Barack Obama has an uncanny ability to disarm critics, especially those itching for a fight, and it was on full display this past week. His choice of federal judge Sonia Sotomayor as a Supreme Court nominee, of course, got all the attention. But another key appointment of a Hispanic with top-notch credentials and a compelling personal story also showed just how good the President is at keeping his opponents off balance. In fact, in selecting Catholic scholar Miguel Diaz ...

Dr. George Tiller, whose Wichita, Kansas, women's clinic has been the target of anti-abortion protests for years, was shot and killed at his church Sunday morning, his attorneys said. Laura Shaneyfelt, an attorney with the firm of Monnat and Spurrier, confirmed Tiller's death to CNN. The 67-year-old doctor was one of the few U.S. physicians who still performed late-term abortions. He survived a 1993 shooting outside his clinic. Wichita police said they were searching for a powder-blue ...

Streamers still line the streets of Susan Boyle's hometown, where the international singing sensation's second-place finish in "Britain's Got Talent" left those who know her best feeling crushed -- but also hopeful. "I am disappointed for Susan," said one of about 200 residents of the small town who turned out for a viewing party at a community center Saturday night. "But this is just the beginning of her career." Boyle's runner-up finish was anticlimactic for millions of viewers worldwide, who ...

It's not what we know about rogue states and their nuclear bombs that should scare us — it's what we don't know. North Korea's test of a nuclear device on Monday may not have come as a surprise to Washington, but only in the sense that Washington knew Pyongyang was defiant enough to set one off. Beyond that, truth be told, Washington is completely in the dark about North Korea's intentions. It can only expect the worse and hope ...

An American human rights group documenting widespread sexual violence against Darfuri women in Sudan and Chad has called for "vigorous prosecution of rape as a war crime." Physicians for Human Rights, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, issued a report Sunday "documenting the scope and long-term impact of rape and other sexual violence" experienced by women who fled the war-torn Sudanese region of Darfur and now live as refugees in neighboring Chad. The report -- titled "Nowhere To Turn: Failure To Protect, ...

The health care of thousands of retired auto workers is about to change: On Friday the membership of the United Auto Workers overwhelmingly approved a restructuring plan with GM, according to UAW president Ron Gettelfinger. The plan gives the union's health care vehicle some promissory notes plus a 17.5% stake in GM and warrants to purchase another 2.5%. Assuming the deals survive bankruptcy court, and experts expect it will, the change marks a new direction in health care ...

Cuba has agreed to resume talks with the United States over migration and mail service between the two countries, two senior State Department officials said. Geithner left Saturday for meetings in Beijing, where he'll discuss ways to strengthen relations between China and the United States, according to the Treasury Department. China is one of America's most important trading partners, and its economy is tightly intertwined with efforts to reverse the global downturn. But the relationship is also often ...

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner is set to meet with several high-ranking members of the Chinese leadership this week, marking the Obama administration's first major overture to the powerhouse nation. Geithner left Saturday for meetings in Beijing, where he'll discuss ways to strengthen relations between China and the United States, according to the Treasury Department. China is one of America's most important trading partners, and its economy is tightly intertwined with efforts to reverse the global downturn. But the ...

Paolo Maldini and Luis Figo brought down the curtain on their remarkable careers as their Milan clubs both scored victories on the final day of the Serie A season. The 40-year-old Maldini was playing his 902nd game for Milan who beat Fiorentina 2-0 while Portuguese international Figo helped champions Inter to a 4-3 win over Atalanta. Milan's victory helped them secure the second Champions League place in Italy and automatic qualification to the group stages. Juventus, who beat Lazio 2-0 ...

Four-time defending champion Rafael Nadal slid to an astonishing 6-2 6-7 6-4 7-6 defeat to Sweden's Robin Soderling at the French Open on Sunday. Soderling, the 23rd seed, was a rank outsider against the world number one who had never lost a match on the clay at Roland Garros and was a short-priced favorite to win a record fifth straight title. But Soderling never looked back after breezing through the first set of their fourth round match and closed out ...