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.

Gaza clashes resume as 3-hour lull ends

Clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen resumed in the city of Gaza Wednesday after the expiration of a three-hour truce to allow in humanitarian aid, residents said.

Scoop: Spears' tour gets off to shaky start

According to Us Weekly, Britney Spears just doesn't have the work ethic she used to and it's affecting her upcoming tour.

CBO sees record $1.2 trillion '09 deficit
The U.S. federal budget deficit will hit an unparalleled $1.2 trillion for the 2009 budget year, according to grim new Congressional Budget Office figures.

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.

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.

Lovesick teen's boyfriend jailed over murders
A 20-year-old man who helped kill a lovesick girl's family because the two were forbidden to date has been sentenced to life in prison without parole.

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.