Iraq threatens arrest of police officer  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - The Interior Ministry acknowledged Thursday that an Iraqi police officer whose existence had been denied by the Iraqis and the U.S. military is in fact an active member of the force, and said he now faces arrest for speaking to the media.

Pelosi ready to make history as new speaker  —  A new Congress convenes today with a narrow Democratic majority lording over a despondent Republican minority.  —  While the full weight of Republicans' powerlessness sinks in after 12 years of control, Democrats are celebrating …

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Reported Dead  —  A source close to Pajamas Media has learned that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has apparently succumbed to the cancer that hospitalized him last month, as exclusively reported by Pajamas Media, at age 67.

Miers Resigns As White House Counsel  —  White House legal counsel and failed Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers, a longtime friend and adviser of President Bush, resigned from her White House position today, Press Secretary Tony Snow announced.  —  Miers, 61, will leave her job at the end …

Replacements for Generals Abizaid and Casey  —  ABC News' Martha Raddatz Reports: ABC News has learned that the president intends to nominate Admiral William J. Fallon to replace General John Abizaid at Central Command.  The announcement is expected next week, before the president gives …

FEELINGS ABOUT NEW CONGRESS  —  Optimistic  —  Pessimistic  —  But when asked if Democrats and President Bush can cooperate — in general and on Iraq, which is overwhelmingly Americans' top priority — half those polled were doubtful.  —  Fifty-one percent said the White House and Congress …

LAX Player Files Lawsuit Against Duke University  —  (01/04/07 — DURHAM) - A former Duke Lacrosse player has filed a lawsuit against the University saying he was failed by an professor because of his membership on the lacrosse team.  —  Also on abc11tv.com:

North Korea Prepping Nuclear Weapons Test  —  Defense Officials Tell ABC News 'They've Put Everything in Place'  —  North Korea appears to have made preparations for another nuclear test, according to U.S. defense officials.  —  "We think they've put everything in place to conduct …

D.C. Notes: Murtha Again Taking the Lead on Iraq  —  Arriving on the Hill, Melinda and I made a beeline for the office of Rep. Jack Murtha, the man most responsible for the Democrats seizing control of the 110th Congress (other than George Bush, that is).  —  His office is filled …

Bush to Nominate Khalilzad to U.N. Post  —  Announcement Could Come as Early as Tomorrow  —  ABC News has learned that President Bush will nominate Zalmay Khalilzad to be the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.  Khalilzad is currently the U.S. ambassador to Iraq.  The announcement may come as soon as tomorrow.

Guardsmen overrun at the Border  —  National Guard unit stormed while patroling the border  —  Border attack raises security concerns  —  A U.S. Border Patrol entry Identification Team site was overrun Wednesday night along Arizona's border with Mexico.  —  According to the Border Patrol …

A small favor  —  A small request for New Yorkers, and anyone else who reads the print edition of the Village Voice.  As you may have heard, there have been a lot of changes at the Voice in recent months.  My own work still runs in the online edition, but has recently been dropped from the print edition …