Court ruling dissolves Thai government

Thailand's prime minister resigned on Tuesday after protests that paralyzed his government and closed the capital's airports. Protesters promised to lift their siege by Wednesday.

Panel: Biological attack likely by 2013
The U.S. can expect a terrorist attack using nuclear or more likely biological weapons before 2013, reports a bipartisan commission in a study being briefed Tuesday to Vice President-elect Joe Biden.

Retailers tiptoe between Christmas, holidays

As American shoppers embark on their annual shopping binge , a prickly marketing question splits American consumers and stores: "Christmas" or "holiday"?

Your brooding teen: Just moody or mentally ill?

The teen years are a critical period of development when mental illnesses can emerge and progress untreated, in part because they are perceived as typical adolescent behavior.

Governors to press Obama for shortfall help

The nation's governors are meeting with the President-elect today to press their case for at least $40 billion to help pay for health care for the poor and disabled and even more for infrastructure projects.

Carbon monoxide kills 11 girls at China school
Eleven girls died of carbon monoxide poisoning at a school in northern China's Shaanxi province, an education official said Tuesday evening. The girls had reportedly lit a fire to keep warm.

Pirates open fire on U.S. cruise ship

Pirates near Somalia chased and shot at a U.S. cruise liner with more than 1,000 people on board but failed to hijack the vessel, a maritime official said Tuesday.

Rapport with Obama will be key for Clinton

Hillary Clinton's success as secretary of state may depend as much on Obama's willingness to admit her to his inner circle as her mastery of the job, officials say.

AP: Feds ignored meltdown warnings

The Bush administration ignored remarkably prescient warnings that foretold the financial meltdown, according to an Associated Press review of regulatory documents.