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Battered by Industry Slump, GM and Chrysler Hold Merger Talks General Motors and Chrysler, bruised by the severe industry downturn, have held preliminary discussions about combining operations, including a full-scale merger, according to people familiar with the talks. It was unclear over the weekend whether the discussions were progressing and what, if any... The Big Apple Loses Luster NEW YORK -- This big, brash, in-your-face city suddenly seems to have lost its mojo. Family Blames Soldier's Suicide on Anti-Malaria Drug CHICAGO -- Juan Torres didn't believe that his son, Army Reservist Juan "John" M. Torres, had killed himself in Afghanistan just weeks before he was to return home in July 2004. He figured that John, 25, was murdered because of his opposition to the reportedly rampant heroin trade around the base. Records Show J. Edgar Hoover's Disdain for Columnist In caustic comments on internal FBI memos, bureau director J. Edgar Hoover referred to prominent Washington columnist Jack Anderson with undisguised contempt, calling him "a jackal," while agents combed his articles for errors and hints about possible sources. Conn. Ban On Gay Marriage Reversed The Connecticut Supreme Court overturned a state ban on same-sex marriage yesterday, ruling that it "discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation" in violation of the state constitution. Consignment Sales Rise as Economy Falls Patricia Ohlemiller packed up her Edmund Scientific Astroscan telescope last week and headed to the Gaithersburg iSold It eBay drop-off center. She hoped to recoup $150, minus commission, of its original $350 value. McCain Mum on Former Pastor As John McCain's campaign hits hard at some of Barack Obama's past associations, one person closely tied to the Democratic candidate is conspicuously absent from the attacks: the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. It is an omission that some Republican strategists and McCain supporters find puzzling and... Bush Seeks to Calm the Nation, Warns That 'Anxiety Can Feed Anxiety' President Bush yesterday urged Americans to remain calm and allow time for a rescue plan to stabilize financial markets, reflecting a renewed attempt by the White House to stave off panic in the face of the global economic meltdown. No Question, Bulldogs Make A Statement Churchill scores less than a minute into the game and quarterback Curran Chabra racks up a perfect passer score in a 49-27 win over Northwest. 'Nordic Tiger' Iceland Finds Itself in Meltdown REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Oct. 9 -- The bad news just keeps coming for Icelanders, who in the last week have seen the international financial empire that they built on this remote North Atlantic island start to crumble, piece by piece. Detroit's Ills Symptomatic Of a Manufacturing Plague DETROIT -- First it was the outsourcing of components, and then vehicle assembly. Then gasoline prices shot up, slashing demand for trucks and sport-utility vehicles. Now, just when things seemed as if they could not get any worse here, the credit crunch and the subsequent stock market meltdown have... Inouye Praises Stevens's Integrity A Democratic senator who has been a longtime friend of Sen. Ted Stevens took the witness stand yesterday to defend the integrity of the powerful Alaska Republican, who is battling corruption charges. Craft Flies 16 Miles From Moon Of Saturn The international Cassini space probe flew within 16 miles of the surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus yesterday -- a breathtakingly close flyby designed to gather dust and water particles that will help scientists better understand the recently discovered geysers that spew constantly from the moon's... U.S. Allegedly Listened In on Calls of Americans Abroad The chairman of the Senate intelligence committee is looking into allegations that a U.S. spy agency improperly eavesdropped on the phone calls of hundreds of Americans overseas, including aid workers and U.S. military personnel talking to their spouses at home. Revamped Hub Gives Returning Warriors a Taste of Home They come by the dozen, bandaged and shellshocked, touching down on U.S. soil for the first time since they left home for war. They're greeted by doctors and nurses, who tend to their wounds, and Red Cross volunteers who tell them there's root beer in the fridge and chicken for dinner. Dow Sinks to Lowest Level in 5 Years On Anniversary of Its All-Time High NEW YORK, Oct. 9 -- Stocks plunged in the final hour of trading Thursday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average down more than 675 points, or more than 7 percent, to its lowest level in five years after a major credit-rating company said it was considering cutting its rating on General Motors.... U.S. Seems Set to Take N. Korea off Terror List The Bush administration appears poised to provisionally remove North Korea from the State Department's list of state sponsors of terrorism, perhaps as soon as today, sources close to the administration said. Bush to Address Nation About Economic Crisis Friday President Bush, who has said little publicly during this week's prolonged market dive, will make a statement about the crisis tomorrow morning in the Rose Garden, the White House said late today.