Analysts say the North’s leadership may be trying to gain attention from the Obama administration [AFP]
North Korea has said it is cancelling all political and military agreements with South Korea in a further sign of deteriorating relations between the countries.
South Korea expressed “deep regret” at the decision and urged the North to engage in talks.
In a statement on Friday Pyongyang [...]

Pointing to a New Era, U.S. Pulls Back as Iraqis Vote
By ALISSA J. RUBIN
Regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s elections, it is clear that the Americans are already drifting offstage — and that most Iraqis are ready to see them go.
 
Under Tight Security, Elections Are Calm in Iraq
By STEPHEN FARRELL

There was almost no violence during voting aimed at creating [...]

Steele wins Republican chair vote
Michael Steele: ‘We’re going to bring this party to every corner… every community’
Michael Steele has won the election to be chairman of the Republican National Committee, becoming the first African-American to lead the party.
Mr Steele won in the sixth ballot, with 91 votes out of a possible 168. His nearest rival, Katon Dawson, received the remaining [...]

OBAMA READIES ROAD MAP FOR NEW…
By: Philip Elliott, AP writer
WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Saturday promised to lower mortgage costs, offer job-creating loans for small businesses, get credit flowing and rein in free-spending executives as he readies a new road map for spending billions from the second installment of the financial rescue plan.
The White House is deciding how to [...]

Daschle Owed Back Taxes That Exceeded $128,000
Former Senator Paid Days Before First Confirmation Hearing
Thomas A. Daschle was picked to head Health and Human Services.
Thomas A. Daschle, nominated to be secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, did not pay more than $128,000 in taxes over three years, a revelation that poses a potential obstacle to his Senate confirmation.
[...]

Israel must open crossings to Gaza to counter misery and extremism – UN official
John Ging, UNRWA Director for Gaza, visits UN school damaged in Israeli attack on 7 Jan. ‘09. (AP Photo/Fadi Adwan)
30 January 2009 – Almost two weeks after the devastating Israeli offensive against Hamas in Gaza ended, full access for relief supplies is the key issue, above all [...]

Steep Slide in U.S. Economy as Unsold Goods Pile Up
By LOUIS UCHITELLE
The gross domestic product saw its sharpest contraction in 26 years in the last quarter of 2008, adding to the urgency of a stimulus package able to rein in the recession.                                     
                                          Use of Free Car Lands Tom Daschle in Tax Trouble

By ROBERT PEAR
The health and human services nominee failed [...]

About a quarter of the deaths occurred in Iraq
The rate of suicides among soldiers in the US army has risen to a record level for the second year in a row.
The army said there were 128 confirmed suicides in 2008, with a further 15 deaths still under investigation.
Military officials said they did not know why the number has kept increasing [...]

 The contamination was traced to a plant in Blakeley
US officials are to open a criminal probe into an outbreak of salmonella poisoning that has made more than 500 people ill and may have killed eight.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said it had found widespread contamination at a processing plant run by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA).
The company says it [...]

Steele wins Republican chair vote
Mr Steele wants to rebrand the Republican party
Michael Steele has won the election to be chairman of the Republican National Committee, becoming the first African-American to lead the party.
Mr Steele won in the sixth ballot, with 91 votes out of a possible 168. His nearest rival, Katon Dawson, received the remaining 77 votes.
Correspondents say Mr Steele [...]