An Open Letter to President Barack Obama  —  Dear President Obama:  —  As political scientists, historians, and researchers in related fields who have studied the Middle East and U.S. foreign policy, we the undersigned believe you have a chance to move beyond rhetoric to support the democratic movement sweeping over Egypt.

‘Mega protest’ planned in Egypt  —  Opposition movement calls for one “million people demonstration” on Tuesday in a bid to topple president Hosni Mubarak.  —  Egyptian protesters have called for a massive demonstration on Tuesday in a bid to force out president Hosni Mubarak from power.

Threat Of Muslim Brotherhood Running Egypt As An Anti-American Muslim State Is A Myth  —  Mohamed ElBaradei, a leading voice of Egypt's opposition, told Fareed Zakaria on CNN that the American conservative fear put forth by people like John Bolton and Thaddeus McCotter that the Muslim Brotherhood …

Thousands Converge on Koch Brothers Billionaire's Caucus; 25 Arrested  —  Twenty-five protesters were arrested in Rancho Mirage, California today, at a protest in front of the Rancho Las Palmas resort, site of the “Billionaire's Caucus,” an annual meeting put on by the Koch Brothers …

DCCC targets 19 with first media offensive  —  In the first major media salvo of its effort to reclaim the House in 2012, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is launching an advertising campaign against 19 targeted Republican incumbents.  —  The radio ads, web ads …

Recent decisions amount to a dressing down for 9th Circuit  —  Sometimes the Supreme Court simply decides cases and sometimes it seems to have something bigger in mind.  In the past two weeks, it has been in scold mode, and its target has been the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

House Republicans Plan to Redefine Rape  —  Drugged, Raped, and Pregnant?  Too bad — Republicans are Pushing to Limit Rape and Incest Cases Eligible for Government Abortion Funding  —  Rape is only really rape if it involves force, according to the new House Republican majority as it now moves to change abortion law.

California man arrested with explosives outside Dearborn Islamic center  —  Dearborn - A California man, accused of being in possession of explosive materials outside the Islamic Center of America on Ford Road, has been charged with making a terrorist threat.

Professor Cornpone  —  Ethanol lobbyist Newt Gingrich and us—and the future of the GOP  —  The last time these columns were lambasted by a presidential candidate in Iowa, he was Democrat Richard Gephardt and the year was 1988.  The Missouri populist won the state caucuses in part on the rallying cry that …

A Chicken Chain's Corporate Ethos Is Questioned by Gay Rights Advocates  —  ATLANTA — The Chick-fil-A sandwich — a hand-breaded chicken breast and a couple of pickles squished into a steamy, white buttered bun — is a staple of some Southern diets and a must-have for people …

It's official: South Sudan set to secede with a 99.57 percent vote  —  South Sudan's long-awaited independence referendum produced an overwhelming turnout of 99 percent among voters in the south, one of the poorest and least developed regions on earth.  —  Juba, South Sudan