It may be up to president-elect Barack Obama and the new Congress to deal with the proposed auto bailout.  Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid yesterday pulled the bill to lend the Big Three 25-billion-dollars after the measure didn't get enough support from Republicans.  The issue is likely dead for the rest of the year. 

The Federal Reserve is cutting its growth forecast through 2009 and some officials say even deeper interest rate cuts may be needed if growth slows any more.  The lowered forecast from the central bank suggests the economy could shrink by zero-point-two percent in 2009. 

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Osama bin Laden's second-in-command is calling President-elect Barack Obama a, quote, "house Negro."  In a new audio recording, Ayman al Zawahri [[ EYE-mun ahl-zuh-WAHR-ee ]] says, quote, "You represent the direct opposite of honorable black Americans like Malcolm X." 

Three of the nation's busiest airports get major upgrades today.  Chicago's O'Hare, Seattle-Tacoma and Washington Dulles International airports are opening new runways.  FAA acting chief Bobby Sturgell says the new runway at O'Hare, the second busiest airport in the nation, will help smooth air traffic flow nationwide. 

Lack of oversight is being blamed for the crash of a Brazilian airliner that left 199 people dead last year.  The BBC says the official report on the incident blames government agencies for their failure to provide a safe runway and the TAM airline, for lack of pilot training. 

Pop superstar Michael Jackson will defend himself in court next week after all.  The singer originally had his lawyer insist he was too sick to travel to a British court where he's being sued by a Bahrain prince.  The 50-year-old King of Pop is being sued over allegedly reneging on a contract to record a new album and write an autobiography.