The Boston Foundation and city officials are preparing to flood a 1.5-square-mile section of the city with massive crime-fighting resources over the next six years, pinpointing about 2,000 young criminals who they believe drive more than three-quarters of the city's violence.

The $26 million effort, which will be formally announced later this month, will dispatch 25 new street workers - or "violence interrupters" - into five neighborhoods along or near Blue Hill Avenue, to make contact with gang members and try to defuse conflicts.

Source: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/12/04/a_26m_try_to_tame_citys_crime_hot_spots/

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Two suicide bombers on Thursday simultaneously struck the Iraqi city of Falluja, destroying a school and killing at least 15 people -- including some of the students -- an Interior Ministry official said.

Bodies are still buried beneath the rubble of the school, the official said.

The attackers rammed oil tankers into two Iraqi police posts, one located near the destroyed school.

The twin strikes, which occurred shortly after noon, left at least 147 civilians and police wounded, he said.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/12/04/iraq.main/index.html

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Humbled U.S. automakers pleaded with Congress Thursday for an expanded $34 billion rescue package, but heard fresh skepticism in a bumpy encore appearance.

The three executives made the trip in new-model autos made by their respective companies, two weeks after a botched attempt for aid that included harsh criticism of corporate leaders who flew here on private jets to beg for money.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081204/ap_on_go_co/congress_autos