Israel demolishes Hamas compounds, over 200 dead  —  GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - Israeli warplanes retaliating for rocket fire from the Gaza Strip pounded dozens of security compounds across the Hamas-ruled territory in unprecedented waves of airstrikes Saturday, killing more than 200 people …

Obama's Down Payment  —  A Stimulus Must Aim for Long-Term Results  —  When President-elect Barack Obama takes office, he will face what may well be the bleakest economic outlook since World War II.  Economic forecasts have been revised significantly downward over the past several months …

Phila. man shot because family talked during movie  —  A South Philadelphia man enraged because a father and son were talking during a Christmas showing of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button took care of the situation when he pulled a .380-caliber gun and shot the father, police said.

More Caroline: Spoke to Hillary, won't run if not selected  —  Caroline Kennedy made a little more news on NY1 tonight, telling host Dominic Carter that she finally spoke to Hillary Clinton — who didn't initially take her call — and that, if she's not selected, she won't run for the seat.

Bill Kristol's Year Up at ‘NYT’: Will He Get Axed?  —  NEW YORK Exactly one year ago this weekend the Huffington Post broke the news that, as Jim Morrison might have put it, the Kristol Ship was about to sail at The New York Times.  Much uproar ensued across the blogosphere.

The Politics of Fat  —  A hefty problem for the left.  —  On December 15, the city council of Binghamton, New York—every member a proud progressive—unanimously passed an ordinance making it a crime to discriminate against fat people.  The next day, David Paterson, the famously progressive governor …

Dear Mr. Obama  —  Between now and Jan. 20, the Post-Gazette will publish letters written by local students to President-elect Barack Obama, who will be inaugurated as the nation's 44th president.  They will appear intermittently in the My Generation section.  The following are from fifth-graders at Liberty Elementary School.

Sen. Reid in Uphill Re-Election Bid  —  WASHINGTON — Sen. Harry Reid will command the biggest party majority of any Senate leader in a quarter century when the new Congress convenes in January.  But the Nevada Democrat is already worried about his own re-election fight in 2010.

Suffering Ohio begs for federal lifeline  —  State cuts and cuts while waiting for a possible stimulus package  —  Laid-off workers attend a “transition orientation” class on their last day of work for the air shipping company ABX, Dec. 16, in Wilmington, Ohio.

There's No Pain-Free Cure for Recession  —  Belt-tightening is required by all, including government.  —  As recession fears cause the nation to embrace greater state control of the economy and unimaginable federal deficits, one searches in vain for debate worthy of the moment.

Downturn Ends Building Boom in New York  —  Nearly $5 billion in development projects in New York City have been delayed or canceled because of the economic crisis, an extraordinary body blow to an industry that last year provided 130,000 unionized jobs, according to numbers tracked by a local trade group.

Pak textbooks build hate culture against India  —  Text:  —  The empowerment of terror in Pakistan has not happened overnight.  This is the logical culmination of the politics and policies pursued by Pakistan for years now.  —  Terrorism in Pakistan has its roots in the culture of hate …

Signals From The New C-in-C  —  The president-elect dropped in on some Marines stationed in Hawaii yesterday, a fine gesture of appreciation for the military he will soon be leading.  —  The Los Angeles Times reported in a separate article, however, that “President-elect Barack Obama's transition team …