N.S.A. Foils Much Internet Encryption  —  The National Security Agency is winning its long-running secret war on encryption, using supercomputers, technical trickery, court orders and behind-the-scenes persuasion to undermine the major tools protecting the privacy of everyday communications …

President Obama could lose big on Syria in House  —  If the House voted today on a resolution to attack Syria, President Barack Obama would lose — and lose big.  —  That's the private assessment of House Republican and Democratic lawmakers and aides who are closely involved in the process.

Iran Plots Revenge, U.S. Says  —  Officials Say Intercepted Message to Militants Orders Reprisals in Iraq if Syria Hit  —  WASHINGTON—The U.S. has intercepted an order from Iran to militants in Iraq to attack the U.S. Embassy and other American interests in Baghdad in the event of a strike on Syria …

Brutality of Syrian Rebels Posing Dilemma in West  —  The Syrian rebels posed casually, standing over their prisoners with firearms pointed down at the shirtless and terrified men.  —  The prisoners, seven in all, were captured Syrian soldiers.  Five were trussed, their backs marked with red welts.

It's Official: Alec Baldwin to Host Talk Show on MSNBC  —  The actor and will anchor a 10 p.m. program on Fridays beginning in October.  —  Alec Baldwin  —  Alec Baldwin has finalized a deal to host a weekly night-time talk show on MSNBC.  The program - Up Late with Alec Baldwin will bow …

Congressional Black Caucus Instructed to Hold Tongue on Syria  —  As an increasing number of African-American lawmakers voice dissent over the Obama administration's war plans in Syria, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) has asked members to “limit public comment” …

The Bush Burden  —  He's there in every corner of Congress where a microphone fronts a politician, there in Russia and the British Parliament and the Vatican.  You may think George W. Bush is at home in his bathtub, painting pictures of his toenails, but in fact he's the biggest presence in the debate over what to do in Syria.

McCain gets an earful from voters on Syria  —  (CNN) - Sen. John McCain, whose endorsement of President Barack Obama's plan to launch military strikes against Syria provided the president a key Republican backer, faced vocal opponents of military action during a town hall in Arizona Thursday.

On Syria, Words Have Consequences  —  Striking at Assad won't end the conflict.  But it may drag the U.S. into a complex civil war.  —  From the start of the Syrian ­conflict, President Obama has wanted to take two very different approaches to it.  On the one hand, he has been disciplined …

GOP lawmaker brings fried chicken to poverty hearing in ‘silent protest’  —  DENVER — Two weeks ago, the last meeting of a Colorado task force on economic opportunity and poverty exploded into allegations of racism when Sen. Vicki Marble, a Republican, attempted to explain high poverty rates …

Top House Republican Rewrites History, Claims Reagan Stood Up To Chemical Weapons Use  —  A top Republican lawmaker on Thursday invoked Ronald Reagan to say that Obama was weak for not acting more directly in response to Syria's alleged use of chemical weapons, ignoring the fact …

Kerry Blows Up At GOP Rep For Harping On Benghazi At Syria Hearing (VIDEO)  —  Secretary of State John Kerry erupted at Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) after the congressman charged that the Obama administration cannot be trusted to carry out an attack on Syria due to mistakes made in Benghazi …

SUSPENDED: Michigan State removes prof who went on anti-Republican tirade  —  Michigan State administrators have suspended Prof. William Penn for the remainder of the semester, after he was caught on video going on an anti-Republican tirade on the very first day of his literature class.

Russian warships cross Bosphorus, en route to Syria  —  Three Russian warships crossed Turkey's Bosphorus Strait Thursday en route to the eastern Mediterranean, near the Syrian coast, amid concern in the region over potential US-led strikes in response to the Damascus regime's alleged use of chemical weapons.

Manchin, Heitkamp float alternative  —  The United States would give Syria 45 days to sign an international chemical weapons ban or face the wrath of American military might, under a draft resolution being circulated by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.).

Lowell Observatory's Putnam wants to name asteroid for Trayvon Martin  —  Albert Einstein.  George Takei.  Jerry Garcia.  —  All of those men and many others have had an asteroid named after them.  And if William Lowell Putnam III, trustee of Lowell Observatory, has his way, another name will be added to that list: Trayvon Martin.

Rand Paul's Syria Bible Thumping  —  Why does he only seem to care about the country's Christians?  —  “I have nothing good to say about Assad,” Kentucky Senator Rand Paul made sure to stipulate on a hurried conference call after the marathon Senate Foreign Relations Committee Hearing on Syria yesterday.