Car sales plunge heralding bleak 2009(Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. auto sales plunged by 36 percent in December led by outsized declines at Chrysler LLC, Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) and Toyota Motor Corp(7203.T) as the battered industry closed out its weakest year since 1992 in its largest single market.
Prosecutors seek to jail Madoff(Reuters)
Reuters - U.S. prosecutors asked a judge to jail accused swindler Bernard Madoff on Monday, saying he sent jewelry and other items worth more than$1 million to family and friends in violation of his bail.
World stocks climb on US revival hopes(AFP)
AFP - World stock markets rose on Monday, with Tokyo hitting the highest level for almost two months as investors hoped that the US economy would start to recover this year after a dire 2008.
Lawmakers set new mortgage bankruptcy bill(Reuters)Reuters - Legislation designed to stem foreclosures by allowing bankruptcy judges to erase some mortgage debt will be introduced by Congressional Democrats on Tuesday, and hopes are high that it will pass after a similar plan failed last year.