Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Friday, January 29, 2010 Make us your homepage
Top Breaking News
- GDP Soars 5.7 Percent Fourth Quarter 9:13 am ET
This Morning's Cut
Leading The News
Bernanke Wins Second Term Gets backing of Senate for a second four-year term, but he faces formidable challenges. Wall Street Journal
New Afghanistan Goal: Compromise . . . Plan to end war now involves making peace with the Taliban, not eradicating them. Toronto Globe and Mail
Democrats Shelve Health Reform . . . Say they most focus on jobs and will do health later this year. But Election Day looms. Washington Times
Politics
Wall Street Journal
Dems Move PAYGO Without GOP . . . New spending would have to be "paid for," but Republicans say it makes it too difficult to have tax cuts. McClatchy Newspapers
Republicans Still Play Hard to Get . . . They say Obama must do much more to get bipartisanship moving. McClatchy Newspapers
Senate Raises Debt Limit by $1.9T . . . The vote, along partisan lines, will boost the government's total borrowing power to a staggering $14.3 trillion. Washington Times
Obama to Propose Employer Tax Credits . . . Tax credits totaling $33 billion for employers, with the aim of encouraging businesses to hire. Christian Science Monitor
National Security
UN Official Met Taliban . . . UN's top envoy to Afghanistan met with Taliban officials this month amid heightened efforts to find a diplomatic solution.
Wall Street Journal
Administration May Move 9/11 Trial . . . Justice Department, faces mounting pressure from New York politicians.
New York Times
Clinton Courts China for Iran Sanctions . . . Measures drawn up by U.S. aimed at Iranian financial institutions and Revolutionary Guard. Times of London
Pentagon Seeks 'Don't Ask Don't Tell' Repeal . . . Generals will testify Tuesday on the preferred path forward.
Washington Times
Response to Christmas Bomber Botched . . . Blunders deprived emergency crews of information and exposed travelers to danger if attack wasn't over. Detroit Free Press
Blair Grilled on Iraq . . . Says 9/11 attacks changed the ''calculus of risk'' posed by Saddam Hussein dramatically. Daily Telegraph
Money
U.S. To Investigate Toyota . . . Carmaker under pressure as U.S. prepares to examine 19 deaths possibly linked to accelerators in the past ten years.
Times of London
Bill Gates Donates $10B for Vaccines . . . Microsoft founder makes largest ever single charitable donation in bid to save more than eight million lives. Times of London
Apple's Misnamed iPad . . . Women say it sounds like a feminine hygiene product. Irish and Bostonians say it sound like ipod in their brogue. New York Times
Toyota Eschewed Brake Override . . . Despite complaints of runaway cars, company did not install systems to address such malfunctions. Washington Post
International
Acquittal Lets de Villepin Challenge Sarkozy . . . Former prime minister is building a political machine and making campaign-style appearances.
Toronto Globe and Mail
Hamas: Israel Killed a Top Commander . . . Mahmoud al-Mabhouh had abducted and killed 2 Israeli soldiers and was involved in arms smuggling. Haaretz
Aid Efforts Awry in Haiti . . . It's still very difficult to deliver aid in Haiti, two weeks into the emergency. Wall Street Journal
Do Putin and Medvedev Disagree? . . . At a meeting, they appear at odds over whether Russia is democratic enough.
Christian Science Monitor
You Must Also Know . . .
Hands-Free Phones Just as Risky . . . No decrease in crash risk with hands free laws. Cellphones and texting to blame for 28 percent of crashes. Washington Post
Oprah Puts Leno on the Couch . . . He says NBC handled things terribly, but notes that Conan's ratings were in the tank. Chicago Tribune
Man Admits Killing Abortion Doctor . . . Admits he fatally shot Dr. George Tiller in an attempt to save unborn children.
Associated Press
Manson Family Member May Get Parole . . . Bruce Davis was convicted in 1969 killings of musician Gary Hinman and ranch hand Donald Shea. Los Angeles Times
New 'Week After' Pill . . . New version of morning after pill "can be taken up to five days after sex." Daily Telegraph
JD Salinger Dead at 91 . . . Once thought to be the most important American writer since World War II, he turned his back on success and adulation. New York Times
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