Taking a break from all-Alvin Greene new, all the time, here’s what else is going on:

1. Sanford signs $300M in across-the-board vetoes (P&C) — Contains some more details than in yesterday’s story on the subject.
2. General McChrystal: Kandahar operation will take longer (WashPost) — More time needed to get local leaders on board before the big push against the Taliban. Oh, and in case you’re wondering why we should keep fighting these people, check this out: “Officials: Taliban executes boy, 7, for spying.”
3. U.K. Speaks Out in Defense of BP (WSJ) — HMG getting fed up with folks on our side of the pond beating up on their lads.
4. BP accused of ‘lack of integrity’ by US House speaker (BBC) — Meanwhile, this is what they’re hearing over in Britain.
5. Clyburn wants feds to probe SC Senate candidate (AP) — OK, so there’s some Greene news on my front…
6. Politicians, analysts question new open primary system (LATimes) — Meanwhile, I’ve been neglecting California’s Proposition 14, which sounds absolutely wonderful to me. We need to start pushing to try it right here in South Carolina. (Thanks to Phillip for getting me to pay attention.)

I’m tired. But here’s a front page anyway:

1. U.N. Security Council Passes New Sanctions Against Iran (NYT) — The Obama administration has decided that the whole “talking to them” thing wasn’t working. Further proof that whatever Obama may have said to please his base during the election, he’s a pragmatist in office.
2. Obama Pledges New Aid for Palestinians (NYT) — But we face the same old problem: Since Abbas has no control of Gaza, what does he do with it there?
3. Party asks nominee with pending charge to withrdraw (thestate.com) — No, I didn’t make a mistake. That’s the way “withdraw” was actually spelled in the headline at thestate.com.
4. In the ‘year of the woman,’ few mentions of gender (WashPost) — Story mentions Nikki, among others.
5. BP Shares Plunge 16% as Pressures Mount (WSJ) — Looks like maybe the market’s doing its job, huh?
6. Google accused of criminal intent over StreetView data (BBC) — The Germans are almost certain to prosecute. But how are they even going to look up the law?

Here’s what we have at this hour:

1. Well, today’s the big day — I feel a bit out-of-sync here, because we’re several hours short of having results to report. But nevertheless, this is the biggest thing happening in SC. You can watch results at thestate.com or WIS or whatever, and if I get something good (beyond the numbers), I’ll post. But since I’ll be out and about away from my laptop, I’m liable to confine myself to Twitter until later… By the way, the WashPost is leading its “Super Tuesday” coverage with Nikki Haley. Like I said, she went viral weeks ago. She’s peaking.
2. Plumes of Oil Deep in Gulf Are Spreading Far, Tests Find (NYT) — More of that bad news that causes Jon Stewart to say “Thank You, South Carolina” for providing comic relief.
3. Interior Department issues new safety requirements for offshore oil drilling (WashPost) — Lets shallow-water operations get back to work. The Obama administration had been catching some flak in the Gulf for keeping oil workers from working.
4. Videos deepen mystery over Iran nuclear scientist Amiri (BBC) — “The Iranian government says it has evidence that one of its nuclear scientists was abducted and is being held in the US against his will.” Say WHAT? I mean, if it’s true, good one for our side — it beats a vaporized Israel. But, say WHAT?
5. GM Recalling 1.5M Vehicles Over Fire Concerns (NPR) — Sheesh, and just when it looked like folks were buying some American cars again…
6. Cocaine worth $1bn seized in The Gambia (BBC) — Whoa. That is a LOT of blow.

The news on D-Day plus 1 plus 66 years:

1. NATO loses 10 troops in deadly Afghanistan day (BBC) — “Ten Nato soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan in the deadliest day in months for the International Security Assistance Force (Isaf). In the worst of several attacks, five US soldiers died in an improvised bomb blast in east Afghanistan, the US said.” NPR is saying that 7 of those killed were Americans.
2. Dispersal of Oil Means Cleanup to Take Years, Official Says (NYT) — Yeah, that sounds more like it. Seems like I ran across a comment somewhere this morning suggesting it would take into this fall. Nuh-uhn, thought I — much longer.
3. Apple Unveils iPhone 4 (WSJ) — Whenever Steve Jobs does show-and-tell with a new gadget, it’s news. What an incredibly enviable marketing position to be in.
4. Israel Kills Palestinian Diving ‘Squad’ Off Gaza (WSJ) — Not normally front-page news, but given the current state of tension…
5. A sudden end for Helen Thomas (WashPost) — About time. This arrogant mass of ill-considered opinions posing as a “reporter” should have quit long ago. (And before you say “pot calling kettle black,” I am an arrogant mass of ill-considered opinions who is NOT posing as a reporter. So there, smart alecks.) At least this proves that there IS such a thing as going too far in bashing Israel, however fashionable it may be in certain circles. I had begun to wonder.
6. Voter turnout expected to be light (thestate.com) — Or not, as The State‘s John O’Connor noted this morning on Twitter. Sorry, but nobody seems to have a more scintillating angle for advancing tomorrow’s vote than that. So I’ll add my own commentary: The most important thing any of us needs to do tomorrow is vote for the candidate most likely to lead us far, far beyond the Mark Sanford malaise of the last 8 years.

Need to get this out a little early today. Here ya go:

1. Admiral Says Oil Pipe Is Cut, a Key Step in Halting Leak (NYT) — But huge challenges remain.
2. U.S. Citizen Was Among the Dead on the Gaza Flotilla (NYT) — Further complicating an already horrible mess.
3. SC House approves budget plan (thestate.com) — As session grinds toward close.
4. Imperfect Umpire Blows Pitcher’s Perfect Game (NPR) — This is getting old, but it happened after yesterday’s page.
5. Haley blames Bauer for new allegation (thestate.com) — This one, too. Face it, I just missed this one yesterday (I wish I still hadn’t heard about it).
6. Kan Favorite in Japan Premier Race (WSJ) — Just to keep you in the loop about what goes on in foreign parts. Naoto Kan seems certain to be the next prime minister, and he’s a guy who emphasizes the importance of the U.S. relationship.

Continuing to carry the torch for my woefully outdated philosophy of what makes a lede story, here is my pseudo-front page for this evening as we head into a long weekend:

1. Obama, in Gulf, Pledges to Push on Stopping Leak (WSJ) — Anybody else flashing on an image of W. facing the camera with Jackson Square in the background? And another vast plume is discovered.
2. Pakistan mosque attacks in Lahore kill scores (BBC) — Simultaneous raids on two mosques of the minority Ahmadi Islamic sect in Lahore.
3. CPD officer pulls woman from burning car just before explosion (WIS) — Nice to celebrate heroism among our local cops after recent news.
4. Police: McMaster death threat mentioned ‘Jesuits’ (thestate.com) — OK, here we go, profiling on the Catholics again…
5. White House Used Bill Clinton to Ask Sestak to Drop Out of Race (NYT) — Normally, I pay zero attention to these politics-elsewhere stories. I actually had to look up “Sestak” to remind me who he was when this broke this morning. But this looks like it’s turning into something, as this WashPost blog indicates: “Sestak story challenges Obama transparency vow.”
6. Child Star, ’70s Icon Gary Coleman Dies At 42 — Unlike Art Linkletter yesterday, this was not a celebrity of my generation, but some of you may have watched the TV show that made this little guy famous.

In keeping with my woefully outdated philosophy of what makes a lede story, here is my pseudo-front page for this evening:

1. Obama Pushes for More Regulation, Extends Oil Drilling Moratorium (WSJ) — Meanwhile, the BBC spin on the story is that “Obama defends oil spill response,” while back at the WSJ‘s opinion pages, Karl Rove is gleefully writing that “Yes, the Gulf Spill Is Obama’s Katrina.”
2. Setback Delays ‘Top Kill’ Effort to Seal Leaking Oil Well in Gulf (NYT) — Meanwhile, in a related story… “Gulf Spill Bigger Than Valdez, Estimate Shows.”
3. New U.S. Security Strategy Focuses on Managing Threats (NYT) — It has plenty of slap-Bush lines for President Obama’s own peanut gallery, but also contains strong elements of the pragmatic continuity that I’ve praised in the past (and which drives his base nuts).
4. Apple Tops Microsoft in the Market (WSJ) — OK, yeah, this is now more than 24 hours old. But I missed it yesterday, so I’m just gonna man up and admit it and run this stale story on my front anyway, because it’s huge. Of course, this still doesn’t mean that Mac won out over PC. It’s a measure of handheld mania, and the fact that Apple always has the hottest such gadgets, from iPod to iPhone to iPad to iPhedupfromhearingaboutit.
5. ‘Kids Say The Darndest Things’ Host Linkletter Dies (NPR) — Yeah, I didn’t know he was still around, either. He was 97, so he’d been retired awhile.
6. Website Editors Strive To Rein In Nasty Comments (NPR) — Now here’s a talker that’s near and dear to my own heart.

