Frontpage: Thursday, Dec. 15

- U.S. Lowers Battle Flag in Iraq: Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta attended the ceremony in Baghdad that marked the official end to the war in Iraq.
- Congress Signals Progress in Deadlock: First signs of progress against a government shutdown.
- Ex-French President Guilty of Graft: Jacque Chirac was found guilty of diverting funds in a court Thursday.
- Cain Wants to be Defense Secretary: The former GOP front runner told Barbara Walters in an interview. LOL.
- Bootleg Liquor Kills 143 in India: Police closed 10 illicit liquor dens in an Eastern India town after 143 die from booze they may have had methanol.
Photo: Russia’s Prime Minister Vladimir Putin arrives for his annual question-and-answer television program. Putin said the results of Russia’s parliamentary elections reflected popular opinion but said he was pleased by the sight of mass protests of mainly young people. (Alexey Druzhinin, AFP / Getty Images)

