Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Tuesday, July 14, 2009 Make us your homepage
The New News
This Morning's Cut
The Leading News
Sotomayor Pledges 'Fidelity to the Law' . . . As hearings begin. GOP senators criticize her fairness and Democrats call her a role model "for all Americans." Washington Post
CIA Had Plan to Assassinate al Qaeda Leaders . . . Program designed after Sept. 11 attacks was never carried out and was scraped last month. New York Times
Pakistan Sends Swat Refugees Home . . . But the numbers who went were far fewer than expected amid fears the Taliban really hadn't been vanquished.
McClatchy Newspapers
Politics
McClatchy Newspapers
Palin's Fundraising Quickens . . . Her PAC has brought in $200,000 since her July 3 resignation announcement.
McClatchy Newspapers
Obama Picks a Surgeon General . . . Taps Dr. Regina Benjamin, an Alabama family physician known for treating patients who can't pay.
Wall Street Journal
Holder Blasted From All Sides . . . Attorney general faces pressure from both political parties after string of recent policy decisions.
Washington Post
Obama to Unveil $12B Community College Plan . . . Aim is to propel the U.S. toward his goal of having the highest proportion of college graduates in the world by 2020. Reuters
National Security
Shifting Loyalties Test U.S. Afghan Strategy . . . By day, U.S. soldiers run Wardak Province. By night, the Taliban takes hold.
Boston Globe
Six Dead in Afghan Helicopter Crash . . . Taliban claims to have shot down Chinook ferrying civilian contractors. Globe and Mail
Russia Won't Accept Tougher Iran Sanctions . . . Rejects Obama's linkage of missile defense to Iran nukes. Haaretz
News on the Money
Obama Auto Czar Quits . . . Steven Rattner steps down amid scrutiny of his old firm. Wall Street Journal
Dow Climbs 2.3 Percent in Broad Rally . . . Rises 185 points as investors snap up bank stocks and industrials ahead of earnings reports from market bellwethers. Wall Street Journal
Airlines Suffering, Brace for Further Woes . . . Cuts in routes and workers may help airlines weather downturn, but some carriers still may not survive. New York Times
Goldman Execs Sought to Bail . . . Dumped $700 million worth of stock as U.S. extended lifeline. Financial Times
Weeds Sprouting Amid Green Shoots . . . Geithner foresees growth but mixed data leave markets doubtful. Financial Times
Exxon to Invest $600 Million in Fuel From Algae . . . Seeks to produce liquid transportation fuel from organisms in water that range from pond scum to seaweed. New York Times
International
Uighur Leader Wants U.S. to Pressure China . . . China should be pressed to provide full accounting of those killed, injured and missing in Xinjiang. Washington Times
Al Qaeda Vows Revenge on China After Riots . . . North African arm targets Chinese workers in Africa after riots in restive Xinjiang province left 156 dead. Times (UK)
Europe to Lessen Dependence on Russian Gas . . . EU and Turkey sign $11 billion gas pipeline deal that should give Europe more supply options. Christian Science Monitor
Obama Wades Into German Election . . . Off the cuff remark to Merkel predicting victory in September elections angers opposition party.
Der Spiegel
Also Today. . .
Sex Hormones, Painkillers in Drinking Water . . . Pharmaceutical chemicals aren't on list of substances in water that require public notice. Chicago Tribune
Hole in Fuselage Forces Plane to Land . . . Southwest Airlines inspects nearly 200 aircraft overnight after emergency landing in West Virginia. USA Today
Not Just Purring Because They're Happy . . . Cats use their purr to manipulate humans into getting them what they want. BBC
Building an Artificial Brain . . . Project Blue Brain, which is building a biologically accurate artificial brain, aims to discover how intelligence emerges. Wall Street Journal
Looking Down on Obama . . . Washington rooftop restaurant provides great views of the White House - and fits for the Secret Service.
Washington Post
Nature Deficit Disorder . . . Adults in their 20s or 30s just aren't going outside that much. McClatchy Newspapers
Today's Video
Obama's Teleprompter Crashes to the Floor . . .CNN
