Lost in Translation: A U.S. Gift to Russia  —  GENEVA — The United States and Russia tried to mend their frayed relationship by having their top diplomats sit down to dinner here on Friday.  Before the appetizer was served, the diplomatic first date had gotten off to an awkward start because of a gag gift gone awry.

Court Puts Off Decision On Indefinite Detention  —  The Supreme Court yesterday vacated a lower court's ruling that the president has the right to indefinitely detain a legal U.S. resident as a terrorism suspect, and put off a decision on one of the most expansive legal claims of the Bush administration.

Dems need Franken more than ever  —  Suddenly, Al Franken represents more than just an empty seat in the Senate chamber.  —  Franken could have been the critical 60th vote on the stalled $410 billion omnibus Thursday night.  He'd be a likely yes on President Barack Obama's ambitious budget.

Top U.S., European Banks Got $50 Billion in AIG Aid  —  The beneficiaries of the government's bailout of American International Group Inc. include at least two dozen U.S. and foreign financial institutions that have been paid roughly $50 billion since the Federal Reserve first extended aid to the insurance giant.

Car-truck crash kills Zimbabwe prime minister's wife, injures him  —  HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNN) — Zimbabwe Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai was in stable condition and recovering from head injuries Friday night after a car wreck that killed his wife, Susan, medical sources told CNN.

Neither Moderate Nor Centrist  —  How Buckley, Gergen and Brooks finally realized Barack Obama's left leanings.  —  “To see what is in front of one's nose,” George Orwell famously asserted, “needs a constant struggle.”  —  Congratulations this week to three journalists who have finally taken …

Obama's economic saviour savaged as Keating lets rip  —  When Barack Obama announced his champion to rescue the world from economic ruin, it was the first time most Americans had ever heard the name Tim Geithner.  —  The initial impression was good.  The stockmarket surged and the pundits swooned.

Now at Reason.tv: Rep. Jeff Flake on How the GOP Can Get Its Groove Back  —  At last November's gala dinner in Los Angeles celebrating 40 years of Reason, Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) spoke about why the Republican party was in a shambles—and what it needs to do to stage a comeback.

Obama to Lift Ban on Funding for Embryonic Stem Cell Research  —  President Obama is planning to sign an executive order on Monday rolling back restrictions on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research, according to sources close to the issue.  —  Although the exact wording …

Meltdown  —  This is the private switching system, utilized by the Federal Reserve, that performs electronic financial transfers.  —  This is the vault that holds sixty billion of the taxpayers' dollars, which moved to an account owned by American International Group (AIG).

Shoe reportedly thrown at Iranian president Ahmadinejad  —  Protest allegedly happened as president waved to crowds from an open-top car in the Iranian city of Urumiye  —  When the Iraqi journalist, Muntazar al-Zaidi, hurled his shoes at the then-US president, George Bush, in December …

Naked Obama On A Unicorn Vs. Naked Palin On A Moose (Bonus: Nude Michelle Obama)  —  It's the gift that keeps on giving: paintings of a naked Barack Obama on a unicorn.  And the paintings keep getting increasingly disturbing.  Last time around, there was a painting of a unicorn looking at Barack's back side the same...

How to Make Cap-and-Trade Into a Bad Joke  —  Via Gristmill, I see that Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources committee, has decided to preemptively surrender on global warming: … There are lots of bells and whistles that you can add to a cap-and-trade plan …

Democrats blast Limbaugh for comment on Kennedy  —  Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition  —  WASHINGTON - A Democratic official rebuked conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh on Friday for suggesting a health care proposal will be named in memory of Sen. Edward Kennedy, who is battling brain cancer.

CHAVEZ CALLS ON OBAMA TO FOLLOW PATH OF SOCIALISM  —  Caracas - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday called upon US President Barack Obama to follow the path to socialism, which he termed as the “only” way out of the global recession.  “Come with us, align yourself, come with us on the road to socialism.

Health ‘Reformers’ Ignore Facts  —  Debunking the Democratic argument for government-run health care.  —  The Democrats' case to expand government health care is so full of holes that passing it quickly is their only hope.  If Americans slow down and ask questions, they will be hard-put to come up with answers.

EFCA Battle Begins: Senate Hearing Set For Tuesday  —  The Senate health committee is set to host the first hearings of the legislative session on the Employee Free Choice Act this Tuesday, a union official says.  It's the truest indication yet that Democrats in Congress are willing to plow forward with the hotly contested measure.

Media Matters: The media's tax fraud  —  When is a tax cut for 98 percent of taxpayers portrayed as a tax increase?  When some of the small handful of people whose taxes will go up happen to control the nation's news media.  —  Last week, President Obama unveiled a budget outline that extends …