Iraq's Maliki Pushes to Bolster Power

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki signaled his determination to bolster the powers of his office, while pushing political rivals, prospective coalition partners and parliament to be more cooperative.

Video Shows Apparent Afghan Bribe

A fresh controversy is threatening to further mar the already messy aftermath of Afghanistan's fraud-ridden parliamentary elections with the emergence of a videotape that appears to show an elderly Western woman soliciting an alleged bribe to fix the results.

Irish Official Sees Bailout Deal Sunday

Irish Communications Minister Eamon Ryan said talks between the EU and the International Monetary Fund on an ?85 billion Irish aid package will conclude Sunday.

Madoff Trustee Files Dozens of Suits

Dozens of former customers of Bernard Madoff, including relatives of the convicted Ponzi schemer and his wife, were sued by the trustee who is attempting to recover money for victims.

J&J Suffers Another Manufacturing Blow

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration cited a Johnson & Johnson drug manufacturing plant in Puerto Rico for various deficiencies, a new setback in the company's efforts to recover from a series of medicine recalls due to quality problems.

Number of the Week: 492 Days From Default to Foreclosure

The average borrower in foreclosure hasn't made a mortgage payment in more than a year, effectively living in their homes rent-free.

Insider Case Has Soft-Dollar Focus

The sweeping insider-trading investigation is raising questions about how hedge funds and other big investors dole out a common form of payment on Wall Street known as "soft dollars."

Traders' Targets: Portugal and Spain

Investors are concerned that European countries' funding problems could spread to much-bigger economies, such as Spain, Italy or even France, where a bailout could be impractical.

Second Mortgages Trip Up Short Sales

Real-estate agents, lenders and federal policy makers have pointed to short sales as one way to revive moribund housing markets while helping troubled borrowers avoid foreclosure. But second mortgages are tripping up many short-sale efforts.

Loyalty to Customers Led to Bank's Fall

Wilmington Trust, founded by the duPont family more than a century ago, built a reputation for standing by its clients through thick and thin. That corporate culture nearly killed the bank.

Foreclosure Restarts Limp Out of the Gate

Bank of America and J.P. Morgan Chase have hit snags in efforts to restart nearly 230,000 foreclosures across the U.S. Some cases are likely to remain in limbo until early next year.