Lobbyists pushed off advisory panels  —  White House initiative to limit influence could affect thousands  —  Hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists are likely to be ejected from federal advisory panels as part of a little-noticed initiative by the Obama administration to curb K Street's influence …

Obamas' Uninvited Guests Prompt an Inquiry  —  WASHINGTON — The Secret Service is investigating how a couple aspiring to be reality-show celebrities managed to appear at President Obama's first state dinner without being on the guest list, provoking questions about security at the White House.

Soviets' Afghan War Informs Surge Debate  —  KABUL — The future of the war in Afghanistan was on the line as Gen. Stanley McChrystal met with Defense Secretary Robert Gates in a secret rendezvous at a Belgian airbase in August.  —  Gen. McChrystal, the top Western commander in Afghanistan …

Taxing the Speculators  —  Should we use taxes to deter financial speculation?  Yes, say top British officials, who oversee the City of London, one of the world's two great banking centers.  Other European governments agree — and they're right.  —  Unfortunately, United States officials …

Nuclear Watchdog Censures Iran  —  PARIS — One day after the director general of the United Nations nuclear watchdog castigated Iran for blocking inquiries into its nuclear program, the organization's governing body voted on Friday to censure Tehran and demanded that it freeze operations …

Poll: Christmas Spending Cutbacks  —  ABC News Poll: 50 Percent Plan to Spend Less on Christmas  —  Hammered by the downturn, half of Americans plan to spend less on holiday gifts this year - less bad than last year but still among the worst retail outlooks in a quarter-century.

Gen. McChrystal saying little about delay in Obama's decision on troop increase  —  Obama is engaged in ‘thoughtful process,’ general tells lawmakers  —  Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan, told a group of key lawmakers on Thursday that President Obama is engaged in a …

The quiet American  —  Is Barack Obama's diplomacy subtle and strategic, or weak and naive?  The world is about to find out  —  AT LAST Barack Obama seems to be starting to make up his mind.  After months of agonising, he is apparently close to announcing that he will after all send …

German minister quits over Afghan raid  —  Germany's Labour Minister Franz Josef Jung has resigned amid allegations of a cover-up relating to a deadly Nato air strike in Afghanistan.  —  Mr Jung was defence minister when a strike was ordered on 4 September by a German commander against two fuel tankers hijacked by Taliban militants.

Dems' kamikaze mission: Health care by New Year's  —  Democratic Sen. Richard Durbin recently was asked if a national health care bill would pass the Senate by the end of the year.  “It must,” Durbin responded.  “We have to finish it.”  —  Many other top Democrats share Durbin's determination to meet this deadline.

How to Forge a Consensus  —  The impression left by the Climategate emails is that the global warming game has been rigged from the start.  —  Printer  —  Friendly  —  The climatologists at the center of last week's leaked-email and document scandal have taken the line that it is all much ado about nothing.

Activists seek green Black Friday  —  The day after Thanksgiving is known for shopping sprees, but “Black Friday” is getting blacklisted by environmentalists - and they're hoping President Obama will back them up.  —  “In the climate change sense, it's not that every other retail day isn't bad.

Thanksgiving 2009  —  Hope you all have a wonderful holiday.  Keep our troops on the front lines and around the world in your prayers.  —  Video from the DFAC at COB Adder in Iraq:  —  Greetings from soldiers at COB Speicher:  —  Here is President Obama's proclamation.