SPB News for Monday.

Obama's chief of staff pushes for loans to auto industry

China plans $586 billion stimulusTo be spent by 2010 on array of infrastructure, social welfare projects.

Iraqi local elections set for Jan. 31Seen by Washington as key benchmark for national reconciliation.

Secret Order Lets U.S. Attack Militants Around the World The United States military since 2004 has used broad, secret authority to carry out nearly a dozen previously undisclosed attacks against Al Qaeda and other militants in Syria, Pakistan and elsewhere, according to senior American officials. These military raids, typically carried out by Special Operations forces, were authorized by a classified order that Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld signed in the spring of 2004 with the approval of President [sic] Bush, the officials said. The secret order gave the military new authority to attack the Qaeda terrorist network anywhere in the world, and a more sweeping mandate to conduct operations in countries not at war with the United States.

Obama planning US trials for Guantanamo detainees President-elect Barack Obama's advisers are quietly crafting a proposal to ship dozens, if not hundreds, of imprisoned terrorism suspects to the United States to face criminal trials, a plan that would make good on his promise to close the Guantanamo Bay prison but could require creation of a controversial new system of justice. The plan being developed by Obama's team is almost certain to face opposition from Democrats who oppose creating a new court system with fewer rights for prisoners.

Students rally in support of Omar Khadr in Edmonton Omar Khadr's lawyer says teenagers understand best the plight of his young client, who has been held for six years in Guantanamo Bay accused of war crimes. As many as 200 people, mostly students from local universities and colleges, took part in the rally, which was followed by an event to launch Michelle Shephard's book on Khadr, 'Guantanamo's Child.' The Canadian-born Khadr was 15 when he was arrested in an Afghanistan firefight in 2002 and taken to Guantanamo Bay, accused of killing an American soldier with a grenade.

Syria's Assad says US should withdraw from Iraq Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday called on the United States to pull its troops out of Iraq, saying they posed a threat to neighbouring states. "The presence in Iraq of American forces of occupation is a permanent threat to neighbouring countries and an element of instability in the region," Assad said in a speech to Arab parliamentarians in Damascus.

Obama steering clear of Dems battle over Lieberman President-elect Obama is avoiding the issue of whether Sen. Joe Lieberman should remain chairman of an important committee. Lieberman's affiliation with Democrats is in question after the Connecticut independent's high-profile support of Republican John McCain for president.

Uncounted ballots unlikely to reverse Proposition 8 Could the vote on Proposition 8, the gay-marriage ban, turn around when all the uncounted ballots are tallied? Almost certainly not. Here's why: Roughly 2.7 million ballots from Tuesday's election remained to be counted statewide as of late Friday, according to the California secretary of state's office... In order to reverse that result, opponents of the measure would have to win just more than 59% of the uncounted ballots. So far, however, opponents have won 47.6% of the vote. The odds are strongly against the uncounted ballots being so dramatically different from the ones counted.

Bush administration to blame for McCain's failure, Palin says - WASILLA, Alaska -- Gov. Sarah Palin blames the Bush administration for the failure of the McCain-Palin ticket, thinks people need to move on from the so-ca...

Planning under way for Obama holiday — The Capital-Journal — Plans are being made to promote a national holiday for Barack Obama, who will become the nation's 44th president when he takes the oath of office Jan. 20. — “Yes We Can” planning rallies will be at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. every Tuesday …

GOP leader: Rebuild party based on ‘sanctity of marriage’ — The Republican brand is still alive and well, Rep. Mike Pence said on Fox News Sunday. — When asked by Chris Wallace what “conservative solutions” the GOP would bring to their current minority-party status, Pence said social issues like

Last week's poll had asked:

The UN is sending food and medical supplies to help the 250,000 people displaced by fighting in Congo. Is the world too slow to help Africa? Many of readers answered yes. This week's poll is now up.