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 …

GOP senators target two Obama nominees  —  Partisan lines have formed around President-elect Obama's two most embattled Cabinet picks, with Eric Holder and Tim Geithner facing increasing criticism from Republicans.  —  Democrats, who have not shied away from attacking Obama's economic team …

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 …

‘War on terror’ was a mistake, says Miliband  —  The foreign secretary, David Miliband, today argues that the use of the “war on terror” as a western rallying cry since the September 11 attacks has been a mistake that may have caused “more harm than good”.  —  In an article in today's Guardian …

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.

New official portrait released  —  Today we are releasing the new official portrait for President Barack Obama.  —  It was taken by Pete Souza, the newly-announced official White House photographer.  —  It is the first time that an official presidential portrait was taken with a digital camera.

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.

AP Slammed Bush's ‘Extravagant’ Inaugural in '05, But Now It's Spend, Baby, Spend  —  Four years ago, the Associated Press and others in the press suggested it was in poor taste for Republicans to spend $40 million on President Bush's inauguration.  AP writer Will Lester calculated the impact …

Inauguration havens for D.C. homeless  —  Population within inauguration security zone encouraged to stay in shelters  —  WASHINGTON - From the steam grates of Pennsylvania Avenue to the porticoes of the city's grand buildings, homeless Washingtonians who live inside the nation's tightest security zone …

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.

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 …

TARP vote to test Obama  —  Top Obama advisers met late Wednesday with Senate Republicans in hopes of defusing a messy fight over bank bailout funds — a first test of strength for the new president and his ability to deliver on his larger economic recovery plan.

Obama to End Military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Policy  —  WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama will allow gays to serve openly in the military by overturning the controversial “don't ask, don't tell” policy that marred President Clinton's first days in office, according to incoming White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

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.

Gannett to Furlough Workers for Week  —  The Gannett Company, the nation's largest newspaper publisher, said on Wednesday that it would force thousands of its employees to take a week off without pay in an effort to avoid layoffs.  —  Gannett, which owns 85 daily newspapers across …

Key step to Chavez term law vote  —  Venezuela's national assembly has approved a constitutional amendment to remove limits on how many times President Hugo Chavez can serve.  —  The amendment, which applies to all elected officials, must be approved by a referendum within 30 days, a vote correspondents say is set to be close.

Shaky economy means ‘bye-bye baby’ for some  —  Birth rate expected to drop in U.S. as more couples delay family plans  —  Forget about cutting back on cable and pricey cappuccinos.  For some couples, a shaky economy means putting plans to grow or start a family on hold.

The Audacity of Hoops … The path is a familiar one: Ancestry in Kansas; influences from Africa; a kind of apotheosis in Michael Jordan's Chicago; eventual acclamation by the world.  And while, no, basketball itself won't be sworn in next Tuesday as the 44th president of the U.S. …

Poll: Broad Backing for Obama, Stimulus  —  WASHINGTON — Americans support the economic-stimulus plan being pushed by President-elect Barack Obama but worry the government will spend too much money and widen the budget deficit, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found.

Bailouts and Stimulus Plans  —  There is an identity in macroeconomics.  It says that in any given year private investment must equal the sum of private savings, corporate savings (retained earnings), and government savings (the government surplus, which is more likely negative, that is, a deficit),