National News

Burris says he's planning to appear Tuesday to be seated in the US Senate Barack Obama's appointed successor declared Tuesday he's qualified to take a seat in the Senate and said he'll go to Capitol Hill to do just that.

6 countries see halt in Russian gas shipments via Ukraine; EU calls cutoff 'unacceptable' Six countries reported a complete shutoff of Russian gas shipped via Ukraine on Tuesday, in a sharp escalation of a struggle over energy that threatens Europe as winter sets in.

New Congress, dominated by Democrats, to press Obama agenda amid an economic crisis The Democratic-dominated Congress convenes Tuesday to confront perhaps the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression and to grapple with a hugely ambitious agenda set by President-elect Bara

Obama picks manager over career pros for intelligence slots, surprising the spy community President-elect Barack Obama's selection of an old White House hand to head the CIA shows a preference for a strong manager over an intelligence expert.

Obama picks manager over career pros for intelligence slots President-elect Barack Obama's selection of an old White House hand to head the CIA shows a preference for a strong manager over an intelligence expert.

McCoy leads the way as No. 3 Texas rallies past No. 10 Ohio State 24-21 in Fiesta Colt McCoy hit Quan Cosby for a 26-yard touchdown with 16 seconds to play, lifting third-ranked Texas to a 24-21 Fiesta Bowl victory over No. 10 Ohio State on Monday night.

Gaza's civilian toll rises as diplomats make a desperate push for cease-fire GAZA CITY, Gaza—Israel ignored mounting international calls for a cease-fire Monday and said it won't stop its crippling 10-day assault until "peace and tranquility" are achieved in southern Isra

Police records reveal anguish of anthrax suspect's wife, and admission that he took own life Anthrax mailing suspect Bruce Ivins tormented his wife with rudeness and behaved erratically in the weeks before the Army scientist took his own life by overdosing on Tylenol, according to document

Pat Burrell agrees to $16 million, 2-year contract with AL champion Tampa Bay Rays Pat Burrell went from one World Series team to the other. The Tampa Bay Rays added a big bat to the middle of their lineup, agreeing Monday on a $16 million, two-year contract with Burrell.

Gaza's civilian death toll rises as diplomats make a desperate push for cease-fire Israel's expanding ground and air offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers took a heavy civilian toll Monday, including three young brothers reported killed by a crashing shell and wounded who filled

Israeli tanks head closer to major cities in Gaza, civilian casualties mount Israeli shells slammed into Gaza and ground forces edged closer to major population centers Tuesday, taking more civilian lives after Israel ignored mounting international calls for an immediate ce

Obama stimulus plan includes billions in retroactive tax refunds for struggling businesses President-elect Barack Obama's proposed stimulus package would provide businesses with billions of dollars in refunds on taxes they paid several years ago.

Move to generic drugs slows rise in health care costs; sector's share of the economy grows too Health care continued to take up a greater share of the economy in 2007, as spending on hospitals, doctors and other services increased 6.1 percent to $2.2 trillion.

In spite of declaring that he is a senator, Burris unlikely to be allowed to take oath Tuesday Although he calls himself a senator, Roland Burris has found little support among fellow Democrats in his effort to take the Senate seat to which embattled Illinois Gov.

Burris declares 'I'm a senator' _ but seating unlikely Tuesday as Dems try to avert showdown Senate Democrats struggled to avert a showdown steeped in race and corruption Monday as a defiant Roland Burris declared, "I'm a United States senator" and flew to the capital to claim President-el

AP Source: Bradley reaches preliminary agreement on $30 million, 3-year deal with Cubs The Chicago Cubs and free agent Milton Bradley reached a preliminary agreement Monday on a $30 million, three-year contract, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.

Prosecutor wants disgraced financier Bernard Madoff jailed without bail A prosecutor on Monday asked that Bernard Madoff be jailed pending trial, saying the disgraced financier violated an agreement with the court by mailing watches, jewelry, cufflinks and mittens wort

Ohio boy, 4, shoots babysitter after the teen accidentally stepped on his foot Police say a 4-year-old boy in southern Ohio shot his babysitter because the sitter accidentally stepped on his foot.

Baseball official: Minnesota Twins owner Carl Pohlad dead at age 93 Carl Pohlad, a billionaire banker whose Minnesota Twins won two World Series titles during nearly his nearly quarter-century as owner, died Monday, a baseball official said. He was 93.