Vatican blocks Caroline Kennedy appointment as US ambassador  —  The Vatican has blocked the appointment of Caroline Kennedy as US ambassador, according to reports.  —  Vatican sources told Il Giornale that their support for abortion disqualified Ms Kennedy and other Roman Catholics President Barack Obama had been seeking to appoint.

Obama and habeas corpus — then and now  —  (updated below)  —  It was once the case under the Bush administration that the U.S. would abduct people from around the world, accuse them of being Terrorists, ship them to Guantanamo, and then keep them there for as long as we wanted without offering …

Chinese Bias for Baby Boys Creates a Gap of 32 Million  —  BEIJING — A bias in favor of male offspring has left China with 32 million more boys under the age of 20 than girls, creating “an imminent generation of excess men,” a study released Friday said.  —  For the next 20 years …

Islam ‘insulted’ by alleged child killer's mug shot, says husband  —  The police booking photo of alleged child killer Nour Hadid released Tuesday is an “insult against our religion,” says Hadid's husband, Alaeddin.  —  Orland Park police detectives say the 26-year-old Muslim woman was treated …

Goldman Sachs hires law firm to shut blogger's site  —  Goldman Sachs is attempting to shut down a dissident blogger who is extremely critical of the investment bank, its board members and its practices.  —  The bank has instructed Wall Street law firm Chadbourne & Parke to pursue blogger Mike Morgan …

States Slashing Social Programs for Vulnerable  —  PHOENIX — Battered by the recession and the deepest and most widespread budget deficits in several decades, a large majority of states are slicing into their social safety nets — often crippling preventive efforts that officials say would save money over time.

Pirates seize U.S.-owned, Italy-flagged tugboat  —  Source: Reuters  —  Pirates seized a U.S.-owned and Italian-flagged tugboat with 16 crew on Saturday in the latest hijacking in the busy Gulf of Aden waterway, a regional maritime group said.  —  Andrew Mwangura, of the Mombasa-based …

Obama Team Mulls Aims Of Somali Extremists  —  Seeing Potential Terror Threat, Officials Debate Their Options  —  Senior Obama administration officials are debating how to address a potential terrorist threat to U.S. interests from a Somali extremist group, with some in the military advocating strikes against its training camps.

State Rep. Betty Brown apologizes for comments on Asian voters' names  —  AUSTIN, Texas - The state lawmaker embroiled in a controversy over pending voter identification legislation has apologized for her remarks regarding Asian-descent voters' names.  —  Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell …

Special election tie grows more possible  —  ALBANY — A nearly unprecedented tie in the congressional battle between Democrat Scott Murphy and Republican Assemblyman Jim Tedisco is rapidly becoming more of a possibility as vote totals continue to fluctuate.

Volcker Assumes Smaller-Than-Expected Role With Obama  —  WASHINGTON — As an early supporter of Barack Obama, Paul Volcker gave the young presidential candidate gravitas and advice.  He frequently sat by Mr. Obama's side at key economic events, and started carrying a cellphone for the first time …

US Navy misses chance to rescue American captain held hostage by pirates  —  The US Navy missed a chance to rescue the American captain held by Somali pirates on a lifeboat in the Indian Ocean when he tried to escape by jumping into the sea.  —  Captain Richard Phillips fled through a back door …