State

• Illinois lawmakers to focus on ousting governor

  • Ill. governor: eager for battle, rarely victorious

  • Lt. gov., atty. gen. may be looking ahead to 2010

  • Illinois corruption: deep roots, tough to weed out

• Obama and the girls shop for a Christmas tree

National

• Slow progress in restoring power to Northeast

• Suspect arrested in Oregon bank bombing

• Family of fatally beaten N.Y. immigrant urges action

• Gun clubs tout safety record after boy's Uzi death

• Palin's burned-out church holds services elsewhere

• Recall information

International

• Bush's Iraq-Afghan farewell tour marred by dissent

• Report: Iraq rebuilding woes due to poor planning

• Gov't: 40 Taliban killed in Afghan-NATO operation

• 23 drown, 33 missing in Philippines ferry accident

• Impoverished N. Korea gets new mobile network

• Mugabe's party says opposition plots overthrow

• Russian navy: Russian warships to visit Cuba

Politics

• Obama to tackle foreign, domestic matters

• McCain pledges to work with Obama on tough issues

• Obama to arrive in Washington by train

• On breaks, Obama will return home to city streets

• Turnout in presidential elections hit 40-year high

• Palin and Fey top list of year's memorable quotes

ODD & Extraordinary

• Police: Pizza man's cheesy weapon foils a stickup

• Late-night Calif. mayor must leave City Hall by 11

• NYC cable TV guy shows up on time in 2009 calendar

• Woman accused of biting man at N.Y. basketball game

• N.Y. Giants need a sack -- to cover fan's racy outfit

Science, Technology & The Environment

• Seeds of hope: Freezing vaults guard Earth's flora

• Obama left with little time to curb global warming

Entertainment, Entertainers and the Arts

• Advocates of blind fault TV skit about N.Y. governor

• 57-year-old Bob Crowley emerges as sole 'Survivor'

• 'Day the Earth Stood Still' launches to $31M debut

• A mean, green ogre named Shrek moves to Broadway

  • Diaz: Don't count on seeing me in 'Shrek' musical

• No-show Queen of Soul pipes up at benefit concert

• Will Smith: It's all about helping others

Today

• This day in history

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