Airlines start '09 with wave of sales

A wave of fare sales has spread across the airline industry in the early days of the new year as the weak economy continues to put pressure on carriers to fill seats even after they drastically reduced capacity and some expressed willingness to cut more.

Pending home sales hit record low

Pending sales of existing U.S. homes dropped to a seven-year low in November, data showed on Tuesday.

Obama: No pork in stimulus bill

President-elect Barack Obama says he will bar pork-barrel projects from the massive economic stimulus bill he wants Congress to pass.

Biden's right at home, Burris denied

Sen. Joe Biden is still a member of the Senate club, but Roland Burris isn't — not yet anyway. But the legislative hopeful still attracted the largest  press scrum Tuesday at the opening of the 111th Congress.

Aw, snap! It's Colbert & Colmes — for a day

Jettisoned by his longtime co-host Sean Hannity, Alan Colmes was adopted by Stephen Colbert — for a day, at least. "The Colbert Report" anchor introduced the Fox News commentator as his new co-host, but later turned him into a bat.

Ex-contractor to face charge in Iraq death
Federal prosecutors intend to charge a former security contractor for Blackwater USA in the killing of an Iraqi guard in 2006, his lawyer said Tuesday.

Iran lurks behind Gaza conflict

Israel's fight with Hamas in Gaza, like the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon two years ago, is a broader proxy battle between Western allies and Iran for the very future of the Middle East.

Race card lands softly in Burris Senate fight

The first race card of the Obama era is now in play. On Tuesday, Blagojevich's choice, Roland Burris, was turned away on Capitol Hill when he tried to take his seat.

Diet, not exercise, plays key role in weight loss
Though better nutrition coupled with exercise has long been the favored prescription for losing weight and avoiding obesity, a new study suggests diet actually plays the key role.