GOP's big Medicare gamble  —  Republicans on Capitol Hill may be in the process of learning a hard lesson: Meddling with Medicare, whatever the nation's fiscal circumstances, just isn't popular.  —  They are feeling the heat now because of House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) …

Dominique Strauss-Kahn faces further claim of sexual assault  —  Socialist party official says her daughter was left traumatised after alleged attack by Strauss-Kahn in 2002  —  By this time next year, Dominique Strauss-Kahn might well have been president of France.

As Debt Limit Reached, Agreement Still Far Off  —  The U.S. government is expected to hit the $14.294 trillion debt ceiling Monday, setting in motion an uncertain, 11-week political scramble to avoid a default.  —  The Treasury Department plans to announce Monday it will stop issuing …

Gay CNN Anchor Sees Risk in Book  —  Don Lemon, the weekend prime-time anchor for CNN, was on the air on Sunday night this month when the news broke that President Obama would address the nation at the unusual hour of 10:30 p.m.  —  By the time the news network was confirming the reports …

Israeli Troops Fire as Marchers Breach Borders  —  JERUSALEM — Israel's borders erupted in deadly clashes on Sunday as thousands of Palestinians — marching from Syria, Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank — confronted Israeli troops to mark the anniversary of Israel's creation.

Open GOP field raises profile of straw poll  —  With the Iowa straw poll a mere 90 days away, the absence of an obvious leader in the GOP race for the presidency, or even an obvious lineup, has left Republicans in a state of unease - but the uncertainty has also heightened anticipation, insiders say.

How Drudge Has Stayed on Top  —  For most big news Web sites, about 60 percent of the traffic is homegrown, people who come directly to the site by dint of a bookmark or typing in www.latimes.com or www.huffingtonpost.com.  The other critical 40 percent comes by referrals …

A Verdict on Obama's “Stimulus” Plan  —  Economists Timothy Conley and Bill Dupor have studied the effects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the purported stimulus bill) with great rigor.  Earlier this week, they reported their findings in a paper titled “The American Recovery …

President Obama polls well despite jobs fears  —  Despite widespread disapproval of Barack Obama's handling of the economy, more than half of Americans approve of the president and are open to reelecting him.  —  The economy and government spending stand as the dominant issues on the minds …

Herman Cain sounds off on race, a debate win, and the need to simplify government  —  Chief Political Correspondent Follow Him @ByronYork  —  STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. - Herman Cain's handsome glass-walled office overlooks the first fairway of the Eagle's Landing Country Club in this exurb of Atlanta …

Nursing Homes Seek Exemptions From Health Law  —  WASHINGTON — It is an oddity of American health care: Many nursing homes and home care agencies do not provide health insurance to their workers, or they pay wages so low that employees cannot afford the coverage that is offered.  —  The numbers are stark.