EXCLUSIVE: Panetta faces rendition queries  —  Panel eyes CIA pick's role in shaping policy during the Clinton era  —  President-elect Barack Obama's choice for CIA director, Leon Panetta, served as White House chief of staff during the time the Clinton administration accelerated a practice …

After Tax Errors Raised, GOP Leaders Defend Treasury Nominee  —  But Some Call Geithner's Actions Serious Missteps  —  Was he cheating on his taxes or just sloppy with his finances?  Lawmakers vetting the nomination of Timothy F. Geithner to serve as Treasury secretary say they may never be sure.

Israel Strikes U.N. Complex in Gaza Strip  —  GAZA — Amid reports that a United Nations building had been hit, Israeli forces shelled areas deep inside Gaza City and edged forward toward the city center Thursday, sending thousands of panicked residents fleeing from their homes, witnesses said.

Biden Outlines Plans to Do More With Less Power  —  WASHINGTON — He was in the Senate for 36 years and visited the White House under seven presidents.  But Joseph R. Biden Jr. has never seen the inside of the vice president's office in the West Wing.  “I never thought a lot about the vice presidency …

Playing to the Pundits  —  If you think the chattering classes were chattering about the Osama tape or the fate of the second $350 billion in bailout money yesterday, let me enlighten you.  —  It was all about the dinner party.  —  To wit, which members of the conservative commentariat were invited to dine with Obama?

History will show that George W Bush was right  —  The American lady who called to see if I would appear on her radio programme was specific.  “We're setting up a debate,” she said sweetly, “and we want to know from your perspective as a historian whether George W Bush was the worst president …

War on Hamas Saps Palestinian Leaders  —  JERUSALEM — Israel hoped that the war in Gaza would not only cripple Hamas, but eventually strengthen its secular rival, the Palestinian Authority, and even allow it to claw its way back into Gaza.  —  But with each day, the authority, its leader …

Intelligence Court Rules Wiretapping Program Legal  —  WASHINGTON — A federal intelligence court, in a rare public opinion, is expected to issue a major ruling validating the power of the president and Congress to wiretap international phone calls and intercept e-mail messages without a court order …

Democrats Finishing Up Stimulus Proposal  —  President-Elect Is Expected to Tout Plan Tomorrow  —  Congressional Democrats are putting the final touches on an economic stimulus package worth almost $850 billion, hoping to have the details ready in time for President-elect Barack Obama …

Poll: Solid support for Obama's economic plan  —  NBC/WSJ poll also shows concern for the cost of the stimulus package  —  WASHINGTON - A solid plurality of the American public supports the economic stimulus plan that President-elect Barack Obama has proposed, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

The Minnesota Recount Was Unconstitutional  —  There's still plenty of time for the state to get it right.  —  You would think people would learn.  The recount in the contest between Norm Coleman and Al Franken for a seat in the U.S. Senate isn't just embarrassing.  It is unconstitutional.

Bank Losses Complicate U.S. Rescue  —  Pressure Grows on Obama to Allocate More Money for Distressed Financial Firms  —  A new wave of bank losses is overwhelming the federal government's emergency response, as financial firms struggle with the souring U.S. economy, the rapid deterioration …

U.N. Agency That Runs School Hit in Gaza Employed Hamas and Islamic Jihad Members  —  The United Nations agency that administers a school in Gaza where dozens of civilians were killed by Israeli mortar fire last week has admitted to employing terrorists to work at its Palestinian schools in the past …

Bush and the Libby Pardon  —  As the curtain closes on the presidency of George W. Bush, the one loose end dangling is the pardon of I. Lewis “Scooter” Libby.  In 2007 Mr. Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff, was convicted for perjury and obstruction of justice.

Best of All Possible Presidencies  —  What a sunny view Condoleezza Rice took in a valedictory conversation with Post journalists this week.  She could have been Dr. Pangloss's daughter in her steadfastly upbeat account of the world.  Asked about policies she regretted, she offered the cheerful retort …

Citing Weak Evidence, Judge Orders Guantanamo Detainee Freed  —  A federal judge ordered the release yesterday of a detainee at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, ruling that the government's evidence is too weak to justify the man's continued confinement.

Inaugural Freak Show  —  Blogs and Stories  —  You'll never believe how a Christian right congressman and two anti-abortion protestors have prepared the Capitol for the Obama's inauguration.  —  On January 7, second-term Republican Rep. Paul Broun of Georgia and two friends prayed over a door.

Where Is Oil Going Next?  —  HOUSTON — From the Indian Ocean to the South Atlantic to the Gulf of Mexico, giant supertankers brimming with oil are resting at anchor or slowly tracing racetrack patterns through the sea, heading nowhere.  —  The ships are marking time, serving as floating oil-storage tanks.