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Burris determined to take his Senate seat Tuesday (AP)

AP - Barack Obama's appointed successor is heading to the Senate to be sworn in as a member of the 111th Congress, but it isn't clear whether he'll get to take the oath of office.

Economic crisis, Obama response face new Congress (AP)

AP - The Democratic-dominated Congress convenes Tuesday to confront perhaps the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and to grapple with a hugely ambitious agenda set by President-elect Barack Obama.

Palestinians say strike on 2nd UN school kills 30 (AP)

AP - Palestinian medical officials say the death toll from an Israeli airstrike outside a United Nations school in the Gaza Strip has risen to 30.

Obama stimulus plan boosts business tax refunds (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama's proposed stimulus package would provide businesses with billions of dollars in refunds on taxes they paid several years ago.

Franken on top in Minn. recount; Coleman to sue (AP)

AP - A Minnesota board on Monday certified results showing Democrat Al Franken winning the state's U.S. Senate recount over Republican Norm Coleman, whose lawyer promised a legal challenge that probably will keep the race in limbo for months.

Stocks rise moderately ahead of data (AP)

AP - Investors waded back into the market Tuesday, sending stocks moderately higher ahead of a fresh round of readings on the service sector, factory orders and pending home sales.

Obama's intel picks short on direct experience (AP)

AP - President-elect Barack Obama's selection of an old White House hand to head the CIA shows a preference for a strong manager over an intelligence expert.

Natural gas shortages slam some European nations (AP)

AP - A natural gas crisis loomed over Europe on Tuesday, as a contract dispute between Russia and Ukraine shut off Russian gas supplies to six countries and reduced gas deliveries to several others.

Travolta family returns to US with son's remains (AP)

AP - Actor John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston have returned to Florida with the remains of their 16-year-old son, Jett, who died at the family vacation home in Grand Bahama.

Texas rallies past Ohio State 24-21 in Fiesta (AP)

AP - Left out of the national title game, Colt McCoy and Texas made the most of their trip to the Fiesta Bowl. They just hope they did enough to impress poll voters. McCoy hit Quan Cosby for a 26-yard touchdown with 16 seconds to play, lifting the third-ranked Longhorns to a 24-21 victory over No. 10 Ohio State on Monday night. The dramatic strike capped an 11-play, 78-yard drive that took only 1:42.

Israeli troops deepen push into Gaza (Reuters)

Reuters - Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip killed more than 30 Palestinian civilians on Tuesday, medical officials said, and international efforts to secure a ceasefire focused on an Israeli demand to prevent Hamas from rearming.

New Congress set to convene with economy in focus (Reuters)

Reuters - The new U.S. Congress convenes on Tuesday under pressure to deal with a worsening economy by passing a stimulus package that Barack Obama could sign into law soon after being sworn in as president.

European data grim (Reuters)

Reuters - Dire economic data underlined the severity of recession in Europe on Tuesday, while Toyota Motor Corp said it would halt all production in Japan in response to plunging demand.

Russian gas disruption spreads across Europe (Reuters)

Reuters - Russia sharply cut gas flows to Europe via Ukraine on Tuesday in a dramatic worsening of a pricing dispute with Kiev that threatened to disrupt supplies as far west as Italy and Germany.

More Americans getting multiple chronic illnesses (Reuters)

Reuters - More Americans are burdened by chronic illnesses such as diabetes and high blood pressure, often having more than three at a time, and this has helped fuel a big rise in out-of-pocket medical expenses, a study released on Tuesday showed.