Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson sought to reassure an anxious public Sunday that the banking system is sound, while also bracing people for more troubled times ahead.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama pledged steadfast aid to Afghanistan in talks Sunday with its Western-backed leader and vowed to pursue the war on terror "with vigor" if elected, an Afghan official said.

Every economic downturn changes shoppers in some way. But this time, experts say the new behavior is the most dramatic and widespread that they have seen since the mid-1970s.

Faced with a spending cap, Republican presidential candidate John McCain is spending more money than he is raising during summer months and methodically reducing cash reserves.

Beijing started its most drastic pollution-control plan Sunday, restricting car use and limiting factory emissions in a last-minute push to clear smog-choked skies for the August Olympics.