Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Wednesday, December 30, 2009 Make us your homepage
Top Breaking News
This Morning's Cut
Leading The News
U.S. Had Early Signals of a Plot . . . The government had intel about a possible Al Qaeda attack around the holidays and had info about the suspect. New York Times
Iran Arrests Relatives of Opposition Leaders New tactic of seizing family members to pressure senior figures. Times of London
AIG Emails Show Execs in Crisis . . . Emails during 2007 reveal a company wracked turmoil. Washington Post
Politics
Washington Post
Gitmo Closing on the Rocks . . . Reports the plot was hatched by two former Guantanamo detainees could slow Obama's plans.
McClatchy Newspapers
Republican May File Suit Over Health Bill . . . Florida's attorney general questions whether it's constitutional to force people to buy health insurance. New York Times
White House Girds for Immigration Battle . . . Rallying allies to push for better border security and a path to citizenship for illegals now in the U.S. Los Angeles Times
Obama to Launch Vision for NASA . . . Must choose whether to ramp up spending on Mars and moon expeditions. USA Today
National Security
AirPlane Bomber Groomed in London . . . Security officials are concerned British universities, especially in London, are a hotbed of Islamist radicalization. Times of London
Bomber's Lonely, Religious Postings . . . A fervently religious and lonely young man who fantasized becoming a Muslim holy warrior. Associated Press
U.S. Prepares Sanctions for Iran . . . Administration readies targeted sanctions against parts of Iranian government amid protests there. Washington Post
Iran Set to Get Uranium From Kazakhstan . . . Tehran appears to be running out of material needed to carry out uranium enrichment. Associated Press
Obama Curbs Secrecy of Classified Docs . . . Declares “no information may remain classified indefinitely” and seeks to promote disclosure. New York Times
Money
Oops. Housing Prices Fall Again . . . Just as the economy is finally beginning to strengthen, the real estate market is showing new signs of deterioration.
New York Times
Congress Takes Aim at Fed Independence . . . So Bernanke keeps lawmakers happy with low rates while they are overhauling financial system. Washington Times
Stage Set for Google-Apple Phone War . . . The search engine will start 2010 by unveiling its own phone, the Nexus One.
Financial Times
Rich Try to Stay Alive to Beat Estate Tax . . . The tax expires for a time on Jan. 1. "I have two clients on life support," says lawyer Joshua Rubenstein. Wall Street Journal
Laid Off Execs Look for Any Type of Work . . . Highly paid executives typically insulated from heavy job losses during recessions. Not this time. USA Today
International
Iraqi Governor Hit in Twin Blasts . . . More than 20 people die in two suicide blasts in the Iraqi city of Ramadi, with the provincial governor wounded.
BBC
Scores Killed in Nigeria Clashes . . . Fighting between Islamic militants and security forces underlines fears of religious instability in region. The Guardian
Culture of Corruption Drags Greece Down . . . The Greek government has pushed the country to the brink of national bankruptcy. Der Spiegel
You Must Also Know . . .
Federal Court Restricts Taser Use . . . Ruling allowing an officer to be held liable for injuries a man suffered sets new precedent. Los Angeles Times
High Tech Scans Work a Little Too Well . . . Some call whole-body scan a "virtual strip search" that should be used only for probable cause. McClatchy Newspapers
Childbirth Turns Tragic, Then Joyful . . . A lifeless woman and her baby are revived in a Colorado hospital on Christmas Eve.
Los Angeles Times
Ginko Balboa: Forget It . . . The popular botanical does not improve memory, nor does it prevent cognitive decline in older people.
USA Today
Cut to Your Stocks
Watch the Dow(^DJI), S&P 500 (^GSPC), NASDAQ (^IXIC), Europe (^STOXX), the Nikkei (^N225), and the ten-year Treasury (^TNX). Add your own stocks too.
