Taliban claim 5,220 foreign troops killed
The Taliban has long exaggerated its military successes, but its figures for 2008 may be the militia's most startling claims yet.

Premium tuna fetches $100,000 at auction

Two sushi bar owners paid more than $100,000 for a Japanese bluefin tuna at a Tokyo fish auction Monday, several times the average price and the highest in nearly a decade, market officials said.

Stocks end trading day with modest losses
Caution returned to Wall Street Monday as investors gave back some gains from last week's rally even as they found some encouragement from a report on construction spending.

Greek cop wounded in shooting

Gunmen shot and seriously wounded a policeman in Athens on Monday, the second such attack since police shot dead a teenager last month prompting Greece's worst riots in decades.

Obama eyeing big tax cut

President-elect Barack Obama met  with congressional leaders Monday, declaring the national economy was "bad and getting worse" and embracing tax cuts now expected to reach $300 billion.

5 killed in fire at Texas homeless shelter

Fire tore through a small-town homeless shelter early Monday, partially collapsing the building and killing five men, fire officials said.

U.S. Embassy in Baghdad inaugurated

The United States opened its new embassy building in Baghdad on Monday, a step meant to symbolize its transition from occupying power to an ally of a sovereign Iraqi government.

Intel picks signal break from Bush

President-elect Barack Obama's decision to fill the nation's top intelligence jobs with two men short on direct experience in intelligence gathering surprised the spy community and signaled the Democrat's intention for a clean break from Bush administration policies.

Man arrested in murder of Ohio mom

Police in Ohio have arrested a 22-year-old man in connection with the death of a Dayton mother and the kidnapping of her 4-year-old son, who was later abandoned at a highway rest stop. His father says the boy is "still terrified."