Obama assembles powerful West Wing

Barack Obama is assembling a new and influential cadre of counselors just steps from the Oval Office whose power to direct domestic policy will rival, if not exceed, the authority of his Cabinet.

Palm announces 'Pre' smartphone

Palm Thursday unveiled the "Pre" smartphone, more similar to an iPhone than a Treo in looks, and a new operating system called Palm WebOS, with hopes that both will keep the venerable but struggling company in the smartphone race.

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.

Racism: What we say doesn't match what we do
Think you wouldn't tolerate a racist act? Think again, says a surprising experiment that exposed some college students to one and found indifference at best.

Job hunts grow harder in recession

New claims for unemployment benefits dropped unexpectedly last week, but the number of people continuing to seek aid rose sharply.

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.

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.

Floods cut Washington highways

Floods and avalanches kept tens of thousands of people in Washington state from their homes Thursday and cut off highways that link Seattle's ports with markets around the country.

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.