By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard

DAVOS, Switzerland - February 2, 2009 - The Government should allow every distressed bank to go bankrupt and set up a fresh banking system under temporary state control rather than cripple the country by propping up a corrupt edifice, according to Joseph Stiglitz, the Nobel Prize-winning economist.

WASHINGTON - January 31, 2009 - Banks in Florida, Maryland and Utah were closed yesterday as regulators wrapped up the busiest month for failures since the housing slump began in 2006.

WASHINGTON - January 30, 2009 - If you're poor and the bank is coming for your home, Congressman Marcy Kaptur has a plan for you.

WASHINGTON - January 29, 2009 - States are facing a great fiscal crisis. At least 46 states faced or are facing shortfalls in their budgets for this and/or next year, and severe fiscal problems are highly likely to continue into the following year as well. Combined budget gaps for the remainder of this fiscal year and state fiscal years 2010 and 2011 are estimated to total more than $350 billion.

NEW YORK - January 26, 2009 - Foreclosures have delivered a devastating blow to the residential side of real estate in recent years - and experts say the bloodletting is about to begin for its commercial counterpart.

By Ambrose Evans-Pritchard

DAVOS, Switzerland - January 29, 2009 - "The one reserve currency has become a danger to the world economy: that is now obvious to everybody," said Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in a speech at the World Economic Forum.

WASHINGTON - January 29, 2009 - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose 3,000 last week, data on Thursday showed, while so-called continued claims hit the highest level on record as the country's year-long recession continued to chill employment.