Day in Photos

Dec. 4, 2008

Sadr Aide Carries Hope for a Movement

Hazim al-Araji stands at the center of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr's efforts for reform, but Sadrists are facing the biggest challenge to their survival since Saddam Hussein's reign.

Decking the White House Halls

First lady Laura Bush gives a preview of this year's holiday decorations at the White House.

Humanitarian Crisis Deepens in Zimbabwe

As inflation soars and the government remains paralyzed since disputed March elections, Zimbabweans struggle to find food, clean water and health care.

Top 10 Sports Photos

A look at amazing moments in sports.

Slowed Development Frustrates Communities

The economic boom of recent years launched development across the region. But much of that promise is faltering under an economic slowdown.

Animal Views

Our weekly photo gallery showcases animals from across the globe.

Venice Submerged Under Flood Waters

Heavy rains and strong winds caused the worst flooding in Venice, Italy, in two decades, leaving much of the city under water.

A Resting Place, At Last

Two decades ago on Dec. 1, the first World AIDS Day drew attention to the global epidemic. Within two years, D.C. family doctor David Hilfiker, who had been working and living with the homeless, opened Joseph's House in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of Washington, D.C., after noticing that an increasing number of them had been diagnosed with HIV.

Inside Bet

Cracking the two biggest cheating scandals in the history of online poker

Clinton To Be Nominated Secretary of State

President-elect Barack Obama today announced that he intends to nominate Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) to serve as his secretary of state. While some applaud the choice, others worry that Clinton's nomination will only complicate the pursuit of Obama's foreign policy agenda.

Eye on the World

This week's events from around the world, captured in photographs.

Week 13: Giants 23, Redskins 7

The Giants win a key NFC East matchup at FedEx Field, building an early 13-0 lead and maintaining control throughout.

How She's Grown

Born with dwarfism, Caitlin Schroeder decided to undergo a grueling surgery and recovery process to lengthen her legs.

In the Midst of Transition

After a long campaign process, president-elect Barack Obama and his transition team are preparing for their ascension to the White House.

Black Friday 2008

While the country remains in an economic slump, shoppers eager to get some of the best sales of the holiday season line up across the Washington region for early morning sales.

Gunmen Attack Tourist Areas in India

After a wave of coordinated terrorist attacks turned parts of Mumbai's financial district into a combat zone, officials in New Delhi, India, and Islamabad, Pakistan, grapple with the political and diplomatic fallout of India's deadliest terror attack in 15 years.

Redskins Harvest Feast

The Redskins get one of their largest turnouts for their annual Thanksgiving event Harvest Feast, where families are given a free turkey, the trimmings and a bag of toys.

Living in FDR's White House

Photographs from Curtis Roosevelt's new memoir, "Too Close to the Sun."

Painting the Town Red

Parties that spotlight art have people lining up to join the scene.

Dance of the Dragon

A Fairfax County kindergarten class marches into the Chinese New Year.

Protests Shut Down Bangkok Airport

Flights at Bangkok's main international airport were canceled after anti-government protesters stormed the building, stranding thousands of travelers.

Metro Area Prepares for Thanksgiving

In Maryland, Virginia and the District, locals find ways to tell stories, give thanks and share blessings.

Animal Views

Our weekly photo gallery showcases animals from across the globe.

Wizards Fire Eddie Jordan

Eddie Jordan is relieved of coaching duties after the Wizards start the season 1-10. He will be replaced by team official Ed Tapscott.

Los Angeles Auto Show

The Los Angeles Auto Show opened on Nov. 21, with several car manufacturers showcasing their futuristic goals for a cleaner, greener and more efficient ride on the road. Honda, Ford, Nissan and General Motors were among many who displayed some of their best car solutions for the future.

American Music Awards 2008

Sunday night's American Music Awards featured 19 performances, from Christina Aguilera's career-spanning medley to Kanye West's performance of his new single, "Heartless." R&B star Chris Brown won Artist of the Year honors.

Eye on the Earth

A glimpse of our changing natural environment and how humans may be impacting it.

Eye on the World

This week's events from around the world, captured in photographs.

Week 12: Redskins 20, Seahawks 17

Running back Clinton Portis carries 29 times for 143 yards and the defense finishes strong to preserve a 20-17 victory over the Seahawks at Qwest Field.

Election 2008 Videos and Photos

Presidential Pets

Take a stroll down memory lane and reminisce about White House pets from the past.

Youth Photo Contest

Weird, Wild, and Wacky

Check out some strange and offbeat photos.

Pie Dough 101

washingtonpost.com food blogger Kim O'Donnel shares her kitchen tricks for tender, flaky pie crust that doesn't require a degree in pastry.

Raise Your Game: Cranberry Sauce

Substitute brown sugar (preferably dark) in any cranberry sauce recipe that calls for white (granulated) sugar. Brown sugar will deepen the sauce's flavor and color.

Raise Your Game: Sweet Potatoes

Cookbook author Rick Rodgers suggests a pecan streusel topping as an alternative for those who prefer their sweet potatoes unencumbered by the usual melted marshmallows.

Raise Your Game: Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

The drier the potatoes, the fluffier they will whip up. Cookbook author Rick Rodgers offers this technique for removing the moisture from just-boiled potatoes.

