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.

Reports: Gupta approached for surgeon general

CNN says President-elect Barack Obama has approached its medical correspondent, Sanjay Gupta, to be the country's next surgeon general.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Obama taps chief performance officer
President-elect Barack Obama promised Wednesday to scour the federal budget to "put government on the side of taxpayers and everyday Americans."