Updates From Plane Rescue in Hudson River  —  Read complete coverage from The Times, including a href="http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com / 2009/01/15/from-ferry-decks-and-offices - a-view-of-the-crash/">more eyewitness accounts compiled on City Room.  —  The New York Police Department just sent …

The Elephant in the Room: McCain may be Obama's secret weapon  —  A desire by both men to secure their places in history might forge an unlikely pairing.  —  I have been to New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington in recent weeks.  In those cities, at least, you cannot watch the news …

Bush farewell: ‘I have followed my conscience’  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — In his final public address from the White House, a reflective President Bush on Thursday recalled the ups and downs of his eight-year tenure and said he was willing to make the tough decisions.

Obama To Hold Fiscal Responsibility Summit  —  President-elect Barack Obama visits the Post newsroom after a meeting with the editorial board and Washington Post Co. Chairman Don Graham, right.  (Photo, The Washington Post)  —  President-elect Barack Obama will convene a “fiscal responsibility summit” …

Full Text of President George W. Bush's Farewell Address  —  (UPDATE: The President made very few minor changes to the prepared text in his actual delivery.  We've made the changes in boldface below.  President-elect Obama did not watch the speech live at Blair House, the presidential guest …

Beam me up: Scientists left baffled as mysterious columns of coloured light appear in the night skies  —  These stunning images show mysterious columns of light streaming into the sky above the town of Sigulda in Latvia at the end of last month.  —  Taken by designer Aigar Truhins …

Intelligence Court Rules Wiretapping Power Legal  —  WASHINGTON — A federal intelligence court, in a rare public opinion, issued a major ruling validating the power of the president and Congress to wiretap international phone calls and intercept e-mail messages without a specific court order …

Did Obama Skip Bush's Speech?  —  As his predecessor, President Bush, said his final goodbyes to America on national television, President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle dined at the DC restaurant, Equinox Thursday night.  —  CBS News' Maria Gavrilovic, who waited outside the restaurant …

Star Tribune files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy  —  Facing sharp revenue declines, Minnesota's largest newspaper seeks to cut labor costs and restructure its debt.  —  The Star Tribune, saddled with high debt and a sharp decline in print advertising, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition Thursday night.

Holder: “I Will Review That Determination” Not To Prosecute Schlozman  —  Not that it's likely, but Brad Schlozman may want to hope that Eric Holder's confirmation somehow gets derailed.  —  That's because Holder just told the Senate Judiciary committee that he wants to reconsider …

Follow Jesus Like Nazis Followed Hitler, Rick Warren Tells Stadium Crowd  —  On April 17, 2005, at the southern California Anaheim Angels sports stadium thirty thousand Saddleback Church members, more than ever gathered in one spot, assembled to celebrate Saddleback's 25th anniversary …

M. Night Blumenthal Sees Dead Gazans, Crazy Conservatives in Latest Film Project  —  Max Blumenthal is the M. Night Shyamalan of political Internet “filmmaking.”  The brash politico experienced early success with his brave foray into the bow-tied underbelly of conservative politics, producing “CPAC 2007: The Unauthorized Tour.”

O'Reilly Freaks Out Over the Thought of Holding Bush Admin Torturers Culpable  —  Bill O'Reilly came briefly unhinged last night, but managed to keep himself from having one of his infamous all-out temper tantrums.  I thought for sure he was about to start shouting, “Do it live!  F—k it!

Vince Foster, Fifteen Years Later  —  I was looking over a daily almanac and saw that Vincent Foster would have been 64 years old today.  In the 1990s, I spent a lot of time covering his death, beginning with trip to Fort Marcy Park the morning after his body was discovered.

Hamas minister Siam dies in IAF strike  —  The IDF stepped up pressure on Hamas on Thursday, killing Interior Minister Said Siam and pushing deep into Gaza City as defense officials predicted a cease-fire would begin soon.  —  Siam, the most senior Hamas political leader killed since Operation …

Report: Israel, Hamas agree on 2-week truce  —  Palestinian sources tell Ynet fighting in Gaza to cease within 72 hours for period of two weeks, during which sides will discuss supervision of crossings, IDF withdrawal from Strip and removal of blockade  —  Palestinian sources told Ynet …

The Spending Plan is Out  —  I just got a copy of the $825 billion spending plan outlined by the Democratic-controlled House Appropriations Committee.  —  It is frightening.  —  Take a looksee here if you don't believe me.  —  The highlights of this bill, allegedly crafted to save us …

10 Questions about the Economic Stimulus Bill  —  The $800 billion economic “stimulus” bill may be more appropriately called the “Obama debt plan.”  It will, after all, dump $6,700 per household of new debt into the laps of our children and grandchildren.  —  Whether it will actually stimulate the economy is another matter.

10 Take Aways From the Bush Years  —  There's actually a lot that President-elect Barack Obama can learn from the troubled presidency of George W. Bush.  Over the past eight years, I have interviewed President Bush for nearly 11 hours, spent hundreds of hours with his administration's key players …