TransUnion has taken a close look at the credit files of about 27 million Americans and found a disturbing trend.  In the fourth quarter of 2008, the credit reporting agency says the delinquency rate on mortgages nationwide went up for an eighth straight quarter.

Coast Guard cutters and aircraft are searching for three more people who vanished off the Florida coast over the weekend.  Yesterday, the Coast Guard rescued Nick Schuyler [[ sky-ler ]] who was clinging to their overturned boat.  Two NFL players, Corey Smith and Marquis Cooper, remain missing, as does William Bleakley.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Israel and has pledged to push for the establishment of a Palestinian state.  She's scheduled for a meeting with Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu, who doesn't see eye-to-eye with the U.S. on the topic of a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.  He favors expanding settlements in the occupied West Bank. 

The California Legislature has officially opposed the passing of last year's ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage.  Both the Senate and the Assembly passed resolutions yesterday opposing Proposition 8, stating the ballot measure was an improper revision of the California Constitution and that only the legislature has authority to make such a change.

The Earth had a close encounter with an asteroid yesterday.  It missed the Earth by only 41-thousand miles, a short distance by astronomical measurements.  The asteroid flew between Earth and the moon at 8:44 a.m. Eastern time Monday morning.

Residents of Portland, Oregon are singing the blues.  A new report by BusinessWeek.com says Portland is number one on a list of the "top unhappiest cities" due to the economic slump.  Researchers say they factored in categories such as suicide and depression rates, crime statistics, and economic fact