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 …

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 …

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.

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.

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.

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.

American Recovery and Reinvestment  —  In this week's weekly address, President-elect Barack Obama lays out the challenges that face us in the new year, and his plan for taking them on.  —  “We need an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that not only creates jobs in the short-term …

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.