WASHINGTON NEWS

• Auto aid effort collapses — December reprieve? 11/20/2008, 6:49 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — The $25 billion rescue plan for the auto industry, desperately sought by Detroit's beleaguered Big Three, collapsed Thursday as Congress drew the line at one more bailout and Democrats said they wouldn't even consider it until the companies produced a convincing plan for rebuilding their once-mighty industry.

• Stevens gives last Senate speech as staffers weep 11/20/2008, 6:41 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — "Uncle Ted" Stevens, an old-style Senate giant and the chamber's longest-serving Republican, delivered his swan song address and yielded the floor for the final time Thursday. He was saluted by his colleagues as a staunch friend and teacher.

• Gates seen more likely to stay as Pentagon chief 11/20/2008, 6:41 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — What Robert Gates once called "inconceivable to me" — his remaining as defense secretary beyond Inauguration Day — is looking a bit more conceivable to the rest of Washington.

• DC transit system expects huge inaugural crowds 11/20/2008, 6:36 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington area's transit system is bracing for record ridership on Inauguration Day and says passengers should expect extraordinarily long lines and packed railcars and buses.

• The year 2025: Oil, dollar out; Russia, Islam in 11/20/2008, 6:35 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Global warming could be a boon to Russia, a European country could be overrun by organized crime and the U.S. and its dollar could further decline in importance during the next two decades, says a U.S. intelligence report with predictions for the world in 2025.

• Congress extends jobless benefits, stocks sink 11/20/2008, 6:29 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jarred by new jobless alarms, Congress raced to approve legislation Thursday to keep unemployment checks flowing through the December holidays and into the new year for a million or more laid-off Americans whose benefits are running out.

• Obama looks at border governor for homeland spot 11/20/2008, 6:16 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, President-elect Barack Obama's top choice to run the Homeland Security Department, is tough on illegal immigration, child abuse and Republicans.

• Dems delay auto bailout vote, seek plan from Big 3 11/20/2008, 5:38 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — The $25 billion rescue plan for the auto industry, desperately sought by Detroit's beleaguered Big Three, collapsed Thursday as Congress drew the line at one more bailout and Democrats said they wouldn't even consider it until the companies produced a convincing plan for rebuilding their once-mighty industry.

• US contractors lose immunity in Iraq security deal 11/20/2008, 5:22 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of contractors, both private Americans and non-Iraqi foreigners working in key roles for the United States in Iraq, will lose immunity and be subject to Iraqi law under new security arrangements, Bush administration officials say.

• Who's in the running for Obama administration jobs 11/20/2008, 5:19 p.m. CST
(AP) — It's Washington's favorite parlor game during a presidential transition: trying to figure out who'll land a top spot in the new administration. President-elect Barack Obama is weighing an array of Washington insiders and outsiders, including some Republicans, for Cabinet and other top positions, according to Democratic officials.

• Waxman topples Dingell; House Dems go greener 11/20/2008, 5:13 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats steered the House toward more aggressively tackling global warming and other environmental problems Thursday, toppling veteran Michigan Rep. John Dingell, a staunch supporter of Detroit automakers, from an important energy panel in favor of California liberal Rep. Henry Waxman.

• Judge orders release of 5 terror suspects at Gitmo 11/20/2008, 5:07 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge on Thursday ordered the release of five Algerians held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the continued detention of a sixth in a major blow to the Bush administration's strategy to keep terror suspects locked up without charges.

• Stevens gives last Senate speech as staffers weep 11/20/2008, 5:06 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — "Uncle Ted" Stevens, an old-style Senate giant and the chamber's longest-serving Republican, delivered his swan song address and yielded the floor for the final time Thursday. He was saluted by his colleagues as a staunch friend and teacher.

• Gates seen more likely to stay as Pentagon chief 11/20/2008, 5:06 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — What Robert Gates once called "inconceivable to me" — his remaining as defense secretary beyond Inauguration Day — is looking a bit more conceivable to the rest of Washington.

• Congress extends jobless benefits, stocks sink 11/20/2008, 5:05 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jarred by new jobless alarms, Congress raced to approve legislation Thursday to keep unemployment checks flowing through the December holidays and into the new year for a million or more laid-off Americans whose benefits are running out.

• Congress extends jobless benefits through December 11/20/2008, 4:44 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jarred by new jobless alarms, Congress raced to approve legislation Thursday to keep unemployment checks flowing through the December holidays and into the new year for a million or more laid-off Americans whose benefits are running out.

• Banks, investment firms reduce Fed loans 11/20/2008, 4:42 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Commercial banks and investment firms reduced borrowing from the Federal Reserve's emergency lending program over the past week, although demand for the loans was still elevated.

• Former Congress aide pleads guilty to hiding gifts 11/20/2008, 4:32 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former legislative aide to two Missouri Republicans, Sen. Kit Bond and Rep. Roy Blunt, pleaded guilty Thursday to hiding thousands of dollars of gifts from lobbyists, the latest political figure to go down in the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal.

• Dems: Napolitano emerges for Homeland Security job 11/20/2008, 4:24 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama is likely to choose Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano to be secretary of homeland security, top Obama advisers and several Democrats said Thursday as the shape of Obama's Cabinet begins to emerge.

• Obama looks at border governor for homeland spot 11/20/2008, 4:17 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, President-elect Barack Obama's top choice to run the Homeland Security Department, is tough on illegal immigration, child abuse and Republicans.

• HIV tests not yet as routine as cholesterol checks 11/20/2008, 4:01 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two years after the government urged making HIV tests as common as cholesterol checks, there are small gains but still one in five people infected with the AIDS virus doesn't know it, scientists said Thursday.

• APNewsAlert 11/20/2008, 4:00 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Banks, investment firms reduce emergency borrowing over past week from Federal Reserve.

• HIV tests not yet as routine as cholesterol checks 11/20/2008, 4:00 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Two years after the government urged making HIV tests as common as cholesterol checks, there are small gains but still one in five people infected with the AIDS virus doesn't know it, scientists said Thursday.

• Byrd, Senate's longest-serving member, turns 91 11/20/2008, 3:53 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — The bang-bang-bang emanating from the Capitol's historic Senate Appropriations Committee parlor Thursday was the sound of Robert C. Byrd turning 91.

• Rep. Linda Sanchez expecting her first child 11/20/2008, 3:51 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — California Democratic Rep. Linda Sanchez is pregnant with her first child.

• Napolitano is no stranger to Washington scandals 11/20/2008, 3:48 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Barack Obama's likely pick for Homeland Security secretary, Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, is no stranger to headline-making Washington scandals and controversies.

• Public split over expensive federal auto rescue 11/20/2008, 3:18 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — The congressional stalemate over whether to toss the country's big automakers a $25 billion life preserver reflects a divided public, which a poll shows is evenly split over whether to come to Detroit's rescue.

• Journalists cited for risks 11/20/2008, 3:06 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — Five journalists and an attorney who has long battled for press freedom were cited Thursday for risking their lives and liberty to report the news, often under the pressure of authoritarian regimes.

• DC transit system expects inaugural crowds 11/20/2008, 2:49 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington area's transit system is warning that passengers should expect packed railcars and buses and extraordinarily long lines on Inauguration Day.

• Former Hill aide pleads guilty to hiding gifts 11/20/2008, 2:45 p.m. CST
WASHINGTON (AP) — A former legislative aide to Missouri Sen. Kit Bond and Rep. Roy Blunt pleaded guilty Thursday to hiding thousands of dollars of gifts from lobbyists, the latest political figure to go down in the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal.