Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Tuesday, September 1, 2009 Make us your homepage
Top Breaking News
This Morning's Cut
Leading The News
Calif. Blaze Consumers More Than 100K Acres
No end in sight. Some 12,000 homes are threatened. Los Angeles Times
Pentagon Unsure of Obama on Afghanistan . . . With general to seek up to 45,000 troops, some Obama aides question if war is winnable. McClatchy Newspapers
Key Republicans Bail on Obama Health Plan . . . Democrats are edging toward a go-it-alone approach to legislation.
Christian Science Monitor
Politics
Justice to Recharge Civil Rights Enforcement . . . Planning revival of high-impact civil rights enforcement against policies that disproportionately affect minorities. New York Times
Blago Blames Others . . . Former Illinois governor is making a case for his innocence again, this time in a 259-page memoir that faults five people for his rocky tenure. Chicago Tribune
Lobbyist Curbs on Bailout Said Political . . . Former TARP "czar" says curbs had no justification and were done to show commitment to reining in lobbyists. Washington Times
Health Care Anger Has Deeper Roots . . . Reflects concern that the government is taking on too much at once. Wall Street Journal
Spitzer Considers Comeback . . . Talking with friends about run for statewide office next year, possibly for New York Senate seat.
New York Post
Obama Curbs Federal Pay Increases . . . Overrides statutory formulas to hold pay increases to 2 percent in 2010. Wall Street Journal
National Security
McChrystal Urges Closer Ties With Afghan Forces . . . Part of a long-awaited reassessment of strategy by top general of the war.
Washington Times
Iran Has a New Nuclear Proposal . . . Iran says it is ready to resume talks with world powers after drawing up a new nuclear plan. BBC
Iran's New Cabinet More Conservative Than Ever . . . A shift to figures suspicious of the outside world, including some linked to Revolutionary Guard. Christian Science Monitor
U.S. Buying Pennsylvania Site for Sept. 11 Memorial . . . Government to pay about $9.5 million to acquire land for the Flight 93 National Memorial. Associated Press
Money
Reward Programs Grow With Debit Card Use . . . As more use debit cards, issuers are rolling out new rewards programs and enhancing old ones to boost card spending. USA Today
Disney Strikes $4B Deal for Marvel . . . Disney will acquire the rights to 5,000 Marvel characters. "It gives us a treasure trove of content."
USA Today
Japan Victors to Abandon Market Reforms . . . Pledge shift away from deregulation and market-led growth, but country's economy may need more of it. New York Times
International
Iran Protestor Killed in Prison . . . Iranian news agency says man arrested during protests died after being beaten, and not from meningitis as police had first claimed. BBC
Dalai Lama to Taiwan: Safeguard Democracy . . . Political message contradicts assurances he would stay away from politics during visit that has angered China. Associated Press
Turkey, Armenia Close to Diplomatic Ties . . . After nearly a century of bitter enmity, the two countries plan to hold talks aimed at restoring diplomatic relations. Times (UK)
Putin Heads to Poland as WW II Disputes Reignite . . . Russian PM pressed for apology for secret deal Soviets made to carve up Poland with the Nazis. Christian Science Monitor
Also Today. . .
Kidnap Suspect's Prison Term Raises Questions . . . Phillip Garrido served only 11 years of a 50-year federal sentence in a previous kidnap-rape. Los Angeles Times
Why Did Jaycee Stay? . . . To assume Dugard could have just run away is not to understand the power captors hold over young kidnap victims, experts say. Christian Science Monitor
One in Ten Binge Drinkers Get on the Road . . . Half left from a bar, restaurant or nightclub after downing five or more drinks.
Associated Press
Ford's MyKey Controls Teen Drivers . . . A car started with MyKey can limit speeds to 80 mph, and the audio system won't turn on until front passengers buckle up. USA Today
Ga. 911 Caller: 'My Whole Family is Dead' . . . A relative of seven people slain inside a mobile home in Georgia wails during 911 call released Monday. USA Today
Today's Video
Phillip Garrido's First Victim Speaks Out . . . CNN
