memeorandum: In full: Litvinenko statement (Alexander Litvinenko/BBC)

U.S. Finds Iraq Insurgency Has Funds to Sustain Itself — The insurgency in Iraq is now self-sustaining financially, raising tens of millions of dollars a year from oil smuggling, kidnapping, counterfeiting, corrupt charities and other crimes that the Iraqi government and its American patrons …

Discussion: ParaPundit, A Blog For All, The Mahablog, Daily Kos, Flopping Aces, PoliBlog (TM) and The Reaction

David Kurtz / Talking Points Memo: A hard-to-understand story in tomorrow's New York Times …

Mercury News:

Al-Sadr loyalists take over Iraqi television station — BAGHDAD, Iraq - Followers of the militant Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr took over state-run television Saturday to denounce the Iraqi government, label Sunnis "terrorists" and issue what appeared to many viewers as a call to arms.

Discussion: The Reaction, Daily Kos, Ezra Klein, Pajamas Media, The Belmont Club and Brad DeLong's Semi …

Thomas Wagner / Associated Press:
Iraq P.M. struggling ahead of Bush visit

Discussion: AMERICAblog

Alexander Litvinenko / BBC:

In full: Litvinenko statement — Russian former spy Alexander Litvinenko dictated a statement two days before his death, which was read out by his friend Alex Goldfarb outside University College Hospital in London on Friday. — I would like to thank many people.

Discussion: The Belmont Club

Observer:

Spy death linked to nuclear thefts — An investigation was under way last night into Russia's black market trade in radioactive materials amid concern that significant quantities of polonium 210, the substance that killed former spy Alexander Litvinenko, are being stolen from poorly protected Russian nuclear sites.

Discussion: Atlas Shrugs

David Leppard / Times of London:
Dying spy accused Kremlin agent

Discussion: Associated Press and Guardian

Vicki Lee Parker / Raleigh News & Observer:

Holiday retail season starts strong — Packed parking lots, packed malls, packed shopping bags. — That was the scene Friday — and the prediction for today. — The traditional after-Thanksgiving day sale — known as Black Friday — is just the tip of the holiday shopping frenzy.

Anne D'Innocenzio / Associated Press:

EXPANDED HOURS, DISCOUNTS LURE SHOPPERS — It was cold, it was dark and in some places it was foggy. None of that would stop millions of bargain-seekers from climbing into their cars for a pre-dawn raid on their local malls, electronics retailers and discounters for the official start to the holiday season.

Greg Mitchell / Editor and Publisher:

Despite Election Results, Edsall Still Sees 'Red' — Thomas B. Edsall, replacing John Tierney this month on The New York Times' op-ed page, follows up his ill-timed book, which had predicted hard times for Democrats on the campaign trial, by forecasting more trouble ahead for the party.

Adam Liptak / New York Times:
Times Seeks to Bar Review of Phone Data

Discussion: Blogs of War, Stop The ACLU and Wizbang

Michelle Malkin:
Terrorist-tipping NYTimes wants Ruth Ginsburg's help

Discussion: Macsmind

WorldNetDaily:

Court shocker: 10 months for kiddie porn producer — Democrat activist faced 81 years in jail on charges involving kids as young as 6 — A Democrat community leader who would "offer a homily during worship services" and facilitated his congregation's "opening our doors to all people regardless …

Discussion: Wizbang and Clayton Cramer's BLOG

Jay / Stop The ACLU: Outrage: Only 10 Months For Kiddie Porn Producer

Multi-National Force:

One Mosque Burned in Hurriya — Multi-National Corps - Iraq — Public Affairs Office, Camp Victory — APO AE 09342 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — RELEASE No. 20061125-09 — One Mosque Burned in Hurriya — Multi-National Corps - Iraq PAO — BAGHDAD — Contrary to recent media reporting …

Sudarsan Raghavan / Washington Post:
In Iraq, Reprisals Embolden Militias

Discussion: Reuters, Associated Press, The Belgravia Dispatch, MyDD and The Huffington Post

Hindrocket / Power Line:

Spelling Optional — "Anti-war" activist Cindy Sheehan has been in South Korea, campaigning against a relocation of American bases there which, if I'm not mistaken, was requested by the South Korean government. So, help me with this one, Maureen: does Ms. Sheehan have "absolute moral authority" …

Telegraph:

The West is losing patience with Putin — There is, as yet, no evidence linking the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko to the Kremlin. While many commentators believe that there is a connection - the former spy had been consorting with exiled opponents of the Putin regime - hearsay does not constitute proof.

Discussion: jules crittenden

Tom Geoghegan / BBC:
The mystery of Litvinenko's death

Discussion: Crooks and Liars

Mike Sullivan / The Sun:
Deathbed spy accuses Putin

Discussion: Guardian, BBC and Hot Air

New York Times:

Experts Concerned as Ballot Problems Persist — After six years of technological research, more than $4 billion spent by Washington on new machinery and a widespread overhaul of the nation's voting system, this month's midterm election revealed that the country is still far from able to ensure that every vote counts.

Aleksander Boyd / Venezuela Crisis:

Venezuela: Hundreds Of Thousands March To Support Rosales — A candy for the reader that comes up with the best line that the guys in the chopper circled in red (click on the photo) gave to the militaristic caudillo to explain how, considering the closure of all roads to access Caracas, so many people still managed to sneak in...

Herb Keinon / Jerusalem Post:

Israel accepts Palestinian groups' offer of ceasefire — Israel accepted a Palestinian cease-fire to go in effect Sunday morning, and will stop military operations in Gaza in return for an end to all Palestinian violence, including rocket fire, tunneling, and suicide bombers, the Prime Minister's Office announced Saturday night.

Discussion: Power Line and Israel Matzav

Reuters:

Rumsfeld okayed abuses says former U.S. general —Text+MADRID (Reuters) - Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld authorized the mistreatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, the prison's former U.S. commander said in an interview on Saturday.

Discussion: Balkinization, Y.A.C.R.W.B and Discourse.net

Erica Werner / Associated Press:

Waxman has Bush administration in sights — LOS ANGELES - The lawmaker poised to cause the Bush administration's biggest headaches when Democrats take control of Congress may just be a grocer's son from Watts who's hardly a household name off Capitol Hill. — Rep. Henry Waxman (news …

Discussion: Firedoglake

Jeralyn / TalkLeft:

Is There a Big TV Screen in Your Future? — The hot Christmas item this year may be the big screen tv. I've been trying to decide on one for a few months, since I moved into a place with an additional room that seemingly would be perfect for one. — But, how do you choose?

Discussion: PittsburghLIVE.com