Paul Rankles Reid on Libya  —  Washington — Sen. Rand Paul (R., Ky.), a Tea Party favorite, has boxed Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) into a corner.  After a quiet day of quorum calls and speeches, Reid abruptly adjourned the upper chamber Thursday and postponed votes until Monday.

Afghans Angry Over Florida Koran Burning Kill U.N. Staff  —  MAZAR-I-SHARIF, Afghanistan — Stirred up by a trio of angry mullahs who urged them to avenge the burning of a Koran at Florida church, thousands of protesters overran the compound of the United Nations in this northern Afghan city …

A Word About Digital Subscriptions to The Huffington Post  —  Today marks a significant transition for The Huffington Post Media Group, as we introduce digital subscriptions for employees of The New York Times.  It's an important step that we hope you will see as an investment in The Huffington Post …

More Americans Back Unions Than Governors in State Disputes  —  Nearly 8 in 10 adults in union households are following the issue closely  —  PRINCETON, NJ — With political battles over state budgets and collective bargaining still playing out to varying degrees in Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana …

Bachmann Tops Romney in First Quarter Fundraising  —  Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., raised a combined total of $2.2 million in the first quarter of 2011, outgaining presumed presidential contender Mitt Romney who raised $1.9 million over the same period.  —  Bachmann's political action committee …

We've Become a Nation of Takers, Not Makers  —  More Americans work for the government than in manufacturing, farming, fishing, forestry, mining and utilities combined.  —  If you want to understand better why so many states—from New York to Wisconsin to California—are teetering on the brink …

Foreign Banks Tapped Fed's Lifeline Most as Bernanke Kept Borrowers Secret  —  U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke's two-year fight to shield crisis-squeezed banks from the stigma of revealing their public loans protected a lender to local governments in Belgium …

Democrats: We have the signatures in Kapanke recall effort  —  La Crosse area Democrats say they will file petitions today with enough signatures to trigger a recall election of Sen. Dan Kapanke, one of eight Senate Republicans targeted over votes to curtail collective bargaining rights for public workers.

Libyan Rebels Seek Cease-Fire as U.S. Vows to Withdraw Jets  —  (Updates with fighting in fourth paragraph, oil accord with Qatar in seventh, and Misrata hospital crisis in 14th.  See EXTRA and MET for more on Middle East unrest.)  —  Libyan rebels called for a cease- fire as forces loyal …

CNN Poll: Americans flunk budget IQ test  —  Washington (CNN) - If you think cutting the government's budget is as easy as taking the ax to some unpopular federal programs, a new national poll suggests that you should think again.  —  According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Friday …

Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1%  —  Americans have been watching protests against oppressive regimes that concentrate massive wealth in the hands of an elite few.  Yet in our own democracy, 1 percent of the people take nearly a quarter of the nation's income—an inequality even the wealthy will come to regret.

GOP launches mock ‘Obama 2012’ ad  —  The mock ad, which features Obama riding a unicorn over a rainbow, declares: “Four more years: America needs more changing.”  —  Republicans are taking aim at President Obama's impending reelection effort with a mock campaign ad outlining his first two years in office.

The Defection Track  —  Everybody has questions and anxieties about our policy in Libya.  My own position is this: I oppose the policy the Obama administration has described in various public statements.  I support the policy the administration is actually executing.

Unemployment rate falls to 2-year low of 8.8 pct.; employers add 216K jobs in March  —  WASHINGTON — The unemployment rate fell to a two-year low of 8.8 percent in March, capping the strongest two months of hiring since before the recession began.  —  The economy added 216,000 jobs last month, the Labor Department said Friday.

Judge continues order that union law remains on hold  —  By Patrick Marley of the Journal Sentinel  —  Madison — Dane County Circuit Judge Maryann Sumi said Friday she will keep in place her order declaring that the collective bargaining law has not yet taken effect.

57% Okay With Government Shutdown If It Leads to Deeper Budget Cuts  —  A majority of voters are fine with a partial shutdown of the federal government if that's what it takes to get deeper cuts in federal government spending.  —  A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds …

House rejects Obama-backed labor amendment in FAA bill  —  The House on Friday morning rejected a controversial amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) authorization bill that would have made it easier to form air and rail unions.  Failure to pass the amendment will make it much harder …

Trump's shadow  —  First Read crystallizes the problem:  —  Donald Trump is going to be an amazing distraction.... On the one hand, if you're Mitt Romney, you probably like this.  Trump — at least from now until June — takes oxygen away from Tim Pawlenty and Haley Barbour.

The Mellon Doctrine  —  “Liquidate labor, liquidate stocks, liquidate the farmers, liquidate real estate.”  That, according to Herbert Hoover, was the advice he received from Andrew Mellon, the Treasury secretary, as America plunged into depression.  To be fair, there's some question …

Uncovered: New $2 billion bailout in Obamacare  —  Uncovered: New $2 billion bailout in Obamacare  — TAGS: - center for consumer information and insurance oversight - early retiree reinsurance program - obamacare  —  Chief Political Correspondent Follow Him @ByronYork

The art of getting the hell out of an airport  —  The best thing about Hong Kong's huge new terminal: Rail transport to the city.  American airports don't come close  —  Suvarnabhumi Airport, in Bangkok  —  TAIPEI, Taiwan — Gotta love these big Asian airports.  —  Let's start with Hong Kong.