The latest news on the Detroit Bailout, Senate-Alaska, Senate-Minnesota, Senate-Joe Lieberman, Wal-Mart Donates Food, Housing, Climate Change, Play, U.N. Aid Appeal, U.S. Military, Iraq-U.S. Agreement, Iran, Congo, Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Darfur, and Syria

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Detroit bailout. Automakers Press High-Stakes Plea for Aid "The chieftains of Detroit's Big Three automakers made a desperate appeal to skeptical lawmakers yesterday for $25 billion in emergency loans to forestall the possible collapse of the domestic auto industry, offering to cut their own salaries in exchange for government aid." Auto giants up against bailout fatigue "Financial support for the beleaguered U.S. auto industry? In today's Washington, that may represent a bailout too far." Why not let Detroit's Big Three go bankrupt? "To hear the chief executive officers of Detroit automakers and union leaders tell it, bankruptcy and economic hellfire await if lawmakers don't craft a government bailout for them, soon. So what?"

Senate-Alaska. Alaska's Sen. Stevens loses reelection bid "Ted Stevens, the powerful and irascible politician who became an institution in the U.S. Senate while helping to transform Alaska from a rough territory into a modern state, lost his bid for reelection Tuesday." Stevens' rise and fall: In the end Alaskans tired of scandal "For years, Alaskans spoke with trepidation of the day when 'Uncle Ted' would leave the U.S. Senate, cutting off the flow of federal 'Stevens money' that helped sustain Alaska's economy. Nobody imagined that when the day finally came, it would be because Alaskans themselves voted their 'senator for life' out of the Senate."

Senate-Minnesota. More than 2.9 million ballots to be counted again in Minnesota to find U.S. Senate seat winner "Minnesota's race looms large in the broader Washington, D.C., power struggle. Depending on another undecided contest in Georgia, the Minnesota outcome could determine if Democrats attain a 60-seat majority that would enable them to overcome Republican filibusters."

Senate-Joe Lieberman. Senate Democrats Allow Lieberman to Retain Key Chairmanship "Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) easily won a vote yesterday to remain chairman of a key committee and will stay in the Senate Democratic caucus despite his high-profile criticism of President-elect Barack Obama and his support of Sen. John McCain during the presidential campaign." Democrats let Lieberman keep key chairmanship "Senator Joe Lieberman, who angered many Democrats by publicly and enthusiastically backing Republican John McCain for president, kept his committee chairmanship yesterday after Senate Democrats declared that punishment was less important than unity."

Wal-Mart donates food. Wal-Mart Gives Fresh Food to Help Combat Hunger "Responding to the economic downturn, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to give more than 90 million pounds of fresh food annually to the nation's largest nonprofit organization addressing hunger, Feeding America."

Housing. Paulson resists Democrats' call to rescue homeowners "Having committed about half of the existing $700-billion rescue fund to ease Wall Street's credit crunch, Paulson said he had no plans to spend the rest, even on the root cause of the crisis -- soaring mortgage foreclosures." U.S. homebuilding figures hit back-to-the-50s low "The number of new homes being built in the U.S. has plunged to its lowest level since 1959."

Climate change. In the U.S., environmental change gets green light "After eight years of disappointment, frustration and legal wrangling with the Bush administration, environmental groups think Barack Obama could be the nation's greenest president." Obama's video message energizes climate conference "President-elect Barack Obama sent an explicit message Tuesday to international negotiators of a new global warming treaty that, under his administration, the U.S. would move to slash its own greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80% by mid-century, and 'help lead the world toward a new era of global cooperation on climate change.'"

Play. Serious business: Childhood experts step up campaign for more free-wheeling play time "'We're all sad, and we're a little worried. ... We're sad about something missing in childhood,' psychologist and author Michael Thompson told 900 early childhood educators from 22 states packed into an auditorium last week. 'We have to fight back,' he declared. 'We're going to fight for play.'"

U.N. aid appeal. U.N. makes record $7bn aid appeal "The U.N. has launched its largest ever annual aid appeal, saying it will need $7bn (£4.6bn) to help 30 million people in 31 countries during 2009. The amount is almost double the 2008 appeal due to soaring food prices and crises in Africa, among other factors."

U.S. military. Joint Chiefs chairman says war stresses on troops are 'extraordinary' and may be growing "Stress on U.S. troops from repeated combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan is 'extraordinary' and may be worsening even as fighting eases in Iraq, the military's top officer says."

Iraq-U.S. agreement. Iraq debate on U.S. pact disrupted "Legislators loyal to Muqtada al-Sadr, the Iraqi Shia leader, have shouted down a parliamentary debate over a security pact that would keep U.S. troops in Iraq for three more years." Iraq's Maliki defends security pact "Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki went on national television to defend a divisive pact giving U.S. forces three more years on the ground in his nation as opponents reacted coolly to the plan." Under Iraq troop pact, U.S. can't leave any forces behind "The status of forces of agreement between the United States and Iraq goes further than most people in the United States realize. It contains no provisions for the U.S. to leave behind a residual force recently mentioned by Barack Obama or the trainers that have long been part of the withdrawal discussions in the United States."

Iran. U.S.-Iraqi Agreement Is Getting Mixed Reviews in Iran "Conservative Iranian politicians and newspapers have expressed opposition to the new Iraqi-American security agreement and urged Iraq's Parliament to reject it. But that view was not unanimous."

Congo. U.N. confirms DR Congo rebel retreat "United Nations peacekeepers in the Democratic Republic of Congo have confirmed that rebel fighters have started withdrawing around two eastern towns." Confusion Reigns on Congo's Front Line "A certain sense of desperation seems to be creeping across eastern Congo as more territory slips into a jumbled world between government and rebel control." Congo child soldiers say they're forced to fight, kill "Snatched from their homes by armed men who force them to carry ammunition, fight and kill, beaten if they refuse, east Congo's child soldiers are teenage victims of an unforgiving war."

Afghanistan. U.S. troops in eastern Afghanistan won't rest for winter "U.S. troops in Afghanistan will continue pursuing extremists in the eastern part of the country over the brutal winter months, but lack the forces in southern areas to mount the same offensive." U.S. Seeks New Supply Routes Into Afghanistan "A rise in Taliban attacks along the length of a vital NATO supply route that runs through this border town in the shadow of the Khyber Pass has U.S. officials seeking alternatives."

Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe, the hunters are now the hunted "As Robert Mugabe's grip on power has slipped, the thugs who carried out preelection terror in his name find themselves in the cross hairs of those they tormented."

Darfur. Senior Darfur peacekeepers' commander says mission trying to rally rebels to ceasefire "A senior commander of international peacekeepers in Darfur said the mission is encouraging rebel groups to accept a government cease-fire offer - a task made difficult by recent violence."

Syria. Britain re-establishes high-level intelligence links with Syria "Britain re-established high-level intelligence links with the Syrian authorities as David Miliband made his landmark visit to Damascus yesterday." 'Site bombed by IAF had nuclear reactor characteristics' "IAEA report: Syrian 'agricultural center' contained traces of uranium; additional report says probe into Iran's program deadlocked."