Israel said it was approaching the “endgame” of its three-week offensive against Gaza’s Hamas rulers and scheduled a Security Cabinet vote today on a truce proposed by Egypt.

UNPOPULAR but unbowed, President George W Bush defended his tumultuous two terms in a farewell address to the nation on Thursday night, claiming a hard-won record of achievement.

TAKING his economic pitch on the road yesterday, US President-elect Barack Obama promoted his plans to create long-lasting, well-paying jobs in cutting-edge industries like alternative energy as part of his mammoth plan to pull the country out of recession.

Tiger Woods has accepted an invitation to speak at the Lincoln Memorial on Sunday as part of President-elect Barack Obama’s inauguration festivities.

A US federal judge refused to order the words “so help me God” taken out of President-elect Barack Obama’s inaugural oath or to stop ministers from praying at the inauguration ceremony.

THE Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted overwhelmingly yesterday for Hillary Clinton to become the next secretary of state, with lawmakers saying they were hopeful her leadership would mark a turn from warfare toward diplomacy.

AL-QAIDA chief Osama bin Laden urged Muslims to launch a jihad against Israel and condemned Arab governments as allies of the Jewish state in a new message aimed at harnessing anger in the Middle East over the Gaza offensive.

A US man charged with threatening to kill President George Bush professed his innocence in court, then started sobbing after a federal magistrate ordered him to be jailed.

IN A final news conference, President George W Bush defended his record vigorously and, at times, sentimentally yesterday.

The war-torn Middle East can learn from the Irish peace process by ending violence through dialogue, Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams said today.

US vice president-elect Joe Biden promised US support for Afghanistan’s struggle against terrorism, drugs and corruption, in a surprise visit to southern Kandahar and Helmand provinces.

Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was impeached by furious colleagues who said he had turned state government into a “freak show”.

A jump in unemployment sent stocks plunging today as investors feared Americans will not deviate from their tightened budgets.

Israel today announced a pause in its 12-day Gaza offensive to allow desperately-needed food, fuel and medicine into the shattered region.

Al-Qaida’s number two lashed out at US president-elect Barack Obama in a new audio recording, blaming him for doing nothing to stop Israel’s offensive in Gaza, according to an intelligence monitoring centre.

Caution returned to Wall Street today as investors gave back some gains from last week’s rally even as they found encouragement from President-elect Barack Obama’s calls for an economic stimulus package

US President-elect Barack Obama landed in the Washington area today, setting up the final march toward his January 20 inauguration.

Japanese stocks opened the year stronger, with the benchmark index jumping to a two-month high today, lifted by optimism over a US economic stimulus plan.

THE vast majority of Irish people will support Taoiseach Brian Cowen’s forthright condemnation of Israel’s ground offensive in Gaza.

New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson today announced he is withdrawing his nomination to be US President-elect Barack Obama’s commerce secretary amid a grand jury investigation.

The next US first lady Michelle Obama and her two daughters have arrived in Washington ahead of President-elect Barack Obama.

US President George Bush branded the Hamas rocket attacks on Israel an “act of terror” and outlined his own condition for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying no peace deal would be acceptable without monitoring to halt the flow of smuggled weapons to terrorist groups.

FORMER model Bianca Jagger and singer Annie Lennox joined human rights campaigners yesterday to call on American president-elect Barack Obama to speak up against the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip.

Fifty years after triumphant armed rebels descended from the eastern mountains, communist Cuba celebrated the revolution’s anniversary with toned-down festivities following a trio of devastating hurricanes and under the enduring public absence of an ailing Fidel Castro.

Australia confirmed today that the US has asked it to consider accepting detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention camp for terror suspects, and the acting prime minister said they would do so on a case by case basis.

ROD BLAGOJEVICH created a new distraction for his state by making an appointment to the US Senate even while he faces federal corruption charges for, in part, allegedly trying to sell the very seat he now is trying to fill.

A handful of pro-Palestinian activists protested outside President-elect Barack Obama’s holiday home in Hawaii today and urged a new approach to the Middle East.

UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has urged Arab and world leaders to do more to end the “unacceptable” violence in Gaza as Israel bombed the region for the third day.

Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin looks set to become the first Irish Government minister to travel to Cuba.

FOREIGN Affairs Minister Micheál Martin has sent a strong signal that he would favour the admission of detainees from Guantanamo Bay.

US President George Bush was today spending Christmas at Camp David for the 12th time.

Experts are warning that economic activity in the longest US recession in 25 years could plunge as much as 6% this quarter – the largest decline since 1982.

Rihanna is set to perform on US President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration night in aid of a hunger-relief charity.

Former US President Bill Clinton has released records that show governments, corporations and billionaires with their own interests in US foreign policy made millions of dollars in contributions to his charitable foundation.

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has asked for an updated proposal for closing the controversial Guantanamo Bay detention camp in case President-elect Barack Obama asks for one soon after taking office next month, officials said.

OFFICIALS in Alaska are investigating racist jokes about US president-elect Barack Obama that were circulating on state government email accounts.

Wall Street extended its losses today as a negative ratings outlook on financial and industrial powerhouse General Electric Co shook an already fragile investor psyche and sent stocks tumbling.

Eva Mendes' celebrity status can't buy her everything - she's been turned down for a ticket to US president-elect Barack Obama's inauguration into the White House.

George Bush said he refused to “compromise his soul” to be popular during his eight-year tenure as US president.

Latin American nations should expel US ambassadors until the United States lifts its economic blockade on Cuba, Bolivian President Evo Morales said.

US president-elect Barack Obama was named as the “person of the year” by the US magazine Time today.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown today hailed the British military’s involvement in Iraq a “success story”.

The US Federal Reserve slashed its key interest rate from 1% to a range of between zero and 0.25% in a move to combat a prolonged recession.

The Bush administration declared it would step in and prevent the “precipitous collapse” of the US car industry and the hundreds of thousands of job losses sure to follow.