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Kelli Kennedy / Associated Press:
Coming Home, 'Consequences' Await Teen — The mother of a 16-year-old prep school student who journeyed to Iraq on a journalistic whim hasn't decided how her son will be punished. She's just relieved he's on his way home. Farris Hassan left Baghdad Friday to begin traveling home …
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Jason Straziuso / Associated Press:
Fla. Boy Who Traveled to Iraq Flying Home — A 16-year-old from Florida who traveled to Iraq on his own without telling his parents was put on a flight home Friday, the U.S. Embassy said, while warning Americans of the dangers of undertaking similar journeys.
New York Times:
Justice Deputy Resisted Parts of Spy Program — WASHINGTON, Dec. 31 - The top deputy to then-Attorney General John Ashcroft refused two years ago to approve important parts of the secret program that allows domestic eavesdropping without warrants, prompting two leading White House aides …
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Byron Calame / New York Times:
Behind the Eavesdropping Story, a Loud Silence — THE New York Times's explanation of its decision to report, after what it said was a one-year delay, that the National Security Agency is eavesdropping domestically without court-approved warrants was woefully inadequate.
Lisa Rein / Washington Post:
Down on the Ranch, President Wages War on the Underbrush — Bush Conscripts Aides in Tireless Pursuit of Clearing Ground — CRAWFORD, Tex., Dec. 30 — On most of the 365 days he has enjoyed at his secluded ranch here, President Bush's idea of paradise is to hop in his white Ford pickup truck …
Discussion:
Hullabaloo, Amygdala, Liberty Street, The Sundries Shack, Norwegianity, firedoglake and The Heretik
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Patterico / Patterico's Pontifications:
Patterico's Los Angeles Dog Trainer Year in Review 2005 — It is time for this blog's third annual review of the performance of the Los Angeles Times, which long-time Patterico readers know as the Los Angeles Dog Trainer. The first annual review was posted here.
Jerusalem Post:
'US planning strike against Iran' — The United States government reportedly began coordinating with NATO its plans for a possible military attack against Iran. — The German newspaper Der Tagesspiegel collected various reports from the German media indicating that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization …
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Newsday:
Author of sassy judiciary Web log leaves U.S. Attorney's Office — NEWARK, N.J. — He described himself as a judicial groupie, but now he'll have to be a fan from afar. — David Lat, who raised eyebrows in November when it was revealed that he was the author of a spicy blog in which he claimed …
Discussion:
How Appealing
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David E. Sanger / New York Times:
President Uses a Quiet Vacation to Prepare His Agenda for 2006 — CRAWFORD, Tex., Dec. 31 - For six days, President Bush has stayed in nearly complete isolation on his ranch here - just mountain-biking and brush-clearing, the White House insisted daily, with only one guest, his mother-in-law, Jenna Welch.
Washington Post:
Alito, In and Out of the Mainstream — In Analysis, Nominee Defies Portrayals by Left and Right — During 15 years as an appeals court judge, Supreme Court nominee Samuel A. Alito Jr. has been highly sympathetic to prosecutors, skeptical of immigrants trying to avoid deportation …
Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
Rendition Started Under Clinton — After months of debate about the Bush administration's supposed support of torture through the "rendition" policy of sending captured terrorists to their nations of origin for questioning, it turns out that the policy did not start with the Bush administration after all.
Reuters:
Palestinian gunmen blow up U.N. club in Gaza City — GAZA (Reuters) - Masked gunmen stormed into a club for United Nations workers in Gaza City on Sunday and blew up the drinking hall in a new sign of spiralling unrest ahead of a Palestinian election. — It was the first such attack in Gaza …
Alec Baldwin / The Huffington Post:
Predictions for 2006 — My prediction for 2006 is a multiple, all connected politically. I predict that another barrage of fierce storms and hurricanes will so disturb the American people, that the Democrats will take the Senate in the '06 election and whittle away at the House in those races as well.
Discussion:
Rook's Rant
Steve Bainbridge / ProfessorBainbridge.com:
Mitt Romney for President? — In an extended analysis of Mitt Romney's prospects, James Taranto observes: … I don't find Romney's religion disqualifying, but I can't help being skeptical of any politician who would abjure all of my favorite vices. — "I never can understand how anyone …
Roger L. Simon / Mystery Novelist and Screenwriter:
Naming names (yourself) — Neo-neocon has written again (and eloquently, as usual) of her favorite topic, political change - who makes it, why and what happens. This time (in response to an essay by "Bookworm") she is dealing with the unease many feel (especially blue staters) …
Dave Schuler / The Glittering Eye:
My predictions for 2006 — Disheartened by my cluelessness on popular culture I'm going to concentrate on politics, geo-politics, and economics where my track record was a little better. Here are my predictions for 2006: — Iran will test a nuclear weapon.
thedenverchannel.com:
GOP Lobbyist May Deal With Prosecutors — WASHINGTON — Federal prosecutors and lawyers for lobbyist Jack Abramoff are putting the finishing touches on a plea deal that could be announced early next week, according to people familiar with the negotiations. — The plea agreement would secure …
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Washington Post:
Chalabi Named Iraq Oil Minister — Fuel Crisis Spurs Mandatory Leave For Incumbent — BAGHDAD, Dec. 30 — As a fuel crisis deepened in Iraq, the government replaced its oil minister with controversial Deputy Prime Minister Ahmed Chalabi, whose poor performance in the Dec. 15 elections …
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