In keeping with my philosophy of what makes a lede story, here is my pseudo-front page for this evening:

1. BP Attempts ‘Top Kill’ Method to Seal Oil Well in Gulf (NYT) — Lots of fingers being crossed at this point. And wings and fins, too, no doubt.
2. US demands world response over Korea warship sinking (BBC) — Something I’ve wondered, but haven’t seen it addressed: Now that we’ve pledged “unequivocal” military backing to South Korea, what if China does the same for its pals in the North? A 1914 scenario.
3. Dow Slides Below 10000 (WSJ) — The first close that low since early February, as the Euro tumbles…
4. Jamaica shoot-out death toll ‘rises to 44’ (BBC) — You may also be interested in this step-back story from NPR, “Drug Violence Tarnishes Jamaica’s Paradise Image.”
5. Facebook Redesigns Privacy Controls (WSJ) — I don’t know about you, but putting “Facebook” and “privacy” in the same sentence seems a tad oxymoronic to me.
6. The Continuing Nikki Haley Mess (various) — With Nikki leading the GOP polls, this remains significant, unfortunately. Yet another slow news day in SC. There’s not even anything NEW on this…

Slow news day today. Lots of sort of important stuff going on, as always, but if you peruse the main pages of the biggest outlets, you find very little that would normally make a front page. And there’s NOTHING out there local. Here’s what I find:

1. Senate Passes Financial Reform Bill (NYT) — This is kind of old now — it happened last night — but I didn’t have it in yesterday’s report, and things are sufficiently slow today that I’m glad to have it.
2. Drop-side cribs to be banned (WashPost) — “There have been few too many recalls and far too many deaths from defective cribs in recent years,” said Inez Tenenbaum, chairman of the safety commission.
3. Judges Rule Against Detainees Held at Afghan Air Base (NYT) — “A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that prisoners being held without trial in Afghanistan by the military have no right to challenge their imprisonment in American civilian courts. The decision, overturning a lower court ruling in the detainees’ favor, was a victory for the Obama administration’s efforts to hold terrorism suspects overseas for extended periods without judicial oversight.”
4. U.S. Spy Chief to Step Down (ABC) — Also a bit old — ABC had it last night — but important.
5. Clinton’s Road Toward Punishing Pyongyang Runs Through China (WSJ) — “We cannot allow this attack on South Korea to go unanswered by the international community,” Mrs. Clinton said Friday. “The evidence is overwhelming and condemning. The torpedo that sunk the Cheonan and took the lives of 46 South Korean sailors was fired by a North Korean submarine.”
6. Car bomb in central Iraq kills 22 (BBC) — It happened at a market in Iraq’s northern Diyala province.

OK, that ended up being a fairly newsy page. I guess I was mostly reacting to the fact that there wasn’t much actually breaking in the last few hours, and I like these things to be timely …

In keeping with my traditionalist philosophy of what news is, I share this evening’s top stories:

1. Scientists Create First Synthetic Cell, Opening New Era in Biology (WSJ) — It can reproduce itself. Freaky enough for you?
2. Stocks Tumble as Investors See Europe’s Crisis Imperiling U.S. (NYT) — Here’s hoping they settle down tomorrow, because frankly, we’ve got enough economic problems in this country without importing more.
3. Fix Border Policy, Mexican Leader Tells U.S. Congress (NPR) — And he doesn’t mean following the lead of Arizona, in case you wondered.
4. SC Immigration Hearing Gets Unruly (thestate.com) — Security had to come in to deal with an angry crowd. Which is sort of what you get when you bring up an issue like this for the sake of political theater, with no actual chance of passing anything this year.
5. Blanket of Oil Invades Louisiana’s Delicate Wetlands (FoxNews) — Gov. Bobby Jindal says, “The Day We’ve Been Fearing Is Upon Us.”
6. US vows punishment for North Korea over ship sinking (BBC) — This seems to be getting nastier by the day. Bears watching.

