The latest news on the Bailout, Economic Stimulus, Children's Health Insurance, Bush Farewell Speech, Napolitano Hearing -- Homeland Security, Holder Hearing -- Attorney General, Rice Hearing -- U.N. Ambassador, Israel-Gaza, U.K. Nuclear Weapons, Afghanis

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Bailout. Senate Votes To Release Bailout Funds To Obama "The Senate voted yesterday to release the second half of the Treasury's hugely unpopular initiative to stabilize the fragile U.S. financial system, granting President-elect Barack Obama virtually unfettered authority to spend $350 billion to revive sluggish credit markets and help millions of homeowners avoid foreclosure." Senate Releases Second Portion of Bailout Fund "President-elect Barack Obama's economic agenda advanced rapidly in Congress as the Senate voted to release the second half of the financial industry bailout fund and House Democrats unveiled an $825 billion fiscal recovery plan aimed at putting millions of unemployed Americans back to work." Scramble for solutions as foreclosures rise at record speed "This week, Congress was expected to again intensify its efforts to address the issue, this time by voting on a bill requiring at least $50 billion of the Troubled Asset Relief Program's remaining $350 billion to be used to prevent foreclosures."

Economic stimulus. House Offers $825 Billion Stimulus "House Democrats yesterday presented an $825 billion stimulus package that includes more government spending and less tax relief than President-elect Barack Obama had proposed, potentially weakening support among Republicans for a plan that congressional leaders hope to pass by mid-February." House Democrats propose $825-billion stimulus bill "The measure includes $550 billion for spending on infrastructure, science, energy and education programs over two years, and $275 billion in tax cuts for individuals and businesses. Nearly 60% of the spending would go to state and local governments and nonprofit organizations to pay for things such as schools and healthcare." Democrats unveil stimulus plan, but warn it won't do job "Democrats in the House of Representatives unveiled their long-awaited economic stimulus plan, proposing $275 billion in tax cuts and credits to jump-start the economy and $550 billion in spending for clean energy, road construction, social welfare programs and emergency assistance to states."

Children's health insurance. Children's health insurance bill advances "A key Senate committee voted yesterday to expand a children's health insurance program to cover an additional 4 million uninsured children. The vote came one day after the House overwhelmingly supported a similar measure."

Bush farewell speech. In Farewell, Bush Says He Acted in Best Interest of U.S. "Last night, President Bush said goodbye. Speaking for the last time to a nation he has led for eight years, he mixed his trademark confidence with a hint of contrition, acknowledging that he has 'experienced setbacks' but emphasizing that he always acted in the 'best interests' of the country." Bush defends legacy in farewell address "Taking a final turn in the spotlight before the nation begins a four-day celebration of its new leaders, President Bush offered a defense of his widely unpopular administration, telling Americans that while they may have opposed some of his policies, 'I hope you can agree that I was willing to make the tough decisions.'" In parting address, Bush stakes legacy on keeping America safe "President George W. Bush said goodbye Thursday night to the nation he's led for eight years, thanking the American people 'for the trust you have given me,' assuring them that he'd 'followed my conscience and done what I thought was right.'"

Napolitano hearing - Homeland Security. Napolitano, Obama's Homeland Security Nominee, Vows to Prosecute Employers of Illegal Immigrants "Janet Napolitano, President-elect Barack Obama's nominee to head the Department of Homeland Security, vowed yesterday at her Senate confirmation hearing to shift the focus of U.S. immigration enforcement from illegal workers to the prosecution of employers who hire those workers, signaling a clear break with the outgoing Bush administration." Napolitano signals shift in worksite raids "President-elect Barack Obama's choice to lead the Homeland Security Department signaled a shift in focus on worksite immigration raids, from targeting undocumented immigrants to pursuing what she called 'unscrupulous employers.'"

Holder hearing - Attorney General. Waterboarding Is Torture, Holder Tells Senators "Attorney General-designate Eric H. Holder Jr. brushed aside Republican concerns about his record yesterday as he charted a new, less divisive course for the Justice Department on issues of national security, civil rights and financial crime." Eric Holder: Waterboarding is torture "President-elect Barack Obama's nominee for attorney general said unequivocally Thursday that waterboarding is torture, and he vowed to initiate an extensive and immediate 'damage assessment' to fix fundamental problems within the Justice Department that he said were caused by the Bush administration."

Rice hearing - U.N. Ambassador. Gentle Questioning for U.N. Nominee "Susan E. Rice, the former senior Clinton State Department official for Africa, seemed assured of being confirmed as the next American ambassador to the United Nations after her Senate hearing on Thursday." Obama nominee promises full-court press "'I'll reach out very early on to my Russian and Chinese counterparts,' Mrs. Rice said when discussing efforts to resolve crises in Zimbabwe and Sudan's Darfur region."

Israel-Gaza. Israel hopes end of Gaza offensive is near "Israel said Friday it was close to winding up its offensive against Hamas, and the U.S. said it will provide assurances on ending weapons smuggling into Gaza as part of a cease-fire." Urgent drive for Gaza ceasefire "Diplomatic activity intensifies in the Middle East over the terms of a possible truce in Gaza, but there is more violence." Mashaal: We won't accept Israeli conditions for cease-fire "Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal rejected Israel's conditions for a Gaza cease-fire and demanded an immediate opening of the territory's borders, taking a tough line Friday as he asked Arab countries to back him by cutting off any ties with Israel." Israel Shells U.N. Site in Gaza, Drawing Fresh Condemnation "Israel stepped up its 20-day-old offensive against the Islamic group Hamas on Thursday, shelling the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and other buildings in central Gaza." Israeli shells strike U.N. compound "Pushing deeper into Gaza City as cease-fire contacts intensified, Israeli forces shelled the United Nations relief agency headquarters in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, destroying tons of humanitarian food supplies."

U.K. nuclear weapons. Former military chiefs call on Britain to abandon its nuclear missile program "Three retired senior military chiefs made an unlikely appeal Friday for Britain to scrap its 20 billion-pound ($30 billion) nuclear missile program, claiming it is unnecessary and no longer independent of the United States."

Afghanistan. Resistance to U.S. Plan for Afghanistan "The planned U.S. military and counterinsurgency drive in Afghanistan is meeting public and official resistance that could delay and possibly undermine a costly, belated effort that American officials here acknowledge has a limited window of time to succeed." NATO Nations Scolded for Shirking Duties In Afghanistan "Britain's defense chief yesterday sharply criticized NATO's other European members for failing to do their part in Afghanistan, saying some of them had 'limited appetites' for the operation and preferred 'freeloading on the back of U.S. military security.'"

Opinion. Time to forcefully oust Mugabe (John Prendergast, Christian Science Monitor) "The situation is dire but not hopeless, if the international community - including the incoming Obama administration - is willing to move beyond the failed strategy aimed at cobbling together a coalition government with a man whose entire worldview is predicated on maintaining absolute power by any means necessary." Welcome to prime time (Cal Thomas, Washington Times) "Welcome to Washington, soon-to-be- 'Mr. President.' I know you've been here before for a short time as senator, but this is different. This is The Big Time, the world stage and you are the leading man."