Ballmer: Windows 7 is nearly final

Microsoft Corp.'s next version of the Windows operating system is almost ready for prime time.

Failed love museum offers balm for heartbreak

From an empty ring box to sexy lingerie and a pair of fur-lined handcuffs, an exhibition of the relics of failed love has come to Asia, hoping to bring solace to the heartbroken.

Panda attacks zoo visitor for third time
For the third time,  Gu Gu the panda has attacked someone who climbed into its space, prompting officials at the Beijing Zoo to consider changes to keep visitors away from 240-pound animal.

Scoop: Stars will shine at inaugural

Celebrities aren't very interested in what they will wear to upcoming awards shows — they're already looking ahead to the outfits they'll don for Barack Obama's inauguration.

Rockets from Lebanon hit Israel

Lebanese militants fired at least three rockets into Israel early Thursday, threatening to open a new front for the Jewish state as it pushed forward with a bloody offensive in the Gaza Strip.

U.S. admiral to head anti-pirate patrols

A U.S. Navy commander will lead a new international force to battle pirates off the coast of Somalia, officials said Thursday.

Report slams Pentagon nuke oversight
A Pentagon advisory group plans to release a report Thursday criticizing the Defense Department for lack of focus on its nuclear mission and recommending more oversight, a senior defense official said.

Porn industry seeks own stimulus ... package

Seems everyone is lining up for a government handout, but in the case of the porn industry, you may wonder where the hands have been.

U.K. slashes interest rates to historic low
The Bank of England cut official interest rates by a half a percentage point to 1.5 percent on Thursday, the lowest level in its 315-year history.