Gaza: Talks, more aistrikes...Obama and the presidents...Flood threat

UNDATED (AP) A Middle Eastern diplomat says Turkey will be given the task of putting together an international force for Gaza.

Meanwhile, Egyptian diplomats say they will hold separate talks Thursday in Cairo with representatives of Israel, Hamas and the Palestinian Authority. In Gaza, there have been early Thursday airstrikes.

Washington (AP) Facing a grim economy and a Middle East on fire, President-elect Barack Obama has turned to perhaps the only people who understand what he's in for: the four living U.S.

presidents. They had discussions and lunch at the White House today.

SNOQUALMIE, Wash. (AP) Rain and high winds are lashing Washington state. And with the heavy snowfall that has buried parts of the state beginning to rapidly melt, there are widespread avalanches, mudslides, flooding and road closures. One forecaster is predicting "a memorable flood event."


BOSTON (AP) Citgo, the Venezuelan government's U.S.-based oil subsidiary, says it will continue shipments of heating oil to poor families in the U.S. The head of the nonprofit which distributes the fuel says Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez intervened directly.

Citgo had said it was suspending the aid because of the economic crisis.

WASHINGTON (AP) MSNBC political commentator Chris Matthews has told his colleagues he won't be leaving television to run for a U.S. Senate seat from Pennsylvania. There's been speculation that Matthews would challenge Republican Sen. Arlen Specter in 2010.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 01-07-09 2157CST | save this article / add to your favorites list