The Note’s Must-Reads for Friday, January 2, 2009

Compiled by ABC News’ PETER MARTINEZ, CARRIE HALPERIN, KRISTEN RED-HORSE, JAYCE HENDERSON and JUSTIN GRANT

2009: ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

"Challenges for Obama in 2009" LINK

"Americans’ New Year’s Resolutions" LINK

"Economic Forecast for 2009" LINK

"A School-Based Shooting Range" LINK

2009: CRISIS IN THE MIDDLE EAST:

The Associated Press’ Ibrahim and Jason Keyser: "Israeli Airstrike Kills a Top Hamas Leader" LINK

The Washington Post’s Joshua Mitnick: "Hamas calls for ‘day of wrath’" LINK

The Boston Globe’s Isabel Kershner: "Israel kills a Hamas leader" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Margaret Coker and Jay Solomon: “Israel Discusses Cease-Fire Amid New Attacks on Hamas” LINK

Bloomberg’s Peter Hirschberg and Saud Abu Ramadan: “Israel Assault on Gaza Kills Hamas Leader as Diplomacy Falters” LINK

The New York Times’ Isabel Kershner: "In a Broadening Offensive, Israel Steps Up Diplomacy" LINK

The Washington Post’s Griff Witte: "Senior Hamas Leader Killed" LINK

 

2009: ILLINOIS GOVERNOR ROD BLAGOJEVICH and the SENATE SEAT:

The New York Daily News’ Richard Sisk: "Blago pick Burris confident Senate Dems will let him in" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s David Kesmodel and Douglas Belkin: “Burris Predicts Senators Will Relent, Let Him Serve” LINK

McClatchy-Tribune writer: “Rod Blagojevich’s Senate pick doesn’t want ‘scene’” LINK

2009: PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA AND THE WHITE HOUSE TRANSITION:

ABC News’ Special Index for the 44th President: LINK

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: "Pres-elect Obama Coming to Hill Monday" LINK

ABC News’ Jake Tapper: "Military Times Poll Shows Skepticism for New Commander in Chief" LINK

The Washington Times’ Jerry Seper: "Obama faces Mexican drug war" LINK

The Boston Globe’s David L. Phillips: "A counterterrorism plan for Obama" LINK

The Associated Press: "Obamas’ Hawaiian getaway wraps up" LINK

The Politico’s Carol E. Lee: "Obama to Talk Stimulus with Hill Leaders" LINK

Bloomberg’s Demian McLean: “Obama Moves to Counter China in Space with Pentagon-NASA Link” LINK

The New York Times’ Eric Pfanner: "Citing Obama’s Win, European Ad Chief Is Hopeful" LINK

The Washington Post’s Philip Rucker: "Hawaii’s Still Waters Run Deep for the President-Elect" LINK

The Washington Post’s Philip Rucker: "Obama Wraps Up His Hawaiian Vacation" LINK

The Washington Post’s Carol d. Leonning: "Obama’s Team Rankles the Right" LINK

The Washington Post’s Keith B. Richburg: "New Administration Inspires Hope for Full Access to Statue" LINK

2009: PRESIDENT-ELECT OBAMA AND THE INAUGURATION:

The Associated Press’ Gillian Gaynair: "Web Site Lets Users Register Inaugural Gown" LINK

The Associated Press: "An Obama inaugural ball will be only for military" LINK

The Boston Globe’s Sasha Issenberg: "For inauguration zeal, LBJ ’65 may be the precedent for Obama" LINK

The Associated Press’ Brian White: "Old hands spin spectacle befitting new president" LINK

2009: MADOFF SCAM:

The New York Times’ Alex Berenson and Matthew Saltmarsh: "Madoff Investor’s Suicide Leaves Questions" LINK

2009: AUTO INDUSTRY:

Bloomberg’s Alex Ortolani: “GM, Chrysler May Lead December Sales Slide, Capping 16-Year Low” LINK

2009: ECONOMY:

USA Today’s Adam Shell: "Expert predictions: Stock market could be good in 2009" LINK

