In major reversal, U.S. agrees to rebuke Israel in Security Council  —  The U.S. has informed Arab governments that it will support a U.N. Security Council statement reaffirming that the 15-nation body “does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity,” …

Click HERE or on video in upper left to listen to Marquez's report.  —  “There was a canister that looked like — No!  No!  No!  Hey!  I'm a journalist here!” he yelled.  —  “I'm going!  I'm going!  I'm going!  I'm going!,” he said.  “I'm hit. ”  I just got beat rather badly by a gang of thugs," Marquez said later. "

Chris Christie lays out a national vision  —  Gov. Chris Christie today delivered a broadside against the broken politics of Washington and the need for straight talk to solve the country's problems in a speech that will stoke talk of a 2012 presidential bid by the New Jersey Republican.

Nameless Republican Ties Obama in 2012 Election Preferences  —  Young voters less supportive of his re-election than of his election in 2008  —  PRINCETON, NJ — U.S. registered voters are evenly split about whether they would back President Barack Obama for re-election in 2012 (45%) or “the Republican Party's candidate” (45%).

Let's Be Clear  —  I've said this before, and I will say it again.  Unless your proposal includes a substantial increase in taxes and a substantial amount of cuts to the military budget as well as ending the farm subsidies and giveaways to big oil and big energy and big business …

California high court to rule on key Prop. 8 issue  —  (02-16) 17:32 PST SAN FRANCISCO — The California Supreme Court has rejoined the battle over same-sex marriage, agreeing to decide the crucial question of whether sponsors of an initiative can defend it in court when state officials refuse to do so.

Madison schools close for the day to allow teachers to protest Gov. Scott Walker's union-busting budget plan.  —  Kids have the day off because the district knew that the teachers would be calling in sick in order to participate in a political demonstration. … Okay, now, everybody go to the demonstration!

Obama budget plan shows interest owed on national debt quadrupling in next decade  —  Interest payments on the national debt will quadruple in the next decade and every man, woman and child in the United States will be paying more than $2,500 a year to cover for the nation's past profligacy …

Powell demands answers over WMD  —  Former US secretary of state asks why CIA failed to warn him over Iraqi defector who has admitted fabricating WMD evidence  —  Colin Powell, the US secretary of state at the time of the Iraq invasion, has called on the CIA and Pentagon to explain …

Businesses are refusing to hire the unemployed, commission told  —  Being unemployed is, for many, not fun.  There are no co-workers to mock at the water cooler, no expense accounts on which to wine and dine associates and no impressive title to drop when you're trying to pick up the ladies (or men, for that matter).

House Votes to End Alternate Jet Engine Program  —  In a sign that more than half the Republican freshmen are willing to cut military spending, the House voted 233-198 on Wednesday to cancel an alternate fighter jet engine that the Bush and Obama administrations had tried to kill for the last five years.

Obama to sign bill naming courthouse after slain Arizona judge  —  (CNN) — President Barack Obama will sign a bill in the Oval Office on Thursday naming a new federal courthouse in Yuma, Arizona, after slain federal Judge John M. Roll.  —  The 63-year old judge was gunned down in Tucson …

As U.S. Agencies Put More Value on a Life, Businesses Fret  —  WASHINGTON — As the players here remake the nation's vast regulatory system, they have been grappling with a subject that is more the province of poets and philosophers than bureaucrats: what is the value of a human life?

Is Seasteading the Future?  —  Here's a novel idea: Escape the suffocating chains of intrusive government by starting your own country!  —  That's Patri Friedman's idea.  He comes from an impressive line of libertarian thinkers.  Milton Friedman, the Nobel-prize-winning free-market economist, was his grandfather.

On Chauncey DeVega's Herman Cain Post  —  Editor's Note: Yesterday, Chauncey DeVega, an African-American writer, published a post on AlterNet assessing the CPAC performance of Herman Cain, a right-wing potential presidential candidate, in strong and provocative language.  Like DeVega, Cain is African American.

South Dakota Shelves Bill Aimed at Defending Unborn  —  A state bill to expand the definition of justifiable homicide in South Dakota to include killing someone in the defense of an unborn child was postponed indefinitely Wednesday after an uproar over whether the legislation would put abortion providers at greater risk.

Darrell Issa's first subpoena targets Countrywide VIP Program  —  House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa's first subpoena takes aim at Countrywide Financial's VIP program, launching a probe that seeks to out lawmakers who got sweetheart terms on home loans.

Deficit Plan Details Emerge  —  Bipartisan Senate Group Mulls Spending Caps That Could Trigger Tax Increases  —  A bipartisan group of senators is considering legislation that would trigger new taxes and budget cuts if Congress fails to meet a set of mandatory spending targets and other fiscal goals aimed at reducing federal deficits.

Civil unions bill wins final approval; awaits governor's signature  —  The Hawaii Senate took its final step in clearing the way to grant same-sex couples virtually the same rights and privileges of traditional marriage, giving approval today to a bill legalizing civil unions.

Japan halts whale hunt after chase by protesters  —  The Sea Shepherd group's vessel (r) blocked the main Japanese ship's loading bay  —  Japan has suspended its annual Antarctic whale hunt following protests from a campaign group.  —  Activists from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society …

55% Say Obama's Budget Doesn't Cut Enough  —  Most voters don't think President Obama's proposed $3.7 trillion federal budget includes enough spending cuts, and despite House Republican plans to cut substantially more, a plurality of voters don't think the GOP goes far enough either.

Sen. Scott Brown Speaks Out on Childhood Abuse  —  Tells “60 Minutes” Writing About Abuse Was An Act Of Catharsis For Him  —  Sen. Scott Brown reveals he was sexually abused as a child several times by a camp counselor in a “60 Minutes” interview with Lesley Stahl.

How to Control (and Cash In On) the Sarah Palin Brand  —  Adding Sarah Palin to any event makes it bigger, more high profile and, for one restaurant owner in Manhattan, more litigious.  —  Padriac Sheridan wanted to draw customers into his restaurant, Murphy & Gonzalez, on Waverly Place near NYU …

By now you may have heard of the outrage spawned by a proposed Mississippi license plate that honors Confederate Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest.  (For those searching for a pop culture reference, he was Forrest Gump's namesake).  —  As Tom Diemer noted earlier, Forrest “is regarded by admirers …

Clashes spread in Bahraini capital  —  Armoured vehicles seen on the streets of Manama after police storm protest site in roundabout, killing at least three.  —  Sporadic clashes have broken out in the Bahraini capital of Manama, hours after riot police attacked a makeshift encampment …