Stores fear holiday sales may stick

Shoppers are getting used to those 75 percent off sales, and that's bad news for merchants who worry they will also have to quickly slash prices on spring goods to attract customers.

Analysis: Obama's challenges in Mideast

One of President-elect Barack Obama's biggest challenges in Middle East policymaking will be to craft diplomatic solutions that do not have unintended consequences.

Boy, 6, misses bus, tries to drive to school
Having missed his bus, a 6-year-old Virginia boy tried to drive to school in his family's sedan — and crashed.

Five ways to turn your film into Oscar bait

Lots of movies try to give the Academy what it wants, but few succeed. But if you're a studio head, think about giving us a history lesson in an easily digestible bite or adapting a prestigious play or novel.

Egypt, France propose Gaza truce

Red Cross warns 500,000 civilians in danger; Israel rejects calls for truce.

Fed sees long-lasting downturn

Federal Reserve officials feared the economy would be stuck in a painful rut for some time despite their decision to slash interest rates to a record low.

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.

Keep the shuttles flying? It'll cost you

A draft NASA report says that extending shuttle operations to 2012 would cost $5 billion, but keeping the fleet flying until 2015 would cost $11 billion and severely impact the agency's exploration plans.

Coleman sues over Minnesota Senate recount

Republican Norm Coleman is suing to challenge Democrat Al Franken's apparent recount victory in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, he said during a news conference on Tuesday.