Top headlines:
Detroits auto show likely to be a bit austere: With the industry in financial dire straits, much of the glitz and glamour at this years Detroit auto show will be replaced by a new sense of austerity. ›14:44
'One Laptop Per Child' program cuts staff: In another sign of the growing financial strain on nonprofit groups, the One Laptop Per Child program is paring its staff in half. ›17:09
ConsumerMan: Obama coins worth the price?: For the Obama inauguration, you can find all sorts of souvenirs for sale, including commemorative coins. Are they a good investment? Well, is a t-shirt a good investment? ›14:41
China jails democracy activist for 6 years: A 65-year-old democracy activist who tried to set up an opposition party in China has been sentenced to six years in jail, a human rights group said Thursday. ›12:25
Video: Gamers, the Army wants YOU: Jan. 7: Army recruiters are canvassing malls across the country in hopes of turning arcade junkies into real life warriors. NBC's Mike Taibbi reports.(Nightly News) ›00:08
Critics suggest reeling Chrysler is a lost cause: Even by the standards of battered automakers, Chrysler is in dire shape. ›22:34
Win a trip to the inauguration: Florida homebuilder Cynthia Russell won an all-expenses-paid trip to the inauguration for her essay on her economic struggles and her hopes for the new administration. The Presidential Inaugural Committee is giving away nine more trips to those who enter by midnight Thursday. ›15:28 7 Jan, Wed
Auto industry woes put buyers in drivers seat: By all accounts it's a great time to buy a new car. Manufacturers are willing to slash thousands off sticker prices and offer interest-free money. ›00:22
U.K. slashes rates to 315-year 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. ›16:49
Video: West Coast battles winter washout: Jan. 7: The West Coast tried to cope Wednesday with a monster storm that threatens to cause epic flooding. Weather Channel's Julie Martin reports.(Nightly News) ›00:05
Detroit show features track for electric cars: Organizers of Detroit's annual auto show have carved out space in the convention center basement for a 700-foot-long oval driving track to showcase zero emissions vehicles. ›22:25
Obama: Major stimulus needed: 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. ›20:54
4 Day Diet: Tame temptations, lose weight: In his latest book, "The 4 Day Diet," Dr. Ian K. Smith, best known as the diet expert on VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club," has designed a diet that is done in four-day modules. In this excerpt, he writes about how to face your food desires and win. ›16:58 7 Jan, Wed
Naughty tricks to heat up the honeymoon: You've both said 'I do' but now it's time to get to the real main event: the honeymoon. Brides.com reveals eight steamy suggestions that will definitely add extra heat between the sheets. ›18:14 7 Jan, Wed
A hot hat: Fedora gives an old-school thrill: The fedora is one of the season's trendiest women's accessories, but, as reporter Jessica Minz discovered, it takes a confident woman to wear one. ›22:43
Top dog and cat names of 2008: Move over, Fido and Fluffy. There's a new batch of pet names in town: "people" names! See which monikers were paws-down most popular and most unusual, too (Fetch, Meatwad!). ›17:17 7 Jan, Wed
China's jobless migrants go home early: Many migrant workers in China have been forced to go home early this year for the Lunar New Year holiday because their factories went belly up or their assembly lines were idle. ›23:05
How many meerkats? London Zoo critter count: The annual count is a legal requirement for all British zoos, and it's also a useful tool for monitoring animal conservation efforts. Zookeepers say it makes sense to have a census. ›20:14
Lead for car batteries poisonstown: The dirtin this town on the fringes of Dakar, Senegal's capital, is laced with lead left over from years of extracting it from old car batteries. And it is poisoning children. ›08:47 4 Jan, Sun
Tools to exceed your '09 resolutions: You may have the best intentions, but its hard to keep New Years resolutions for 12 months. TODAY Style editor Bobbie Thomas profiles the latest tools that'll help you meet and exceed your goals in 2009. ›18:30
Life after Loser: Every day is a struggle: While many Americans have been inspired by the dramatic results on The Biggest Loser, former contestants say maintaining a healthy weight takes a true lifestyle change after the show wraps. ›20:22 5 Jan, Mon
Senator: Ash spill shows need for rules: The federal government must adopt standards to prevent future toxic ash spills like last month's billion-gallon disaster in Tennessee, a key Senate Democrat said Thursday. ›19:34
Gaza fighting takes toll on children: As many as 257 children and teens have been killed and many more wounded in the fighting in Gaza, according to Palestinian medics and human rights groups. ›23:28
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. ›16:49