This morning, I was talking to someone about this feature, and explaining the origins of it and the philosophy of news that underlies it, and it occurred to me that I should always begin this report with a link to that explanation. Or at least, partial explanation. I think I need to develop an explanatory page in connection with my upcoming redesign.

Now, for today’s report:

1. U.S. Inflation at 44-Year Low as Retail Prices Fall (NYT) — I’m leading with this because it’s a financial story I actually understand, as opposed to the one that follows it (which some sites are leading with). Consumer prices actually fell in April.
2. Senate Fails to Move Ahead on Financial Regulation Bill (WSJ) — I don’t even understand what they’re going on about (it’s about money, right?), but maybe y’all do, and it sounds important. If you have trouble accessing the WSJ story, here’s the WashPost version.
3. Drug War In Focus As Mexican President Visits U.S. (NPR) — I’m not seeing this played quite as prominently yet on other sites, but perhaps it should be.
4. Voters Send Message of Disgust with Status Quo (WashPost) — Those elections elsewhere that folks keep talking about.
5. Curfew in Bangkok after surrender of red-shirt leaders (BBC) — Things just continue to be kinda crazy over yonder.
6. Lott: ‘Let’s talk’ about city-county deal (The State) — Another step along the path to a consolidated Columbia/Richland County police force.

Boy, the day has really gotten away from me. Here you go:

1. U.S.: Agreement on draft resolution for new Iran sanctions (WashPost) — OK, I’m really confused, because the BBC is saying “‘Strong’ new Iran sanctions UN resolution being tabled.” In any case, it’s important…
2. Federal Agency Chief Admits Lapses in Gulf Oil Spill (NYT) — Mistakes were made, apparently. But you knew that, right?
3. Kabul suicide bomber kills 18 in attack on Nato convoy (BBC) — So you don’t forget there’s a war on.
4. Market-Wide Circuit Breakers Could Start June 14 (WSJ) — Probably a good idea, but my favorite WSJ headline was this one: “Germany to Ban Some Naked Short-Selling.” Definitely. Before you sell anything short, put your clothes on.
5. Republicans suggest Democrat Spratt losing his memory (AP) — Things getting nasty in the 5th District.
6. Political scandals, take your pick (various) — You can pick your Republican scandal or your Democratic scandal. Of course, none of it is anybody’s business here in SC, any more than those votes going on in other states today. It’s only the business of those voters in those states whom they elect. But everybody seems to be talking about it, so I give a nod…

Kind of a slow day, especially on the local front:

1. Justices Bar Life Terms for Youths Who Haven’t Killed (NYT) — Thank goodness for the Supreme Court on a slow Monday. I hear Lindsey Graham’s meeting with Elena Kagan tomorrow. I hope the first question he asks is, “Will you promise to release interesting rulings on slow news days?”
2. Court: No Need To Free ‘Sexually Dangerous’ Inmates (NPR) — While we’re at it, let’s put both big Supreme Court stories on the front.
3. West sceptical over Iran nuclear deal (BBC) — I’m glad somebody knew how to react to this proposal; it puzzled me. Here’s an analysis by The Washington Post.
4. Thais must step back from brink, says United Nations (BBC) — How many of the people rioting in the streets do you suppose will be brought to heel by this?
5. A New Clue to Explain Human Existence (NYT) — Some of us are satisfied with the short answer: “God.” But the science boffins continue to work up a sweat trying to explain basic questions of existence mathematically. Near as I can tell, this story deals with what Scotty once said to Captain Kirk: “Captain, you can’t mix matter and antimatter cold! We’d go up in the biggest explosion since…!” Or something like that.
6. Lott receptive to managing police forces (The State) — Yeah, this was in the paper way back on Sunday, but I wanted something local, and this was the strongest thing in the last couple of days.

