Top headlines:
Japanese whalers leave for annual hunt: The mother ship in Japan's whaling fleet left Monday for the country's annual hunt in the Antarctic, as anti-whaling activists vowed to disrupt the expedition once again. ›21:30 17 Nov, Mon
Thousands of Iraqis protest U.S. pact: Thousands of followers of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr converged on a central Baghdad square Friday for a mass prayer to protest a proposed U.S.-Iraqi security pact. ›11:19
Dems demand business plan from Big Three: Democratic leaders in Congress decided to delay a vote to bail out automakers until December and will first demand the Big Three show how the funds would transform the industry. ›01:09
Man wields bat to get cat from shelter: Dallas police are looking for an irate pet lover so intent on liberating his lost cat that he wielded a bat to fend off animal shelter employees. ›16:57 19 Nov, Wed
Salmon helped in pesticide ruling: Farms and orchards that continue to use three pesticides that harm salmon will have to greatly expand buffer zones around so the chemicals don't reach streams, federal biologists ruled Tuesday. ›18:01 19 Nov, Wed
Obama: Warming must be tackled now: President-elect Barack Obama on Tuesday delivered a surprise message to a climate change summit convened by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, vowing to take action once in office. ›23:41 17 Nov, Mon
Red is the new white at Chinese weddings: In China, many young couples are forgoing Western rituals and gowns for the crimson costumes of the ancient Han way. Considered auspicious in China, red is the color of choice at traditional weddings. ›14:06 19 Nov, Wed
Denis Leary: Jesus would guest on Oprah: I really do think if Jesus came back, hed be on Oprah for an hour-long special, comic Denis Leary said, referring to a chapter in his new book written from Jesus point of view. He also defended a controversial passage about autism that he says has been taken out of context. ›16:38 20 Nov, Thu
Fed extends meeting in December to two days: The Federal Reserve announced Thursday that it will hold a hold a two-day meeting in December to weigh its next move on interest rates and to make a fresh assessment of the U.S. economy. ›20:07 20 Nov, Thu
NBC: Daschle to be Obama's HHS secretary: The former Senate majority leader has been a close adviser to the president-elect throughout the campaign for the White House and recently wrote a book proposing health care improvements. ›05:03 20 Nov, Thu
Is this the year Red Raiders win in Norman?: That's what Mike Leach's boys will be doing on Saturday. And this time, Jeffrey Martin says they might finally break through. ›23:17 20 Nov, Thu
Volkswagen Baja Race: Paris to Ensenada: Volkswagen and its Touareg 2 head to Mexico for the Baja 500. ›07:00 16 Oct, Tue
Ted Stevens gives last Senate speech: In a painfully poignant moment reminiscent of the fall of yesteryear's Senate giants, Republican Ted Stevens has spoken and yielded the floor for the last time. ›17:24 20 Nov, Thu
Congress votes to extend jobless benefits: Congress has passed legislation extending jobless benefits through the December holidays, keeping checks flowing to laid-off workers who would otherwise lose them. ›00:56
Cover-up alleged in missionary plane downing: A classified CIA report on the 2001 shoot down of a small plane carrying American missionaries by the Peruvian air force suggests that U.S. officials may have misled Congress. ›20:33 20 Nov, Thu
Even drivers are suffering from economic downturn: NASCAR is facing some serious problems as a result of the lagging economy. Lee Spencer gives us the grim rundown. ›23:39 20 Nov, Thu
Grass lawns shrink in Calif. drought: California's ever-growing population and the threat of a prolonged drought could kill the concept of the traditional lush lawn in the Golden State. ›21:18 20 Nov, Thu
First Drive: 2008 Cadillac CTS: With style in spades, Cadillac's second-generation sport sedan adds performance and refinement. ›07:00 15 Oct, Mon
2007 Tokyo Motor Show: Top 10 Wacky Concept Cars: MSN editors pick the 10 craziest concept cars at the Tokyo show. ›07:00 29 Oct, Mon
Judge orders release of 5 terror suspects: A federal judge has ordered the release of five Algerian terror suspects who have been held without charges almost seven years at Guantanamo Bay. ›20:27 20 Nov, Thu
Aid workers: Hunger killing Haiti children: At least 26 severely malnourished children have died in recent days in Haiti, and aid groups fear many more deaths unless more help comes quickly to this impoverished Caribbean country. ›22:47 20 Nov, Thu
Alex Cross back to solve slew of killings: In best-selling author James Patterson's latest book, "Cross Country," Detective Cross is called to the worst murder scene he has encountered in all his years on the force. An excerpt. ›17:29 20 Nov, Thu
Yellowstone reverts to more snowmobiles: Yellowstone National Park will let in 720 snowmobiles a day the same as the past three winters while officials try to form a long-term access plan. ›22:33 18 Nov, Tue
Septic tanks make Malibu special, smelly: Malibu, which has long relied on septic tanks over sewer pipes as a way to limit development, may soon be forced to acquiesce. ›21:24 19 Nov, Wed