Hillary vs. Obama  —  WASHINGTON — Agents of Sen. Hillary Clinton are spreading the word in Democratic circles that she has scandalous information about her principal opponent for the party's presidential nomination, Sen. Barack Obama, but has decided not to use it.  The nature of the alleged scandal was not disclosed.

Rudy Giuliani: '200 reasons' why I would be better president than any Dem  —  WASHINGTON - Rudy Giuliani Friday came up with "200 reasons" why he is better than Hillary Clinton or any other Democrat - the 200 judges he would name as President.  —  "I'm gonna give you 200 reasons" …

In Paul They Trust (The Feds May Differ)  —  The ardent supporters of Rep. Ron Paul, the iconoclastic Texas libertarian whose campaign for the presidency is threatening to upend the battle for the Republican nomination, got word yesterday of a new source of outrage and motivation …

What Does Iraq Cost?  Even More Than You Think.  —  You may recall that you got rid of your loyal White House economic adviser Lawrence B. Lindsey back in 2002 after, among other sins, he claimed that a war in Iraq might cost as much as $200 billion.  At the time, White House staffers sneered that Lindsey was being alarmist.

Petraeus Helping Pick New Generals  —  The Army has summoned the top U.S. commander in Iraq back to Washington to preside over a board that will pick some of the next generation of Army leaders, an unusual decision that officials say represents a vote of confidence in Gen. David H. Petraeus's conduct …

Police to search for guns in homes  —  City program depends on parental consent  —  Boston police are launching a program that will call upon parents in high-crime neighborhoods to allow detectives into their homes, without a warrant, to search for guns in their children's bedrooms.

Gallery Collection donates 280,000 Greeting Cards for Troops  —  Greeting Card Publisher GalleryCollection.com Donates  —  Holiday Cards for Troops to write Home  —  GalleryCollection.com, the leading business Christmas card and personalized Christmas card publisher …

In Name Count, Garcias Are Catching Up to Joneses  —  Step aside Moore and Taylor.  Welcome Garcia and Rodriguez.  —  Smith remains the most common surname in the United States, according to a new analysis released yesterday by the Census Bureau.  But for the first time, two Hispanic surnames …

A Clinton Friend's Role Sets Off Intense Criticism of CNN and a Re-examination  —  Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton prepared for a battle with her Democratic rivals at the CNN-sponsored debate on Thursday night.  She did not have much to fear from the postdebate round table.

In Basra, violence is a tenth of what it was before British pullback, general says  —  BAGHDAD: Attacks against British and Iraqi forces have plunged by 90 percent in southern Iraq since London withdrew its troops from the main city of Basra, the commander of British forces there said Thursday.

U.S. Secretly Aids Pakistan in Guarding Nuclear Arms  —  Over the past six years, the Bush administration has spent almost $100 million so far on a highly classified program to help Gen. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, secure his country's nuclear weapons, according to current and former senior administration officials.

Not-So-Great Generation  —  The boomers will be best remembered for their self-glorification.  —  Q: If the World War II generation was the "greatest generation," what is the Vietnam War generation?  —  A: I don't think the full judgment of history is in yet.  There is certainly greatness in the '60s generation.

Saudi rape victim gets longer sentence  —  (CNN) — A court in Saudi Arabia increased the punishment for a gang-rape victim after her lawyer won an appeal of the sentence for the rapists, the lawyer told CNN.  —  The 19-year-old victim was sentenced last year to 90 lashes for meeting with an unrelated male …