NPR Ends Analyst's Contract After Comments on Muslims  —  NPR has terminated its contract with Juan Williams, one of its senior news analysts, after he made comments about Muslims on the Fox News Channel.  —  NPR said in a statement that it gave Mr. Williams notice of his termination on Wednesday night.

Sarah Palin is wreaking havoc on the campaign trail, GOP sources say  —  According to a source familiar with the situation, she backed out of planned interviews with conservative talk-show hosts Sean Hannity and Mark Levin the morning she was scheduled to talk to them.

Ted Olson: ‘It Would Be Appropriate’ For Administration Not To Appeal DADT Injunction  —  Last night, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily granted the government's request to stay a federal district court's injunction of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, potentially allowing the Pentagon …

Obama's Approval Rating at New Low in Most Recent Quarter  —  His favorable rating and re-elect figures are also at new lows  —  PRINCETON, NJ — Barack Obama averaged 44.7% job approval during the seventh quarter of his presidency.  His average approval rating has declined each quarter since …

ABC News Exclusive: Christine O'Donnell Stands Her Ground on First Amendment Statement, Blames Media for Distortions  —  The Delaware Senate Hopeful Regrets Her 'I'm Not a Witch' Ad, Says She'll Win in November  —  In an exclusive and far-ranging interview with ABC News …

Sestak Closes Gap In Pennsylvania Senate Race, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; But Voters Want Their Senator To Oppose Obama  —  The race for Pennsylvania's U.S. Senate seat is now a statistical dead heat with Republican Pat Toomey getting 48 percent of likely voters to 46 percent …

Climate Change Doubt Is Tea Party Article of Faith  —  JASPER, Ind. — At a candidate forum here last week, Representative Baron P. Hill, a threatened Democratic incumbent in a largely conservative southern Indiana district, was endeavoring to explain his unpopular vote for the House cap-and-trade energy bill.

Niche Lawyers Spawned Housing Fracas  —  The paperwork mess muddying home foreclosures erupted last month.  But the legal strategy behind it traces to a lawyer's gambit in 2006 that has helped keep one couple in their home six years beyond their last mortgage payment.

Coalition Forces Routing Taliban in Key Afghan Region  —  ARGHANDAB, Afghanistan — American and Afghan forces have been routing the Taliban in much of Kandahar Province in recent weeks, forcing many hardened fighters, faced with the buildup of American forces, to flee strongholds they have held for years …

Google 2.4% Rate Shows How $60 Billion Lost to Tax Loopholes  —  Google Inc. cut its taxes by $3.1 billion in the last three years using a technique that moves most of its foreign profits through Ireland and the Netherlands to Bermuda.  —  Google's income shifting — involving strategies known …

Cafe owner ordered to remove extractor fan because neighbour claimed ‘smell of frying bacon offends Muslims’  —  A hard-working cafe owner has been ordered to tear down an extractor fan - because the smell of her frying bacon ‘offends’ Muslims.  —  Planning bosses acted against Beverley Akciecek …

It's not Ginni Thomas who deserves an apology  —  As a wife, I understand where Ginni Thomas is coming from.  —  In particular, as the wife of a husband who endured a far less bruising confirmation process and is now, as chairman of the Federal Trade Commission, far less the target of criticism, I feel her anger.

Fannie, Freddie bailout could double, regulator says  —  The federal bailout for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac could double in size during the next three years, according to projections from the companies' federal regulator.  —  Fannie and Freddie, the federally controlled mortgage finance giants …

First Thoughts: Outside game  —  NBC/WSJ poll: Outsiders have the advantage over insiders... Good news and bad news for both parties on health care... Poll also shows public concerns over outside-group advertising... Breaking the GOP down into three parts... The men who would be the GOP Senate leaders …

I'm Worried About Rush Limbaugh  —  What's Your Reaction:  —  Folks, I'm worried about Rush Limbaugh.  Has anyone ever exploded, you know, burst apart, like if we humans had seams and they just burst open and guts and s**t shot out in every direction?  —  Has that ever happened to anyone …

Strip-search victim criticizes Perry  —  Woman says he failed to stop 1991 assault  —  Breaking her long silence, a woman who was illegally strip-searched in 1991 by a Wareham police officer under the command of Jeffrey D. Perry, then a police sergeant, said that Perry was nearby during the assault …