Politico - President-elect Barack Obama has answered bipartisan calls for the disbandment of the White House office central to the Karl Rove-style politics the Democrat condemned as a candidate. The office stays.

AP - Top-seeded Russia held off the United States in the 38th Chess Olympiad in round eight of open division play Friday, but the Armenian team crushed France and stayed in first place.

AP - Before the inaugural euphoria on Capitol Hill comes the gloom.

AP - A key U.N. committee criticized Myanmar and North Korea on their human rights records Friday, and also targeted Iran despite its efforts to block the vote.

AP - Even while publicly sidelining himself, President-elect Barack Obama was active behind the scenes during congressional debate this past week over an auto industry bailout.

Politico - Remarks of President-elect Barack Obama

AP - Sarah Palin is juggling offers to write books, appear in films and sit on dozens of interview couches at a rate astonishing for most Hollywood stars, let alone a first-term governor.

AP - On second thought, some of those Minnesota Senate ballots may be un-challenged.

AP - The Supreme Court could hand President-elect Barack Obama a delicate problem in the coming days: What to do with a suspected al-Qaida sleeper agent who is the only person detained in this country as an enemy combatant?

AP - Before the inaugural euphoria on Capitol Hill comes the gloom.

Politico - President-elect Obama, who had promised while campaigning to save 1 million jobs, committed himself Saturday morning to an expanded “Economic Recovery Plan” that will save or create 2.5 million jobs during his first two years in office through such measures as road and bridge repair and investments in clean energy.

AP - Two main quarries are supplying the building blocks for President-elect Barack Obama's new administration.

AP - Eager for a quick start, Democratic congressional leaders intend to begin work in early January on priority legislation so it can be ready for President-elect Barack Obama's signature shortly after he takes office, according to officials familiar with the plans.

Politico - Media bias was more intense in the 2008 election than in any other national campaign in recent history, Time magazine's Mark Halperin said Friday at the Politico/USC conference on the 2008 election.

AP - North Korea strongly rejected a U.N. resolution condemning its human rights record and warned South Korea would 'face the dearest price' for co-sponsoring it, reports said Saturday.

AP - President George W. Bush snared fresh international support Saturday on the economy and North Korea, emerging from his final world gathering with modest wins and growing nostalgia about his turbulent tenure.

Politico - Timothy Geithner, the New York Fed chief poised to be Barack Obama’s Treasury secretary, would bring to the table a keen sense of pragmatism and coolness under pressure – and an increasingly important international perspective, say those who know him and his work well.

AP - President George W. Bush snared fresh international support Saturday on the economy and North Korea, emerging from his final world gathering with modest wins and growing nostalgia about his turbulent tenure.

Politico - One Democratic operative suggests keeping track of Barack Obama’s Cabinet selections with a March Madness-type tournament chart. While no official announcements have been made, a controlled series of leaks have given a good sense of who's still in contention, and which big names have been bounced from the bracket.

Politico - Democratic sources report two major decisions by President-elect Obama: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) will be named secretary of Commerce, subject to final vetting. And Lawrence Summers, Treasury secretary in the Clinton administration, will be White House economic adviser.

AP - Officials say German police carried out raids in three states searching for suspected supporters of a terror cell whose plans to attack U.S. targets in Germany were foiled last year.