It's North vs. South in Big Three bailout fight

Should taxpayers in Alabama be asked to help bail out Big Three automakers whose plants are concentrated in Northern states such as Michigan and Ohio? How the auto industry pits North against South.

Spacewalker learns from tool mistake

The astronaut who lost her tool bag on a spacewalk admitted Wednesday that she made a mistake by not checking to see if the sack was tied down, and said she's still smarting over the whole thing.

Talk of GM bankruptcy filing fuels debate

As the days pass and GM's money burns away, bankruptcy is a distinct possibility. But what, exactly, would a GM bankruptcy mean?

Report: Economy is sickening U.S. hospitals
The dismal economy has U.S. hospitals ailing, with new data showing declines in overall admissions and elective procedures, plus a big jump in patients who can't pay for care.

As nest eggs shrink, many defer retirement

As financial markets have ravaged his savings, Gary Laursen, 62, has put his retirement on hold. He is one of millions of Americans confronting a stark reality about retirement.

Al-Qaida No. 2 says Obama betrays race

Al-Qaida's No. 2 leader used a racial epithet to insult Barack Obama in a message posted Wednesday, describing the president-elect in demeaning terms that imply he does the bidding of whites.

Minnesota recount begins
City and county workers across Minnesota have started recounting more than 2.9 million ballots from the state's U.S. Senate race.

Bush set to relax rules protecting species
Animals in danger of becoming extinct could lose the protection of government experts who make sure that dams and other projects don't pose a threat, under a regulation the Bush administration is set to put in place.

Ex-Gitmo detainee to taste freedom
Australian police said Thursday they will stop restricting the movements and communications of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee.