2008: The year of the meltdown
Bernard Madoff, chairman of Madoff Investment Securities, returns to his Manhattan apartment after making a court appearance in New York on Dec.

All eyes on New York after battered ASX rises
THE Australian sharemarket closed for Christmas on a high, with the benchmark index gaining 1.4 per cent on thin volumes on Wednesday before a four-day trading break.

Hail to the beef!: Obama's abs create a fuss
Forget Barack Obama's staff making contact with a governor charged with corruption.

Staten Island politicians' hopes for the new year
Businesses line Main Street in Staten Island's Tottenville section. Most Staten Island public officials listed an economic turnaround as their top hope for 2009.