Gerald R. Ford, 38th U.S. President, Dies  —  Former President Gerald R. Ford, who was thrust into the presidency in 1974 in the wake of the Watergate scandal but who lost his own bid for election after pardoning President Richard M. Nixon, has died, according to a statement issued late last night by his wife, Betty Ford.

TROOPS HALP JON CARRY IN IRAK  —  On his visit to Iraq, Senator Kerry apparently got something like the silent treatment from the troops who are "stuck" there.  WDAY's Scott Hennen quotes a message from a friend serving in Iraq: … Scott comments:

Biden wants Rice to testify on Iraq policy … WASHINGTON (CNN) — Sen. Joseph Biden, the incoming chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, said he has invited Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to testify during three weeks of hearings in January about the Iraq war.

Strategy, Not Drama, in 'I Intend to Run in '08'  —  On Thursday, John Edwards is planning to announce what has been clear to much of the world since the end of the last presidential election: He is running for president in 2008.  A similar declaration is expected shortly from Gov. Mitt Romney …

Iraqi Court Says Hussein Must Die Within 30 Days  —  An Iraqi appeals court on Tuesday upheld the death sentence against Saddam Hussein and ruled that the man whose brutal reign began in 1979 and ended with the American-led invasion in 2003 must go to the gallows within 30 days.

Bush's New Look on Iraq: Weary  —  Watching President Bush in recent weeks has become a grim kind of reality TV show.  In almost every news conference, speech and photo opportunity, the topic is the same: what to do about the grinding war in Iraq.  Bush has let the facade crack open …

Islamists Retreat in Somalia  —  The Islamist forces once in control of much of Somalia are crumbling faster than anyone expected and beat a hasty retreat back to their stronghold in Mogadishu, Somalia's battle-scarred capital, on Tuesday.  —  By dawn, Buurhakaba, a large inland town …

U.S. Wants Polar Bears Listed as Threatened  —  The Bush administration has decided to propose listing the polar bear as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, putting the U.S. government on record as saying that global warming could drive one of the world's most recognizable animals out of existence.

With Promises of a Better-Run Congress, Democrats Take on Political Risks  —  Republican rule on Capitol Hill drew to an exhausted end just before dawn on Dec. 9 after lawmakers dispatched a pile of bills that few had read and even fewer had helped write.  Democrats say the era of such chaotic …

Chelsy: My Harry is off to Iraq  —  " width=540 height=320 border=0>  —  PRINCE Harry's lover Chelsy Davy is to travel the world after telling pals: "Haz is off to war."  —  Her remark is the strongest hint yet that the 22-year-old Royal WILL see action in Iraq.

Working at Cross Purposes  —  Consider this policy aimed to help workers at the bottom of the income distribution:  —  1. A wage subsidy for unskilled workers, paid for by  —  2. A tax on employers who hire unskilled workers.  —  Now, if you think like an economist, you might wonder about the logic of part 2 of this proposal.