Top headlines:
NBC: Obama picks Panetta for CIA director: NBC News has learned that President-elect Barack Obama has chosen former Clinton chief of staff Leon Panetta to be his CIA director. ›20:03 5 Jan, Mon
Factory orders plunge in November: Orders to factories fell for a record fourth straight month in November, reflecting the intensifying effects of the country's steep recession. ›17:25
Report: China faces wave of unrest: China faces surging protests and riots in 2009 as rising unemployment stokes discontent, a state-run magazine said in a blunt warning of the hazards to Communist Party control from an economic downturn. ›13:03
Obama bans earmarks from economic package: President-elect Barack Obama says he will bar pork-barrel projects from the massive economic stimulus bill he wants Congress to pass. ›19:01
Stranded sea cow saved by Filipino fishermen: Filipino fishermen rescued an endangered sea cow, pushing it back into open water after it was stranded off a beach in the western Philippines, conservationists said Tuesday. ›12:55
Nicaragua turns to wind power: Energy-starved Nicaragua is turning to wind as it tries to reduce its dependence on oil-based power. ›22:15 1 Jan, Thu
Turn to generics slows 07 health care spending: Spending on health care slowed slightly in 2007 as consumers turned more to generic drugs instead of brand-names to fill their medicine cabinets, the government reported. ›13:32
Afghan cleric shot to death in mosque: Two gunmen shot a Muslim cleric to death inside a mosque in southern Afghanistan, the second such incident in the area in less than two weeks, an official said Tuesday. ›12:31
Obama girls' first day at new school: Malia and Sasha Obama begin classes at Sidwell Friends under watchful eyes of, well, everyone. ›12:19
Great Barrier Reef's coral growth is slowing: The growth of coral in the Great Barrier Reef has slowed to the most sluggish rate in at least 400 years and signs point to manmade greenhouse gas emissions as the culprit, according to a new study. ›19:00 1 Jan, Thu
Premium tuna fetches $100,000 at auction: Two sushi bar owners paid more than $100,000 for a Japanese bluefin tuna at a Tokyo fish auction Monday, several times the average price and the highest in nearly a decade, market officials said. ›13:26 5 Jan, Mon
New Year's in reverse: Ball set to rise: Happy new year in reverse! The massive Waterford Crystal ball that descended in Times Square to ring in 2009 is being lit again and sent back up a 141-foot flagpole, where it will remain year-round. ›14:01
Newsweek: Why Obama picked Panetta: Among Obama's reasons for choosing Panetta, sources said, were his reputation as a "first-rate manager," his White House experience handling issues related to "intelligence support" and his history of establishing cooperative relations between the executive branch and Capitol Hill. ›23:20 5 Jan, Mon
War tactics used against Rio gangs: Police are using counterinsurgency tactics in battle against gangs in Brazil's favelas, or slums. ›09:59
'Hello 911? I'm driving drunk': Police get calls about drunken drivers all the time, but rarely do they come from the alleged offender. ›07:25 3 Jan, Sat
Man arrested in murder of Ohio mom: Police in Ohio have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with the death of a Dayton mother and the kidnapping of her 4-year-old son, who was later abandoned at a highway rest stop. His father says the boy is "still terrified." ›16:24 5 Jan, Mon
Cops probing sewer problem sniff out pot operation: Deputies investigating a sewer problem at a Minnesota home smelled something amiss a strong odor of marijuana. ›00:10
Tidbits: Kate Hudson recalls dating duds: Kate Hudson tells Elle magazine that she once walked out on a guy before dinner even started because he was so boring. ›02:31
Romijn, OConnell welcome twin girls: Rebecca Romijn and Jerry OConnell have two new additions to the family. The couple welcomed twin girls just before the New Year, Access Hollywood has learned. ›16:39 5 Jan, Mon
Stranded sea cow saved by Filipino fishermen: Filipino fishermen rescued an endangered sea cow, pushing it back into open water after it was stranded off a beach in the western Philippines, conservationists said Tuesday. ›12:55
India: Pakistanis 'must have' backed attack: Pakistani authorities "must have had" a hand in the deadly Mumbai siege, India's prime minister said Tuesday, stopping just short of directly accusing Islamabad of aiding the gunmen. ›10:52
Despite actions, Fed sees downturn lasting: Federal Reserve officials feared the economy would be stuck in a painful rut for some time despite their decision to slash interest rates to a record low. ›19:10
Bush gives Uribe, Blair, Howard high honors: The president is giving the nation's highest civilian award to three foreign leaders who have been among his most loyal partners on the world stage, particularly in the Iraq war. ›14:33
Toyota to suspend car production in Japan: Toyota is suspending production at all 12 of its Japan plants for 11 days over February and March as it grapples with shrinking global demand. ›14:20
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