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Israel-Gaza. Rockets Fired From Lebanon Into Israel "Rockets fired from Lebanon landed in northern Israel on Thursday but both governments played down their significance as international efforts to end the 13-day war in the Gaza Strip gathered pace with the arrival of Israeli negotiators in Cairo." Hamas Pulling Back Into Crowded Cities, Beckoning Israelis "When thousands of heavily armed Israeli soldiers poured into the Gaza Strip on Saturday night, Hamas pulled back." Israel accused over Gaza wounded "The Red Cross accuses Israel of failing to help wounded civilians in Gaza, after finding children clinging to their mothers' corpses." Hamas executes 'collaborators,' restricts Fatah movement "Since the aerial attack on Gaza began, Hamas has sought to suppress individuals it believes endanger the group's fight against Israel and its hold on power in the Strip, as well as public morale. Prime targets include Fatah members, people convicted or suspected of collaborating with Israel, and "common" criminals."
Economy. Just as Obama begins, huge deficit could hamper plans "The forecast Wednesday of a jaw-dropping $1.2 trillion one-year federal budget deficit will make it harder for President-elect Barack Obama to win broad support for a massive stimulus package that would add even more to the red ink." Political wrangling bogs down economic stimulus package "The drive for quick action on a huge economic stimulus package has become entangled in the push and pull of Washington politics and now may not clear Congress until mid-February." China Losing Taste for Debt From the U.S. "China has bought more than $1 trillion of American debt, but as the global downturn has intensified, Beijing is starting to keep more of its money at home, a move that could have painful effects for American borrowers."
Presidents meet. Obama, Bush and Former Presidents Gather for Lunch at White House "A real team of rivals gathered for lunch at the White House yesterday, as President Bush and three former U.S. commanders in chief put aside their political differences to offer recollections and advice to President-elect Barack Obama." Obama gets advice at 'extraordinary' gathering of U.S. presidents; Bush welcomes him to club "Confronting a grim economy and a Middle East on fire, Barack Obama turned Wednesday to perhaps the only people on the planet who understand what he's in for: the four living members of the U.S. presidents' club."
White House staff. Obama Builds Powerful Team of White House Advisers "President-elect Barack Obama is assembling a new and influential cadre of counselors just steps from the Oval Office whose power to direct domestic policy will rival, if not exceed, the authority of his Cabinet."
Senate. Senate offers potential opening for Burris to enter chamber "Senate Democratic leaders opened a path Wednesday to seating Roland Burris in the U.S. Senate after days of distracting political controversy over their refusal to do so and a behind-the-scenes request from President-elect Barack Obama to resolve the matter." Senate Appointee Makes Inroads "Roland W. Burris, an also-ran for most of his career in Illinois politics, is on the verge of winning a showdown in Washington that has pitted him against the leaders of the U.S. Senate and the president-elect."
Labor unity. Labor Calls for Unity After Years of Division "The presidents of 12 of the nation's largest labor unions called Wednesday for reuniting the American labor movement, which split apart three and a half years ago when seven unions left the A.F.L.-C.I.O. and formed a rival federation."
Venezuela. Venezuela reinstates free home heating oil for poor in U.S. "The Venezuelan government reversed course Wednesday, announcing that its U.S. oil subsidiary would continue to provide free home heating oil to poor Americans two days after the government announced that the program had been suspended."
Amish business. The Amish Flock From Farms to Small Businesses "The Amish, the religious sect that has determinedly kept the modern world at bay, have been leaving a quiet life of farming for jobs in small businesses -- all the while trying to balance their own values with the culture of the marketplace."
India-Pakistan. 'Kill them': Mumbai transcripts emerge "Chilling telephone conversations between the Mumbai gunmen and their handlers emerged yesterday from an Indian dossier of evidence linking the attacks to Pakistan." Mumbai suspect is 'Pakistani' "Pakistani officials have acknowledged for the first time that the lone surviving suspected gunman from November's attacks on the Indian city of Mumbai attacks is of Pakistani origin."
Opinion. An Unnecessary War (Jimmy Carter, Washington Post) "I know from personal involvement that the devastating invasion of Gaza by Israel could easily have been avoided." The Gaza Boomerang (Nicholas D. Kristof, New York Times) "What we're seeing in the Middle East is the Boomerang Syndrome. Arab terrorism built support for right-wing Israeli politicians, who took harsh actions against Palestinians, who responded with more terrorism, and so on. Extremists on each side sustain the other, and the excessive Israeli ground assault in Gaza is likely to create more terrorists in the long run." The lessons of Gaza (Andrew J. Bacevich, Boston Globe) "The Israeli military action in Gaza raises both moral questions and strategic ones. The moral issues are more complex than partisans on either side are prepared to admit. Not so the strategic issues: here the verdict is clear."
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