Deadliest weapon so far... the plague  —  Terrorists train ... but they face invisible killer  —  At least 40 al-Qaeda fanatics died horribly after being struck down with the disease that devastated Europe in the Middle Ages.  —  The killer bug, also known as the plague …

Bush commutes sentences of former US border agents … WASHINGTON (AP) - In his final acts of clemency, President George W. Bush on Monday commuted the prison sentences of two former U.S. Border Patrol agents whose convictions for shooting a Mexican drug dealer ignited fierce debate about illegal immigration.

VERY POOR CHOICE  —  As most of you likely know, the inauguration committee sold HBO the exclusive rights to broadcast yesterday's inaugural concert festivities.  I don't think that was a good idea since certainly not every American subscribes or can subscribe to HBO.

Jill Biden Tells Oprah Her Hubbie Offered Choice of VP or Secy of State  —  During the taping of the Oprah Winfrey show today, Dr. Jill Biden said that her husband, the vice president-elect, was given a choice of being either vice president or secretary of State.

Christopher Hitchens Blames Torture on Common Americans, Demands ‘Tongue’ From Andrew Sullivan  —  A gaggle of prominent scribes including Tina Brown, Harold Evans, and Politico's Mike Allen got a scare Saturday night when they found themselves briefly trapped in an elevator struggling …

William Ayers turned back at Canadian border  —  An American education professor, one of the founders of a radical 1960s group known as the Weather Underground, which was responsible for a number of bombings in the United States in the early 1970s, was turned back at the Canadian border last night.

Why I'm not sorry that George W. Bush beat Al Gore and John Kerry.  —  Yes, yes, I was on the downtown streets of Washington bright and early, mingling with the bright-eyed and the wide-eyed.  Yes, by all means I was there on the Mall Sunday afternoon, feeling no more moist than the next person …

‘Hamas torturing Fatah members in Gaza’  —  Hamas militiamen have rounded up hundreds of Fatah activists on suspicion of “collaboration” with Israel during Operation Cast Lead, Fatah members in the Gaza Strip told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.  —  They said the Hamas crackdown on Fatah intensified …

Obama Web-site imitation bears virus  —  With all the public interest in President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration, it was only a matter of time before someone exploited the attention for harm.  —  According to the computer protection firm Panda Security, someone has made copies …

Obama's Moment Arrives  —  Historians Say He Could Redefine the Presidency  —  Barack Obama takes office today with a realistic prospect of joining the ranks of history's most powerful presidents.  —  The more familiar observation, that he confronts daunting trials, enhances that prospect.

Slate crashes Bush's farewell party.  —  You can often tell a party by its parties.  This week, Democrats are feting the incoming chief with top-shelf DJs, valet parking, and more coat checks than coats.  Republicans, on the other hand, seem to be partying on a tight budget, if at all.

Banks Foreclose on Builders With Perfect Records  —  TEMPE, Ariz. — Dave Brown, one of this city's best-known home builders, had kept his head above water through the housing downturn, not missing a single interest payment on his loans.  So he was confounded a few months back when one of his banks …

PRESIDENT BUSH: AN ASSESSMENT  —  President Bush leaves office mostly unloved, with some poll respondents saying that they consider him one of our worst presidents ever.  This in itself is odd.  Generally, our worst Presidents have been one-termers, for obvious reasons: James Buchanan …

The Racial Thaw  —  It's a cliche that people who came of age after the civil rights movement, can't imagine the world of Jim Crow and segregation that preceded them.  To a lesser extent, at 45—I turn 46 on Wednesday—I find it slightly hard to explain what America's racial environment …

What Recession?  The $170 Million Inauguration  —  Obama's Inauguration Has Been Financed Partially by Bailed-Out Wall Street Executives  —  ABC NEWS Business Unit  —  The country is in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, which isn't stopping rich donors …

Mexican Billionaire Invests in Times Company  —  The New York Times Company said Monday it had reached an agreement with the Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim Helú for a $250 million loan intended to help the newspaper company finance its businesses.  —  Under the terms of the deal …

NOT SO MUCH  —  Theda Skocpol responds to Rep. Frank ...  I have to say, my read is very, very similar to Theda's.  I hope Frank was speaking in a more general sense rather than one of literal grand bargains or broad political economic quid pro quos.  In fact, I agree so much I think I'm …

In Last Official Act, Bush Repeals English Language  —  In what he hoped would be the capstone to his eight years as President, George W. Bush today signed an executive order repealing the English language.  —  Scrawling his name on the official document, Mr. Bush said that in abolishing English …

Will-be President Obama lauds would-be president McCain  —  It was a tough, nearly 2-year-long battle that cost Americans upward of $1 billion just between the last two men left standing.  —  And tonight at a special D.C. dinner, on the eve of becoming the nation's 44th president at Tuesday's inauguration …

44% Say Global Warming Due To Planetary Trends, Not People  —  Al Gore's side may be coming to power in Washington, but they appear to be losing the battle on the idea that humans are to blame for global warming.  —  Forty-four percent (44%) of U.S. voters now say long-term planetary trends …

Here's the post where you can say good-bye to George Bush.  —  The sun has set on the last night of the Bush presidency.  Now, tired old George can retreat to Texas and not be kicked around anymore.  He can wait for that history he's always talking about to do its curative work.

Israel Speeds Gaza Withdrawal as Efforts to Buttress Cease-Fire Continue  —  GAZA — Israel accelerated its troop withdrawal from Gaza on Monday with the aim of finishing by the inauguration of Barack Obama on Tuesday, as Hamas reasserted control over the rubble-filled streets and tens …