China's Donkey Droppings
By NICHOLAS D. KRISTOF
China's repression has now engulfed a member of The New
York Times's family, Zhao Yan, a researcher for our Beijing
bureau.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/01/opinion/01kristof.html?th

Security Czar Ridge Resigns

WASHINGTON-Declaring that the United States has become a much
harder target for terrorists to strike, Tom Ridge announced his
resignation after nearly two years as the nation's first Homeland
Security secretary. Experts give his efforts to enhance post-9/11
safety mixed reviews. By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar and Edwin Chen.

http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6k0A2

PR Meets Psy-Ops in War on Terror

WASHINGTON-The use of misleading information as a military tool
sparks debate in the Pentagon. Critics say the practice puts
credibility at stake. By Mark Mazzetti.

http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6l0A3

Intelligence Bill Slipping Away, but Foe Won't Budge

WASHINGTON-President Bush has personally lobbied him. Families of
the Sept. 11 victims have publicly blamed him. But with time
running out for Congress to enact a bill this year that would put
a single official in charge of the nation's intelligence agencies,
Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) is standing firm in
opposition. By Mary Curtius.

http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6m0A4

China Mine Explosion Death Toll Rises to 166

MIAOWANZHEN, China-The disaster is the worst of its kind in four
years. Disregard for safety and a quest for cheap energy are cited
as nation leads in coal worker fatalities. By Mark Magnier.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6n0A5

4 Hearts, 1 Loving Marriage

Sandra Landau painstakingly nursed her husband, Mark, back to
health after his heart transplant. Then the roles were reversed.
By Jeff Gottlieb.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6o0A6

Salmon and Steelhead May Lose Protections

The Bush administration proposes to roll back "critical habitat"
for the ever-declining fish by up to 90%. Developers applaud the
plan. By Kenneth R. Weiss.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6p0A7

Ukrainian Election Negotiations Collapse

KIEV, Ukraine-European Union envoy is to meet with the opposition,
while parliament and the Supreme Court plan to continue to work
for a solution to the crisis. By David Holley.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6q0A8

Bush Welcomed by Leader, Not Canadians

OTTAWA-President Bush and Prime Minister Paul Martin focus on
common ground as protesters rally. They hope to leave Iraq discord
behind. By Maura Reynolds.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6r0AA

U.S. Troops Still Dying in Ramadi Amid 'Relative Peace, Tranquillity'

RAMADI, Iraq-Although ambushes and bombings are routine there, the
city doesn't need a Fallouja-style crackdown, say officers with a
military unit. By John Hendren.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6s0AB

German Suit Accuses U.S. of Condoning Iraq Torture

BERLIN-An American civil rights group filed a criminal complaint
in Germany alleging Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and other
U.S. officials condoned torture and human rights violations at Abu
Ghraib prison in Iraq. By Jeffrey Fleishman.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6t0AC

Justices Weigh Gender Equity Law

WASHINGTON-The landmark gender equity law known as Title IX, which
touched off a revolution in women's sports, came before the
Supreme Court as the justices debated whether to protect coaches
and teachers who complain that their schools or colleges fail to
give girls equal treatment. By David G. Savage.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6u0AD

Mfume Steps Down as Head of the NAACP

WASHINGTON-Kweisi Mfume, the former congressman from Baltimore who
helped rescue the NAACP from debt and controversy nearly nine
years ago, announced he was resigning as the president and chief
executive of the venerable civil rights organization. By Johanna
Neuman.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6v0AE

Po'ouli Is Closer to Extinction as Captive Endangered Bird Dies

SAN DIEGO-The only captive member of what may be the world's most
endangered species of bird has died in Hawaii, zoo officials
announced. By Tony Perry.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6w0AF

CALIFORNIA
__________
Giving Tradition a Chance

Shin Buddhists celebrate Little Tokyo temple's 100th anniversary,
but ponder faith's future in the United States. By Teresa
Watanabe.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6x0AG

Surprise Shift in Prop. 72 Vote Tally

SACRAMENTO-The fate of a statewide proposition mandating health
insurance coverage - assumed to have been defeated in the Nov. 2
elections - was thrown into confusion after the secretary of
state's office reported that late-counted ballots had given
Proposition 72 a narrow margin of victory. But officials say a
clerical error may be responsible. By Jordan Rau and Tim
Reiterman.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6y0AH

San Diego Vote Saga Continues

SAN DIEGO-Appellate judge stops city from declaring Dick Murphy
the mayoral winner over write-in challenger Donna Frye pending a
hearing. By Tony Perry.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ6z0AI

Steve Lopez: Passing the Buck, and the Homeless
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ610A4

Anthem, WellPoint Merger Is Complete

After several false starts and months of controversy, Anthem Inc.
completed its acquisition of WellPoint Health Networks Inc.,
creating the largest health insurer in the nation with more than
28 million members. One executive says members can expect more
choices but not lower prices. By Lisa Girion.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ620A5

