Rashomon in the desert  —  Dubai or not Dubai — that is the question.  Dubai's sorta-kinda default (a state-owned enterprise seeking a rescheduling of its debts) is, by itself, not that big of a deal.  But who else looks like Dubai?  What kind of omen is this for the next stage in the financial crisis?

Kill the Bills.  Do Health Reform Right.  —  The United States has the best health care in the world — but because of its inefficiencies, also the most expensive.  The fundamental problem with the 2,074-page Senate health-care bill (as with its 2,014-page House counterpart) …

Taxing the Speculators  —  Should we use taxes to deter financial speculation?  Yes, say top British officials, who oversee the City of London, one of the world's two great banking centers.  Other European governments agree — and they're right.  —  Unfortunately, United States officials …

Lobbyists pushed off advisory panels  —  White House initiative to limit influence could affect thousands  —  Hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists are likely to be ejected from federal advisory panels as part of a little-noticed initiative by the Obama administration to curb K Street's influence …

New group tries to convince Cheney to run in 2012  —  Washington (CNN) - A new group wants former Vice President Dick Cheney back in the White House.  —  The organization - “Draft Dick Cheney 2012” - launched on Friday, and unveiled their new Web site.  Their aim: To convince …

Obama Made the Right Call on KSM  —  A civilian court is the best venue for justice.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  The Obama administration's decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other 9/11 conspirators in federal court marks a fundamental shift in the way we fight terrorism.

Polanski's Release From Prison  —  The decision to free Roman Polanski is a wise decision.  It honors the people who took it.  It shows that the arguments developed by the movie director's partisans — including those published on the French review's website of La Règle du Jeu — have finally been fruitful.

How to Forge a Consensus  —  The impression left by the Climategate emails is that the global warming game has been rigged from the start.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  The climatologists at the center of last week's leaked-email and document scandal have taken the line that it is all much ado about nothing.

U.S. journalist grilled at Canada border crossing  —  Officials demanded to know what she would say publicly about 2010 Olympics  —  U.S. journalist Amy Goodman said she was stopped at a Canadian border crossing south of Vancouver on Wednesday and questioned for 90 minutes by authorities concerned …

Mental State Cited in 9/11 Case  —  WASHINGTON — When five defendants are brought before a New York federal judge to face charges for the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the first question may be whether some of them are competent to stand trial at all.  —  Military lawyers for Ramzi Binalshibh …

Activists seek green Black Friday  —  The day after Thanksgiving is known for shopping sprees, but “Black Friday” is getting blacklisted by environmentalists - and they're hoping President Obama will back them up.  —  “In the climate change sense, it's not that every other retail day isn't bad.

Soviets' Afghan War Informs Surge Debate  —  KABUL — The future of the war in Afghanistan was on the line as Gen. Stanley McChrystal met with Defense Secretary Robert Gates in a secret rendezvous at a Belgian airbase in August.  —  Gen. McChrystal, the top Western commander in Afghanistan …

FBI needs gun data to prevent terrorist attacks  —  Congress's curbs on gun data hurt investigations  —  The news from Fort Hood shocked the nation: American soldiers shot on American soil.  Thirteen dead and 38 injured.  It was almost too terrible to believe.  Almost.

Report Says Irish Bishops and Police Hid Abuse  —  LONDON — The Roman Catholic Church and the police in Ireland systematically colluded in covering up decades of child sex abuse by priests in Dublin, according to a scathing report released Thursday.  —  The cover-ups spanned the tenures …

The quiet American  —  Is Barack Obama's diplomacy subtle and strategic, or weak and naive?  The world is about to find out  —  AT LAST Barack Obama seems to be starting to make up his mind.  After months of agonising, he is apparently close to announcing that he will after all send …

Voter Anger Is Building Over Deficits  —  After engineering an unprecedented spending surge for nearly a year, President Barack Obama now wants to signal that he takes deficits seriously.  So this week the White House announced that it is considering creating a commission to figure how to fix the budget mess.