Shoe thrower ‘beaten in custody’  —  The brother of the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at US President George W Bush has said that the reporter has been beaten in custody.  —  Muntadar al-Zaidi has suffered a broken hand, broken ribs and internal bleeding, as well as an eye injury, his older brother, Dargham, told the BBC.

Pelosi lays down the law with Rahm  —  In a recent conversation with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Rahm Emanuel offered some advice on a Democratic House leadership race.  Pelosi's response, according to several Democratic sources: It is “an internal House Democratic Caucus matter, and we'll handle it.”

The Bulge  —  Goering, Hitler and Guderian survey plans for Wacht Am Rhein, a.k.a. The Battle of the Bulge, October 1944.  —  It began at dawn on Dec. 16, 1944, 64 years ago today, with rapid assaults through the Ardennes forest, as the Germans blitzed one last time, hoping to split the Allied armies and take Antwerp.

Obama clears himself and staff in Blagojevich case  —  The president-elect says an internal review shows there were no inappropriate conversations with the Illinois governor about who would fill the vacant Senate seat.  —  Reporting from Washington and Chicago — Barack Obama said Monday …

Majority of Public Opposes Auto Rescue  —  Poll Finds Most Blame Industry for Problems, Believe Failure Won't Hurt Economy  —  Most Americans continue to oppose a government-backed rescue plan for Detroit's Big Three automakers as majorities blame the industry for its own problems …

Sources: Salazar accepts Interior post  —  U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar has agreed to accept a Cabinet appointment as President-elect Barack Obama's interior secretary pending the outcome of a background check, multiple sources told The Denver Post on Monday.  —  Democratic sources who asked …

Chicago Schools Chief Is Obama's Education Pick  —  Arne Duncan, the Chicago schools superintendent known for taking tough steps to improve schools while maintaining respectful relations with teachers and their unions, is President-elect Barack Obama's choice as secretary of education, Democratic officials said Monday.

Gay penguins expelled from zoo colony for stealing eggs are given their own to look after following animal rights protest … A pair of gay penguins thrown out of their zoo colony for repeatedly stealing eggs have been given some of their own to look after following a protest by animal rights groups.

KENNEDY FOR THE SENATE  —  Caroline Kennedy has made it official: She wants to be appointed to the US Senate seat that Hillary Clinton presently will vacate.  —  Gov. Paterson would be well-advised to select Kennedy as New York's next junior senator.  —  Her uncle, Robert F. Kennedy …

Will Hillary Follow Through On Campaign Pledge To Ban ‘Private Mercenaries’?  —  Back in February, Senator Hillary Clinton cosponsored legislation calling for the Secretary of State to ban the use of private contractors like Blackwater from guarding State Department employees …

Fairfield Greenwich Group: We Thought Bernie Madoff Was Best Money Manager In World  —  The Bernie Madoff swindle caught a lot of folks asleep at the switch.  Chief among them?  Funds-of-funds and other third-party advisors who brag about the extraordinary diligence of their manager selection process.

Senate recount: Battle of ballot disputes set to begin  —  A state board prepared to rule today on ballots where voter intent was in question in the hotly contested Senate race.  —  With thousands of frivolous challenges discarded, the state Canvassing Board is expected to begin today …

The Auto Bailout Issue—Posner  —  We blogged on November 18 about whether the government should provide money to the U.S. auto manufacturers to keep them alive.  (I was for; Becker was against.)  In the short period since then, there have been important developments bearing on the issue …

Kidnapping Negotiator Is Now a Victim in Mexico  —  MEXICO CITY — An American security consultant who has helped negotiate the release of scores of kidnapping victims in Latin America was himself kidnapped last week in northern Mexico after delivering a seminar there on how to avoid that fate, officials said Monday.

Open for Questions: Response  —  We've launched several features recently that are opening up the two-way dialogue between the Transition team and the Change.gov community.  —  The feedback has been encouraging and constructive.  Each new feature gives us the chance to refine the ways …

Madoff Investors May Be Protected By Government  —  Judge Says Those Duped Need Aid Under The Securites Investor Protection Act  —  NEW YORK (CBS) ― Federal investigators remain at the investment offices of disgraced investor Bernard Madoff, scouring through records to learn the scope …