State

• Gov. Blagojevich Urges President Bush to Maintain Homeland Security Funding to States

• State Budgets Slide

• Officials to Pick Site for Coal Plant

National

• Fed to Unveil Home Mortgage Plan

• Cell Phone Spending Surpasses Land Lines

• Hollywood Writers Reject Award Shows

• Congress Seeks Passport Rule Delay

International

• Castro: I Won't Cling to Power Forever

• Japan Completes Missile Intercept Test

• Turkish Army Sends Soldiers Into Iraq

• Sharif Blocked From Pakistan Election

Politics

• Clinton Dig at Obama Has Ring to '92 Race

• Giuliani Pins Hopes on Big Later States

ODD & Extraordinary

• Child Shot Protecting Mom Hailed a Hero

• Dry Cleaners on N.J. Santa's Naughty List

• Widow Takes Husband's Ashes to NFL Game

• Body Found in Tow-Yard Car After Crash

• Police Reward Good Drivers With Coffee

• N.D. Bank Giving Workers Money to Donate

• New Zealand Robbers Return Christmas Goods

Science

• Caught on Tape: Death Star Galaxy

Today

• This Day in History

• The Nation's Weather