Remembering Jonestown

Thirty years after Rep. Leo J. Ryan was killed in 1978 by followers of the Rev. Jim Jones as he attempted to investigate abuses at Jonestown, Guyana, the congressman is memorialized in San Mateo, Calif.

Eric Holder Is Top Pick for Attorney General

Eric H. Holder Jr., a former Justice Department official who served as President-elect Barack Obama's campaign co-chairman, is the leading candidate to serve as the next U.S. attorney general, according to Democratic sources.

Top 10 Sports Photos

A look at amazing moments in sports.

Critters for the Cure

Local breast cancer survivors published a fundraising calendar celebrating the healing power of pets.

Henry Paulson's Tenure

The Treasury Secretary's term comes to an end as the nation faces economic uncertainty in the middle of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

Cowboys Rally Past Redskins

The Redskins got off to a strong start after celebrating Hall of Famers Art Monk and Darrell Green, but the Cowboys rallied in the fourth quarter and held on for a 14-10 win with fourth quarter drives fueled by running back Marion Barber.

G-20 Summit in D.C.

World leaders meeting in Washington, D.C., agree to a far-reaching action plan that will reshape international financial institutions and reform worldwide regulatory and accounting rules.

The Colbert Rapport

Late-night comedian Stephen Colbert returns to Washington for the 20th Annual Roast for Spina Bifida and this time the laughs are on him.

Coach Robinson

Craig Robinson, the men's basketball coach for Oregon State University, is also the brother-in-law of President-elect Barack Obama.

Wildfire Destroys Homes, Dorm Near Santa Barbara

Firefighters try to push back an erratic, wind-blown bush fire which has torn through Southern California, consuming nearly 7,500 acres, forcing the shut down of power lines and the evacuations of 14,000 people.

'Twilight' Hits the Mall

As part of a national promotional tour, Kristen Stewart and Nikki Reed -- stars of the movie "Twilight" -- visit Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Va.

Weird, Wild, and Wacky

Check out some strange and offbeat photos.

The 42nd Annual CMA Awards

Stalwart singer-songwriter George Strait became the winningest artist in the history of the Country Music Association Awards, when he won album and single of the year at Wednesday night's 42nd Annual CMA Awards in Nashville.

In Congo, New Clashes and Fear of Cholera

Fighting between rebels and the government has left tens of thousands of refugees desperate for international aid.

Eye on the Earth

A glimpse of our changing natural environment and how humans may be impacting it.

Think Pink, Baby Fenty

Michelle Cross Fenty, wife of Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, has created a nursery in a confection of pale pink to greet the arrival of a new baby girl.

Climbing Dangerously

French climber Alain Robert, nicknamed "Spiderman," is on a mission to climb as many skyscrapers around the world as he can, using nothing but his bare hands.

Robert Gibbs

Robert Gibbs, a senior campaign strategist for president-elect Barack Obama, will likely be appointed press secretary in the Obama administration starting Jan. 20, 2009. Gibbs was formerly the press secretary for Sen. John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004 and was previously communications director for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

Troops Honored on Veterans Day

Veterans are hailed as the nation and world mark the 55th national holiday on Nov. 11, 2008, held on the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I.

A Search for Closure

Michael Dickerson, who admitted that he shot Shaquita Bell in 1996 and hid her remains in rural Prince George's County, has yet to find the wooded spot where he dug her grave.

The Last Laugh: 11th Annual Mark Twain Prize Ceremony

Highlights from the 11th Annual Mark Twain Prize ceremony, where legendary comic George Carlin became the first person to be honored posthumously.

Obama Visits the White House

President George Bush and first lady Laura Bush warmly welcomed their successors, President-elect Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, to the White House on Monday. The president and the president-elect attended a private meeting in the Oval Office, while the first lady took Michelle Obama on a tour.

Up Above, Views of the Dome

The new visitor's center is underground, but its skylights offer views of the Capitol dome.

Eye on the World

This week's events from around the world, captured in photographs.

Post-Election Joy at D.C. Church

At D.C.'s historically black Second Baptist Church, believers are hopeful about the future after the victory of Barack Obama.

What type of dog should the Obama family get?

Sasha Obama's allergy to dogs will limit her family's selection of possible pooches. Thankfully, most hypoallergenic breeds, such as Poodles, Maltese and Schnauzers, happen to be on the incredibly cute end of the dog family.

Notes to Obama

Right after the elections hundreds of messages are being written on makeshift walls near the Lincoln Memorial wishing Obama good luck.

Citizens Rally Against Propostion 8

Protests ensued in the days after California voters narrowly passed proposition 8, amending the state's constitution to ban same-sex marriages.

The Healing Fields

Every year, a small army of volunteers assembles a field hospital in Wise County, Va., to provide three days of free health care to those in need.

The Man at the Door

As a butler at the White House, Eugene Allen saw eight presidential administrations come and go.

Rahm Emanuel Chosen as Chief of Staff

The llinois Congressman has accepted the job as President-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff.

Fears, Concerns about Obama in Wisconsin

Some Wisconsin voters fear a possible Obama presidency. Others are concerned people won't vote for him because of his race.

Photos: Stepping Forward, Falling Back

There is a fierce struggle going on at Coolidge to overcome years of dysfunction and decline. But despite a new spirit of reform in the air, it remains to be seen whether D.C. schools can make improvements that will last.

The Scorecard: Interactive Database

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