SPB News for Friday

Biden Heads Home To Delaware For "Returns Day" Parade

How Obama Might Change U.S. Secrecy Policy

Obama, Biden Getting Intel Briefings

Obama Team To Be Consulted In Bailout Staff Decisions

Schwarzenegger Proposes $4.4B In Tax Hikes To Close Defecit

George Bush plans to push through agenda in last days in office President [sic] George W Bush is planning to push through a series of potentially unpopular regulation changes in his final weeks in office. Democrats fear the president will try to ram through new rules on the environment, civil liberties and abortion rights before December 20, the deadline for changes before the new president is inaugurated a month later. The alterations could take months or years to undo. Attorney General Michael Mukasey has already rushed out new guidelines for the FBI that make domestic surveillance easier, including the use of informants to infiltrate lawful groups and prolonged physical surveillance.

Skinheads Plead Not Guilty In Alleged Plot To Kill Obama

Protesters 'willing to risk jail' to urge Bush, Cheney indictment

House Minority Whip Blunt surrendering post

Lawyers 'all over the place' on Prop. 8 constitutionality: expert

Guantanamo inmates challenge detention in US court Hearings began Thursday for six Algerians who are fighting their detention at Guantanamo Bay -- the first such challenge in a federal court since the war-on-[of]terror US prison opened in 2002. The six remained in the US naval facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Thursday, but were linked into the Washington court hearing by telephone, with the entire proceeding translated for them. Theirs is the first such case to go to trial since the US Supreme Court on June 12 granted Guantanamo prisoners access to the civil court system to challenge their detention on habeas corpus grounds.

A Big Election Day for Animals (Humane Society Legislative Fund) On Tuesday, voters from coast to coast sent a strong message that animals deserve to be protected from cruelty and abuse, and the humane movement won resounding victories in the presidential race, congressional races, and ballot issue contests. These new public policies and new and reelected policymakers will have a meaningful impact on the lives of animals for years to come.

Oil 'to shoot back through $100' The oil price will shoot back through $100 a barrel as soon as economic conditions return to normal, and will break through $200 threshold by 2030, say officials at the International Energy Agency. The world energy watchdog is certain the "era of cheap oil" is over, according to research due to out next week.

Auto Leaders to Press for More Federal Aid --Detroit Urgently Seeks $25 Billion More in Corporate Welfare Top auto industry executives and the president of the United Auto Workers plan to meet with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today to ask for additional federal aid for the struggling U.S. carmakers.

Franken says recount is needed — The Democrat's deficit is down to 341 votes in his Senate battle with Norm Coleman. — Democrat Al Franken, locked in an overtime election battle with incumbent Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, said today that he is pushing ahead with the recount of Tuesday's voting.

Brooklyn Marine & wife tortured, slain in Calif.; 4 Marines charged — A Brooklyn-raised Marine sergeant and his new bride were tortured and killed execution-style in their California home - allegedly by four other Marines under his command. — Sgt. Jan Pawel Pietrzak, who was raised in Bensonhurst …

SOMETHING SMELLS VERY FISHY IN ALASKA — ANCHORAGE - Something stinks. Not just an ordinary low tide smell. Not like something you'd blame on the dog. It smells like an infection. For me to plug my nose, I'd have to overlook some curious facts. — In Alaska, more people voted …