Blagojevich's pick has résumé chiseled in stone  —  (CNN) — Anyone who doubts Roland Burris' qualifications to serve as the next senator from Illinois may want to head to Chicago's Oak Woods Cemetery.  —  There, Burris, whom embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich appointed …

Gaza: Hamas gunmen hide in hospitals  —  Shin Bet chief briefs cabinet on day five of Gaza offensive, says terror operatives hide in hospitals, mosques.  IDF: Hamas increases use of densely populated areas for launching pads  —  According to Diskin, “  —  Diskin also noted that large numbers …

Gonzales Defends Role in Antiterror Policies  —  WASHINGTON — Alberto Gonzales, who has kept a low profile since resigning as attorney general nearly 16 months ago, said he is writing a book to set the record straight about his controversial tenure as a senior official in the Bush administration.

Government aid could save U.S. newspapers, spark debate  —  NEW YORK (Reuters) - Connecticut lawmaker Frank Nicastro sees saving the local newspaper as his duty.  But others think he and his colleagues are setting a worrisome precedent for government involvement in the U.S. press.

Obama dismisses Bush Pentagon appointees  —  Despite keeping Defense Secretary Robert Gates in the Pentagon, President-elect Obama's transition team informed 90 Bush appointees their services will not be needed after Inauguration Day.  —  Scott Gration, a senior official on Obama's transition team …

Katharine Webb Joyner  —  My wife Kimberly woke me a little before 2 yesterday morning to inform me that her water had broken and that it was time to drive her to the hospital.  After 12 hours of trying naturally, another 14 of trying with the aid of an inducing drug, and two hours of hard labor …

Atheists Sue Over Inaugural Prayer  —  Michael A. Newdow, who led the failed charge to get the words “under God” out of the Pledge of Allegiance, is now heading an effort to keep religion out of President-elect Barack Obama's swearing in.  —  Newdow's group, consisting of 18 individuals …

NY Democratic advisers talk up ‘caretaker’ senator  —  ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Sen. Bill Clinton?  Sen. Mario Cuomo?  Don't completely rule it out.  The former president and the former New York governor are among several boldface names being touted as possible “caretakers” for New York's Senate seat …

Arab youths open fire on Israelis working at mall in Denmark  —  A group of Arab youths opened fire Wednesday evening on a number of Israelis working at a mall in the Danish city of Odenza, some 200 kilometers north of Copenhagen.  —  The Israelis, who were operating a stall in the shopping center, were lightly wounded in their legs.

Poll: Obama viewed as a strong leader  —  CNN Deputy Political Director  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — A national poll suggests that three-quarters of the public thinks President-elect Barack Obama is a strong and decisive leader, the highest marks for a president-elect on that characteristic in nearly three decades.

Torture prosecutions finally begin in the U.S.  —  (updated below - Update II)  —  While fiercely loyal establishment spokespeople such as The Washington Post's Ruth Marcus continue to insist that prosecutions are only appropriate for common criminals ("someone breaking into your house") …

O'Reilly questions whether ‘Barack the Magic Negro’ song is ‘mean-spirited.’  —  O'Reilly questions whether ‘Barack the Magic Negro’ song is ‘mean-spirited.’»  —  Yesterday, Bill O'Reilly discussed the controversy surrounding RNC chair candidate Chip Saltsman's Christmas greeting …

NASA chief's wife to Obama: Don't fire my husband  —  WASHINGTON - Late on Christmas Eve, one last wish was sent, by e-mail: Please let NASA Administrator Michael Griffin keep his job.  It was from his wife.  —  Rebecca Griffin, who works in marketing, sent her message with the subject line “Campaign for Mike” to friends and family.

Franken May Be Ceding Ground on Absentee Ballots  —  In St. Louis County, one of the bluest areas in Minnesota, the Coleman campaign succeeded in blocking more than a third of absentee ballots set aside by the state for potentially being wrongfully rejected from being counted — including one ballot from an elections judge.

The problem with Israel-Palestine blogging  —  Everyone engaged in it is interested in proving that one side is righter than the other.  Since no action in the region has occurred without plausible provocation for 4,000 years or so, this requires constantly shifting the metrics by which you measure whichever side you happen to favor.

No end in sight  —  More evidence?  A weak case?  Behind-the-scenes negotiations?  —  Anyway, it goes on: