Morning Swim: The Day After

Here’s a look at what caught my eye in the news today.

• Confusing ballots in Iraq? 14,500 candidates and 440 open provincial council seats.
• Dismal holiday season for U.S. Retailers. Sales fell more than 4%.
• Obama visited troops stationed in Hawaii.
• Al Qaeda chief escapes Iraqi jail as 13 others killed in a shootout.
• The former head of the Chinese company that produced melamine tainted powdered milk may face the death penalty.
• The crappy economy is forcing many states to reduce healthcare for the poor.
• The Boston Globe has assembled their choices for the best news photos of 2008: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.

What did you find on the interweb this morning?

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