Senate Democrats Deny Specter Committee Seniority  —  The Senate dealt a blow tonight to Sen. Arlen Specter's hold on seniority in several key committees, a week after the Pennsylvanian's party switch placed Democrats on the precipice of a 60-seat majority.  —  In a unanimous voice vote …

College Student Shoots, Kills Home Invader  —  COLLEGE PARK, Ga. — A group of college students said they are lucky to be alive and they're thanking the quick-thinking of one of their own.  Police said a fellow student shot and killed one of two masked me who burst into an apartment.

Should we be banning this US ‘shock jock’?  —  The Home Office has issued the latest list of people it believes should not come to the country because they hold extremist opinions.  —  It is a state's prerogative to decide who it wants to come to its country.  That is, after all, what a visa system is for.

EXCLUSIVE: Secret U.S.-Israel nuclear accord in jeopardy  —  President Obama's efforts to curb the spread of nuclear weapons threaten to expose and derail a 40-year-old secret U.S. agreement to shield Israel's nuclear weapons from international scrutiny, former and current U.S. and Israeli officials and nuclear specialists say.

U.S. Says Bank of America Needs Cushion of $33.9 Billion  —  The government has told Bank of America it needs $33.9 billion in capital to withstand any worsening of the economic downturn, according to an executive at the bank.  —  If the bank is unable to raise the capital cushion …

Chrysler won't repay bailout money  —  An administration official confirms that a $4 billion bridge loan and $3.2 billion in bankruptcy financing won't be paid back by Chrysler following bankruptcy.  —  NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Chrysler LLC will not repay U.S. taxpayers more than $7 billion …

John Edwards's Wife Speaks About His Affair  —  In often blunt terms, Elizabeth Edwards is going public with her account of how her husband's affair rocked their marriage and left his political career in tatters.  —  In an interview with Oprah Winfrey and in excerpts from a new book …

Torture Memos: Inquiry Suggests No Prosecutions  —  WASHINGTON — An internal Justice Department inquiry has concluded that Bush administration lawyers committed serious lapses of judgment in writing secret memorandums authorizing brutal interrogations but that they should not be prosecuted …

Who Will “Sister Souljah” Them?  —  It's time to reclaim conservatism from Coulter and O'Reilly and Limbaugh and Hannity.  Reihan: … Take yours truly.  I'm not a Democrat and if pushed, I'd have to say right now I'm a libertarian independent.  I'm uneasy about Obama's long-term debt …

Skeptical Administration Keeping Karzai at Arm's Length  —  Skepticism of Afghan Leader Shapes Policy  —  Afghan President Hamid Karzai began talking as soon as his luncheon guests had taken their seats in his wood-paneled dining room at the presidential palace in Kabul …

MSNBC Hides Obama's Dijon Mustard (aka Dijongate)  —  MSNBC, Obama's favorite network, reported on Obama's trip with Joe Biden to get a burger.  Just two wild and crazy guys out for some red meat.  Andrea Mitchell (does she have nothing else to do?) reported that Obama ordered a burger and mustard.

Inspector at Pentagon Says Report Was Flawed  —  In a highly unusual reversal, the Defense Department's inspector general's office has withdrawn a report it issued in January exonerating a Pentagon public relations program that made extensive use of retired officers who worked as military analysts for television and radio networks.

Key Findings  —  The top subprime lenders whose loans are largely blamed for triggering the global economic meltdown were owned or backed by giant banks now collecting billions of dollars in bailout money — including several that have paid huge fines to settle predatory lending charges.

Behind the Judicial Blindfold  —  Should the judge be an umpire or an empathizer?  —  Chief Justice John Roberts memorably likened the judge to a baseball umpire, dispassionately applying existing rules to call balls and strikes.  —  President Obama is more, well, touchy-feely.

Congress to vote on finance probe  —  The blue-ribbon panel is a much-maligned Washington cliché — it is said that you appoint one when you don't really want anything to be done.  —  But sometimes, as with the 9/11 Commission, such bodies actually produce substantive results.

Barry Warns of “Civil War” Over Gay Marriage  —  D.C. Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8), the only council member to vote against the bill today to legalize same-sex marriages performed elsewhere, predicted today there could be a “civil war” in the District if the Council decides …

Texas infanticide bill would decriminalize murdering an infant  —  Is there a more despicable crime than murdering a baby?  I mean, really... think hard.  Murder is always apalling and deplorable and sickening.  But no matter what, murdering a baby would be, in my book, the most disgusting, horrible thing a person could do.