WASHINGTON - Democrats plan to allow the government's debt to swell by nearly $2 trillion as part of a bill next week to pay for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The amount pretty much equals the total of a year-end spending spree by lawmakers and is big enough to ensure that Congress doesn't have to vote again on going further into debt until after the 2010 elections. Full Story »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Securities regulators are looking at what Bank of America disclosed to shareholders as it was acquiring Merrill Lynch, including the investment bank's mounting fourth-quarter losses that eventually topped $15 billion. Full Story »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - In a win for the banking industry, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on Friday to reject a measure that would have allowed bankruptcy judges to change the terms of mortgages for distressed homeowners. Full Story »
AP
WASHINGTON - Democrats trying to push President Barack Obama's health care overhaul plan through the Senate got a sober warning Friday that costs will keep going up and proposed Medicare savings may harm the program. Full Story »
WASHINGTON - People who could help financial firms make a quick buck held some of the fastest-growing jobs two years ago. Full Story »
Reuters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Airbus parent EADS is sticking to plans to boycott a potential $50 billion competition to build a U.S. Air Force refueling fleet absent major changes in the way the winner would be picked. Full Story »
AP
COPENHAGEN - After a week of U.N. climate talks, some money is finally on the table and a draft agreement has been circulated. Now the really hard bargaining begins. Full Story »
Despite record-breaking sales of a single video-game title and a good showing from Nintendo, the gaming industry showed weakness in November. Research from the NPD Group found strong possibilities of a down year for the video-game industry. Full Story »
AFP/Getty Images/File
SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) - NPD Group said that US videogame industry sales for the year are on track to hit 20 billion dollars despite not measuring up to stellar revenues seen in 2008. Full Story »
It's a given for many academics and investors that over the long run stocks outperform bonds. But those in the top tax bracket may want to rethink that axiom, especially if they live in states with high income tax rates. That's because for tax purposes, most states generally don't treat stock gains or dividends any differently than ordinary income. Full Story »
NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. consumers felt better in December, as the job market shows signs of improvement and retailers dangle steep discounts to goose up holiday sales, a survey released on Friday showed. Full Story »
NEW YORK - The dollar rose Friday to its highest level against the euro since early October as a report showed the holiday shopping season could be brighter than had been anticipated, raising speculation that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates in the first half of 2010. Full Story »
NEW YORK - Shares of retailers rose on Friday, after the Commerce Department reported an unexpectedly encouraging November sales report. Full Story »
AP
ROCKVILLE, Md. - A Maryland judge ruled Thursday that Jon Gosselin must stop making media appearances and endorsements the TLC network claim violate his contract — like a Las Vegas pool party with bikini-clad women the celebrity dad recently hosted. Full Story »
AP
LOS ANGELES - An Illinois insurance executive agreed to plead guilty to interstate stalking after secretly making nude videos of ESPN reporter Erin Andrews, according to court documents filed Thursday and first obtained by The Associated Press. Full Story »
FRESNO, Calif. - A crucial part of the nation's rapid-reponse plan — the ability to trace food through the supply chain during an illness outbreak or bioterrorism attack — is seriously flawed, an independent watchdog agency has found. Full Story »
WASHINGTON - Democrats are muscling through a deficit-swelling spending bill, giving domestic programs their third major boost this year and awarding lawmakers with more than 5,000 home-state projects. Full Story »
AP
OSLO - When President Barack Obama accepted his Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday, a single Swedish company controlled the dissemination of his words. Full Story »
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