Israel conditionally welcomes cease-fire plan

Israel tentatively welcomed a proposal for a Gaza cease-fire and briefly halted its offensive to allow aid to reach civilians, but also gave the military a green light to press ahead with its assault on Hamas.

CBO sees record $1.2 trillion '09 deficit
The U.S. federal budget deficit will hit an unparalleled $1.2 trillion for the 2009 budget year, according to grim new Congressional Budget Office figures.

Bikers strap on fruit to dodge helmet law
Police in Nigeria have arrested scores of motorcycle taxi riders with dried fruit shells, pots or pieces of rubber tire tied to their heads with string to avoid a new law requiring them to wear helmets.

Satyam scandal could be 'India's Enron'

The head of Indian outsourcing firm Satyam Computer Services resigned on Wednesday, disclosing that profits had been falsely inflated for years.

Scoop: Spears' tour gets off to shaky start

According to Us Weekly, Britney Spears just doesn't have the work ethic she used to and it's affecting her upcoming tour.

U.S. 2008 planned layoffs most in five years
Planned layoffs at U.S. firms eased in December from the previous month's seven-year high but they were up an astounding 275 percent annually, according to a new report.

Al-Qaida No. 2 blames Obama for Gaza

Al-Qaida's No. 2 leader lashed out at President-elect Barack Obama in a new message, accusing him of not doing anything to stop Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip, according to a monitoring center.

U.S.: Dozens of insurgents killed in Afghanistan
Forces from the U.S.-led coalition killed 32 armed insurgents during a clash in eastern Afghanistan, the military said Wednesday.

Mississippi now has highest teen birth rate
Mississippi now has the nation's highest teen pregnancy rate, displacing Texas and New Mexico for that lamentable title, according to a new federal report.