Stocks jump on Geithner speculation

Wall Street put a stop to a terrifying decline and stormed higher as President-elect Obama appeared ready to tap the chief of the N.Y. Federal Reserve as the next treasury secretary.

Germany drops attempt to ban Scientology
Germany is dropping its pursuit of a ban on Scientology after finding insufficient evidence of illegal activity, security officials said Friday.

Citigroup's options dwindle; shares plunge

Pressure intensified on Citigroup to sell part or all of itself as its stock fell below $4 a share on Friday and fears escalated about future loan losses.

Spiders get their space legs — all eight of them

Two plucky spiders on the international space station have bounced back from a tangled false start to weave amazing new webs in zero gravity, astronauts said Friday.

Disputed Senate ballots hold key to Minn. win

The pile of disputed ballots in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race is growing at a pace sure to dwarf the 215-vote margin prior to the recount, making it tough to tell who is gaining an edge as the recount progresses.

Bush signs bill providing extra jobless benefits
President George W. Bush on Friday ensured that millions of laid-off workers will keep getting their unemployment checks as the year-end holidays approach.

Deflation poses new economic threat
Strapped consumers are rejoicing at falling prices. But some economists warn of the growing risk of a ruinous downward price spiral  called deflation. Here's what's at stake.

Islamists: We'll fight Somali pirates
A radical Islamic group in Somalia said Friday it will fight the pirates holding a Saudi supertanker loaded with $100 million worth of crude oil.

Mukasey feeling better, checks out of hospital

The attorney general was given a "clean bill of health" and went back to work Friday after his harrowing collapse at a late-night dinner speech.