Top Items:
Katherine Shrader / Associated Press:
Hatch: Court Briefed on Bush Surveillance — WASHINGTON - Two judges on the secretive court that approves warrants for intelligence surveillance were told of the broad monitoring programs that have raised recent controversy, a Republican senator said Tuesday, connecting a court to knowledge …
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New York Times:
Verizon Denies Turning Over Local Phone Data — Verizon, the country's second-largest phone company, said yesterday that it had not provided local phone records to the National Security Agency as part of efforts to compile a database of calling records to track terrorist activities.
Patrick Yoest / public.cq.com:
DHS Does About-Face In Backing Use of National Guard to Seal Border — In December of 2005, Fox News talking head Bill O'Reilly floated an unlikely — even brash — idea to the Homeland Security secretary to seal off the porous southwest border. — "Why don't you put the National Guard …
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Marina Montemayor / Associated Press:
Mexico Threatens Suits Over Guard Patrols — CIUDAD JUAREZ, Mexico - Mexico said Tuesday that it would file lawsuits in U.S. courts if National Guard troops on the border become directly involved in detaining migrants. — Mexican border officials also said they worried that sending troops …
New York Times:
Divide Remains as Bush Pushes Immigration Plan — WASHINGTON, May 16 — President Bush pushed ahead on Tuesday with his effort to bring Republicans in the House and the Senate together on a plan to reduce illegal immigration. But he ran into renewed resistance from conservatives …
Discussion:
THE NEWS BLOG
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Mark Tapscott / Tapscott's Copy Desk:
Conservative Battle Fatique? The "What If" Issue — More bad news for the GOP in today's edition of The Washington Post as 56 percent of the respondents to the latest Post/ABC News survey say they prefer Democrats in control of Congress. — There is a distinct, though not quite as deep …
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David Germain / Associated Press:
'Da Vinci Code' Misses the Mark for Critics — CANNES, France - "The Da Vinci Code" drew lukewarm praise, shrugs of indifference, some jeering laughter and a few derisive jabs Tuesday from arguably the world's toughest movie crowd: critics at the Cannes Film Festival.
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David Germain / Associated Press:
Albinos Condemn 'Da Vinci' Assassin
Albinos Condemn 'Da Vinci' Assassin
Discussion:
Outside The Beltway
Echidne / ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES:
The Care And Maintenance of the Aquarium — The Washington Post honors the recently passed Mother's Day by a most interesting article on the health of the newborn: … Are you prepared for this, ladies between the ages of fifteen and fifty-five? You are now in the state of pre-pregnancy!
Discussion:
Washington Post, Ezra Klein, Outside The Beltway, Pacific Views, Bitch Ph.D., Shakespeare's Sister and Feministe
Alessandra Stanley / New York Times:
At White House Briefing, Polish Replaces Testiness — Tony Snow said he didn't want to "hug the tar baby," and then he did just that by using the expression in his first televised White House press briefing yesterday. — The tar-covered doll that Br'er Fox used to ensnare Br'er Rabbit …
Discussion:
Crooks and Liars, Think Progress, The Carpetbagger Report, appletree, Poynter Online and The Liberal Avenger
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Associated Press:
Venezuela may sell U.S. jets to Iran, others — CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela's military is considering the possibility of selling its fleet of U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets to another country, perhaps Iran, a Venezuelan military official said Tuesday.
Roger Clegg / Opinion Journal:
Disinvited — The EEOC cancels a meeting rather than listen to criticism. — Last month, I received an invitation to testify before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission about affirmative action and diversity in U.S. companies. The testimony was scheduled for today …
Andrew Taylor / Associated Press:
Senate readies vote on $70B tax cut — MAY. 11 1:13 P.M. ET President Bush and his GOP allies on Capitol Hill anticipated a long-sought election year victory Thursday as senators debated a bill awarding tax relief to investors and 15 million taxpayers with above-average incomes.
Discussion:
David Sirota
John Hawkins / Human Events:
Tackling a Handful of Immigration Myths, Misnomers and Red Herrings — There's no topic hotter in the body politic right now than immigration. — Everywhere you turn, especially in the blogosphere, somebody has an opinion. So, since illegal immigration is the topic du jour …
Chris Bowers / MyDD:
We Will All Win, Eventually — Today, in just three divisions (precincts) available to me, Kevin and I pulled over 100 votes. With only 27-01, 27-02, and 27-23 reporting, we have reached roughly 110 votes. And that is only three divisions (precincts). We won, and we won huge.
TCS Daily:
The Parent Trap — Not long ago we worried about baby booms and overpopulation. Now some people are worrying about a "Global Baby Bust." Writing in Foreign Affairs, Phillip Longman says it's mostly because of economics: … He's clearly right about the economics.
Khaled Abu Toameh / Jerusalem Post:
Aksa Brigades threatens US, Europe — The Aksa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, on Monday threatened to strike at US and European interests in response to international sanctions on the Palestinian Authority. — The threat, the first of its kind, came as PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas …
Kathy Matheson / Associated Press:
Foster Quotes Eminem at Penn Graduation — PHILADELPHIA - You can add rapping to the list of Jodie Foster's talents. The Oscar-winning actress spoke Monday at the University of Pennsylvania's commencement ceremonies, ending her address with the chorus of Eminem's "Lose Yourself" from …
Greg Bluestein / Associated Press:
Judge Strikes Down Ga. Ban on Gay Marriage — ATLANTA - A judge has struck down Georgia's ban on same-sex marriages, saying a measure overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2004 violated a provision of the state constitution that limits ballot questions to a single subject.
Discussion:
Feministe