Taliban Chief Claims Responsibility for N.Y. Shooting Massacre  —  A Pakistani Taliban militant leader has claimed responsibility for the attack on a U.S. immigration center in New York state in which 13 people were killed, Reuters reported.  —  “I accept responsibility.  They were my men.

Being a “Public Christian”  —  Reacting to the Iowa gay marriage ruling today, Rod Dreher writes: … I realize its often hard to appreciate how your words will come across to those who don't share your beliefs, but good grief, is it possible to be more oblivious?

Administration Seeks an Out On Bailout Rules for Firms  —  Officials Worry Constraints Set by Congress Deter Participation  —  The Obama administration is engineering its new bailout initiatives in a way that it believes will allow firms benefiting from the programs to avoid restrictions imposed …

Hedge Fund Paid Summers $5.2 Million in Past Year  —  WASHINGTON — Top White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers received about $5.2 million over the past year in compensation from hedge fund D.E. Shaw, and also received hundreds of thousands of dollars in speaking fees from major financial institutions.

Gates Planning Major Changes in Defense Programs, Budget  —  Proposal Said to Move Focus To Counterinsurgency Efforts  —  Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is expected to announce on Monday the restructuring of several dozen major defense programs as part of the Obama administration's bid …

Sarah Palin Lashes Out at Levi Johnston for Sex Talk on Tyra  —  Levi Johnston is in big trouble at the Sarah Palin household.  —  After taking about sex on The Tyra Banks Show, Johnston - the 18-year-old father of Bristol Palin's baby - was hit with a blistering response from Bristol's mother, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Barack Obama fails to win Nato troops he wants for Afghanistan  —  Michael Evans and David Charter in Strasbourg  —  Barack Obama made an impassioned plea to America's allies to send more troops to Afghanistan, warning that failure to do so would leave Europe vulnerable to more terrorist atrocities.

GOP Rep Blasts Rush As Not “Serious” And An “Entertainer”  —  Uh oh — looks like another Republican may be forced to go on the Limbaugh Death March.  —  In comments that passed unnoticed, Rep Zach Wamp of Tennessee, who's running for Governor, blasted Rush Limbaugh twice on CNN as a mere …

Should Obama Control the Internet?  —  A new bill would give the President emergency authority to halt web traffic and access private data.  —  Post Comment  —  Should President Obama have the power to shut down domestic Internet traffic during a state of emergency?

U.S to Lift Some Curbs on Travel to Cuba  —  WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama plans to lift longstanding U.S. restrictions on Cuba, a senior administration official said, allowing Cuban-Americans to visit families there as often as they like and to send them unlimited funds.

‘Holy Hell’ Over Torture Memos  —  Attorney General Eric Holder wants to release classified Bush-era interrogation memos.  But U.S. intel officials are fiercely lobbying the White House to block him from moving forward.  —  A fierce internal battle within the White House over the disclosure …

Times co. threatens to shut down Globe  —  The New York Times Co. has threatened to shut the Boston Globe unless the newspaper's unions swiftly agree to $20 million in concessions, union leaders said.  —  Executives from the Times Co. and Globe made the demands Thursday morning …