SPB News for Monday.

1 in 4 vets has Gulf War syndrome
Neurotoxic exposures from first Iraq invasion rears widespread illness.

Bill Clinton Going To Georgia To Campaign For Jim Martin

Sen. Levin: Auto CEO's should resign

US housing values at 60-year low
Consumer prices plummeting faster than at any time since 1940's.

Giuliani leaves option open for NY governor run

Iraq's cabinet agrees deal for US troops to remain for three more years
Iraq's cabinet today approved a security pact with the United States that will allow American forces to stay in Iraq for three years after their UN mandate expires at the end of this year. Followers of Iraq's Shia leader, Muqtada al-Sadr, have objected to the pact. "This agreement hands Iraq over (to the US) on a golden platter and for an indefinite period," said Ahmed al-Massoudi, spokesman for the 30-seat Sadrist bloc in parliament.

'Halt Israeli Nuclear program' A US research center on nuclear weapons has urged President-elect Barack Obama to press Israel to halt production of its nuclear weapons. The Institute for Science and International Security, headed by David Albright, one the world's top experts on nuclear weapons and the prevention of nuclear proliferation, recently released a report over the danger of producing nuclear weapons in the Middle East.

Lehman's administrators paid more than the bankers The administrators of the UK and European arm of bankrupt investment bank Lehman Brothers are making better money than the bankers. PricewaterhouseCoopers, which has around 300 employees working on the Lehman administration, is being paid £4m a week, the accounting firm revealed yesterday. By contrast, the monthly wage bill for Lehman's remaining 1,100 bankers is £8m – £2m a week – though that does not include planned "small retention bonuses".

George W Bush could pardon spies involved in torture George W Bush is considering issuing pardons for US spies embroiled in allegations of torture just before he leaves the White House. Senior intelligence officers are lobbying the outgoing president [sic] to look after the men and women who could face charges for following his orders in the war on [of] terrorism.

Over 2,700 foreigners arrested for suspected militant links so far Law enforcing agencies have so far arrested more than 2,700 foreigners for their suspected links with Al-Qaeda [al-CIAduh] or other militant organisations in Pakistan or Afghanistan. In an interview Friday with Daily Times, World Prisoners Relief Commission of Pakistan chairman Javed Ibrahim Paracha said that hundreds of foreigners were arrested in Pakistan for their suspected links with Al-Qaeda and under Section 14 of the Foreigners Act.

Iran detains 10 spies near Pakistan border Iran detained 10 spies carrying $500,000 in cash who had entered the Islamic Republic illegally from neighbouring Pakistan, state television said on Saturday. Modern espionage cameras and maps of sensitive regions in Iran were found when the group was detained in Iran's south-eastern Sistan-Baluchestan province bordering Pakistan, the report said.

Gingrich says Palin will not be the future GOP leader — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) is batting down the hype that Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin heads into 2012 as the frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination. — Palin energized the Republican base after GOP presidential nominee …

Also, last week's poll had asked:

Chinese prime minister Wen Jiabao says the richer nations must abandon what he calls their unsustainable lifestyle if the world is to fight climate change. What role should be played by countries like China? Majority of readers answered that all countries should play a role in the climate change crisis. This week's poll is now up.