SPB News for Friday

Obama Names Picks For Plum Ambassadorships

AP: Panetta Says CIA Believes Bin Laden Is In Pakistan

Chastity Bono — Becoming a Man — Chastity Bono, civil rights advocate, journalist, author and musician, is in the early stages of changing his gender — transitioning from female to male, TMZ has learned. — Bono, the child of legendary entertainers Sonny and Cher, began the process earlier this year

Senate Passes Landmark Anti-Smoking Bill — Legislation Gives FDA Sweeping Controls Over Production, Sale And Marketing Of Tobacco Products — (CBS/AP) Congress struck the government's strongest anti-smoking blow in decades Thursday with a Senate vote to give regulators new power …

US moving to appeal Bagram detention ruling The Obama administration is moving to appeal a ruling that some prisoners at a military air base in Afghanistan can use U.S. civilian courts to challenge their detention. The Justice Department asked a federal appeals court here Friday to hear its appeal on an expedited basis. The move was expected. U.S. District Judge John Bates, who made the original ruling April 2, suspended action in the case to give the government time to seek higher court review of his action.

US Marines out of Iraq in 2010 US Marines will withdraw from Iraq in the spring of 2010, General James Conway says, signaling the end of a mission amid resurgence of violence in the country. "We think that in the spring of 2010 we'll close the door and turn out the lights to Marine Corps presence in Iraq," said General James Conway in a speech at the National Press Club.

NYC to Gas 2,000 Geese In Bid to Protect Aircraft --Hunt At Dozens of Locations Near JFK, LaGuardia Planned to Avoid Bird Strikes New York City plans to trap and kill up to 2,000 Canada Geese this summer in an attempt to avoid the type of collision that caused an airliner to ditch in the Hudson River last winter. The hunt will take place on dozens of city properties located within five miles of Kennedy and LaGuardia airports.