Floods cut Washington highways

Floods, mudslides and avalanches in the Pacific Northwest kept tens of thousands of people from their homes Thursday, brought freight trains to a standstill and stranded hundreds of trucks.

African men jailed for 8 years over gay sex
Nine men, including a prominent activist, have been convicted of homosexual acts and sentenced to eight years in prison, their lawyer and a gay rights group said Thursday.

Scoop: Stars saving red-carpet best for inaugural

Celebrities aren't very interested in what they will wear to upcoming awards shows — they're already looking ahead to the outfits they'll don for Barack Obama's inauguration.

Red Cross: Israel troops ignored Gaza wounded

The international Red Cross accused Israeli forces Thursday of failing to assist wounded Palestinians.

Dismal December sales add to retailer woes

Major retailers Thursday reported dismal sales for December, confirming fears that the holiday season was the weakest in four decades.

How many meerkats? London Zoo critter count

The annual count is a legal requirement for all British zoos, and it's also a useful tool for monitoring animal conservation efforts. Zookeepers say it makes sense to have a census.

Deep freeze disrupts hardy Alaskans

Ted Johnson planned on using a set of logs to a build a cabin in Alaska's interior. Instead he'll burn some of them to stay warm.

Walters: Oklahoma can silence Big 12 critics with win

Walters: Oklahoma has an opportunity to validate every verbal bouquet tossed the Big 12's direction this season. The Sooners, losers themselves of four consecutive BCS bowls and no strangers to the "Over-rated!" chant, take on a Florida squad that is as fast and deep as anyone in the nation. And that might as well be playing a home game.

Fast action urged on stimulus plan

President-elect Barack Obama warned Thursday that the nation's recession could "linger for years" unless Congress acts to pump huge sums from Washington into the U.S. economy.