CHICAGO, Dec. 3  -- A Chicago judge Wednesday denied bail to William Balfour, charged with killing three members of singer-actress Jennifer Hudson's family.

Balfour was charged Tuesday with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion in the October slayings of Hudson's mother, brother and 7-year-old nephew. Balfour is the estranged husband of Hudson's sister Julia.

The Chicago Tribune said Balfour attorney Joshua Kutnick argued Wednesday the case against Balfour is circumstantial and largely based on the word of unreliable witnesses. Kutnick also said there were no witnesses to the crimes and no evidence tying Balfour to the gun believed to have been used in the triple homicide.

Chicago, Dec. 3: US Defense Secretary Robert Gates has revealed that he has an "open-ended" agreement to remain at the Pentagon incoming President Barack Obama.

Gates said he would not be a "caretaker secretary" and scotched media reports of him being given a time frame of just a year to serve under Obama.

"With the country fighting two wars, and our men and women in uniform at risk, if the president asked me to help, there''s no way I can say no," Gates said.

Chicago, Dec. 2: A bipartisan commission will tell Vice President-elect Joe Biden today that the United States can expect a weapons of mass destruction (WMD) attack by 2013. It is scheduled to be publicly released Wednesday.

Prepared by former Senators. Bob Graham of Florida and Jim Talent of Missouri, the Commission on the Prevention of WMD Proliferation and Terrorism report, says last week''s rampage by a small group of gunmen in Mumbai could have been far more devastating in its impact had the terrorists had access to biological weapons.

Chicago, Nov. 30 : A former adviser to US President-elect Barack Obama who shockingly branded one-time Democratic rival Hillary Clinton a "monster" and was forced to quit, has now been named as a member of the transition team for completing the vetting process that will clear the way for Clinton to be the next Secretary of State.

Samantha Power caused a huge uproar in American political circles at the height of the primary contest, when she told The Scotsman in an interview "She (Hillary) is a monster, too. She is stooping to anything."

Chicago, Nov. 29 : US President-elect Barack Obama is likely to name the country’s Defense Secretary on Monday, a senior Pentagon official told Fox News.

Media has so far reported that current Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans to accept an offer to remain in the post for at least a year, but a senior Pentagon official did not confirm those reports.

Gates, who is at his home in Washington State, plans to visit Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota on Monday at 1 p. m. to address about 1,000 airmen.

Chicago, Nov.27 (ANI): US President-elect Barack Obama has defended