Hedge Fund Would Take a Gamble With Assets

To get a fair shake with your investment dollars, forget Wall
Street. Head for the Las Vegas Strip. So says billionaire Mark
Cuban. By Tom Petruno.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ630A6

Flaw Proves Fatal to Players' Memories

Promotional discs sent by Sony have an error that erases key data
on PlayStation 2 video game consoles. By Alex Pham.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ650A8

Oscar Bids Lost in Translation

Such acclaimed films as "A Very Long Engagement" and "The
Motorcycle Diaries" are barred by rules on foreign-language
awards. Even Mel Gibson's "The Passion of the Christ," told
entirely in Aramaic, can't compete. By John Horn.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ660AA

NBC Loses Youth Mantle to CBS

For 20 years, NBC had a virtual airtight seal on TV programs aimed
at young adults, starting with "The Cosby Show" and continuing
through "Cheers" and "Friends." Now it is battling for second
place with - is it possible? - ABC. By Scott Collins.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ670AB

The Art of Faking It

Rick Caruso is dashing, fabulously rich, politically connected and
determined to reinvent one of the country's most ubiquitous
cultural icons - the shopping mall. His "lifestyle center" concept
is becoming increasingly popular among developers. By Tina Daunt.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ7B0AN

Finally, Green Means Go

Speedier than the regular V-6, Honda's 2005 Accord Hybrid puts
do-gooders in the fast lane. Its an EPA mileage rating is 29,
substantially better than the Accord with the four-cylinder
engine. By Dan Neil.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ7C0AO

Whiskey Reinvented

Forget Scotland and Kentucky. Up and down the West Coast, a craft
distilling movement is gathering steam. The result is whiskeys
with very distinct personalities. By Charles Perry.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ7D0AP

Tamales at Home for the Holidays

There's nothing like making them fresh in your own kitchen.
Consider one of the recipes that Latin American families have
passed along from generation to generation, and shown off at
tamale-making parties. By Corie Brown.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ7E0AQ

The Numbers Are Dwindling

There are only two black head coaches in the 117 Division I-A
football programs. By Thomas Bonk.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ7G0AS

Editorial: Timeout for Term Limits

The first real academic study of the effect of term limits on
California confirms the obvious: Term limits made the Legislature
worse, not better.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ7J0AV

Mad as Hell? Not at the Top

Once again, the face of American television news is changing. The
older generation of anchormen is yielding to a younger generation.
Can the changing of the electronic guard offer any promise of more
substantive coverage of our dangerous and unpredictable world? The
answer is almost certainly no. By Marvin Kalb.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ7K0AW

Disorganized Labor

A group of labor leaders wants to dramatically reorganize the
AFL-CIO to make it more relevant to 21st Century workers.
Traditionalists see the proposal as an elitist coup attempt. The
fight could well lead to the demise of unions rather than their
rebirth. By Richard Hurd.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ7L0AX

They're Not Wed, but They've Made It Official

Couples nationwide rely on West Hollywood's partner registry to
get health benefits. By Richard Fausset.
http://email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ekh...Io30G2B0GJ7M0AY

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/FL02Ag01.html

In Ukraine, a franchised revolution

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/FL02Ak02.html

From Guernica to Fallujah
Pepe Escobar

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FL01Aa01.html

Neo-cons jump on anti-UN bandwagon
Jim Lobe

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FK30Aa01.html

High tech failure against terror

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&...d=1&m=12&y=2004

Kingdom Offers Full Support to Iraq

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&...ategory=Kingdom

Saudi Arabia Ready to Cut Iraq Debts

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&...d=1&m=12&y=2004

Preparations Under Way for Inter-Iraq Talks

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=4§ion=0&...&category=World

Iran Claims Victory in Nuke Dispute

http://www.antiwar.com/pat/?articleid=4086

Time to Engage Iran?
Pat Buchanan

http://www.bhhrg.org/pressDetails.asp?ArticleID=31

People Power? George Power

http://www.prospect.org/web/page.ww?sectio...&articleId=8908

Of Mosul and Men
Stop wondering whether civil war will erupt in Iraq. It already has.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1255125.htm

Abu Ghraib torture complaint names Rumsfeld

http://news.ft.com/cms/s/25a09e84-42f9-11d...000e2511c8.html

UN panel calls on all countries to ratify ICC

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...israel_politics

Likud Party Begins Contacts with Labor

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200412/s1255129.htm

Budget row endangers Sharon's coalition

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?t...storyID=6953829

Israeli Coalition Crisis May Force Early Election

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?t...storyID=6967280

Ukraine Parliament Votes to Sack Government

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=100...=top_world_news

Ukraine's Yanukovych Loses Parliament's Confidence

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?...0854EST0495.DTL

Yanukovych files appeal against election results with Supreme Court

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_articl...aine+mediation+

Schroeder steps back from Ukraine mediation

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...l_nm/mideast_dc

Barghouthi to Run for Palestinian President