Khat -- is it more coffee or cocaine?

Nine passengers were questioned after teens overheard their chatting about airline safety. The FBI cleared the U.S. citizens but the airline refused them passage. >>

First, a casino boom in Mesquite, now a bust. It's bad for the city and hard for its residents. >>

Roland Burris will be invited to testify before the Illinois state House impeachment panel Wednesday about his Senate appointment. >>

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter Jr. will reportedly name dark horse candidate Michael Bennet to fill the seat left vacant by Democrat Ken Salazar. Salazar is to become Obama's Interior secretary. >>

The FDA mentions a few dozen cases of esophageal cancer in patients who took Fosamax, Actonel or Boniva. And a dentist sees a high incidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw. >>

A database for animals' DNA helps nab cattle rustlers in Argentina. >>

Five Democrats say states need $1 trillion to offset harmful cuts. Republicans say their proposal goes too far. >>

A Wal-Mart near a Civil War battlefield? This means war. >>

Australian researchers work on a way to infect them with a parasite that cuts their life span by more than half, minimizing the time the insects are able to spread disease. >>

Home life key to health of gay youths, study says >>

TENNESSEE >>

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has revoked Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich's access to classified federal security information, officials said Friday. >>

The impact caused an ice age that killed some mammal species and many humans 12,900 years ago, researchers report. They say the discovery of tiny heat-formed diamonds is proof of the catastrophe. >>

There are fewer of them, but Democrats may need them to break potential GOP filibusters. >>

Jim Blanning, who had a history of conflicts with city officials, had left four bombs with threatening notes, police say. The city celebrates New Year's Eve a day late. >>

The Community Services Board decided it needed guidance in making some difficult decisions. The approach could become more common, analysts say. >>

NEW YORK >>

After returning to Chicago, the family will head to Washington, where the president-elect will meet with congressional leaders and his girls will start school Monday. >>

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A man who allegedly allowed his 11-year-old niece and 12-year-old nephew to attempt a 10-mile walk to their mother's house on a frigid Christmas Day was arrested on a murder warrant Thursday in connection with the hypothermia death of the little girl. >>

Residents are concerned about the long-term health effects of last week's coal ash spill, one of the worst in U.S. history. Relations with a Depression-era federal utility are damaged, too. >>

Both sides hope to avoid a scene, but neither is budging on whether Illinois' Roland Burris should be allowed on the floor and seated as Barack Obama's replacement. >>

Recent moves by lame-duck officials, though frustrating to environmentalists, offer the president-elect time and political cover to deliberately craft rules on emissions, energy lobbyists say. >>

NATIONWIDE >>

Death sentences also fell in 2008 to the lowest number since 1976, according to an anti-death-penalty research group. >>

Michael Griffin's wife circulates an online petition to Barack Obama, and NASA publishes a book of his speeches. 'The only thing left is to stencil [him] on the side of a shuttle,' an expert jokes. >>

A quirk in federal law prevents them from getting automatic cost-of-living increases. A bill before Congress to boost their salaries showed promise -- but that was before the Wall Street meltdown. >>

Some Democratic advisors say that someone like Bill Clinton or Mario Cuomo could serve temporarily in Hillary Clinton's place and level the playing field for 2010, taking a burden off Gov. Paterson. >>

Gov. Mark Sanford agreed Wednesday to request a $146-million federal loan that will allow South Carolina residents to continue receiving unemployment checks through March. >>

Levi Johnston, fiance of her daughter Bristol, remains enrolled in high school, she says, countering AP reports. Bristol gave birth to a boy Saturday. >>