Daschle confirmation hearing today

Showing the emphasis that some lawmakers are putting on health care issues this year, former Sen. Tom Daschle will be the first of President-elect Barack Obama's Cabinet choices to undergo a hearing.

Thousands flee stubborn Colo. wildfire

More than a hundred firefighters spent the night battling a stubborn, wind-driven wildfire that triggered the evacuations of more than 900 homes as it scorched grasslands near Denver.

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.

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.

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.

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.

U.K. slashes interest rates to historic low
The Bank of England cut official interest rates by a half a percentage point to 1.5 percent on Thursday, the lowest level in its 315-year history.

Ballmer: Windows 7 is nearly final

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