Politics

BP Set to Hand Over Control of $20B Gulf Coast Oil Claims Fund

On Monday, residents and businesses affected by the Gulf Coast oil leak will begin submitting their damage claims to the Gulf Coast Claims Facility, the new independent group that will take over the administration of BP's $20 billion compensation…

Obama in 2010: Just What Is His Base?

By Dante Chinni

When Barack Obama won the White House, a running theme among the press was how tactically smart the Obama team was in everything from their use of the Web to their ability to see the long-term and not sweat the…

'Merchant of Death' to Stand Trial

A Thai appeals court ruled Friday to extradite Russian businessman Victor Bout, one of the world's most prolific arms dealers, to the U.S. to stand trial. Bout, 43, has been in the custody of the Thai government since…

Friday: Mideast Peace Talks to Resume on Sept. 2

Updated 12:00p.m. EST Secretary of State Clinton and special Mideast envoy George Mitchell announced details on the upcoming Israeli-Palestinain peace talks as expected Friday morning. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will resume direct talks…

Unplanned Aberration: How Mosque Discussion Got Derailed

If the camera had continued rolling Monday night at the NewsHour after I completed a segment on the debate over the so-called Ground Zero mosque, you would have seen me beating my head against the anchor desk. I am not…

The Morning Line: Biden to the Rescue

By David Chalian

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine tells the New York Times that there's "gloom and doom" among his fellow Democrats who are facing the prospect of devastating losses in November's midterm elections. Vice President Joe Biden is scheduled to…

Shields and Gerson on Obama's Campaign Role, Mosque Debate

Syndicated columnist Mark Shields and Washington Post columnist Michael Gerson, sitting in for David Brooks, analyze the week's top news stories, including President Obama's shifting political fortunes and the debate over a mosque near Ground Zero.

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News Wrap: 3 Coalition Troops Killed in Afghanistan

In other news Friday, three more coalition troops were killed in Afghanistan bringing the monthly death toll for international troops up to 31. In Iraq, an al-Qaida group has claimed responsibility for a Tuesday bombing that killed 61 people.

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In Australia, Economy Faring Well But Central to Upcoming Elections

In Australia, the economy is booming but it still remains the central focus of this weekend's election. Special correspondent Stuart Cohen reports on the country's elections for a Parliament that will choose the prime minister.

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Australian Election a Fight to the Finish

If you think politics is a bare knuckles sport in this country, try Australia, where the brawling inside the major parties can be more intense than the contests between them. This weekend's national elections are proving the point again.