Obama to keep heat on Barton  —  As the political aftershocks from Rep. Joe Barton's expression of sympathy for British Petroleum continue, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel promised Sunday that President Barack Obama hopes to make sure that voters don't forget the gaffe anytime soon.

Al Qaeda Lays Out Conditions for Peace With U.S.  —  American-Born Militant Spokesman Says Obama Must Withdraw Troops, Stop Backing Israel and Leave Muslims Alone  —  (CBS/AP) Al Qaeda's American-born spokesman has repeated the terror group's conditions for peace with America in a video released Sunday.

Obama tells Kyl in private Oval Office meeting: I won't secure border b/c then Republicans will have no reason to support “comprehensive immigration reform.”  —  promoted from the diaries because duplicity should be publicized  —  On June 18, 2010, Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl told …

I asked Helen Thomas about Israel.  Her answer revealed more than you think.  —  On the night of May 26, I drove down to Washington from New York with my son, Adam, and his friend Daniel.  We arrived at 2:30 a.m. and crashed in a hotel.  A few hours later, we woke up and coaxed each other to prepare for a day at the White House.

Lieberman warns against ‘false’ energy bill, sees 20 swing votes on carbon caps  —  Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said Sunday that he sees 20 swing votes in play for including greenhouse gas limits in energy legislation that the White House and Senate Democratic leaders hope to advance this summer.

Letter From Istanbul, Part 2  —  I leave Istanbul with four questions that Turks asked me echoing in my head.  Forget the answers, just these questions will tell you all you need to understand the situation here.  The four questions, which were asked of me by different Turkish journalists …

An unexpected result for some census takers: the wrath of irate Americans  —  This is the scary season for the nation's census takers.  —  Since they began making follow-up house calls in early May, census takers have encountered vitriol, menace and flashes of violence.

Yissum develops potato-powered batteries for the developing world  —  Researchers in Jerusalem have just announced they've developed super simple, sustainable, organic electric batteries which are powered by treated potatoes.  Their findings have just been published in the Journal of Renewable …

McConnell: GOP filibuster of Kagan nomination possible  —  Washington (CNN) - The top-ranking Senate Republican refused Sunday to rule out a filibuster against Elena Kagan's confirmation to the Supreme Court.  —  Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, told “FOX News Sunday” …

Women are the ‘secret weapon’  —  Organizer of flotilla: “thieving enemy” won't use arms against women.  —  Talkbacks (113)  —  Make JPOST.COM your Home Page  —  Iranian Threat  —  Jewish World  —  Local Israel  —  Arts & Culture  —  Français  —  Classifieds  —  Israel

Source: Israel lifting blockade of Gaza ‘except for military items’  —  Jerusalem (CNN) — Israel plans to ease its blockade of Gaza, a source from the prime minister's office told CNN Sunday.  —  “Israel has decided to enable the flow of all civilian goods into the Gaza strip.

Poll: Buck, Bennet lead in U.S. Senate primary races  —  Ken Buck holds a large lead over Republican primary opponent Jane Norton in the race for Colorado's U.S. Senate seat, a Denver Post/9News poll shows.  —  Buck, the Weld County prosecutor buoyed by outside TV buys and Tea Party sentiment …

Yes, People Still Read, but Now It's Social  —  “THE point of books is to combat loneliness,” David Foster Wallace observes near the beginning of “Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself,” David Lipsky's recently published, book-length interview with him.