Bush Expresses Caution on Key Points in Iraq Panel's Report  —  President Bush moved quickly on Thursday to distance himself from the central recommendations of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group: pulling back all combat brigades over the next 15 months and direct talks with Iran and Syria.

NEW MEXICO GOV. BILL RICHARDSON: 'I AM RUNNING' IN 2008  —  New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is expected to formally file papers to form a presidential exploratory committee in January.  But today he told FOX News "I am running," as he described the professional and personal experiences that he believes have prepared him for the job.

Video: Steyn slams the AP and Iraq Study Group on O'Reilly  —  Our subject is bias: anti-Bush in the case of the American press and anti-American in the case of too many Iraqi stringers.  No mention of Jamilgate specifically, alas, but he does refer to Bilal Hussein, whose scandal is sexier anyway.

Saudis reportedly funding Iraqi Sunnis  —  CAIRO, Egypt - Private Saudi citizens are giving millions of dollars to Sunni insurgents in Iraq and much of the money is used to buy weapons, including shoulder fired anti-aircraft missiles, according to key Iraqi officials and others familiar with the flow of cash.

US Congress struggles to break final logjam before adjourning  —  WASHINGTON: The bipartisan drive to bring the 109th session of Congress to an end slowed as the lawmakers struggled with the finale, a catchall bill covering everything from tax breaks for college tuition to normal trade relations with Vietnam.

Cheney Pregnancy Stirs Debate on Gay Rights  —  Mary Cheney, a daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney, is expecting a baby with her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe, Mr. Cheney's office said Wednesday.  —  Lea Anne McBride, a spokeswoman for Mr. Cheney, said the vice president and his wife …

Dean: Dems should keep out Buchanan  —  WASHINGTON - Republican Vern Buchanan might be the official winner in a messy Sarasota-area congressional race, but Democratic National Committee chairman Howard Dean says the Democratic-controlled Congress should not seat Buchanan without another election.

European Socialists eager to work with U.S. Democrats  —  OPORTO, Portugal (Reuters) - European Socialists promised on Thursday to work to rebuild Europe's strategic alliance with the United States now that the Democrats control Congress after last month's elections.

Mugabe joins massive diamond rush  —  A British-listed mining company, the first to invest in bankrupt Zimbabwe since the political crisis began, was ordered off its valuable diamond claim yesterday.  —  While President Robert Mugabe has seized thousands of white-owned farms since 2000 he has, up until now, left mining property alone.

Long a Laggard, Wages Start to Outpace Prices  —  After four years in which pay failed to keep pace with price increases, wages for most American workers have begun rising significantly faster than inflation.  —  With energy prices now sharply lower than a few months ago …

Interview with David Card  —  David Card seems like a pretty mild-mannered guy.  True, he speaks with conviction, but it is confidence backed by meticulous research and tempered with open acknowledgment of the limits of that research.  Card, an economist  —  at the University of California, Berkeley, is the antithesis of a zealot.

Internet fuels rise in number of jailed journalists  —  CPJ census also finds more held without charge or due process … CPJ believes that journalists should not be imprisoned for doing their jobs.  The organization has sent letters expressing its serious concerns to each country that has imprisoned a journalist.

For Now, an Unofficial Rivalry  —  Possible Clinton-Obama Presidential Clash Has Senate Abuzz  —  On Wednesday night, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy hosted the nine Democratic members of his health and education committee at an intimate dinner in his home in Washington's Kalorama neighborhood.