POLITICAL HOT TOPICS: Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The CNN Washington Bureau’s morning speed read of the top stories making news from around the country and the world. WASHINGTON/POLITICAL: CNN: Strident attacks continue on eve of GOP debate On the eve of the last debate before crucial primaries, Republican presidential challengers Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich battled for conservative support by targeting President Barack Obama in increasingly strident attacks Tuesday. CNN: Obama to offer corporate tax plan The Treasury Department will unveil President Barack Obama’s corporate tax reform plan on Wednesday, senior administration officials told CNN. CNN: Lying about valor: Justices to debate free speech case Xavier Alvarez ran for public office in California touting an impressive resume, including claims that he was a recipient of the highest military decoration awarded by the U.S. government, the Medal of Honor, for combat bravery. CNN: Romney supporter in Arizona urges course correction Randy Pullen, a former chairman of the Arizona Republican Party and a prominent supporter of Mitt Romney in the state, said Tuesday his candidate must intensify his efforts to win over conservatives at the grassroots level or risk losing the GOP nomination fight. NATIONAL: CNN: Sorry, America: Your wireless airwaves are full The U.S. mobile phone industry is running out of the airwaves necessary to provide voice, text and Internet services to its customers. CNN: NRC releases inside look at U.S. response to Japan nuclear disaster The Nuclear Regulatory Commission released Tuesday about 3,000 pages of transcripts of conversations recorded in its operations center after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, conversations that underscore the difficulty the agency had in responding to the nuclear crisis that was unfolding halfway around the world. CNN: Mayor: Bullet that struck El Paso woman possibly came from Juarez A bullet thought to have been from a shootout between carjackers and municipal police in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, struck a woman walking in neighboring El Paso, Texas, Tuesday morning, El Paso’s mayor told CNN. CNN: New York’s Bloomberg defends city surveillance of Muslims New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday fired back at the president of Yale University and others who have suggested city police went too far in their surveillance of Muslims. INTERNATIONAL: CNN: Inside Syria: ‘I can guarantee … people will starve to death’ Virtually no food has come into Baba Amr since the shelling began more than two weeks ago, activists say. So, the residents who are gathered in makeshift bunkers collect what food they can find there and carefully ration it – though those supplies are running out. CNN: Yemen holds presidential election with one candidate Hundreds of voters voted Tuesday in Sanaa’s old town section to replace Yemen’s longtime ruler, Ali Abdullah Saleh, in an election marred by sporadic violence. CNN: U.N. experts leave Iran without nuclear agreement Two days of talks with Iran have failed to produce agreement on how to verify that Iran’s nuclear program remains peaceful, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced Tuesday. CNN: Pakistan vows to arrest Musharraf for Bhutto assassination Pakistani authorities vowed Tuesday to use the international police agency Interpol to arrest former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in connection with the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. BUSINESS: CNN Money: Multi-million dollar foreclosures Even these mega-mansions in some of America’s wealthiest neighborhoods are not immune to the housing crisis. CNN Money: Stocks stumble at the close U.S. stocks stumbled into the close Tuesday, shaking off a modest morning rally ignited by news of that eurozone deal to help Greece avoid defaulting on its debt. CNN Money: Chris Christie to Warren Buffett: Just ‘shut up’ Outspoken New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie had some rather harsh words for billionaire investor Warren Buffett on Tuesday. In Case You Missed It… President Obama joins B.B. King, Mick Jagger and other blues and rock legends at a performance in the White House.

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POLITICAL HOT TOPICS: Wednesday, February 22, 2012