Taking the total number of bank failures to 26, regulators closed down banks in Maryland, Illinois, Florida and Utah, a development which has put increased pressure on the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. to rapidly try and dispose off the mounting toxic assets.

Ammonia treatment which was thought to kill harmful germs in meat is not very effective, according to the Government.

Salmonella and E. coli were found dozens of times in testing for the federal school lunch program on ammonia-treated beef from Beef Products Inc.

A century back, the reversal of the Chicago River to send off the city's waste to the Mississippi River instead of it flowing into Lake Michigan, was cheered as an engineering marvel, but things seem to have potentially changed now.

Commonwealth Edison Co., less formally known as ComEd, has confirmed that power has been restored to homes of more than 90% customers whose electrical supply had been cut off on the back of an usually icy weather.

The country's total bank closures number hit a whopping 130 on Friday, as regulators seized and shuttered one major bank in Ohio, Illinois, Virginia each, and 3 small banks across Georgia. AmTrust Bank in Cleveland was the largest bank to have been shut.

Leading bus and rail operator of UK, Go-Ahead, with a view to expand its services overseas, has joined Cook-Illinois in a venture to win contracts for America's signature yellow school buses in and around Chicago.

A U. S based publisher, Tribune Company is likely to introduce a new retirement plan for its employees. Tribune at present, owns the Los Angeles Times and Chicago Tribune.

Wednesday saw a senior Boeing executive informing that Boeing Co, the renowned aircraft maker, is expecting orders from Chinese airlines to account for nearly 40% of its forecast of 8,960 commercial jet orders from Asia over the next 20 years.

Disgraced & displaced former governor of Illinois, Rod Blagojevich has launched a new Web site on Sunday with an intention to fight for common populace and to get feedback from them.

Rod Blagojevich launched www. Governorrod. com that would allow users to tell him what is on their minds.

A 24-year-old Wheaton woman, Nunu Sung, who was charged on Friday with endangering the health or life of a newborn child and two counts of obstructing justice, will be appearing in the DuPage County Courthouse for a bond hearing on Monday. Presently, Sung is in custody on a $50,000 arrest warrant.