Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Friday, May 8, 2009 Make us your homepage
Leading the News
Congress Was Briefed on Interrogations . . . Dozens of sessions for congressional leaders on CIA methods, including waterboarding.
Los Angeles Times
Stress Tests: Ten Banks Must Raise $74.6B . . . Nineteen of the biggest banks could lose up to $599 billion through the end of 2010 if economy does poorly. Wall Street Journal
Pakistan Launching War Against Taliban . . . Prime Minister Gilani, in a televised address to the nation, said Pakistan would launch a full-scale offensive. McClatchy Newspapers
Politics
Obama Budget Unveils $3.6T Budget . . . Includes programs ranging from housing to policing but little sign of deficit-cutting.
Wall Street Journal
Dems Assail Obama Hit List . . . Lawmakers vow to protect the pet programs Obama's plan trims or eliminates to save $17 billion.
Washington Post
Souter's Exit Opens Door for Bolder Justice . . . Obama has chance to opt for one of the larger than life figures of the type that occasional reside on the Court. New York Times
Obama Puts Border Fence on Ice . . . Sunning Bush's approach, budget shelves extension of fence with Mexico beyond the 670 miles already completed or planned. Houston Chronicle
GOP Seizes Gitmo Issue . . . Prospect of prisoners coming to the U.S. brings the "Keep Terrorists out of America Act." McClatchy Newspapers
National Security
Chavez to Seize Oil Contractors' Assets . . . Venezuela's president said his government will seize the local assets of some international oil-service companies. Wall Street Journal
North Korea Vows to Bolster Nuclear Arsenal . . . Response to what it calls Washington's "persistent hostile policy." Associated Press
U.S. To Bolster Military Leadership in Afghanistan . . . Gates will send a three star general to Kabul. Wall Street Journal
U.S. Soldier Guilty of Rape and Murder of Iraqi Girl . . . Could face the death penalty. Also killed her parents and sister while serving in Iraq. Daily Telegraph
Business
Stress Tests Split Financial Landscape . . . Results paint a broad montage of the troubles in the nation’s banking industry, a contrast between the strong and weak. New York Times
Stress Tests Unlikely to Spur Lending . . . But they may remove some of the uncertainty in the financial system. Reuters
Toyota Posts $8.6B Annual Loss . . . Much worse than expected as sales tumble, keeping dozens of its factories underused.. Reuters
GM to Build More Cars Overseas . . . When automaker completes restructuring plan, many new jobs will be filled by workers overseas. Washington Post
U.S. May Face Years of Sluggish Growth . . . Cracks in the basic economic fabric curb potential gains for households and the nation.
USA Today
International
Pope Begins Visit to the Holy Land . . . Pope Benedict is heading to Jordan for the first leg of what he has described as a pilgrimage of peace to the Middle East. BBC
One Million Displaced by Pakistan Fighting . . . Pakistan's president pleads for international assistance with escalating refugee crisis.
Associated Press
Portrait of British Muslims' State of Mind . . . Patriotic, respectful and anti-gay, survey reveals opinions that shape nation's 2.4 million-strong Islamic population. The Independent
Israeli Leaders Concerned About Obama . . . Sharp decline in the coordination between Israel and the United States on security and state affairs. Haaretz
Europe Gets Its Khat On . . . Once the preserve of Somali residents, now students, bankers and former addicts are buying the traditional chewable plant. Der Spiegel
Also Today. . .
Fires Continue to Roar in Santa Barbara . . . Winds rush out of the canyons without warning, often around sundown, bringing fire.
Los Angeles Times
Up To Two Billion Could Get Swine Flu . . . But that's only if it becomes a pandemic. And many won't show symptoms. Associated Press
Two Killed by Swine Flu Had Other Illnesses . . . America’s two deaths — a toddler and a pregnant woman — each suffered from several illnesses when infected. Associated Press
Accused Wesleyan Killer Captured . . . The lives of a student and her stalker collided with grim results. New York Times
Roman Polanski Loses Again . . . Judge rejects latest effort by the director, now 76, to throw out 32-year-old child sex charges.
Los Angeles Times
Today's Video
Elizabeth Edwards Speaks Out . . . MSNBC
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