Crist Announces Independent Bid for Senate  —  MIAMI — Gov. Charlie Crist announced Thursday that he will run independently for the United States Senate, giving Florida a race that will once again make the state a gawk-worthy stage of American politics, where the country's desires, fears and conflicts play out.

More Americans Favor Than Oppose Arizona Immigration Law  —  Among those who have heard of law, 51% favor and 39% oppose it  —  PRINCETON, NJ — More than three-quarters of Americans have heard about the state of Arizona's new immigration law, and of these, 51% say they favor it and 39% oppose it.

Prosecutors Said to Start Inquiry at Goldman  —  By LOUISE STORY and MICHAEL J. de la MERCED  —  Federal prosecutors have opened an investigation into trading at Goldman Sachs, raising the possibility of criminal charges against the Wall Street giant, according to people familiar with the matter.

EXCLUSIVE: U.N. Elects Iran to Commission on Women's Rights  —  Without fanfare, the United Nations this week elected Iran to its Commission on the Status of Women, handing a four-year seat on the influential human rights body to a theocratic state in which stoning is enshrined in law …

As oil spill hits Louisiana coast, critics assail Obama's offshore drilling plan  —  The worsening oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday threatened not only the shores of five states but also President Obama's plan to open vast stretches of U.S. coastline to oil and gas drilling.

British protesters attack Israel's deputy ambassador  —  Pro-Palestinian protesters storm towards Talya Lador-Fresher after her speech at Manchester University, prompting police to whisk her away from site.  Protesters proceed to encircle police car, climb on hood.  Ambassador Ron Prosor says sweeping denunciation expected

iPhone Finder Regrets His ‘Mistake’  —  The person who found and sold an Apple iPhone prototype says he regrets not doing more to return the device to its owner, according to a statement provided by his attorney Thursday in response to queries from Wired.com.

Democrats pledge to move toward 2010 vote on immigration reform  —  Senate Democratic leaders said Thursday they are serious about having a vote on immigration this year.  —  Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and other Democrats made that pledge as they unveiled their outline …

Thoughts on Flash  —  Apple has a long relationship with Adobe.  In fact, we met Adobe's founders when they were in their proverbial garage.  Apple was their first big customer, adopting their Postscript language for our new Laserwriter printer.  Apple invested in Adobe and owned around 20% of the company for many years.

Glenn Beck  —  Who'd have thought a history buff with a quirky sense of humor and a chalkboard could make for such riveting television?  Glenn's like the high school government teacher so many wish they'd had, charting and connecting ideas with chalk-dusted fingers — kicking it old school …

Hordes of Hired Guns Earned About $19 Million Per Day As Lobbying Soared to Nearly $1 Billion in First Quarter  —  Hordes of hired K Street guns are in high demand as President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats seek to implement grand legislative plans.

Want to get rich?  Work for feds  —  For decades, public sector unions have peddled the fantasy that government employees were paid less than their counterparts in the private sector.  In fact, the pay disparity is the other way around.  Government workers, especially at the federal level …

Judge asks feds to show militia did more than talk  —  DETROIT (AP) - A federal judge challenged prosecutors Wednesday to show that nine members of a Michigan militia accused of plotting war against the government had done more than just talk and should remain locked up.

House Approves Puerto Rico Vote Legislation  —  The House of Representatives voted Thursday to allow Puerto Ricans to decide their own political future and relationship with the United States.  —  The vote was 223 to 169.  Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y., voted present.

Conservatives Mock Pelosi For Airbrushed Magazine Shot, Stay Silent On Laura Bush's Retouched Book Cover  —  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is on the May/June 2010 cover of the DC magazine “Capitol File,” and conservatives are all worked up that the photograph of her may have been airbrushed.

One Woman's ‘Truth’: Rielle Hunter Talks to Oprah  —  Rielle Hunter, who told Oprah Winfrey in a program broadcast on Thursday that John Edwards had a secret affair with her because “he wanted to live a life of truth,” is a tough interview, tougher in some ways than President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran.

Arizona: The Wrong Answer  —  I am saddened today at the prospect of a young Hispanic immigrant in Arizona going to the grocery store and forgetting to bring her passport and immigration documents with her.  I cannot be dispassionate about the fact that the very act of her being in the grocery store …

Sen. Lindsey Graham: ‘I care equally about immigration and climate change’  —  Sen. Lindsey Graham has been in the news this week for threatening to vote against the climate bill he's crafted if the Democrats move on immigration reform this year.  Given that Graham is the only Republican on either bill, it's a very credible threat.