Greenspan's plan, raising taxes to pay for a new stimulus attempt, is like mugging taxpayers and then offering help for their discomfort. And he's not alone in his paradoxical thinking.

The Venezuela election on Sunday saw the political opposition gain more than one-third of seats in legislature, enough to stymie Hugo Chávez's future initiatives.

Economists have declared the recession over. Now the grieving begins, one stage at a time.

AP - President Barack Obama started the school week Monday with a call for a longer school year, and said the worst-performing teachers have "got to go" if they don't improve quickly.

AP - NATO helicopters in eastern Afghanistan launched rare airstrikes into Pakistan, killing more than 50 militants and prompting a protest from Islamabad, while international forces pressed ahead with a combat operation to drive Taliban fighters from areas around the southern city of Kandahar in the insurgent heartland.

AP - The Palestinian president said Monday he would wait at least a week before deciding whether to quit Mideast peace talks, giving U.S. mediators precious time to broker a compromise after Israel refused to extend its 10-month moratorium on new West Bank settlement construction.