AP - Democratic leaders in Congress sidetracked legislation to bail out the auto industry Thursday and demanded the Big 3 develop a plan assuring the money would make them economically viable.

AP - New claims for unemployment benefits jumped last week to a 16-year high, the Labor Department said Thursday, providing more evidence of a rapidly weakening job market expected to get even worse next year.

AP - Barack Obama is likely to choose Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano for the job of secretary of homeland security, top Obama advisers and several Democrats said Thursday as the shape of the president-elect's Cabinet begins to emerge.

AP - A federal judge on Thursday ordered the release of five Algerians held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and the continued detention of a sixth in a major blow to the Bush administration's strategy to keep terror suspects locked up without charges.

AP - With weekly jobless claims benefits at a 16-year high, the White House said Thursday that President George W. Bush would quickly sign legislation pending in Congress to provide further unemployment benefits.