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1.Their schedules are jam-packed as these White House hopefuls host multiple campaign events in Iowa to kick off 2008, with fresh polls showing both races too close to call. Candidates are making last-minute appeals. They're hoping supporters will caucus¹ for them on Thursday.

2. A mob in Kenya torched a church sheltering hundreds of people, fleeing clashes sparked by the closest presidential election in this African nation's history. Dozens of people including children were burned alive during some of the worst violence ever hit this once stable nation.

3. Smokers² in France savour their last cigarettes during a grace period before a new smoking ban is enforced. French officials gave smokers a New Year's Day reprieve³, saying they would only start enforcing the ban tomorrow. Even so, many Paris cafes and restaurants have already gone smoke-free.

4. These so-called polar bears ushered in the new year with their annual ritual of swimming in the chilly⁵ waters of the Atlantic. The Coney Island Polar Bear Club took the plunge⁶ for a fundraising event to help support terminally ill children.