What could happen to the global economy if US defaults

Norwegian police under scrutiny after terror attacks

2:32 pm ET - Oslo police today defended their hour-long response time to the shooting spree on Utoya island, part of the twin terrorist attacks that killed at least 76 people and shocked Norway.

• Norwegians rally around victims as Breivik appears in court
• Norway attacks put spotlight on Europe's right-wing parties. Who are they?
• Norway massacre likely to ramp up monitoring of right-wing groups
• Backchannels: Norwegian terrorist stirs multiculturalism opponents
• Man accused in Norway attacks 'acted with intent of terror' – judge
• Norway mourns, ponders impact of terror attacks
• The Monitor's View: How to react to Norway shootings

Amazon pushes California toward referendum on online sales tax

5:26 pm ET - A new California law forces online retailers to collect sales tax for purchases made in the state. Amazon is fighting back by pushing for a statewide referendum on the issue.

Rep. David Wu resigns amid allegations of sexual misconduct with 18-year-old

4:30 pm ET - David Wu (D) of Oregon will resign after the resolution of the debt ceiling debate, he announced Tuesday. A young woman alleges Representative Wu had an unwanted sexual encounter with her last Thanksgiving.

Why Netanyahu is suddenly unpopular in Israel

3:24 pm ET - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose approval rating has dropped nearly 20 percent, today scrambled to respond to a widening movement protesting pocketbook issues.

Abyei remains tense as UN, Sudanese Army disagree on troop presence

1:32 pm ET - Despite the United Nations' insistence, the Sudanese Army is refusing to pull out of Abyei until Ethiopian peacekeeping forces are fully deployed.

Venezuela unable to determine cause of Bolivar's death

10:43 am ET - The Latin American hero's body was exhumed by order of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez last year to prove that Bolivar was murdered, but the study was inconclusive.

Public calls for change of track following bullet train crash in China

10:07 am ET - Online messages allowed Chinese to learn quickly about an accident involving two new high-speed trains. The public has reacted furiously to a lack of transparency about the cause.

Libyan rebel chief says Qaddafi could stay after all

8:33 am ET - British Foreign Secretary William Hague backed up Mustafa Abdul Jalil's comment yesterday that rebels would be willing to sign an agreement allowing Qaddafi to remain in Libya.

Federal court: If you're arrested, officials can take a DNA sample

7:51 pm ET - A legal challenge to the federal law that allows authorities to take DNA samples from people who have been arrested or detained – prior to any conviction – was rejected by a federal court.

Chicago police use more deadly force as gang war heats up

7:21 pm ET - Chicago police have already shot and killed more people this year than they did in 2010. Officials blame a 'wanton disregard for law,' but critics say police have been too aggressive against gangs.

Hugo Chávez no longer lying low

4:40 pm ET - Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez's silence during his initial trip to Cuba for cancer treatment raised speculation about his future. Now he is trying to remain in the public eye.

NFL deal reached: 'Football is back,' let the Brett Favre watch begin

3:53 pm ET - NFL deal makers came to a compromise to end the 132-day shutdown Monday. The NFL deal will unleash a chaotic period of free agency, as well as the annual question: What about Brett Favre?

Syria introduces law allowing independent political parties

2:25 pm ET - The bill, approved by the cabinet yet awaiting agreement from Syria's parliament, is the regime's latest concession to protesters. But it includes some restrictions that could limit its impact.

Knights Templar: In Mexico, like Norway, criminals look to past for legitimacy

9:11 am ET - The attacker in Norway and a Mexican drug ring both invoke the ancient Knights Templar to describe themselves. Why do violent ideologues and criminals search the past for inspiration?