Lott succeeds in leadership comeback  —  WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Trent Lott, ousted from the top Senate Republican leadership job four years ago because of remarks considered racially insensitive, won election to the No. 2 post Wednesday for the minority GOP in the next Congress.

Get Out Now?  Not So Fast, Experts Say  —  One of the most resonant arguments in the debate over Iraq holds that the United States can move forward by pulling its troops back, as part of a phased withdrawal.  If American troops begin to leave and the remaining forces assume a more limited role …

Unfit for Majority Leader  —  The videotape is grainy, dark and devastating.  The congressman and the FBI undercover agents — the congressman thinks they represent an Arab sheik willing to pay $50,000 to get immigration papers — are talking business in the living room of a secretly wired Washington townhouse.

Abramoff Reports to Prison; Officials Focus on Reid, Others  —  Brian Ross and Rhonda Schwartz Report:  —  As convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff reported to federal prison today, a source close to the investigation surrounding his activities told ABC News that Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) …

Class Struggle  —  American workers have a chance to be heard.  —  The most important—and unfortunately the least debated—issue in politics today is our society's steady drift toward a class-based system, the likes of which we have not seen since the 19th century.

Bush reappoints overseas broadcast chief  —  WASHINGTON —President Bush on Tuesday renominated the chairman of the agency that directs U.S. overseas broadcasts even though the nomination has been stalled in the Senate amid allegations of misconduct.  —  Kenneth Y. Tomlinson was nominated again …

Scores of academics seized in mass kidnap  —  Five senior Iraqi police officers were arrested last night after gunmen in police uniforms seized scores of people at a prominent scientific research institute in Baghdad in an audacious operation that underlined the lawlessness gripping …

Conservatives wary of choice to lead RNC  —  Martinez should appeal to Latinos, but may lose support on immigration.  —  WASHINGTON — President Bush's decision to back Sen. Mel Martinez to help lead the Republican Party, a move intended to appeal to disaffected Latino voters …

Giuliani 'Unacceptable' for President, Conservatives Say  —  (CNSNews.com) - Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani enjoys "a lot of good will" from Republicans from his handling of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but his stance on social issues like abortion and gun control …

Uncle Sam, keep out  —  Prior to the 2006 midterm election, the closest thing to a sure bet in politics was a statewide referendum to ban same-sex marriages.  Twenty states had considered such ballot measures, and twenty states had approved them, all by wide margins.

Lame-Duck Texas Rep. Gets Down to Work Without DeLay  —  Shelley Sekula-Gibbs was sworn in as a congresswoman on Monday night and already she's a lame duck.  Because of a weird electoral quirk, her brief term in office expires next month.  —  But you couldn't tell that by listening to her.

Enter, Pariah: Now It's Hugs for Lieberman  —  Senator Joseph I. Lieberman strode into a Democratic caucus gathering like he owned the place or, at the very least, like someone who is a flight risk and could leave at any minute, taking the Democrats' new majority with him.

House GOP may go back to the future  —  Former Rep. Tom DeLay (R-Texas) is gone, Democrats will soon control the floor and House speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) will be just another member of the minority — if a member at all.  —  As much as last week's momentous loss ushered in a new era …

Sexual harrasment protesters arrested  —  Yesterday was the second sexual harrassment protest in downtown cairo against what went down in the eid incident.  And while the first one passed without incident, the police has cracked down on the second one.  On my way there I bumped into Sharkawy …

One More Time for Judicial Nominees  —  After calling for bipartisanship, President Bush surprised Senate Democrats with plans to renominate a controversial list of judges - some of whom may be unacceptable even to a few Republican senators.  "It's an unfortunate signal," said one senior Democratic Senate aide.

What motivated man accused of sending threats?  —  Chad Castagana linked to several right-wing blogs … MSNBC TV  —  Anchor, 'Countdown'  —  Keith Olbermann  —  Anchor, 'Countdown' … OLBERMANN: Federal authorities still expect the preliminary hearing for Chad Conrad Castagana to continue day after tomorrow.

Pakistan votes to amend rape laws  —  Pakistan's national assembly has voted to amend the country's strict Sharia laws on rape and adultery.  —  Until now rape cases were dealt with in Sharia courts.  Victims had to have four male witnesses to the crime - if not they faced prosecution for adultery.