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The economic downturn may force pro sports leagues to re-examine their business model, says commentator Frank Deford. And the leagues might look to Hollywood for inspiration: Top athletes would still command huge contracts, but lesser players could see their salaries reduced.

In Zimbabwe, authorities have detained the nation's two top opposition leaders just two weeks before the crucial run-off presidential vote. President Robert Mugabe's government is accused by opposition, church and human rights leaders of unleashing a campaign of violence and fear to stop his opponents from voting.

Chinese dairy imports have been banned in at least a dozen countries in response to the contaminated milk scandal. A top Japanese food company has recalled five food products sourced from a Chinese dairy company, including snacks served in hospital and school lunches. However, most of the products had already been consumed.

Britain has said it would provide up to $63 billion to boost the balance sheets of three of the country's largest banks but demanded in return the departure of some of the country's top bankers. Stocks in Britain rose at the news.

As the national economy continues to suffer in the wake of Wall Street's meltdown, California cities are also grappling with the fallout of a troubled state economy hit hard by foreclosures and soaring unemployment.

Iran has been given two weeks to agree to freeze its uranium enrichment program or face the prospect of new and tougher U.N. sanctions. The timetable stems from seven-country sessions in Geneva, where top-level U.S. and Iranian officials were present.

A top aide for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales says she will invoke the Fifth Amendment when testifying before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The committee wants to question Monica Goodling about the firings of eight federal prosecutors.

This time of year, we're used to seeing a sprig of mistletoe hanging from the doorway -- the inevitable invitation to a kiss. But we don't often think about how it got there. One hardy harvester in Tennessee collects it the old-fashioned way -- by climbing to the tops of trees.

The Republican nominee's campaign says the Obama administration has sent mixed signals. President Obama's top aides say that's not so. That's likely to again be a point of disagreement during Tuesday's debate.

The stock markets may be sinking, but the price of gold is on the rise — it topped $1,700 an ounce Monday. The spike in gold is a sign that nervous investors think there's nowhere else safe to put their money, economists say.