Well it was a big day on the SC front, with a cigarette tax becoming a reality. Sure, it’s pathetic that that should be a big deal, since it’s a no-brainer that should have happened, easily, years and years ago. But let’s celebrate anyway:

1. Senate Easily Overrides Cigarette Tax Veto (thestate.com) — So starting July 1, we’ll no longer have the distinction of doing the most in the nation to keep cigarettes cheap for kids.
2. F.B.I. Arrests 3 in Raids Linked to Times Sq. Bomb Case (NYT) — So much for the lone bomber. Will be interesting to find out just how much of a network the Pakistani Taliban had here.
3. Obama to critics: I told you so (WSJ) — On the day a poll showed the Republicans making significant gains, maybe even taking Congress in November if the patterns hold, Obama signals he’s not backing down to anybody.
4. Oil rig owner aims to limit liability (WashPost) — Why, the nervy so-and-sos…
5. Thai red-shirt supporter Gen Khattiya shot (BBC) — It was interesting, and ominous, to watch this developing on Twitter early this morning. How ominous is it? “The US has closed its embassy in Bangkok saying it is ‘very concerned’ – and the UK also said it was closing its embassy on Friday because of the situation.”
6. City Council Moves on Police Consolidation (thestate.com) — Just a small turn of the screw, but it’s a step.

Running a bit late, here are the top stories this evening:

1. Obama Reaffirms Afghan Commitment (WSJ) — “But on the sidelines of the summit, advisers to both governments raised concerns that the administration still has yet to put together a coherent civilian strategy to match the military campaign now being executed by Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the allied war commander.”
2. House overrides cig tax veto, 90 to 29 (thestate.com) — Now, it’s up to the Senate, which has shown in the past it is fully capable of blowing such an opportunity.
3. Hydraulic Leak Cited as Possible Cause of Spill (NYT) — And the crude keeps gushing into the Gulf, for the fourth week.
4. Cameron and Clegg: We are united (BBC) — So say the heads of Britain’s first coalition government in decades.
5. U.S. Probes Morgan Stanley (WSJ) — Just the gummint’s little way of saying, Goldman, you ain’t so special.
6. Minorities Frisked More but Arrested at Same Rate (NYT) — OK, it’s just a local New York story, but I found it interesting.

Today’s top stories:

1. David Cameron is UK’s new prime minister (BBC) — Her Majesty’s asked him and everything, so it’s official.
2. Pope Decries ‘Sins Inside the Church’ (NYT) — In what the NYT regards as his most direct words on the subject yet, the Pontiff said these sins pose the greatest threat to the church.
3. SEC Chair: No ‘Single Cause’ of Stock Dive (WSJ) — In other words, they still don’t know what the hell happened last week.
4. Sanford Vetoes Cigarette Tax (press release) — Yeah, I know it’s dog bites man. But this remains important, and at some point a dog that keeps biting like this needs to be dealt with. The one way we can act most effectively is not to elect a dog that in any way resembles this one in the future.
5. Interior Plans to Split Minerals Management Service (WSJ) — In response to oil spill, we’re talking about splitting the entity that takes fees from the oil industry from the one that regulates it.
6. Finger-Pointing, but Few Answers at Hearings on Drilling (NYT) — Another aspect of the ongoing story.

A fairly busy day for a Monday. A lot of coming (Elena Kagan, Carl Burke) and going (Tandy Carter, Gordon Brown, Lena Horne, Frank Frazetta):

1. Chief Carter fired over Benjamin case (thestate.com) — And nothing seems to add up. There’s just no way a professional cop fights asking for an outside review to this point. What really just happened here? FYI, here’s his interim replacement.
2. Obama nominates Kagan for high court (WashPost) — And right away, her complete lack of judicial experience becomes an issue. As in zero. Zip. Nada.
3. Dow Jumps 404.71; Nasdaq Up 4.8%  (WSJ) — Biggest one-day game in more than a year.
4. Brown steps down as Labour leader (BBC) — This was the only way Labour could get in on the action of trying to do a deal with the Lib Dems.
5. Lena Horne dead at 92 (NPR) — I hope the sound works for you on that link.
6. Frank Frazetta, fantasy illustrator, dies at 82 (NYT) — OK, he’s not Lena Horne, but you’ve probably seen his pictures. And if you were ever a young guy in this country, you were impressed. This is bigger than when racy pinup queen Bettie Page passed on.