The world has never seen such freezing heat  —  A surreal scientific blunder last week raised a huge question mark about the temperature records that underpin the worldwide alarm over global warming.  On Monday, Nasa's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), which is run …

World Leaders Agree to Seek Major Reform  —  Group Pledges Cooperation to Restore Growth  —  World leaders holding an emergency meeting to combat the economic crisis agreed yesterday to a far-reaching action plan that, over the next 4 1/2 months, would begin to reshape international financial institutions …

Across U.S., Big Rallies for Same-Sex Marriage  —  SAN FRANCISCO — In one of the nation's largest displays of support for gay rights, tens of thousands of people in cities across the country turned out in support of same-sex marriage on Saturday, lending their voices to an issue that many gay men …

Exclusive: Gregory Craig to be White House counsel  —  Gregory B. Craig, a well-known Washington lawyer who quarterbacked President Bill Clinton's impeachment defense, has been chosen White House counsel by President-elect Barack Obama, according to Democratic officials.

BBC shies from fight with licence rebels  —  Public figures refusing to pay TV the fee are being let off to avoid making them heroes  —  The BBC is failing to prosecute viewers who refuse to pay the television licence on principle amid claims that the corporation fears creating a wave of “martyrs”.

Say Goodbye to BlackBerry?  Yes He Can, Maybe  —  WASHINGTON — Sorry, Mr. President.  Please surrender your BlackBerry.  —  Those are seven words President-elect Barack Obama is dreading but expecting to hear, friends and advisers say, when he takes office in 65 days.

Right-leaning media brace for shutout  —  Since the Weekly Standard launched in 1995, there's one scenario the conservative magazine hasn't yet faced: Democrats in control of both the White House and Congress.  —  But that's what lies ahead in just two months, leaving staffers …

Don't Bail Out My State  —  South Carolina's governor says more debt isn't the answer.  —  I find myself in a lonely position.  While many states and local governments are lining up for a bailout from Congress, I went to Washington recently to oppose such bailouts.  I may be the only governor to do so.

Barack Obama links Israel peace plan to 1967 borders deal  —  Uzi Mahnaimi in Tel Aviv and Sarah Baxter  —  Barack Obama is to pursue an ambitious peace plan in the Middle East involving the recognition of Israel by the Arab world in exchange for its withdrawal to pre-1967 borders …

Secret Ballot To Decide Lieberman's Fate  —  WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats will decide by secret ballot Tuesday whether to take away Sen. Joe Lieberman's chairmanship of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee — a post from which he oversees U.S. security issues …

Obama's Lincoln  —  During the campaign, he pledged to be a unifying leader.  Good thing for Obama there are other presidents whose experiences he can draw on, including one, in particular, from his home state.  —  From the magazine issue dated Nov 24, 2008  —  It is the season to compare Barack Obama to Abraham Lincoln.

WHY WE SHOULDN'T BAIL OUT THE BIG THREE AUTOMAKERS  —  That beeping sound you hear this week is the semi-truck being backed up to the Federal Treasury in Washington.  After being filled with taxpayer billions, it's on its way to Detroit.  —  A heaping bailout for the Big Three automakers …