Here's Donny!  In His Defense, a Show Is Born  —  WASHINGTON, April 18 — It has become a daily ritual, the defense of the defense secretary, complete with praise from serving generals, tributes from the president and, from the man on the spot, doses of charm, combativeness and even some humility.

Moving to the Right  —  Brit Hume's Path Took Him From Liberal Outsider to The Low-Key Voice of Conservatism on Fox News  —  It was a different era, a different administration and a very different Brit Hume.  —  Thirty-six years ago, as a long-haired reporter for columnist Jack Anderson …

Palestinian militants threaten to attack Jews abroad  —  GAZA, April 17 (Reuters) - Palestinian militants linked to President Mahmoud Abbas's increasingly fractured Fatah movement threatened on Monday to attack Jews overseas to force Israel to release Palestinian prisoners from its jails.

News outlets resist Scooter Libby subpoenas  —  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A former White House aide fighting perjury charges should not get access to reporters' notes and other newsroom material because they have no relevance to his case, several news outlets told a U.S. judge on Tuesday.

China's Rising Need for Oil Is High on U.S. Agenda  —  WASHINGTON, April 18 — The competition for access to oil is emerging high on the agenda for President Hu Jintao's visit to the White House this week.  President Bush has called China's growing demand for oil one reason for rising prices …

Bennett: Pulitzer Winners Risen, Lichtblau, Priest 'Worthy of Jail'  —  NEW YORK On his national radio program today, William Bennett, the former Reagan and George H.W. Bush administration official and now a CNN commentator, said that three reporters who won Pulitzer Prizes yesterday were not …

China Hopes Hu Makes Good Impression  —  The president lacks the spontaneity of his predecessors.  But officials know the image he projects on U.S. visit could pay dividends.  —  BEIJING — Visiting Chinese leaders in the past have warmed American hearts by donning cowboy hats …

McKinney report cites assault with 'closed fist'  —  The official police report on Rep. Cynthia McKinney's clash with a Capitol Hill police officer three weeks ago says the DeKalb County congresswoman struck the officer "in his chest with [a] closed fist."  —  The "event report" …

Mexico Harsh to Undocumented Migrants  —  TULTITLAN, Mexico - Considered felons by the government, these migrants fear detention, rape and robbery.  Police and soldiers hunt them down at railroads, bus stations and fleabag hotels.  Sometimes they are deported; more often officers simply take their money.

GAO Faults Agencies' Sharing of Terror Data  —  Despite more than four years of legislation, executive orders and presidential directives, the Bush administration has yet to comprehensively improve sharing of counterterrorism information among dozens of federal agencies …

Angry/negative people can be bad for your brain  —  Everyone's favorite A-list target, Robert Scoble, announced the unthinkable a few days ago: he will be moderating his comments.  But what some people found far more disturbing was Robert's wish to make a change in his life that includes steering clear of …

Broad based rally for European bourses  —  European equities extended their early gains by mid-morning in a broadly-based rally on Wednesday following strong overnight gains on Asia and Wall Street, prompted by the latest minutes of the Federal Reserve which suggested that rising US interest rates were coming to an end.

Cole is poor choice for Mideast position  —  In the coming week, the Yale Center for International and Area Studies will consider the candidacy of Juan Cole for a tenured position to study and teach the modern Middle East.  The vacancy is palpable, but Cole should not be the man to fill it.

British brigadier attacks America's John Wayne generals  —  A senior British officer has criticised "shoulder-holster" American generals for trying to emulate film stars.  —  Brig Alan Sharpe, who worked alongside Americans in Baghdad, said there was a "strong streak of Hollywood" …

Bush's Approval Remains Low, Pessimism Grows, Poll Shows  —  President Bush's job-approval rating slipped for the third consecutive month and remains near the lowest mark of his presidency, according to a new Harris Interactive poll.  —  Thirty-five percent of 1,008 U.S. adults surveyed …

The Train to Somewhere  —  Glenn Reynolds at Instapundit doesn't put much stock in the relocation of the CSX rail line in Mississippi at a cost of $700 million in taxpayer dollars.  He thinks that this is nothing but a pork barrel project, especially since the existing rail line was repaired at a cost of $250 million.

Bush, After Some Changes, Vows More Coming  —  WASHINGTON - Under pressure to revitalize his administration, President Bush reshuffled his economic team Tuesday with a new budget chief who is highly regarded on Capitol Hill and promised more changes were coming.  He also named a new trade representative.

They're Closing in on Pinch!  —  The New York Times shareholders' mutiny.  —  The Twilight of the Sulzbergers?  The Class A shareholders are closing in on Pinch.  According to TheStreet.com: … That seems at least as much of a revolt as six retired generals calling for Rumsfeld's resignation, no?