Obama: Pass stimulus or recession lasts 'years'

President-elect Barack Obama was set to warn that the nation's recession could "linger for years" unless Congress acts to pump unprecedented sums from Washington into the U.S. economy.

Detroit's auto show likely to be a bit austere

With the industry in financial dire straits, much of the glitz and glamour at this year's Detroit auto show will be replaced by a new sense of austerity.

Panda attacks zoo visitor for third time

For the third time,  Gu Gu the panda has attacked someone who climbed into its space, prompting officials at the Beijing Zoo to consider changes to keep visitors away from 240-pound animal.

Scoop: Stars will shine at inaugural

Celebrities aren't very interested in what they will wear to upcoming awards shows — they're already looking ahead to the outfits they'll don for Barack Obama's inauguration.

Horrid holiday sales capped by dismal Dec.

Retailers are reporting dismal sales for December, confirming fears that the holiday season was the weakest in four decades.

Ballmer: Windows 7 is nearly final

Microsoft Corp.'s next version of the Windows operating system is almost ready for prime time.

Protests over Calif. train shooting turn violent

Protests over the fatal shooting of an unarmed man by a transit police officer turned violent in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday night as demonstrators smashed windows, set cars ablaze and blocked streets.

On a tight budget? Apply to Harvard

The nation's top colleges have gotten to be so expensive that only the wealthiest families can possibly afford them, especially during bleak economic times like these. Right? Not necessarily. A new report shows that such schools might not be as costly as you think.

Weekly jobless claims drop unexpectedly
New claims for unemployment benefits dropped unexpectedly last week, but the number of people continuing to seek aid rose sharply.