State

• Illinois court rejects attempt to remove governor

• Ex-cop suspected in wife's disappearance engaged

National

• 2 trains derail in crash along Mississippi River

• Suicide of man accused in wildfire hits some hard

• Inmate serving life asks Michigan gov. for freedom

• Jobless claims expected to stay near 26-year high

• Drunken driving goes up during holidays

• Charity's red kettles can yield odd treasures

International

• Petraeus offers 1st outlook on Iraq, Afghanistan

• Planner of Rwandan massacres convicted of genocide

• UN says Zimbabwe cholera death toll reaches 1,111

• Up to 25 Iraqis accused in Saddam party plot

• 30 years transform China, but not its politics

  • China protest decries custom of eating cats

• China dispatching ships to battle Somali pirates

Politics

• Obama team weighs up to $850 billion economic jolt

• Colorado senator tapped to inherit Interior woes

ODD & Extraordinary

• Fast-food worker laughs, tells robber to get a job

• Family pushes their dog as next Illinois governor

• Human-sized heart found at the Paw Paw car wash

• Woman's 3-legged cat returns after 7-week search

• Iowa town's roads well-seasoned

• 1,500 parakeets rescued from 2-room apartment

• 9 for Times Square's 2009 sign arrives by ferry

• British pilot hits cow during emergency landing

Science, Technology & Environment

• US proposes protecting 7 penguin species

• Exxon Mobil slapped with $6.1M pollution fine

• Feds say N.J.'s wayward dolphins doing just fine

• Want a retired space shuttle? They're up for grabs

Entertainment, Entertainers, Media & Arts

• Cops: McCready hospitalized after suicide attempt

• Death of Mark Ruffalo's brother ruled a homicide

• Hip-hop's Akon admits throwing fan off stage

• Film workers outside SAG meeting protest against strike

Today

• This day in history

• The nation's weather