Senate commitee confirms Rice as Secretary of State Wednesday

Two and half days after commitee hearings began, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved Condoleezza Rice's nomination for Secretary of State by a ratio of 16-2 Wednesday, according to CNN.com.

Rice faced rigorous questions and grilling from senators during the confirmation hearings.

One of the two senators who did not vote affirmatively for Rice was presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.), according to CNN.com.

Rice will replace Colin Powell, who declined to serve a second term with the Bush administration.

According to WHNT-TV, Powell said he believes Rice will bring "gifted leadership" to the State Department.

Bush sworn in for second term in most secure inauguration yet

President George W. Bush was sworn in as president for the second time yesterday, during an inauguration ceremony that cost over $40 million.

Bush's second inaugural address emphasized the attainment of peace coming from widespread freedom throughout the world.

Bush was sworn in by Chief Justice William Rehnquist, and Vice President Dick Cheney was sworn in by House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Scheduled to follow the ceremony was a traditional inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, along with several inaugural balls, according to CNN.com.

Also according to CNN.com, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said security for the event was planned to be higher than for any previous inauguration.

U.S. relief force shrinks after tsunami reconstruction begins

U.S. forces are preparing to wind down tsunami relief in Asia despite reservations concerning the possibly unmet needs of more survivors of the Dec. 26 natural disaster, which claimed more than 150,000 lives, according to Reuters.

U.S. Pacific Command chief Admiral Thomas Fargo said relief efforts were evolving into reconstruction, and the time had come, four weeks after the tsunami hit, to cut the amount of military deployment, according to Reuters.

About 16,500 U.S. workers were involved on site for relief labors until recently.

Most military aid is expected to shift by the end of February, although international aid officials said there is still plenty of work to do.

Appointment of Bush ex-lawyer as Attorney General on hold

Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee asked for a one-week hold Wednesday on Attorney General designate Albert Gonzales's nomination.

Gonzales is expected to be confirmed, and if so, would be the first Hispanic attorney general and would replace John Ashcroft, according to FOXNews.com.

Gonzales served as George W. Bush's lawyer during the president's first term.

Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), said the committee needed more time before voting because Gonzales had not finished questioning, according to FOXNews.com.

According to Fox, Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter is expected to call for a confirmation vote when the committee returns from its January recess next week.

NFC, AFC championship games Sunday at 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Conference Championships between the NFC's Atlanta Falcons and Philadelphia Eagles and the AFC's New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers kicks off Sunday afternoon to decide who is headed for Super Bowl XXXVI.

The NFC Championship will mark Philadelphia's fourth appearance in a row, but the football team has yet to come out of a conference championship victorious.

The AFC's Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI, beating the St. Louis Rams by a field goal.

The NFC playoff game will begin at 2 p.m. and run on FOX, while the AFC game will be on at 5:30 p.m. and run on CBS. These will be the last two games before Super Bowl XXXIX on Feb. 6 at 5 p.m. on FOX.

The Super Bowl will be held in the Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla.

DiCaprio, Swank, Eastwood, Foxx win Golden Globe awards

Sunday evening a chosen few in movies and television were allowed to take home an award at this year's Hollywood Foreign Press Association's Golden Globes.

The Best Picture, drama title was given to the Howard Hughes biopic, "The Aviator."

Complementing that award was Best Actor in a drama film, Leonardo DiCaprio, who portrayed Hughes.

Best Actress in a drama film went to Hilary Swank for her portrayal as a female boxer in the Clint Eastwood directed "Million Dollar Baby."

Eastwood also won for Best Director for his role in the making of the film.

Jamie Foxx took home Best Actor in a comedy, musical for bringing back to life the late Ray Charles in another bioographical film, "Ray."

Sources anticipate bombings before Iraqi political elections

According to CNN.com, intelligence sources estimate 150 car bombings and 250 suicide attacks are planned ahead of Iraqi elections at the end of the month.

A top Iraqi police official told CNN Thursday the information came to light during interrogations of recently detained insurgents who said targets of the attacks would include election centers and other locations, without being specific.

The warnings were released to the public one day after four suicide car bomb attacks occurred in and around Baghdad, killing at least 25 Iraqis.

Several Islamic Web sites published claims of responsibility for all four of the bombings by the terrorist network led by Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, who has ties to al Qaeda.

Iraq remains under a state of emergency, which was renewed earlier this month by interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi, as a precaution ahead of Jan. 30 elections.