Good morning, and welcome to Thursday's Daily Read. Please let us know if we missed any good stories and feel free to comment.

Emanuel Used Contacts to Make Millions » After leaving the Clinton White House, Rahm Emanuel went on to make more than $18 million in just two-and-a-half years, turning many of his contacts in his substantial political Rolodex into paying clients and directing his negotiating prowess and trademark intensity to mergers and acquisitions. — New York Times

Nevada Lt. Gov. Indicted for Fraud » Nevada Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, the first major Republican to announce a challenge to Democratic Sen. Harry Reid in 2010, was indicted by a grand jury on Wednesday on four counts of fraud related to his handling of public money as state treasurer. — New York Times

Obama to Wait for Sensitive Legal Opinions » The Justice Department's new leaders may not gain access to the Bush administration's most sensitive legal opinions until after the January inauguration, according to Attorney General Michael Mukasey... Mukasey also said that he saw no need for President Bush to issue blanket pardons of officials involved in some of the administration's most controversial counterterrorism policies. — Washington Post, New York Times

U.S. to Raise 'Irregular War' Capabilities» The Pentagon approved a major policy directive that elevates the military's mission of "irregular warfare" -- campaigns to battle insurgents and terrorists, often with foreign partners and sometimes clandestinely -- to an equal footing with traditional combat. — Washington Post

Copper Thieves a Threat to U.S. » Copper thieves, sometimes acting as "organized groups," are threatening what the FBI said is "critical" U.S. infrastructure, from electrical sub-stations, cellular towers, telephone land lines to railroads and crops. — Wired

Drug Cartels Send Bloody Message » The death squads of the drug cartels are killing in spectacularly gruesome ways, using the violence as a language to deliver a message to society. — Washington Post

Chertoff Urges Tighter Security» The Mumbai terrorist attacks underscore the need for U.S. authorities to counter the security threat posed by small boats, strengthen the U.S. Coast Guard and keep the Federal Emergency Management Agency within the Department of Homeland Security, Secretary Michael Chertoff said yesterday. — Washington Post

S.E.C. Issues Rules on Credit Rating» Federal regulators adopted new rules designed to stem conflicts of interest and provide more transparency for Wall Street's credit-rating industry. — Associated Press

U.S. Citizen Allegedly Tortured in United Arab Emirates» A U.S. citizen detained in the United Arab Emirates since Aug. 29 has been tortured and ultimately charged with a terrorism-related offense, according to a lawyer with the ACLU of Southern California. — Los Angeles Times

Six Accused of Ivory Smuggling» Six people on Wednesday were accused of taking part in a trans-Atlantic ring that routinely sneaked ivory, much of it elaborately carved, out of three African countries -- Uganda, Ivory Coast and Cameroon. — New York Times

Mystery Surrounds Shackled Boy» The story of the 17-year-old boy who turned up at a California gym naked, dirty, bloodied and shackled remains a mystery. — Los Angeles Times