State

• Illinois governor popular only as campaign weapon

National

• How a serial killer victim was finally identified

• Report: Kids less likely to graduate than parents

• FBI: Threatening letters say 'It's payback time'

• Consumer groups call on FDA to test Chilean salmon

• After term-limit win, NYC mayor faces new fight

• San Francisco weighs takeover of electrical system

• These taxpayers might want the IRS to find them

• New stamp honors Edgar Allan Poe

International

• South Korea: There's no North Korea food crisis

• Rice dismisses Iranian opposition to US-Iraq pact

• US, UN differ on Afghan opium ebb

• Police: 4 Pakistanis arrested over Marriott blast

• States call for IMF 'critical role' in crisis

• US taking step to get Albania, Croatia into NATO

Election

• Obama fundraising drops as McCain's cash dwindles

  • McCain soldiers on in Colorado despite ad cutbacks

  • Palin denies accepting $150K in designer clothes

• Former Bush press secretary backs Obama

• GOP open seats boost Democrats' House chances

ODD & Extraordinary

• Goof leads Wis. store to sells diesel for 59 cents

• Town's parade draws fire for dropping 'Christmas'

• Fla. man lives among the chads of 2000 election

• Raccoon unfazed by cop's Taser during wild chase

• Woman with 8-foot-long dreads hopes to set record

• Online divorcee jailed after killing virtual hubby

• Police: Man steals while in trouble for stealing

• No takers for contest that requires abstinence

Science, Technology & The Environment

• Stephen Hawking to retire from prestigious post

• American, Russians return from space station

• Warm hands lead to warm hearts, sneaky study shows

• Greek dig unearths Neolithic household gear

Entertainment, Entertainers and the Arts

• Will Ferrell's Bush meets Fey's Palin on 'SNL'

• Damon 'honored' by Joe the Plumber's shout-out

• 82-year-old Jerry Lewis on retirement: 'Why?'

• Thursday's late-night wrap-up of election jokes

• Hathaway's ex-boyfriend gets 4 1/2 years in scam

Today

• This day in history

• The nation's weather