Free Republic

AJDABIYA, LIBYA—France has proposed that a new political steering committe outside NATO be responsible for overseeing military operations over Libya. French Foreign Minister Alain Jupe says the new body will bring together foreign ministers of participating states — such as Britain, France and the United States — as well as the Arab League. It is expected to meet in the coming days, either in Brussels, London or Paris. Jupe says not all members of the military coalition are members of NATO and “this is therefore not a NATO operation.” But he says the coalition would use the NATO's “planning and...

Last night President Obama and First Lady Obama dined at State Road Restaurant in West Tisbury on Martha’s Vineyard. Their dinner companions were family friends Dr. Eric and Cheryl Whitaker, senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, and lawyer and business executive Vernon Jordan and wife Ann Dibble Jordan. As they departed the restaurant at 9:55 pm ET, reporters asked the president if he was enjoying his vacation even with the rain. "I'm having a great time,” the president said. “Doing a lot of reading" Among the president’s reading materials is Jonathan Franzen’s “Freedom,” which is not yet on shelves. During a weekend...

Report: Al-Shehri warns against "the greater state of Israel." Al-Qaida is ready to exploit a war "by the Jews against Iran," the Sunni group's second-in-command in Yemen, Saeed al-Shehri, said in an audio message this month, according to the Daily Beast. The mostly Shi'ite nation of Iran is an enemy to Al-Qaida, and al-Shehri predicted that after Israel attacked Iranian nuclear installations, Iran would blame Saudi Arabia - which reports say may let Israel fly through its airspace to attack Iran - and use the opportunity to seize the holy cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

Santelli on the floor of the exchange.

NEW YORK (AP) -- Stocks fell Thursday after the Labor Department said claims for unemployment benefits rose unexpectedly last week, renewing concerns about the pace of the economic recovery. The disappointing news about the jobs market came minutes after news that Intel Corp. was acquiring McAfee Inc. The deal, valued at $7.68 billion, helped to cushion the blow from the jump in unemployment benefit claims. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 29 in early morning trading. Broader indexes also fell. The two announcements are the latest to provide a conflicting picture of the recovery. Economic reports have regularly shown the...