African men jailed for 8 years over gay sex
Nine men, including a prominent activist, have been convicted of homosexual acts and sentenced to eight years in prison, their lawyer and a gay rights group said Thursday.

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.

Gotti neighbor allegedly dissolved in acid

It's been one of the last mysteries from John Gotti's gangland career: What happened to the neighbor who accidentally ran over and killed the mobster's 12-year-old son — and then vanished?

Obama tax plan runs into opposition 

President-elect Barack Obama's proposed tax cuts ran into opposition Thursday from senators in his own party who said they wouldn't do much to stimulate the economy or create jobs.

Racism: What we say doesn't match what we do
Think you wouldn't tolerate a racist act? Think again, says a surprising experiment that exposed some college students to one and found indifference at best.

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.

Scoop: Stars saving red-carpet best for 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.

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.