Global markets extend rout

World stocks tumbled, with benchmarks in Tokyo and Seoul losing almost 7 percent each, after recession fears sent Wall Street plunging and Japan suffered its biggest drop in exports in years.

U.S. jobless claims jump to 16-year high
New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to a 16-year high, the Labor Department said Thursday, providing more evidence of a rapidly weakening job market.

Japan-U.S. missile test fails

A Japanese navy ship on Wednesday failed to shoot down a mid-range ballistic missile target in a test off the coast of the Hawaiian island of Kauai, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency announced.

Governors plan fight on global warming

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, his counterparts in 12 states and regional leaders from four other countries signed a declaration Wednesday pledging to work together to combat global warming.

Hungry in Zimbabwe: 'If you rest, you starve'

Katy Phiri, who is in her 70s, picks up single corn kernels spilled from trucks that ferry the harvest to market. She says she hasn't eaten for three days.

Retirement dreams give way to despair, anger

A rising number of people have seen their retirement plans evaporate. As 401(k)s dwindle, their dreams of golden years are being replaced by feelings of hopelessness and  anger.

McDonald's courts moms as emissaries

McDonald's has recruited mothers to go behind the scenes of the company's operations, meet senior executives and then communicate what they see via the Web in a bid to brighten its image.

U.S.: Raid kills militant blamed in GI death

An al-Qaida in Iraq leader blamed in the 2004 abduction and murder of an Army reservist has been killed, the U.S. military said on Thursday.

ConsumerMan: Shady retirement seminars
Many Americans nearing retirement are bombarded with invitations to attend financial management seminars. A free lunch is offered. But that lunch may prove to pricey.

Scoop: Jennifer Aniston gets a kick out of ‘Friends'

The "Marley & Me" star tells New York Times magazine, "This is horrible to say, but there are times when I laugh my rear end off."