Supreme Court Justice Souter To Retire  —  · NPR has learned that Supreme Court Justice David Souter is planning to retire at the end of the court's current term.  —  The court has completed hearing oral arguments for the year and will be issuing rulings and opinions until the end of June.

Case against ex-AIPAC staffers dropped  —  WASHINGTON (JTA) — A source with intimate knowledge of the case against two ex-AIPAC staffers accused of passing along classified information says the case has been dropped.  —  Keith Weissman, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's former Iran analyst …

INSIDE WASHINGTON: Taxpayers to get rude surprise  —  INSIDE WASHINGTON: Millions of couples, retirees may have to repay some of Obama tax credit  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions of Americans enjoying their small windfall from President Barack Obama's “Making Work Pay” tax credit are in for an unpleasant surprise next spring.

The Lenders Obama Decided to Blame  —  Peter A. Weinberg and Joseph R. Perella are part of a band of Wall Street renegades — “a small group of speculators,” President Obama called them Thursday — who helped bankrupt Chrysler.  —  That, anyway, is the Washington line.

An Affordable Salvation  —  The 2008 election ended the reign of junk science in our nation's capital, and the chances of meaningful action on climate change, probably through a cap-and-trade system on emissions, have risen sharply.  —  But the opponents of action claim that limiting emissions …

Survey: Churchgoers more likely to back torture  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — The more often Americans go to church, the more likely they are to support the torture of suspected terrorists, according to a new survey.  —  More than half of people who attend services at least once a week …

Casey backs Specter  —  At the top, at least, the Pennsylvania Democrats are closing ranks around their newest member.  —  Sen. Bob Casey on “The Bill Press Show” this morning:  —  Bill Press: If you believe that Arlen Specter is the strongest candidate, will you support him in the Democratic primary?

First Lady Michelle Obama steps out in Lanvin sneakers and they're only $540!  —  Michelle Obama has taken casual to a haute new level.  —  While volunteering Wednesday at a D.C. food bank, the First Lady sported her usual J.Crew cardigan, a pair of utilitarian capri pants and, on her feet, a sneaky splurge: trainers that go for $540.

The CIA's $1,000 a Day Specialists on Waterboarding, Interrogations  —  The New Focus on Two Retired Military Psychologists Called the ‘Architects’ of the CIA's Techniques  —  As the secrets about the CIA's interrogation techniques continue to come out, there's new information about the frequency …

Gingrich insult rankles RNC members  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) - Several members of the Republican National Committee are miffed at Newt Gingrich for claiming that they're a small bunch of egomaniacs who need to be coddled by the party chairman.  —  “Newt needs to take a breath,” New Jersey committeeman David Norcross told CNN.

Plea Deal Reached With Agent for Al Qaeda  —  During the nearly six years that Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri spent in isolation in a Navy brig as the last enemy combatant held on United States soil, he denied the government's charges that he was a sleeper agent for Al Qaeda, his lawyers said.

Churchill vs Cheney, Ctd.  —  The Guardian story on the “London Cage” has troubled me greatly and I have tried to find out as much as possible about it since yesterday.  The best account of the history of democracies and torture can be found in Darius Rejali's book, “Torture and Democracy …

Hispanic Dems furious over GOP video  —  Hispanic Democrats are furious and demanding an apology over an image wedged in a new GOP web video on terrorism that shows members of the Hispanic Caucus sitting at a table with President Obama.  —  “On behalf of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus …

Senate Defeats Measure to Allow Bankruptcy Judges to Change Mortgage Terms  —  For the second time in two years, a provision to allow bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages died in the Senate today, handing the Obama administration a significant defeat in its plans for arresting the foreclosure crisis.