Cubans pin hopes on Obama

In central Havana, many people hope that President-elect Barack Obama will do something — almost anything — to help end the official hostilities between Cuba and the U.S.

Bikers strap on fruit to dodge helmet law
Police in Nigeria have arrested scores of motorcycle taxi riders with dried fruit shells, pots or pieces of rubber tire tied to their heads with string to avoid a new law requiring them to wear helmets.

Mississippi now has highest teen birth rate
Mississippi now has the nation's highest teen pregnancy rate, displacing Texas and New Mexico for that lamentable title, according to a new federal report.

Europe shivers as Russia cuts gas shipments

Russia shut off all gas supplies to Europe through Ukraine on Wednesday — leaving more than a dozen countries scrambling to cope during a winter cold snap.

Eagles vs. Giants: Which team has the edge?
Special feature: NBCSports.com's Steve Silverman breaks down each position for the Eagles vs. the Giants in the NFC divisional playoff game. You decide which team has the edge.

U.S. 2008 planned layoffs most in five years
Planned layoffs at U.S. firms eased in December from the previous month's seven-year high but they were up an astounding 275 percent annually, according to a new report.

Coulter ‘delighted' she isn't banned from NBC

After her appearance on TODAY was canceled earlier in the week, conservative author Ann Coulter was on the show Wednesday, speaking out about unwed mothers and "B. Hussein" Obama. She said she was "delighted to hear" she wasn't banned from NBC.

India: Mumbai gunmen directed by phone
"We have three foreigners, including women," the gunman said into the phone.

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.