14 killed after quake rocks Costa Rica

The death toll from a strong earthquake that rocked Costa Rica has risen to 14 with at least 22 people still missing, the Red Cross said Friday.

Microsoft's Ballmer raises pressure on Yahoo
Microsoft's CEO Steve Ballmer has told the Financial Times newspaper that the current period of transition for Yahoo is a good time for a search deal between the two companies.

Six-year-old's saggy pants lead to gun find
A 6-year-old boy brought a loaded handgun to his Southern California elementary school. It was discovered when he was sent to the campus office because of his sagging pants.

Obama picks Panetta for CIA chief

President-elect Barack Obama on Friday announced his unusual choices for CIA director and a national intelligence director. The pair are likely to face tough Senate questioning.

At CES, progress a step at a time

The big debuts at the International Consumer Electronics Show aren't whiz-bang hardware systems. They're ideas designed to protect the environment and improve the technology consumers already use.

Report: Missile kills top al-Qaida men

A CIA strike in Pakistan killed two top al-Qaida terrorists long sought by the U.S., including the man believed to be behind a  deadly hotel bombing in Pakistan, U.S. officials told the Washington Post.

Troops in Iraq to get beer for Super Bowl
American troops in Iraq will be allowed to drink beer without fear of court-martial for this year's Super Bowl — an exception to a strict military ban on drinking alcohol in combat zones.

Somali pirates free Saudi supertanker

Somali pirates freed a Saudi supertanker seized in the world's biggest ship hijacking for a $3 million ransom on Friday, an associate of the gang said.

Skakel claims key evidence withheld

Kennedy cousin Michael Skakel's lawyers have filed a new appeal of his murder conviction, claiming that police and prosecutors failed to provide them with evidence that pointed to another suspect and discredited a key state witness.

Alzheimer's drugs double death risk in elderly
Anti-psychotic drugs commonly used to treat Alzheimer's disease may double a patient's chance of dying within a few years, suggests a new study that adds to known concerns.