L.A. water cops get muscle to fight drought

The green thumbs who keep lawns lush and flora flourishing in Los Angeles have found a new foe among the aphids, white flies and other yard pests — the water police.

Iran lurks behind Gaza conflict

Israel's fight with Hamas in Gaza, like the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon two years ago, is a broader proxy battle between Western allies and Iran for the very future of the Middle East.

Apple cutting some iTunes prices

Apple is cutting the price of some songs in its market-leading iTunes online music store to 69 cents and plans to begin selling all tracks without copy protection.

Charities hurt in Madoff case get charity
Nonprofits that are struggling because their donors lost money with Bernard Madoff are getting a bailout — but not from the government. Richer foundations are stepping in to help.

Fed sees long-lasting downturn

Federal Reserve officials feared the economy would be stuck in a painful rut for some time despite their decision to slash interest rates to a record low.

Coleman sues over Minnesota Senate recount

Republican Norm Coleman is suing to challenge Democrat Al Franken's apparent recount victory in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race, he said during a news conference on Tuesday.

Ski bum? Bottom bared in lift mishap

A guy who dangled upside down from a ski lift with his bare bottom exposed probably doesn't want to hear any "ski bum" jokes.

Judge: U.S. hiding evidence in detainee case
A U.S. judge on Tuesday accused the Bush administration of hiding evidence in the case of a Yemen man who has been held as a terror suspect at Guantanamo Bay for six years.

Stores fear holiday sales may stick

Shoppers are getting used to those 75 percent off sales, and that's bad news for merchants who worry they will also have to quickly slash prices on spring goods to attract customers.