Rapport with Obama will be key for Clinton

Hillary Clinton's success as secretary of state may depend as much on Obama's willingness to admit her to his inner circle as her mastery of the job, officials say.

Sears faces tough test this season

The holiday season is expected to be difficult for most retailers, but it could prove especially tough for one of the nation's most storied brands: Sears.

U.S. deaths in Afghanistan drop sharply

One American serviceman died in Afghanistan in November, a dramatic drop from earlier months that the U.S. military attributed in  part to their campaign against insurgents.

Bombs kill more than 30 in Iraq

Suicide bombers struck Monday near a Baghdad police academy and in Mosul against a joint U.S.-Iraqi patrol, killing more than people, Iraqi officials said.

Floods leave Venice underwater

Residents and tourists in Venice waded through knee-deep water Monday as they navigated the city's narrow streets and alleys, and its historic St. Mark's Square was inundated.

Burress appears in court; bail set at $100,000

New York Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress was charged Monday with two counts of criminal possession of a weapon.

30-mile pile a symbol of FEMA delays

A 30-mile scar of debris along the Texas coast stands as a festering testament to what state and local officials say is FEMA's sluggish response to the 2008 hurricane season.

Hudson's in-law arrested in deaths

Police arrested the estranged brother-in-law of Jennifer Hudson on Monday in the deaths of the entertainer's mother, brother and young nephew.

Birmingham mayor faces bribery charges
The mayor of Alabama's largest city was arrested Monday on federal bribery and fraud charges connected to a sewer bond deal that has driven the surrounding county to the brink of bankruptcy.

Cost of 12 days of Christmas: $86,609
Given the economic downturn, even the most romantic might balk at the $86,609 price tag for the items in the carol, "The Twelve Days of Christmas."