Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Saturday, May 2, 2009 Make us your homepage
Leading the News
Severity of Swine Flu Unclear . . . Pandemic believed likely but there are hopeful signs it will be mild. Mutations can make it worse, though. Washington Post
Mexico: Ability of Flu to Spread May Be Low . . . At 397 confirmed cases and 16 deaths, outbreak smaller than feared. Washington Post
The Souter Roster . . . Many expect Obama to choose a woman to replace Justice David Souter — and he has a lot of choices. New York Times
Politics
Washington Prepares for a Battle . . . Groundwork laid for contest over Supreme Court nominee. Conservatives see a chance to regroup. New York Times
The Conservative Jurist Who Wasn't . . . Souter is a cautionary tale for any president who has hopes of controlling the Supreme Court's bent.
Wall Street Journal
Murtha's Nephew to Lobby for Marines . . . Uncle John Murtha is chairman of the House military spending subcommittee and has long protected the Corps. New York Times
The President Who Tweets . . . The White House joins the social networking sites Twitter, MySpace and Facebook. USA Today
National Security
Dread Grows in Baghdad . . . After string of attacks, residents fear return to sectarian warfare. The planned U.S. military pullback is adds to concerns. Los Angeles Times
Charges Dropped Against Pro-Israeli Lobbyists . . . Two former employees of pro-Israel lobbying group AIPAC were accused of disclosing defense secrets. Wall Street Journal
Despite Turmoil, Pakistan Grows Its Nukes . . . Now completing two reactors to make plutonium for weapons just a few miles from areas controlled by Taliban. McClatchy Newspapers
U.S. Deaths in Iraq Highest in Seven Months . . . Death toll for April at 18. Two Marines and one sailor killed Thursday while conducting combat operations in Anbar. Associated Press
Abu Ghraib Prison Guards to Appeal Sentences . . . The twelve guards jailed for abusing inmates at the Iraqi jail say they were scapegoated. Times (UK)
Business
Citigroup Needs $10B in New Capital . . . Results of stress tests coming in and they don't look good for everyone. Wall Street Journal
Chrysler Wades Into Bankruptcy . . . And it's not a pretty picture downstream. Dealers scramble for new credit sources. Four plants idled.
Wall Street Journal
Auto Sales Near 30-Year Lows . . . U.S. sales fell 34.4 percent in April. Reuters
International
The Newest Gandhi . . . Amid graying leaders, the 38-year-old Rahul Gandhi, is playing the youth card, a strategy that could pave his path to power. Wall Street Journal
Sixty Four Die in Sri Lanka Hospital Shelling . . . Two artillery attacks hit the hospital today. Another 87 people were wounded.
Associated Press
Medvedev May Stand for Reelection . . . As his stature grows, so do questions about whether he will return to the presidency in 2012 instead of Putin. Financial Times
May Day Unrest in Europe . . . Unionists and anarchists help turn May Day demonstrations into a violent rallying call against capitalism.
Times (UK)
Uzbekistan Crash kills 26 . . . At least 26 people killed and more than 20 wounded in a bus crash yesterday. Daily Telegraph
Also Today. . .
Americans Take Precautions Against Swine Flu . . . A quarter say they're avoiding malls, sporting events and other public places. A nation of hand washers. Wall Street Journal
Vaccine Development Off to Good Start . . . So far, all swine flu viruses isolated from infected people virtually identical, which should simplify the process. USA Today
Police Scramble to Find Elusive Professor . . . Believed to have killed his wife and two others, he runs to the Georgia woods. Is he still there? Associated Press
A Man's 26 Year Quest for his Real Dad . . . With the latest DNA techniques, the riddle is finally solved. Wall Street Journal
Today's Video
Obama Interrupts the White House Briefing . . . CNN
