Cut to the News . . . Your Daily News Briefing
Sunday, October 31, 2009 Make us your homepage
Top Breaking News
This Morning's Cut
Leading The News
Karzai Challenger Will Boycott Election . . . Abdullah's decision follows breakdown in talks on how to fix the country's electoral crisis. Associated Press
Obama Seeks Options for Sending Fewer to War . . . Obama asks for alternatives to his commander's request for 40,000 new troops in Afghanistan.
Washington Post
Dow Sinks 250 and is Flat for October . . . A reaction to news spending fell 0.5% in September while consumer confidence slips in October. Wall Street Journal
Politics
White House Touts 1 Million Jobs from Stimulus . . . Number of jobs created or saved is based on reports by recipients, prompting skepticism. Los Angeles Times
GOP Challenges Cost of Health Bill . . . Republicans are correct in saying it will cost $1 trillion instead of $894 billion Dems claim.
CBO Sizes Up House Health Plan . . . Only six million would enroll in public plan and premiums would typically be higher than those for private plans. Wall Street Journal
Senate Deal on Protection of News Sources . . . Judges would be left to decide if public interest favors protection of sources.
New York Times
Obama Lifts Ban on Entry of HIV Positive People . . . Fulfills promise made to gays to eliminate restriction he said was “rooted in fear rather than fact.” New York Times
National Security
Clinton Demurs on Mediating Kashmir Conflict The decades-old conflict between Pakistan and India has fueled a nuclear-arms race in South Asia.
Wall Street Journal
Bush Warns on Taliban Takeover . . . Former President George W. Bush warned Saturday that "the world would face serious threats." Associated Press
Cheney Sites Faulty Memory on Plame . . . Told investigators in 2004 he had no idea who revealed to reporters that Valerie Plame worked for CIA. Associated Press
Clinton Faces Tough Questions on Drones . . . Confronted repeatedly by Pakistanis Friday as she ended a tense three-day tour of the country. Associated Press
Money
Lapses Kept Scheme Alive, Madoff Says . . . No one was more surprised that the SEC missed Madoff’s enormous Ponzi scheme years ago than Madoff himself.
Wall Street Journal
Gas Rising as Holidays Near . . . Gas averaged nearly $2.70 a gallon Friday, the highest of the year. Associated Press
Opposition Splitting on Financial Overhaul . . . Interest groups make their own deals to avoid the new rules. Wall Street Journal
International
New Mideast Peace Push Planned . . . Secretary of State Clinton set for talks with Palestinian and Israeli leaders to try to unblock the peace process.
BBC
Pirates Demand $7M for Couple's Release . . . Sum demanded by Somali captors likely beyond the resources of British family, but may open up negotiations. The Times (UK)
Fresh Storm Batters Philippines . . . The fourth storm in a month to hit the Philippines brings heavy rain and winds to the east, killing at least seven people. BBC
Fifteen Shot Dead at Mexico Ranch . . . Killings on a remote ranch in northern Mexico, with a prominent union leader among the dead. BBC
Secret Mission Rescues Yemen's Jews . . . Clandestine op brings some of Yemen's last Jews to America to escape rising anti-Semitic violence. Wall Street Journal
You Must Also Know . . .
CDC Says 19 Children Died of H1N1 Last Week Total is 114 since beginning of the pandemic. In normal flu season, 40 to 50 children die. Los Angeles Times
Walmart Offers Coffins . . . Superstore chain a threat to traditional funeral directors, but industry insists it cannot be beaten on personal service. The Times (UK)
The River to School . . . Children in the Indonesian jungle navigate a river with giant barges, invisible logs and deep currents. And crocodiles and snakes. Los Angeles Times
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