Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake  —  A massive earthquake has hit the north-east of Japan, triggering a tsunami that has caused extensive damage.  —  Japanese television showed cars, ships and even buildings being swept away by a vast wall of water after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake.

Secretly recorded phone calls cast NPR fundraiser in unflattering light  —  An NPR fundraising executive said her organization would be willing to shield a would-be donor from a government audit by keeping the donor's name anonymous, according to a series of surreptitiously recorded phone …

Dumbing Deficits Down  —  Like anyone who writes regularly about what passes for economic and fiscal debate in American politics, I've developed a strong tolerance for nonsense.  After all, if I got upset every time powerful people were illogical and/or dishonest, I'd spend every waking hour in a state of raging despair.

Along for the Ride  —  Republican presidential hopefuls aren't so much leading as reacting.  That could hurt them in 2012.  —  Politics, like nature, abhors a vacuum.  —  Proving that truism, the slowly emerging class of Republican presidential candidates increasingly looks like a bunch of bystanders.

GOP woos ‘Morning Joe’ for Fla. Senate  —  Republicans in Washington are trying to recruit Joe Scarborough to run against Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) next year.  —  Sen. John Cornyn (Texas), who heads the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), told The Hill on Thursday that he has talked …

Bachmann increasingly serious about presidential bid  —  Washington (CNN) - Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann is increasingly serious about joining the wide-open race for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012.  —  And a growing number of conservative activists, legislators …

New Temporary Spending Bill in Works  —  WASHINGTON — With little hope of a budget deal being reached before the end of next week, House Republicans are preparing another short-term spending measure to give the House and Senate a chance to come to agreement over a broader plan to keep the government operating through Sept. 30.

Palin: ‘We need much greater cuts’ than in GOP spending plan  —  The former Alaska governor urged Republicans to be “bold and strong” and have “steel spines” in the budget debate.  —  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) on Thursday criticized congressional Republicans' spending plan as too tepid …

Cops Raid Charlie's House After Alarming Call  —  UPDATE 10:42 PM Law enforcement sources tell us cops wrapped up their search and Charlie wasn't arrested.  Charlie's lawyer, Mark Gross says police found one rifle — from the 1800s — and “a few bullets,” adding no other weapons were in the house.

Blacked up and in a bow tie: Eva Braun in party mood as rare set of pictures of Hitler's wife are unearthed  —  Previously unseen images from the fascinating private albums of Eva Braun have come to light.  —  They give us incredible retrospective access to Hitler's little-known companion and her life.

Sen. Ron Johnson denounces ‘mob rule’  —  Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), a former businessman and now a freshman senator, held a conference call Thursday afternoon with a small group of bloggers.  For a freshman, he's entirely fluid on the issues and easily navigates between specifics and larger themes.

U.S. Escalates Pressure on Libya Amid Mixed Signals  —  WASHINGTON — The White House announced a five-point program on Thursday of steps to isolate Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi and ultimately drive him from power, all stopping well short of military action, but distanced itself from the assessment …

Tim Pawlenty's Team  —  Possible 2012 Presidential Candidate  —  Pawlenty served as Minnesota governor from 2003-2010.  He grew up in South St. Paul and was the first person in his family to graduate from college.  He earned a law degree from the University of Minnesota and worked as a criminal prosecutor.

Obama Seeks a Course of Pragmatism in the Middle East  —  WASHINGTON — In the Middle East crisis, as on other issues, there are two Barack Obamas: the transformative historical figure and the pragmatic American president.  Three months after a Tunisian fruit vendor set himself aflame …

What I Learned At The Treasury Department  —  I was at the Treasury Department yesterday afternoon for one of these double super-secret background briefings with the Secretary and other senior officials.  What I learned: … So that's for your consideration.  I dunno.

Walker rescinds layoff notices  —  Madison - Gov. Scott Walker on Friday directed two state agencies to rescind layoff notices because the Legislature passed the budget-repair bill.  —  Walker sent his directive to the state Department of Administration and the office of State Employment Relations.