Barry and Bibi: President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are set for their first meeting today, and there won't be any shortage of contentious issues says the Associated Press. The two have conflicting viewpoints over containing Iran, Palestinian statehood and engaging Syria. Meanwhile, only 31 percent of Israelis consider Obama "pro-Israel," according to a new poll released Sunday.
Treasury on Pause: Important policy decisions are on hold at the Treasury Department, such as whether to pay former General Motors chief executive Rick Wagoner a $20 million departure bonus. The Washington Post reports that staff shortages and a muddy management picture are largely to blame. Several top level positions have yet to be appointed, and the White House's deep involvement with the department has complicated the situation as well. Some also place the blame on Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner management skills.
Google Busting: The Obama administration is striking an aggressive stance on antitrust issues, and Google could easily be in its sights, writes The New York Times. The Justice Department went after technology companies like Microsoft and I.B.M. at the height of their powers, and Google is already being closely watched. Regulators are scrutinizing deals with authors and publishers over its book-search engine, and are examining whether its shared board members with Apple cause competition concerns.
Swine Flu: Just when you thought this year's big germ scare was finally out of the news, think again. On Sunday an assistant principal in a New York City middle school became the Big Apple's first Swine Flu casualty, says the Associated Press.
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