memeorandum: China chokes on a coal-fired boom (Michael Sheridan/Times of London)

12:40 AM ET, January 1, 2007

Top Items:

U.S. death toll in Iraq reaches 3,000 — BAGHDAD, Iraq - The death of a Texas soldier, announced Sunday by the Pentagon, raised the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq to at least 3,000 since the war began, according to an Associated Press count. — The grim milestone was crossed …

Discussion: TPMCafe blogs, The Agonist, jules crittenden, BobGeiger.com, Middle Earth Journal and Tennessee Guerilla Women

MSNBC:

U.S. sustains 3,000th fatality in Iraq — Texas soldier's death raises toll to new milestone; Bush weighs his options — BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Pentagon announced the death of a Texas soldier on Sunday, raising the number of U.S. military deaths in Iraq to at least 3,000 since the war began, according to an Associated Press count.

Discussion: The Democratic Daily, Macsmind, The Reaction and THE CUNNING REALIST

Gateway Pundit:
A Couple Other Grim Milestones Missed by the Media Today

Discussion: PrairiePundit

Dan / Riehl World View: 63,000 - Yes, That's Some Number

Bill Faith / Bill's Bites: Party time for the left! … Moonbat 1: Bummer 'bout Saddam, man.

Jeffrey Gettleman / New York Times:

Islamists, Cornered in Somalia, Lose Local Support — As fighting began to flare up today around Kismayo, the final redoubt for Somalia's diminished Islamic movement, elders within the city demanded that the Islamists leave. — Mohammed Arab, a leader of the Ogaden sub-clan …

Discussion: Hot Air, Riehl World View and Times of London

Observer:
Not a shot was fired yet the Somali jihad was suddenly over...

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard and Crooks and Liars

Liz Fedor / Minneapolis Star Tribune:
Area Somalis want peace for homeland

Discussion: Jihad Watch, Gateway Pundit, Little Green Footballs and Clarity & Resolve

Michael A. Fletcher / Washington Post:

Bush Has Quietly Tripled Aid to Africa — Increase in Funding to Impoverished Continent Is Viewed as Altruistic or Pragmatic — President Bush's legacy is sure to be defined by his wielding of U.S. military power in Afghanistan and Iraq, but there is another, much softer and less-noticed effort …

Discussion: Grasping Reality …, Wake up America, Beat the Press, Angry Bear, Blue Crab Boulevard and Don Surber

Captain Ed / Captain's Quarters:
An Overlooked Legacy? — The Washington Post notes …

Discussion: The Moderate Voice

Darlene Superville / Associated Press:

Poll: Americans see gloom, doom in 2007 — WASHINGTON - Another terrorist attack, a warmer planet, death and destruction from a natural disaster. These are among Americans' grim predictions for the United States in 2007. — Only a minority of people think the U.S. will go to war with Iran …

Discussion: StephenBainbridge.com, The American Street, The Democratic Daily, Inactivist and CANNONFIRE

Nancy Benac / Associated Press:
AP Poll: Americans Optimistic for 2007

Discussion: SevenStripes.com, Sister Toldjah, The Impolitic and Preemptive Karma

Little Green Footballs:

Palestinians Mourn Dead Tyrant — The wires services' Arab propagandists are working overtime to let us know that the Palestinian death cult society is distraught about the execution of the monster Saddam Hussein.

Discussion: Gateway Pundit and The Jawa Report

Gateway Pundit:
Palestinians Missing Saddam and His Fat Checks for Terror

Discussion: Wake up America and Captain's Quarters

jules crittenden:
Next Order of Business

Discussion: Boston Herald, Michael P.F. van der Galiën and Hyscience

Stephen Braun / Los Angeles Times:

This Clinton machine is a tighter ship — The New York senator has a seasoned political team that is ready to act — if she decides to run for president. — WASHINGTON — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has spent much of the last month behind closed doors, putting the final touches on a presidential campaign-in-waiting.

Discussion: TalkLeft

Times of London:
Hillary falls to earth in poll race

Discussion: The Moderate Voice, Cheat Seeking Missiles, Gun Toting Liberal ™ and Decision '08

Scott Helman / Boston Globe:

Romney connecting quickly with bloggers — Taps into the Web for early support — Bill Hobbs of Tennessee is among the bloggers that Mitt Romney has been courting. (Alan Poizner/ Getty Images/ For the Boston Globe) — Over cold cuts, cookies, and soft drinks, Governor Mitt Romney …

Discussion: Power Line, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog and Ankle Biting Pundits

Michael Coleman / Latest ABQjournal News:

Wilson Opposes Troop Increase — WASHINGTON— Rep. Heather Wilson— initially a staunch supporter of the war in Iraq— said Saturday she opposes sending additional U.S. troops to the violence-torn nation and that the situation in Baghdad is "not improving."

Discussion: DownWithTyranny! and Talking Points Memo

Michael Sheridan / Times of London:

China chokes on a coal-fired boom — Toxic cloud of progress can be seen from space — A GREAT coal rush is under way across China on a scale not seen anywhere since the 19th century. — Its consequences have been detected half a world away in toxic clouds so big that they can seen from space …

Discussion: The Glittering Eye, The Peking Duck and Truly Equal

Washington Times:

Senators should have shown them the money — Entering the post-primary presidential campaign of 2004, political strategists, commentators and journalists believed that if any single state would represent the difference between victory and defeat in the general election, Ohio would be that state.

Discussion: The Moderate Voice and The News Buckit

River / Baghdad Burning:

A Lynching... It's official. Maliki and his people are psychopaths. This really is a new low. It's outrageous- an execution during Eid. Muslims all over the world (with the exception of Iran) are outraged. Eid is a time of peace, of putting aside quarrels and anger- at least for the duration of Eid.

Discussion: CorrenteWire and CNN

IrelandOn-line:

Hundreds of Turks injured in Muslim animal sacrifice — Hundreds of Turks spent the first day of the Muslim feast of Eid al-Adha holiday in emergency wards today after stabbing themselves or suffering other injuries while sacrificing startled and agitated animals.

Discussion: Blue Crab Boulevard and Sweetness & Light

Independent:

Robert Fisk: He takes his secrets to the grave. Our complicity dies with him — How the West armed Saddam, fed him intelligence on his 'enemies', equipped him for atrocities - and then made sure he wouldn't squeal — We've shut him up. The moment Saddam's hooded executioner pulled …

Discussion: protein wisdom

ABC News:

More bombs explode in Bangkok — By South-East Asia correspondent Karen Percy — More bomb attacks have shaken central Bangkok after a series of coordinated bombings earlier yesterday, bringing the total of attacks to eight. — The latest attacks happened just before the stroke of midnight.

Discussion: Hot Air