Idea of Rapid Withdrawal From Iraq Seems to Fade  —  In the cacophony of competing plans about how to deal with Iraq, one reality now appears clear: despite the Democrats' victory this month in an election viewed as a referendum on the war, the idea of a rapid American troop withdrawal is fast receding as a viable option.

Report: Italian tests positive for deadly toxin  —  Academic had lunch with ex-spy on day he fell ill; autopsy under way … LONDON - An Italian security expert who met with a former KGB agent the day the ex-spy fell fatally ill with radiation poisoning has also tested positive for the substance, British media reported Friday.

Aides: Pelosi taps Reyes to head intelligence committee … WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi has chosen a Border-Patrol-agent-turned-congressman to lead the House intelligence committee, according to congressional aides.  —  Democratic leaders are contacting congressional …

A national party no more?  —  The Republicans are in danger of being confined to the South  —  THREE years ago Zell Miller, then a Democratic senator for Georgia, published an anguished book entitled "A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat".

As Obama Moves, Clinton Team Starts To Interview, Quietly  —  Select members of Sen. Hillary Clinton's political team have started to interview Democrats who might one day fill senior and mid-level positions in Clinton's yet-to-be-announced presidential campaign.

Caught cheatin' ... on ethics test  —  Columbia University officials are lowering the boom on some graduate journalism students suspected of cheating on, of all things, an ethics exam.  —  The J-schoolers' alleged lapse on the final was reported yesterday by Radar Online.

Illegal immigrants toiled for governor  —  Guatemalans say firm hired them  —  This story was reported by Jonathan Saltzman and Maria Cramer of the Globe staff and by Globe correspondent Connie Paige and was written by Saltzman.  —  SUCHITEPEQUEZ, Guatemala — Outside his aqua-colored concrete house here …

Report on Corporate Rules Is Assailed  —  Investor groups sounded alarms yesterday after it emerged that a foundation with ties to a pair of well-heeled business donors and an executive battling civil charges had funded a controversial new report seeking to slash corporate regulation.

Sex Will Make You Go Blind  —  Single?  Under 30?  You are in grave danger.  Your government says so.  Please, stop laughing  —  I think I get it now.  —  The latest pitiable GOP plan, from what I can tell, goes something like this: To make it all so absurd, to make the remaining Bush …

A new layeha for the Mujahideen  —  In a worldwide exclusive the Swiss weekly, Die Weltwoche, published the new Taliban codex.  It is translated into English here for the first time.  —  Layeha (book of rules) for the Mujahideen  —  From the highest leader of the Islamic Emirates of Afghanistan.

The Tom Friedman disease consumes Establishment Washington  —  (updated below)  —  Someone e-mailed me several days ago to say that while it is fruitful and necessary to chronicle the dishonest historical record of pundits and political figures when it comes to Iraq, I deserve to be chastised …

Democrats to offer permanent tax cut  —  Democrats have long attacked President Bush for the historic tax cuts he ushered through Congress during his first term and have promised to reverse at least some of them.  —  But among their top priorities when they take over Congress next month is passing a permanent tax cut of their own.

But deliver us from evil  —  Westhawk goes directly to one of the key drivers of instability in Iraq.  America's military success against the former rulers of Iraq has disrupted the very basis of its former stability.  Sunni dominance.  Westhawk quotes a Washington Post article which describes …

Security Of Electronic Voting Is Condemned  —  Paper Systems Should Be Included, Agency Says  —  Paperless electronic voting machines used throughout the Washington region and much of the country "cannot be made secure," according to draft recommendations issued this week by a federal agency …

Sex Abuse of Girls Is Stubborn Scourge in Africa  —  SAMBAVA, Madagascar — Thirty miles outside this down-at-the-heels seaside town, Justin Betombo tends his vanilla plants and cheers the local soccer team as if he had not a care in the world.  And in fact, what was once his greatest worry …

The breaking of a country: Hizbullah takes to the streets of Beirut  —  Hundreds of thousands of Shias from the south have flooded two squares in downtown Beirut.  According to LBC, the Christian participation is weak, with even lesser participation by Beirut Sunnis.