USA Today’s Jayne O’Donnell: "Stores loosen policies to make it easier to return holiday gifts" LINK

USA Today: "Business of bankruptcy bustles in Wilmington, Del." LINK

USA Today’s Matt Krantz: "Markets’ fall in 2008 was worst in seven decades" LINK

The Associated Press’ Joan Lowy: "Panel Wants Fuel Taxes Hiked to Fund Highways" LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Laura Olson: "Alexandria, Va., Turns To Ethicist To Help With Budget Cuts" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Ilan Brat and Timothy W. Martin: “As Salt Prices Rise, Frozen Towns Reach for Molasses” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s E.S. Browning: “After the Collapse, Guarded Hope for ’09” LINK

Bloomberg’s Ron Harui: “Euro Declines against Dollar, Yen on Concern Recession Deepened” LINK

Bloomberg’s Shamim Adam: “Asia’s Economic Slump Deepens as Manufacturing, Exports Shrink” LINK

Bloomberg’s Shobhana Chandra: “U.S. Manufacturing Probably Shrank at Fastest Rate Since 1980” LINK

Bloomberg’s Christian Schmollinger: “Crude Oil Falls on Concern Slowing Economy to Limit Fuel Demand” LINK

Bloomberg’s Chris Burritt: “Wal-Mart Poised to Repeat Share Gains, Grab Target’s Customers” LINK

The New York Times’ Louis Uchitelle: "Steel Industry, in Slump, Looks to U.S. Stimulus" LINK

The New York Times’ Andrew Martin: "As Recession Deepens, So Does Milk Surplus" LINK

The Washington Post’s Dana Hedgpeth: "Credit Freeze Puts Chill on Dealmaking, With Volume Down 29%" LINK

2009: CAROLINE KENNEDY:

The New York Daily News’ Michael Saul: "Sheeky ignores Kennedy camp call to chill" LINK

Boston Herald Op-Ed by W.Z. Woodlief: “She’s never been all talk” LINK

2009: CURRENT ADMINISTRATION:

ABC News’ Mike Gudgell: "New Year, Big Changes for U.S. Troops in Iraq" LINK

The Washington Post’s Michael Abramowitz: "Two Advisers reflect on Eight Years with Bush" LINK

2009: SENATE:

The Los Angeles Times’ Janet Hook: "Moderate Republicans May Be in Big Demand in Senate" LINK

2009: GREEN EARTH:

USA Today’s Kerry Hannon: "Businesses’ green chances are wide, but complex" LINK

The Los Angeles Times’ Richard Fausset: "After Tennessee Ash Spill, Cleanup And Worry" LINK

2009: OTHER MUST-READS:

The Washington Post’s Amy Gardner: "9 Muslim Passengers Removed From Jet" LINK

The New York Times’ William H. Honan: "Claiborne Pell, Ex-Senator, Dies at 90" LINK

The Assocated Press’ Gillian Flaccus: "Santa Gunman Led 2 Lives to Plot Killings" LINK

The Associated Press: "Lawyer: Dec. 25 Movie Gunman Fired in Self-Defense" LINK

USA Today’s John Fritze: "’Transparency’ fixes seen in Congress’ future" LINK

The Boston Globe’s James Vaznis: "In Detroit, a lesson in same-sex schools" LINK

The Hill’s Reid Wilson: "Former Rhode Island Sen. Claiborne Pell Dies At 90" LINK

The Politico’s Andy Barr: "The Top 10 Weirdest Moments Of 2008" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Matthew Futterman: “Off-the-Field Losses Crimp Team Owners” LINK

Bloomberg’s Jens Erik Gould: “Castro Vows to Extend Cuban Revolution, Rejects U.S. Overtures” LINK

VIDEOS: WELCOMING IN 2009 WORLDWIDE:

Russia – LINK

Germany – LINK

United Kingdom – LINK

Ukraine – LINK

Australia – LINK

Japan – LINK

Hong Kong – LINK