Obama's first 2012 campaign speech

From NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro
President Obama's address today was part a recent history of America's growing deficits, part a defense of entitlement programs like Medicare and Medicaid, and part an explanation of his vision how to reduce trillions of dollars over the next several years.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/04/13/6465630-obamas-first-2012-campaign-speech

Rebel leaders born from lost hopes in Gadhafi son

BENGHAZI, Libya — Not long ago, Moammar Gadhafi's son Seif al-Islam was seen as the sole hope for change in Libya. He talked of greater democracy, human rights and economic development. He attracted technocrats, many Western-educated, to take up positions in the regime, hopeful he meant what he said.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42538759/ns/world_news-africa

Debt ceiling brawl threatens economy, consumers

Washington is gearing up for a battle over how many trillions the federal government can borrow to pay its bills, and it's shaping up to be an even bigger brawl than the one just resolved over funding the government for the next six months.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42536397/ns/business-eye_on_the_economy

Budget talks languish, shutdown looms

No deal from meeting late Thursday, Obama says; House Republicans pass stopgap bill
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama, House Speaker John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid met again late Thursday, trying to break a budget impasse and head off a government shutdown, but Obama said afterward that there was no agreement.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42467884/ns/politics-capitol_hill/

Gadhafi to Obama: Please end airstrikes

WASHINGTON — Moammar Gadhafi has appealed directly to President Barack Obama to halt what the Libyan leader called "an unjust war" and wished Obama good luck in his bid for re-election next year.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42456636/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

Libyan rebels condemn NATO as too slow to act

BENGHAZI, Libya — Libyan rebels fighting Moammar Gadhafi's forces on Tuesday criticized NATO as too slow to act and said they would ask the U.N. Security Council to suspend its mission unless it "did its job properly."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42440124/ns/world_news-mideastn_africa/

Obama, House leader fail on budget deal

WASHINGTON — A visibly frustrated President Barack Obama emerged from a failed meeting on a budget deal Tuesday and said he would demand daily sessions with House Speaker John Boehner until an agreement was hammered out to prevent a U.S. government shutdown at week's end.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42428125/?GT1=43001