Obama assembles powerful West Wing

Barack Obama is assembling a new and influential cadre of counselors just steps from the Oval Office whose power to direct domestic policy will rival, if not exceed, the authority of his Cabinet.

Rockets from Lebanon hit Israel

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

Matthews won't run for Pa. Senate seat
MSNBC political commentator Chris Matthews has told his colleagues he won't be leaving television to run for a U.S. Senate seat from Pennsylvania.

Curran: NFL in good hands with talented young guns

Curran: Something pretty remarkable happened in this year's playoffs. The three quarterbacks that authored the finest rookie seasons at their position in the modern day NFL all made it to the postseason.

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.

Ballmer: Windows 7 is nearly final

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

Obama: Stimulus proposal could grow

In an interview with CNBC, President-elect Barack Obama said a planned economic stimulus plan could grow beyond $800 billion.

NYT: Bush's homeland security setup faces ax

Barack Obama is reportedly preparing to scrap the way President Bush oversaw domestic security in the White House and name a former CIA official to coordinate counterterrorism.

Celtics' woes hit home, Rockets win at Garden

Von Wafer hit a 3-pointer with 44 seconds left to give Houston the lead and the Rockets beat Boston 89-85 on Wednesday night.