SPB News for Sunday

Hillary pitches fundraiser for Franken

Rahm Emanuel Roasts Stephen Colbert (VIDEO) — White House chief of staff-designate Rahm Emanuel took some time off from the transition Friday night to hurl barbs at his longtime pseudo-nemesis Stephen Colbert (as well as Joe Biden, Sarah Palin, Joe Lieberman, et al...)


Exclusive: Gregory Craig to be White House counsel — Gregory B. Craig, a well-known Washington lawyer who quarterbacked President Bill Clinton's impeachment defense, has been chosen White House counsel by President-elect Barack Obama, according to Democratic officials.

KBR's Convenient Contract --KBR is awarded a $75 million U.S. Army Corps contract to provide emergency power to Western states --days before a wildfire sweeps California, 'threatening the power of the city of Los Angeles.'

FBI informant testifies suspect refused to plan attack The FBI informant who infiltrated a band of alleged South Jersey terrorists complained in September 2006 that one suspect "was gonna have a problem with me" because he kept refusing to plan, train or arrange meetings to discuss an attack. The comment by the informant, Mahmoud Omar, was recounted for jurors this morning in Camden, where five Muslim immigrants are being tried on charges of plotting to kill U.S. soldiers.

Maliki tells Bush he now backs new U.S. troop deal After months of tough negotiations and multiple revisions, Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki has decided to back the controversial U.S.-Iraq security agreement that calls for the complete withdrawal of American troops by the end of 2011, Iraqi and U.S. officials said Friday.

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

George W Bush's dog bites two people With his master's party in disarray after defeat by the Democrats, Barney the terrier is forging an unlikely new role as the fiercest Republican attack dog in the White House. President [sic] George W Bush's personal pet is facing the prospect of leaving the Oval Office in disgrace after biting not one, but two people during the administration's final weeks. Perhaps unsurprisingly for a canine whose boss has not always enjoyed the most sympathetic media profile, the black-haired Scottish terrier's victims have been a television journalist and a PR woman.

GM Collapse at $200 Billion May Exceed Bailout Plan General Motors Corp., seeking a federal bailout as its cash dwindles, would cost the government as much as $200 billion should the biggest U.S. automaker be forced to liquidate, a forecasting firm estimated.

110 US banks have asked for $170B from bailout At least 110 banks have requested more than $170 billion from the Treasury Department's rescue fund, and many more are expected to have submitted applications before Friday's deadline. The requests would come from the $250 billion the Treasury set aside from the $700 billion fund to purchase stock in banks.

Employers Offer Workers Fewer Health Care Plans It’s the annual "open enrollment" season in corporate America, when employees choose their medical plans for the coming year. But this time, even if they are fortunate enough to have a job at a company that still offers health benefits, many workers are finding that the buffet of options has been trimmed to a very short menu.

Chrysler leaders get millions --Automaker defends payouts amid looming bailout talks As Detroit's crumbling auto industry asks Congress for a bailout, Chrysler is in the awkward position of paying about $30 million in retention bonuses to keep top executives while the company cuts thousands of jobs. Documents obtained by the Free Press show that at least six Chrysler executives are due to receive bonuses of more than $1 million apiece to stay through August 2009, the two-year anniversary mark of when private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management bought an 80.1% stake in Chrysler.