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Both General Stanley McChrystal and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates have hinted in the last week at the possibility of political negotiations with the Taliban. Both senior military leaders have outlined plans to co-opt middle and low ranking Taliban fighters with jobs and cash payments.

Dexter Filkins' op-ed in today's NYT quotes a Taliban spokesperson saying, “Nobody from the Taliban side is ready to make any kind of deal. The world community and the international forces are trying to buy the Taliban, and that is why we are showing that we are not for sale.”

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Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has shut down a television station for failing to broadcast one of his state speeches in its entirety. Chávez's popularity has slipped as the oil-rich country grapples with energy shortages, rising inflation and rampant crime, worrying officials as they prepare for parliamentary elections later this year.

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Here is a run-down of contributions to Scott Brown before and after his electoral victory.