Two plead not guilty to Boston hoax charges … CHARLESTOWN, Massachusetts (CNN) — Two men pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges they created panic by placing "bomblike" electronic light boards displaying a cartoon character with an upraised middle finger throughout Boston.

Al Gore nominated for Nobel Peace Prize  —  OSLO, Norway - Former Vice President Al Gore was nominated for the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his wide-reaching efforts to draw the world's attention to the dangers of global warming, a Norwegian lawmaker said Thursday.

BREAKING: DOUBLE THE TROOPS IN "SURGE" (UPDATED)  —  President Bush and his new military chiefs have been saying for nearly a month that they would "surge" an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq, in a last, grand push to quell the violence in Baghdad and in Anbar Province.

Senate ups wage to $7.25 over two years  —  WASHINGTON - The Senate voted overwhelmingly Thursday to boost the federal minimum wage by $2.10 to $7.25 an hour over two years, but packaged the increase with controversial tax cuts for small businesses and higher taxes for many $1 million-plus executives.

The Arrogant and Intolerant Speak Out  —  Well, one thing's abundantly clear about who will actually defend our rights to say what we believe: It isn't the hundreds who have written me saying they are soldiers or veterans or war supporters or real Americans — who also advise me to move to another country …

TWO SENIOR IRAQI GENERALS EYED IN BRAZEN ATTACK ON U.S. SOLDIERS  —  Two senior Iraqi generals are being questioned in connection with last week's attack in Karbala that left five U.S. soldiers dead, Pentagon officials told FOX News Thursday.  —  Military officials also said the level …

MATIER AND ROSS  —  AIDE QUITS AS NEWSOM'S AFFAIR WITH HIS WIFE IS REVEALED  —  Campaign manager confronts mayor, who is 'in shock'  —  San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's re-election campaign manager resigned Wednesday after confronting the mayor about an affair Newsom had with his wife …

The NYTimes' unspeakable violation  —  Before Bryan Preston and I embedded at FOB Justice, we had to read and agree to a clear set of ground rules, including this one:  —  Apparently, the NYTimes didn't think the rules applied to them.  Yesterday, the Houston Chronicle blew the whistle …

Mahdi Army gains strength through unwitting aid of U.S.  —  BAGHDAD, Iraq - The U.S. military drive to train and equip Iraq's security forces has unwittingly strengthened anti-American Shiite Muslim cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia, which has been battling to take over much of the capital city …

2006 personal savings drop to 74-yr.  low  —  WASHINGTON - People once again spent everything they made and then some last year, pushing the personal savings rate to the lowest level since the Great Depression more than seven decades ago.  —  The Commerce Department reported Thursday …

Molly Ivins, RIP  —  Molly Ivins has died at age 62 of that horrible beast known as cancer.  —  It's hard for me to know what to say about this.  It's like finding out that Ann Coulter or Maureen Dowd have died.  I can't quite think of what exactly I should say.

U.S. delays report on Iranian role in Iraq  —  WASHINGTON — The Bush administration has postponed plans to offer public details of its charges of Iranian meddling inside Iraq amid internal divisions over the strength of the evidence, U.S. officials said.  —  U.S. officials promised last week …

Giuliani: Can hero of 9/11 win over his own party?  —  BRETTON WOODS, N.H. — Rudy Giuliani would seem to have all the credentials a candidate for president could want: A hero of 9/11, a crime-busting federal prosecutor, a two-term Republican mayor in an overwhelmingly Democratic city …