Mark Memmott

Last September, physicist Stephen Hawking was in the news for making the case that no God was needed to create the universe.

Now, he's told The Guardian that:

"Good stuff. Good stuff."

Aides say those were the first words from Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) after she watched this morning as her husband, commander Mark Kelly, and five other astronauts successfully launched into space aboard the shuttle Endeavour.

Her staff is briefing reporters now at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Saying that it thinks the move might make its fast-food restaurants just a little bit ... well, faster ... McDonald's is going to put touchscreen terminals in some of its 7,000 restaurants in Europe, The Financial Times reports.

And, it is increasing the use of debit cards in the region — meaning customers might not have to dig through the seats of their Fiats for change.

It's official.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner today told congressional leaders that, as expected, the federal government has hit its $14.3 trillion "debt ceiling."

And to keep the government running until Aug. 2, Treasury says he:

Relations between the U.S. and Pakistan have been more strained than ever since a team of American commandos swept into Abbottabad, Pakistan, two weeks ago and killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.

The U.S. had not informed Pakistani authorities about the raid.

Now, The Associated Press reports from Islamabad that: