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,” …

The Christie speech: We must fix America  —  Chris Christie took Washington by storm on Wednesday with his first national address - a blunt call for the country's leaders to follow in his fiscal footsteps by making real cuts in unsustainable levels of spending if they want to pull America back from the “edge of disaster.”

Bahrain's Military Takes Control of Key Areas in Capital  —  MANAMA, Bahrain — The Bahrain military, backed by tanks and armored personnel carriers, took control of most of this capital on Thursday hours after hundreds of heavily armed riot police officers fired shotguns …

Computer Wins on ‘Jeopardy!’:  Trivial, It's Not  —  YORKTOWN HEIGHTS, N.Y. — In the end, the humans on “Jeopardy!” surrendered meekly.  —  Facing certain defeat at the hands of a room-size I.B.M. computer on Wednesday evening, Ken Jennings, famous for winning 74 games in a row on the TV quiz show, acknowledged the obvious.

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%).

Bachmann on Obama's birthplace: 'That isn't for me to state'  —  Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said Thursday it's not for her to say whether President Obama is a citizen of the United States — or a Christian.  —  “That isn't for me to state; that's for the president to state,” Bachmann …

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?

John Thune to Brody File on Social Issues: “I don't think we can minimize those in the debate”  —  Rather than call a “truce” on social issues as possible presidential contender Mitch Daniels suggests, Senator John Thune tells The Brody File that, “I don't think we can minimize those in the debate.”

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.

Colin Powell demands answers over Curveball  —  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 …

The One-Man Political Machine  —  On a brutally cold morning in mid-December, Rahm Emanuel, hatless and wearing a glove on only his left hand, stood for an hour in front of the turnstiles at the Paulina el station, which sits in his old Congressional district on Chicago's North Side.

Wisconsin teachers give labor bill an ‘F’  —  Read more about this story from CNN affiliate WISC.  —  (CNN) — At least 15 school systems in Wisconsin canceled Thursday's classes because teachers and other public employees will continue protests at the state Capitol over a bill that would strip …

Urban Planning in South Sudan  —  Southern Sudan, the world's newest country, seems to me to be off to a bad start with its urban planning concepts:  —  And:  —  I don't think you necessarily want too much “planning” of a growing city at all.  I'd like to see land used roughly as densely as market conditions warrant.

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 …

House adds $500 million in cuts  —  The House on Wednesday made its first substantive changes to a $1 trillion Republican spending bill, adopting amendments that underscore the new Tea Party bent in Washington.  —  Yet the most costly questions will come before lawmakers on Thursday …

2011 Draft U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report  —  DRAFT INVENTORY OF U.S. GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND SINKS: 1990-2009  —  Per a pending announcement in the Federal Register (FR), the draft 1990-2009 Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory is now available for public comment.

The Tyrants Lunge  —  Foreign Policy: Amid President Obama's vow to enact “smart diplomacy” and to raise U.S. stature overseas, it's never been more dangerous to be an American abroad.  From Tehran to Havana, tyrants are taking U.S. hostages.  —  One after another, our nation's enemies …

Shy U.S. Intellectual Created Playbook Used in a Revolution  —  BOSTON — Halfway around the world from Tahrir Square in Cairo, an aging American intellectual shuffles about his cluttered brick row house in a working-class neighborhood here.  His name is Gene Sharp.

Percentage Who Say Obama Response Was Correct Exceeds Totals Of Those Who Wanted More Support for Mubarak or Protestors  —  UTICA, NY - U.S. likely voters are more likely to say the ouster of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was positive rather than negative for the U.S. …

House Democrat to seek transparency of Supreme Court conflicts of interest  —  Rep. Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.) said Wednesday he would introduce legislation after next week's break that would require Supreme Court justices to publicly disclose why they have recused themselves from cases.

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.

Mrs. Bush, Abstinence and Texas  —  Today, let's discuss choices, starting with Barbara Bush raising an alarm and Gov. Rick Perry's personal experience with sexual abstinence.  —  I did throw in the last one to keep you interested.  Sue me.  —  This month, The Houston Chronicle published …

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 …

‘Prepare to Invade Israel,’ Hezbollah Leader Tells Followers  —  Beirut (AP) - Hezbollah's leader told his Shiite guerrilla group Wednesday to be prepared to invade northern Israel, a day after Israel's defense minister warned that the quiet along the tense border could erupt into violence.

Borrowing to Pay Interest on a Debt Isn't Creating Debt?:  Today's Q's for O's WH - 2/16/2011  —  Note: Today was the first press briefing by new White House press secretary Jay Carney.  —  TAPPER: Jay, welcome.  —  JAY CARNEY: Thank you.  —  TAPPER: If I borrow money from you — to pay — to pay off the interest for -

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).

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.