Pirates: Holiday celebrated on hijacked ship

Disagreements between Somali pirates holding a Ukrainian ship escalated into a shootout and three pirates are believed dead, a U.S. defense official said Tuesday. The pirates denied the report.

Pro or con, readers decry lack of leadership

It was hard to tell who was angrier Monday: Readers who were terrified by the failure of the  $700 billion Wall Street bailout or those horrified that the massive economic life-saver came within 23 votes of passage. Msnbc.com's Kari Huus reports.

Candidates push for bipartisan financial rescue

Presidential rivals Barack Obama and John McCain on Tuesday appealed for bipartisanship on a plan to save America's collapsing financial sector at the same time they accused each other of supporting policies that would make a bad situation worse.

Study: Urban bears fatter, die earlier

Urban black bears are much heavier and more likely to die violent deaths than their wilder peers, a new study found. And if female, they're more likely to get pregnant at a younger age.

Asian markets fall at opening

The historic carnage on Wall Street reverberated across Europe on Tuesday, with stocks volatile after U.S. lawmakers rejected a $700 billion bank rescue plan. Asian stocks fell.

Study links birth size, breast cancer
Women who were bigger and longer babies may be more likely to develop breast cancer, researchers reported on Tuesday.

At long last, food labeling law set to take effect

After years of wrangling, regulations set to take effect Sept. 30 will require  food retailers to disclose what country many types of meat, produce and other food products come from.

Dow closes up more than 450 points

Wall Street snapped back Tuesday after its biggest sell-off in years amid growing expectations that lawmakers will salvage a $700 billion rescue plan for the financial sector.