Top Items:
Haaretz:
Israel launches ground offensive in the Gaza Strip — Palestinian witnesses said the artillery barrage caused a large explosion in Gaza City as well as a series of blasts stitching the nearby frontier with Israel. — Channel 10 television quoted a witness as saying that Israel …
Discussion:
New York Times, ATTACKERMAN, Reuters, Taylor Marsh, Israellycool, AlterNet.org, Israpundit, The Muqata, Gateway Pundit, Multi Medium and Yourish.com
RELATED:
Associated Press:
IDF begins shelling northern Gaza for 1st time since op began — For the first time since the start of Operation Cast Lead, the IDF began firing artillery shells into northern Gaza on Saturday afternoon, IDF officials said. — According to reports, the artillery units were attacking targets …
New York Times:
Israeli Troops Launch Attack on Gaza — JERUSALEM — Israeli tanks and troops swept across the border into Gaza on Saturday night, opening a ground war against the militant group Hamas after a week of intense airstrikes. — The Israeli military said in a statement that the objective …
Discussion:
Matthew Yglesias
Fox News:
Israeli Ground Forces Cross Border Into Gaza Strip — DEVELOPING: Israeli ground forces began moving across the border into the northern Gaza Strip in an escalation late Saturday night of the weeklong offensive against Hamas. — The incursion was confirmed to FOX News by Israeli defense officials …
Discussion:
Alan Colmes' Liberaland
Chicago Sun Times:
Reid pressured Blagojevich not to appoint Jackson Jr. to Obama's U.S. Senate seat — Days before Gov. Blagojevich was charged with trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, top Senate Democrat Harry Reid made it clear who he didn't want in the post …
RELATED:
Lynn Sweet / Chicago Sun Times:
Roland Burris tells Lynn Sweet: ‘We are the senator’ — NO CIRCUS? Says he'll try to avoid a scene when he shows up to claim seat — WASHINGTON — Roland Burris, being Roland Burris, put it to me this way Friday when we talked: “We are the senator.” — And we, that is he …
Chris Bowers / Open Left:
IL-Sen: Electability As Corruption — A new story in the Chicago Sun-Times indicates that, the day before Blagojevich's calls were taped, Harry Reid pushed Blagojevich not to appoint the three leading African-American politicians in Illinois (after Barack Obama, of course).
Manu Raju / The Politico:
Coleman may lose office until election is decided — When the 111th Congress convenes on Tuesday, Norm Coleman may be out of an office, even though his Senate race remains far from settled. — Coleman's first term officially expires at noon on Saturday, and he is locked …
Laurence H. Tribe / Forbes:Blagojevich And The Constitution — The Senate doesn't have to seat Burris.
Khalid al-Ansary / Reuters:
U.S.-installed Iraqi ex-PM says Bush “utter failure” — BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Former U.S.-installed Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi has denounced the policies of President George W. Bush as an “utter failure” that gave rise to the sectarian venom that ravaged his country.
Ben Feller / Associated Press:
Analysis: Bush's personality shapes his legacy — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON - President George W. Bush will be judged on what he did. He will also be remembered for what he's like: a fast-moving, phrase-mangling Texan who stays upbeat even though his country is not.
Roni Caryn Rabin / New York Times:
A New Cigarette Hazard: ‘Third-Hand Smoke’ — Parents who smoke often open a window or turn on a fan to clear the air of second-hand smoke, but experts now have identified another smoking-related threat to children's health that isn't as easy to get rid of: third-hand smoke.
Discussion:
Villainous Company
Harold Ambler / The Huffington Post:
Mr. Gore: Apology Accepted — You are probably wondering whether President-elect Obama owes the world an apology for his actions regarding global warming. The answer is, not yet. There is one person, however, who does. You have probably guessed his name: Al Gore.
David Kocieniewski / New York Times:
Rangel Pushed for a Donation; Insurer Pushed for a Tax Cut — On April 21, 2008, Representative Charles B. Rangel met with officials of the American International Group, the now-troubled insurance giant, to ask for a donation to a school of public service that City College of New York was building in his honor.
Discussion:
A Blog For All, Matthew Yglesias, Gothamist, AmSpecBlog, Don Surber, Commentary and Instapundit
Cynthia Dizikes / Los Angeles Times:
Khat — is it more coffee or cocaine? — ‘FLOWER OF PARADISE’: In East African countries like Somalia, khat leaves have been used as a stimulant and social tonic. But in the U.S. khat is illegal, and increased demand is leading to clashes between narcotics officers and immigrants.
Senior Data Journalist, NY — 
Manager - Publishing Editorial, Manila — 
Oil Reporter, Singapore — 
Newsperson - State Govt. & Politics, CA — 
Business Reporter, SC — 
State Government Reporter, WA — 
Climate Crisis Columnist — 
Multimedia Journalist, CA — 
Community Engagement Mgr., DC — 
Senior California Politics Reporter, CA — 
Staff Writer - Business, NY — 
Team Editor - Opinion, ON — 
Assistant Correspondent, DC — 
Climate & Weather Reporter, MN — 
Senior Tech Editor, Remote US — 
Lead Business Reporter, TN — 
Managing Editor, WA — 
Private Credit Reporter, NY — 
Trending News Reporter, TX — 
City Correspondent, London — 
Legislative Reporter, CA — 
Reporter, PA — 
Visual Editor, Remote — 
Staff Writer, MI — 
Senior Political Reporter, DC — 
California Playbook Writer, CA — 
National Investigative Reporter, NY — 
Business & Gaming Reporter, NV — 
Coastal Climate Reporter, SC — 
Environment & Energy Reporter, CT — 
Coordinating Editor, OR — 
Editor, Remote US — 
Business Reporter, WA — 
Editor-in-Chief, AZ — 
