Official: First wave of troops to Iraq by Jan. 31  —  Kennedy says Hill must act on surge; move may spark constitutional debate  —  WASHINGTON - A first wave of additional U.S. troops will go into Iraq before the end of the month under President Bush's new plan, a senior defense official said Tuesday.

Congressional Limitations and Requirements for Military Deployments and Funding  —  The 110th Congress has an important responsibility to shape the country's national security policy in order to make Americans safer and advance U.S. national security interests more effectively.

Mission Impossible  —  BUSH'S SMART NEW GENERAL CAN'T SAVE IRAQ.  —  George W. Bush has named a new man to take charge in Iraq as a prelude to his announcement of (allegedly) a new strategy.  Will either make any difference?  —  The new commander, Lt. Gen. (soon to be promoted to simply Gen.) …

Live from Macworld 2007: Steve Jobs keynote  —  The game is on!  Keep refreshing this page for a steady stream of updates.  The keynote should get rolling sometime after 9am PST.  —  7:54am - We're here, standing in line waiting to get in.  People have been camped out since 9pm last night …

WE TURN THE FLOOR OVER TO SENATOR MCCAIN  —  We have disagreed strongly with Senator John McCain on several issues, but have also applauded his unwavering support for a strong national defense and for vigorous prosecution of the global war on terror.  When the Senator's staff requested …

Bush Judicial Nominees Ask to Withdraw … WASHINGTON (AP) — In a concession to the Senate's new Democratic majority, four of President Bush's appeals court appointees have asked to have their nominations withdrawn, Republican officials said Tuesday.  —  These officials said that William Haynes …

Sharpton considers running for president  —  NEW YORK - Civil rights activist Al Sharpton said Monday he is seriously considering a run for president.  "I don't hear any reason not to," Sharpton, 52, said in an interview during an urban affairs conference sponsored by another civil rights leader, the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Katrina 'Ethnic Cleansing' Remarks Causes Stir  —  (CNSNews.com) - A Democrat's allegation that the Bush administration engaged in a calculated policy of ethnic cleansing after Hurricane Katrina to make Louisiana "whiter" has sparked outrage.  —  Addressing a group of bloggers at the Capitol in Washington …

The upcoming Socialist Republic of Venezuela  —  First thing I saw in this morning's news: BBC News video of Chavez's thoroughly expected announcement, "We're heading towards socialism" … Curiously, the BBC reporter, Daniel Schweimler, was in Buenos Aires.  According to this chart Caracas is 3,168 miles from Buenos Aires.

ROSIE BLOWS UP AT 'LIAR' BABS  —  THE tension between "The View" creator Barbara Walters and co-host Rosie O'Donnell, sparked by O'Donnell's feud with Donald Trump, boiled over yesterday morning when the portly comic called Walters "a [bleeping] liar."  —  The fight started around 8:30 a.m …

PACE'S DOCU DRAMA  —  BIGS 'THREATEN' JEWS  —  Pace University administrators threatened to sic the cops on a Jewish-student club if it went ahead with plans to screen a critically acclaimed film about radical Islam, the head of the group charged yesterday.

RIPENS APPLE  —  BELCHING BOG BLAMED FOR CITYWIDE GAS STINK  —  Who cut the cheese?  —  New Jersey, apparently.  —  Across the length and breadth of Manhattan, people were asking, "What's that smell?" after a pungent odor like natural gas or rotten eggs blanketed the borough and northern …