State

• FAA: 2 dead in fiery plane crash at Ill. airport

• Burris goes to court to push appointment through

  • Ill. Senate pick stands by criticism of governor

• New ignition lock laws aim to foil drunk drivers

National

• Aspen tries to recreate New Year after bomb scare

• Special-needs student, 22, left on NYC bus in cold

• D.C. house fire kills girl, her parents, 2 others

• 4 arrested in N. California gang rape of lesbian

• Motorists' habits spur call for tax increases

• New laws in 5 states call for fire-safe cigarettes

International

• Israel destroys Hamas homes, flattens Gaza mosque

  • Hamas resilient despite Israeli onslaught

• Pirate attack averted on Greek tanker off Somalia

• US readying south Afghan surge against Taliban

• Australia unlikely to accept Guantanamo detainees

• Castro: Cuba revolution will last another 50 years

Politics

• Obama to meet with lawmakers, former presidents

  • NASA chief's wife to Obama: Don't fire my husband

• Powerful N.Y. lawmaker says he'll support Kennedy

ODD & Extraordinary

• Ex-colonel gets prison for stand-in paternity test

• Minn. man accused of breaking into his own home

• Baby born during trans-Atlantic flight to Boston

• Man says he shot car with paintballs to deter DUI

• Alleged beef, lobster thief says 'times are tough'

• Eggs served cold on Detroit-area freeway

• Woman, 89, who kept boy's football, sues parents

• Man who aided bicycle theft plan has bike stolen

• Man tries to fool cops by calling 911 during stop

• Some women threaten no sex if men shoot fireworks

• N.Y. driver's test ends with bystander in hospital

• Police say alleged drug dealer accepted gift cards

• For some, humor of 'nutty Nutcracker' falls flat

Science, Technology & Environment

• Exploiting nature to cut mosquitoes' life short

• Study: Hawaii's pygmy killer whales stay close

Entertainment, Entertainers, Media & Arts

• Atlanta inner-city school gets $365K from Oprah

• Album sales plunge, digital downloads up

• Time Warner Cable and Viacom agree on fees

• Publishers Weekly best-sellers

• Prolific mystery writer Donald Westlake dead at 75

Today

• This day in history

• The nation's weather