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Thursday, August 20, 2009 Make us your homepage
The New News
- Cash for Clunkers to End Monday 5:30 pm ET
- Geithner Sees "First Steps' Toward Recovery 2:27 pm ET
- Buress Pleads Guilty, Gets Two Year Sentence 2:26 pm ET
- Afghan Vote Count Begins Amid Uneven Turnout 11:00 am ET
- Lockerbie Bomber Returns to Libya 10:59 pm ET
- Jobless Claims Rise Unexpectedly 10:57 pm ET
This Morning's Cut
Leading The News
Afghans Vote Amid Militant Threat . . . Voters cast ballots in the Afghan presidential election as militants launch attacks to try to disrupt the polls. BBC
CIA Outsourced Assassinations to Blackwater . . . A secret program to locate and assassinate top operatives of Al Qaeda. Washington Post
Names Deal Cracks Swiss Bank Secrecy . . . UBS will turn over information on over 4,400 suspected by IRS of using Swiss accounts for tax evasion. New York Times
Politics
Kennedy Wants His Senate Seat Be Filled Quickly . . . Seeks to change succession law to guarantee a vote is on hand for health bill when his seat becomes vacant. Boston Globe
Obama's Own Health Care Myth . . . He repeatedly says you'll be able to keep your health plan. But he can't promise that to everyone.
McClatchy Newspapers
Firm Tied to Axelrod Paid Millions for Health Push . . . Some GOP lawmakers question whether move was done to fund the Obama adviser's severance package. Fox News
Americans See Less Bipartisanship . . . Poll finds Obama approval rating slips a bit further and a growing feeling that he and Republicans aren't working together. Los Angeles Times
Grassley Urges Caution on Health Care . . . Key GOP negotiator says anger at town halls has convinced him lawmakers should scale back effort. Washington Post
National Security
Decision Day on Karzai . . . He was once the country's new hope, but his failure to deliver on so many promises has caused frustration as voters head to the polls. Globe and Mail
Did U.S. Troops Leave Baghdad Too Fast? . . . Bombings that kill at least 95 draw questions about U.S. and Iraqi security policies.
McClatchy Newspapers
North Korea Wants Talks . . . Bill Richardson, who met with officials, says they believe release of journalists gives them right to direct talks. Obama thinks not. CNN
Money
Deficit Lower Than Expected But Still Gigantic . . . Administration will lower forecast next week for the current fiscal year to $1.58 trillion from $1.84 trillion. Reuters
Protections for Credit Card Users Take Effect . . . Deadlines for mailing bills and giving notice of account changes. Many banks have already raised fees and rates. Los Angeles Times
Car Dealers Wait for Clunker Cash . . . Dozens pull out because of problems getting reimbursed by government. Washington Post
Switzerland Sells UBS Stake. . . Swiss authorities said the sale showed UBS had found a solid footing again after becoming one of the biggest victims in the credit crisis. Reuters
International
Britain Releases Lockerbie Bomber to Libya . . . Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, suffering from cancer, is released by Scottish justice secretary.
The Guardian
Drop in World Temperatures Fuels Debate . . . Slight cooling since record in 1998 has given global warming skeptics new ammunition.
McClatchy Newspapers
Lead Sickens 1,300 Children in China . . . Second mass poisoning in a month. Illness can permanently cripple children’s growth and intellectual development.New York Times
Mother to be Caned for Drinking Beer . . . Mother of two set to become first woman to be flogged under Malaysia's Islamic law.
The Guardian
Also Today. . .
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Challenge Set . . . On Jan. 11, the lawyers who argued the Bush v. Gore in 2000 will begin their case against Proposition 8. Christian Science Monitor
Jackson Doctor to be Charged With Manslaughter . . . Arrest of Dr. Conrad Murray is expected within two weeks. Fox News
Virginia Tech Releases Cho Files . . . Mass killer Cho Seung-Hui repeatedly told counselors he did not harbor suicidal or homicidal thoughts. BBC
Shelters Teaming With Pets . . . Adult cats are the hardest to place and can outnumber dogs and kittens by three to one. Associated Press
The End of Restaurant Decadence . . . Laws requiring some chains to post calories are giving customers heartburn. The Pizookie clocks in at 1,166 calories. Fresno Bee
Today's Video
Bombings Rip Through Baghdad Wednesday . . . NBC
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