Bad economic news helps stocks end day worse
Bleak outlooks from Time Warner, Intel and Alcoa combined with more evidence of rising unemployment to send stocks to end sharply lower Wednesday.

Man wants estranged wife to pay for kidney
A New York doctor is demanding that his estranged wife pay him $1.5 million to compensate him for the kidney he gave her while they were still on good terms.

Reid: Burris may ultimately get seat

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Roland Burris will not likely take Barack Obama's Senate seat until a court in Illinois rules on a dispute surrounding his appointment.

Drug created from genetically engineered goats
In a scientific first, an anti-clotting drug made from the milk of genetically engineered goats is moving closer to government approval for humans.

'God' author faces plagiarism claim

Neale Donald Walsch, best-selling author of "Conversations with God," said that he unwittingly passed off another writer's Christmas anecdote as his own in a recent blog post.

Obama hails 'extraordinary gathering'

President-elect Barack Obama has returned to the White House for a private sit-down with President George W. Bush, less than two weeks before their official transfer of power.

Israel welcomes cease-fire proposal

Israel tentatively welcomed a proposal for a Gaza cease-fire and briefly halted its offensive to allow aid to reach civilians, but also gave the military a green light to press ahead with its assault on Hamas.

Mississippi now has highest teen birth rate
Mississippi now has the nation's highest teen birth rate, displacing Texas and New Mexico for that lamentable title, according to a new federal report.

Holiday shoppers stuck to spending pledge

When it comes to holiday shopping, Americans have been great at saying they were going to cut back — but not so good at actually doing it. This year appears to be an exception.