Borders Are Tightened as Flu Cases Rise  —  Countries around the world began tightening their border and immigration controls Tuesday as the number of confirmed cases of swine flu continued to rise.  —  The number of deaths believed attributable to swine flu climbed to as many as 152 on Tuesday …

Jet Flyover Frightens New Yorkers  —  It was supposed to be a photo opportunity, a showcase of Air Force One alongside the sweep of New York City skyline.  —  But as the low-flying Boeing 747 speeded in the shadows of skyscrapers, trailed by two fighter jets, the sight instead awakened barely dormant fears …

Cheney for President  —  Watching Dick Cheney defend the Bush administration's interrogation policies, it's been hard to escape the impression that both the Republican Party and the country would be better off today if Cheney, rather than John McCain, had been a candidate for president in 2008.

The Politics of Liberal Amnesia  —  Nancy Pelosi is “pushing back” against charges that she was aware of — and acquiesced in — the CIA's harsh interrogations of terrorist detainees nearly from the moment the practice began, reports the Politico Web site.  Maybe she's suffering from amnesia.

Pianist stops show with anti-US rant  —  • ‘Get your hands off my country’ audience told  —  • Polish player protests over missile defence shield  —  Krystian Zimerman, the great Polish concert pianist, is usually a man of few words.  He doesn't, as a rule, talk to the audience during performances.

Fed Pushes Citi, BofA to Increase Capital  —  Regulators have told Bank of America Corp. and Citigroup Inc. that the banks may need to raise more capital based on early results of the government's so-called stress tests of lenders, according to people familiar with the situation.

How libertarian dogma led the Fed astray  —  The Federal Reserve has been hobbled by at least two major shortcomings that were primarily responsible for the current and several previous credit crises.  Its failure to spot the importance of changing financial markets and its commitment …

Chrysler latest: Union eyes majority ownership  —  STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. — The United Auto Workers union will own 55% of a restructured Chrysler LLC and its retiree health care trust will get a seat on the board if union members vote to approve contract concessions this week.

Deal pushes budget toward 100th-day goal  —  House and Senate Democrats reached a budget deal on Monday night that will allow both chambers to vote on budget resolutions this week.  —  Budget negotiators, after hours of negotiations on Monday, put finishing touches on the resolution …

Declining Notre Dame: A Letter from Mary Ann Glendon  —  The Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C.  —  President  —  University of Notre Dame  —  Dear Father Jenkins,  —  When you informed me in December 2008 that I had been selected to receive Notre Dame's Laetare Medal, I was profoundly moved.

Key Posts Remain Vacant as Untested Pandemic Response Plan Implemented  —  As they confront the growing swine flu crisis, President Obama's administration is attempting to implement a never-before-tested pandemic response plan while dozens of key public health and emergency response jobs in the administration remain vacant.

Flu Or No Flu, Health Sec's Nomination Will Still Require 60 Votes, GOP Says  —  So Kathleen Sebelius will get her confirmation vote as Health and Human Services secretary tomorrow in the Senate — but even with the flu outbreak, her confirmation will still have to clear a big hurdle, requiring 60 votes.

How '07 ABC Interview Tilted a Torture Debate  —  In late 2007, there was the first crack of daylight into the government's use of waterboarding during interrogations of Al Qaeda detainees.  On Dec. 10, John Kiriakou, a former C.I.A. officer who had participated in the capture …

Fox rejects Obama's request for airtime  —  Is the honeymoon over?  —  For the first time since Barack Obama took office, a major broadcast network is refusing to grant the president's request for primetime coverage.  —  Fox has issued a statement saying it will air regular programming …

Another GOP Defeat  —  Albany lifers are lousy candidates.  —  Republicans lost another Congressional race on Friday, as Democratic newcomer Scott Murphy was declared the victor by some 400 votes in the March 31 special House election in New York state.  But you wouldn't know it from the response …