Attack on U.S. patrol in Afghanistan kills 5
A suicide bomber struck U.S. troops patrolling on foot in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, killing at least two soldiers and three civilians.

Dismal December sales add to retailer woes

Major retailers Thursday reported dismal sales for December, confirming fears that the holiday season was the weakest in four decades.

Fast action urged on stimulus plan

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

Florida strikes first, leads OU in BCS title game

In the fight for the BCS Championship, Florida landed the first real punch against Oklahoma. Tim Tebow connected with Louis Murphy for a 20-yard touchdown pass, giving Florida the game's first score and the first lead, 7-0, barely one minute into the second quarter.

Obama assembles powerful West Wing

Barack Obama is assembling a new and influential cadre of counselors just steps from the Oval Office whose power to direct domestic policy will rival, if not exceed, the authority of his Cabinet.

Palm announces 'Pre' smartphone

Palm Thursday unveiled the "Pre" smartphone, more similar to an iPhone than a Treo in looks, and a new operating system called Palm WebOS, with hopes that both will keep the venerable but struggling company in the smartphone race.

Small retailers struggle in tough season

Like a lot of small retailers, Henry Burton depends heavily on the holiday season to ring up sales, and, like a lot of retailers, this past holiday season proved especially challenging.

Diplomats seek Gaza cease-fire

The U.N. suspended food shipments to Gaza on Thursday, but a cease-fire resolution moved toward a vote in the U.N. Security Council.

Job hunts grow harder in recession

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