times
Will Specter Switch Make Much Difference? . . . He's still got his zig-zagging agenda. Votes against Obama budget on first full day as a Democrat. Washington Post
Credit Card Legislation Nearing Success . . . Would rein in practices like sudden rate hikes and big late fees. Washington Times
National Security
Baghdad Bombings Stir New Insurgency Fears . . . Six car bombs explode in Shiite neighborhoods, killing at least 40, while another six were defused. Wall Street Journal
U.S. Warms to World Court . . . Obama may move to show support. Bush withdrew backing out of concern U.S. soldiers could be prosecuted.
Washington Times
UK Combat Role in Iraq Ends . . . "The role of British ground forces is finished," official confirms as Basra base handed over to U.S. forces.
Guardian
Obama: Torture Not Worth the Tradeoff . . . Does not deny techniques prevented attacks, but says country overall less safe by using them. Washington Times
Business
I've Got One Word for You: Gas . . . U.S. policymakers see natural gas as a possible solution to a range of energy problems. Wall Street Journal
FED: Recession is Easing . . . But the agency signals it has no intention of pulling back from its aggressive efforts to revive the financial system.
Wall Street Journal
Time Warner Moving to Ditch AOL . . . The company is getting ready to untangle the New Coke of business mergers. New York Times
Auto Sales May Have Hit Bottom . . . Industry may even recover in the second half if the government encourages car buying. USA Today
Crisis Shows Parallels to Great Depression . . . If the massive bailout packages fail, the effect on the world's economies could be similarly drastic. Der Spiegel
International
Mexico Limits Many Activities . . . Government moves aggressively to restrict public gatherings and commercial activities as swine flu spreads.
New York Times
South Korean Sex Slaves Hope For Closure . . . Forced into slavery by Japanese soldiers, they still struggle for the world to acknowledge their ordeal. Los Angeles Times
Fierce Fighting in Pakistan . . . Government retakes a key Buner district town, but struggles against Taliban elsewhere. Wall Street Journal
Twenty Seven on Trial in Killing of French Jew . . . Charged with participating in abduction, torture and killing of Ilan Halimi. "Allah will be victorious," shouts one. Associated Press
Also Today. . .
LAPD Fingers Suspected Serial Killer . . . DNA leads police to John Thomas Jr. He is held in two slayings, but now suspected of killing up to 30 elderly women. Los Angeles Times
Calif. Woman Claims Dad Was Zodiac Killer . . . Deborah Perez says she accompanied her father, Guy Ward Hendrickson, on two of the slayings. San Francisco Chronicle
Oakland Moves to Tax Pot . . . Levy on medical marijuana would further legitimize use of the drug. Wall Street Journal
The Chicago Rattlesnakes . . . No, it's not a roller derby team. Shy and only two feet long, they've survived since frontier days. Now zoologists are trying to save them. Chicago Tribune
Today's Video
An Interveiw With Rahm Emanuel . . . CBS
