Senate Republicans moving closer to saying ‘I do’ to gay marriage in New York State  —  ALBANY - Senate Republicans on Wednesday were close to signing off on a religious protection provision that could boost the chances that gay marriage will pass in New York.

Famed crime boss James ‘Whitey’ Bulger arrested in Santa Monica  —  Legendary Boston crime boss James “Whitey” Bulger, who has been on the run for more than a decade, was arrested Wednesday in Santa Monica, multiple law enforcement sources told The Times.  —  Bulger, 81, has been the subject …

Dutch populist Geert Wilders acquitted of hate speech  —  (Reuters) - Dutch populist politician Geert Wilders was acquitted of inciting hatred of Muslims in a court ruling on Thursday that may strengthen his political influence and exacerbate tensions over immigration policy.

Why Obama Is Likely to Lose in 2012  —  Even a small drop in the share of black voters would wipe out his winning margin in North Carolina.  —  President Barack Obama is likely to be defeated in 2012.  The reason is that he faces four serious threats.  The economy is very weak and unlikely …

Obama Opts for Faster Afghan Pullout  —  WASHINGTON — President Obama plans to announce Wednesday evening that he will order the withdrawal of 10,000 American troops from Afghanistan this year, and another 20,000 troops, the remainder of the 2009 “surge,” by the end of next summer …

Jobless claims rise more than expected  —  (Reuters) - New claims for unemployment benefits rose more than expected last week, a government report showed on Thursday, suggesting little improvement in the labor market this month after employment stumbled in May.

W.H. to release 30M barrels of oil  —  The Obama administration will release 30 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in an effort to offset oil supply disruptions in the Middle East, the Energy Department announced Thursday morning.  —  Other International Energy Agency countries …

AARP's Years of Support for Social Security Cuts  —  The Wall Street Journal recently reported the AARP will support benefit cuts to Social Security.  The AARP responded by saying that “our position has not changed on Social Security.”  —  That's actually true.

Has O.J. Simpson confessed murder to Oprah?  Huge TV interview planned in which convict ‘will admit he killed Nicole in self-defence as she pulled a knife on him’  —  O.J Simpson has confessed to Oprah Winfrey that he murdered his former wife, it has been reported.

The Haunting of Rick Perry  —  Should Gov. Rick Perry of Texas enter the 2012 presidential race, he would enjoy a strange and remarkable escort — the irrepressible ghost of Cameron Todd Willingham.  —  Charged with the horrific crime of intentionally torching his home and leaving …

New Hampshire: Lawmakers Override Veto of Abortion Consent Bill  —  The State Legislature on Wednesday overrode Gov. John Lynch's veto of a bill that requires abortion providers to notify parents of minors 48 hours before performing the procedure.  The House overrode the veto by a 266-102 vote; the Senate vote was 17-7.

Some of Tim Pawlenty's top aides working for little or no pay, source says  —  At least five top advisers to former Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty have been working for little or no pay for several months, a campaign source said Wednesday.  —  The news establishes with more certainty …

Inside the Anonymous Army of ‘Hacktivist’ Attackers  —  HOOGEZAND-SAPPEMEER, Netherlands—In this sleepy Dutch town last December, police burst into the bedroom of 19-year-old Martijn Gonlag as he hurriedly pulled on jeans over his boxer shorts.  He was hauled away on suspicion of taking part …

Palin cancels trip to Sudan  —  Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin has canceled a trip next month to war-ravaged Sudan, one of the most unstable nations in the world and the focus of passionate advocacy within the U.S. evangelical community.  —  Palin scrapped her visit to the North African country …

EXCLUSIVE: Interview with Chris Christie  —  When I last spoke to Chris Christie in 2009 he was locked in a primary battle for the New Jersey governorship with an opponent who claimed he was insufficiently conservative.  He was brimming then with ideas about cutting employee benefits …

Ryan Medicare Plan Would Make Americans Worse by 57%-34%, Poll Shows  —  Representative Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman who has become a star in the Republican Party with his plan to overhaul Medicare, is emerging as a polarizing figure among Americans.

I Liked the ‘Chinese Professor’ Ad, But This Is Stupid and Offensive  —  Unlike many people, I admired the panache and artistry of the “Chinese Professor” ad used during last fall's campaign to warn about the self- destructive tendencies of America's borrow-and-spend era.

Private emails detail Obama admin involvement in cutting non-union worker pensions post-GM bailout  —  New emails obtained by The Daily Caller contradict claims by the Obama administration that the Treasury Department would avoid “intervening in the day-to-day management” of General Motors post-auto bailout.

Self publishing writer becomes million seller  —  An entrepreneur has turned the writing world upside down by becoming the first author to sell more than a million electronic books without a publishing deal.  —  In the last year John has had four of the top 10 books on Amazon/Kindle at the same time, including number one and two

Economic Trouble Puzzles Fed Chief, Too  —  The economy's continuing struggles aren't just confounding ordinary Americans.  They've also stumped the head of the Federal Reserve.  —  Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told reporters Wednesday that the central bank had been caught off guard by recent signs of deterioration in the economy.

Some Greeks Fear Government Is Selling Nation  —  ATHENS — They are the crown jewels of Greece's socialist state, and they are now likely to go to the highest bidder: the ports of Piraeus and Thessaloniki; prime Mediterranean real estate; the national lottery; Greek Telecom; the postal bank and the national railway system.

Winklevosses Drop Facebook Fight, Keep Settlement  —  If there is ever a sequel to the hit movie “The Social Network,” it is not likely to be set in the stately chambers of the United States Supreme Court.  —  Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss and their partner Divya Narendra on Wednesday dropped …

Morning Briefing: June 23, 2011  —  This morning, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai called Obama's drawdown the “right decision for the interest of both countries” as the “preservation of this land is the job of Afghans.”  However, local Afghan leaders expressed “fears of civil war” and …