Top headlines:
Video: Obama pushes plan of action: Jan. 8: Trying to underscore the urgent need for action on his economic stimulus plan, President-elect Barack Obama took the extraordinary step of giving a nationally televised address before taking office. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.(Nightly News) ›23:41
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. ›20:39
Obama urges delay in digital TV transition: President-elect Barack Obama is urging Congress to postpone the Feb. 17 switch from analog to digital television broadcasting. ›00:46 9 Jan, Fri
Microsoft's Ballmer: Windows 7 is nearly final: Microsoft Corp.'s next version of the Windows operating system is almost ready for prime time. ›04:22
Slumdog, Milk win Critics Choice awards: The critics have spoken, and "Slumdog Millionaire" is their final answer. The rags-to-riches tale won a leading five prizes, including best picture, at Thursday night's Critics' Choice Awards. ›22:04
'Jealous wife' charged in fatal genitals fire: An Australian woman accused of setting her husband's genitals on fire because she thought he was having an affair has been charged with murder. ›12:44 6 Jan, Tue
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
Sports Biz: Five sure bets for 2009: So whats ahead for the year in sports business? Here are five predictions as we enter the last year of the decade. (Hint: Look for Tiger to roar back to the top of the golf rankings.) ›14:40
Nokia stops making only WiMax device: The world's top mobile phone maker Nokia said on Thursday it had ended production of its only mobile device using the U.S.-centered WiMax technology, another blow for the struggling wireless technology. ›23:39
Job hunts grow harder as recession deepens: New claims for unemployment benefits dropped unexpectedly last week, but the number of people continuing to seek aid rose sharply. ›21:57
Monkey goby invasion a Great Lakes fear: Dozens of foreign species could spread across the Great Lakes in coming years despite policies designed to keep them out, causing significant damage, a federal report says. ›20:36
GameStop holiday sales surge, shares jump: In what was a dismal holiday season for many store chains, video game retailer GameStop Corp. proved an exception. ›22:26
Satyam executives try to soothe investors: Top executives of beleaguered Indian outsourcing company Satyam Computer struggled to reassure investors, employees and clients Thursday after its chairman resigned following an admission he cooked accounts and inflated profits for years. ›15:21
U.S. admiral to head anti-pirate patrols: A new international naval force under American command will soon begin patrols to confront escalating attacks by Somali pirates after more than 100 ships came under siege in the past year, the U.S. Navy said Thursday. ›20:28
The Globes are back in a partying mood: In keeping with the economic times, and to not appear like a French aristocracy sipping champagne before the peasantry, some party hosts are trying to tone things down and not boast about how many bottles are being uncorked. ›02:24 9 Jan, Fri
Bangkok inferno puts spotlight on police payoffs: ›18:59 7 Nov, Fri
Strong earthquake rocks Costa Rica: A strong earthquake shook Costa Rica on Thursday, shattering windows, cracking walls and sending frightened residents running into the streets of the capital. ›21:49
Mugabe opponents: We confessed after torture: Opposition members accused of being involved in a bomb plot in Zimbabwe told a court Thursday that they were tortured into making false confessions. ›16:53
Researchers make car parts out of coconuts: A team at Baylor University has made trunk liners, floorboards and car door interior covers using fibers from the outer husks of coconuts, replacing the synthetic polyester fibers typically used in composite materials. ›23:59 6 Jan, Tue
Engineer: Ash spill warning signs ignored: The nation's largest government-run utility ignored two small leaks that could have provided a warning years before a Tennessee coal ash pond collapsed, a former federal regulator contends. ›23:35 6 Jan, Tue
Colombian drug lord shot dead in hospital: A convicted Colombian drug baron with links to two major smuggling cartels was shot dead in a Madrid hospital Thursday, officials said. ›00:58 9 Jan, Fri
Boy, 6, misses bus, tries to drive to school: Having missed his bus, a 6-year-old Virginia boy tried to drive to school in his family's sedan and crashed. ›18:27 6 Jan, Tue
New Idol judge wants to work with Daughtry: DioGuardi said she loved working with inaugural American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson, calling her a feisty performer who puts her personality into a song and can tackle any material successfully. ›02:32 9 Jan, Fri
Lohan says the mess she created distracts: Lindsay Lohan has had her fair share of ups and downs during her time in the Hollywood spotlight, but the actress feels the public is not ready to accept that shes grown and changed as a result of her past indiscretions. ›18:06
