Jonathan Fenby: The Bernard Madoff affair is another huge blow to the trust that is so essential for an efficient financial system

This Christmas has been an unusual one in the Square Mile after the dormant credit volcano finally erupted in 2008.

A $175 hamburger at The Wall Street Burger Shoppe in New York. Whether smashing plates in San Diego to relieve frustration or drinking Bailout Bitter beer in Canada sold as a

Your report "Secret nuclear sell-off storm" (20 December) indicates a watershed has been passed in the final sale of part of the UK military nuclear infrastructure to the United States.

December 24, 2008: For over two decades, the U.S. FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) has tried to computerize its operations. Billions have been spent, with only spotty success.

NUREMBERG, Germany -- This time of year, the Christmas spirit descends on Germany's cities and towns in the form of wooden stalls laden with pretzels, toys and baked goods of all shapes and sizes.

MADISON

There is no such thing as an American Christmas. Our celebrations today weave together practices from long-gone eras, cultures and diverse ethnic roots, drawing heavily from solstice and Germanic traditions. "Christmas is a great day when universally there is a feeling of unity," said Patrick Gorman, director of the Office of Worship for the Catholic Diocese of Madison. "It's a crossroads of the ...

The Globe's console critic on what was notable in 2008

A 102-year-old quarry in Sparta founded by Thomas Edison may soon become a source of electricity, officials said. Sparta is planning to convert the Limecrest Quarry's vast reservoir of spring-fed water into a hydroelectric generating plant that would raise millions...