A very old story is once again being retold, with a few of the characters' names updated to besmirch the innocent. In this story, conservatives are to blame for an economic crisis because they allegedly believe there is no role for government in the economy, and all economic crises are due to lax regulation of markets.

With many cities strapped for cash, a key economic-development group is scrambling for new money sources to support its efforts to recruit more businesses to the Valley.

Gov. Janet Napolitano outlined her efforts Tuesday to encourage exports and foreign investment in the state, saying she is reorganizing the Department of Commerce to focus on international trade and urging the federal government to expand port-of-entry facilities on the Mexican border.

Mesa economic development officials hope to establish a bridge to Ireland through an international exchange that will bring an Irish trade and investment group to the East Valley this month.

Arizona is creating a new economic development organization, at least in part to compensate for the state’s lack of financial incentives to lure new business.

NEW YORK - This week on Wall Street, investors will find out if consumers' worries about housing, jobs and rising prices are affecting their spending - and, in turn, posing a further threat to the economy.

JERUSALEM - Israel will clamp down on Palestinian areas, cutting the West Bank off from Gaza, banning Gaza workers from Israel and halting most funding, in a campaign to weaken the violent Hamas as it assumes power.

WASHINGTON - In defense of his war policy, President Bush will highlight U.S. efforts to help Iraqis overhaul their economy and rebuild their shattered infrastructure - an endeavor continually undermined by unrelenting violence.

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Robert J. Aumann and Thomas C. Schelling won the 2005 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences on Monday for their work in game theory that explains political and economic conflicts, arms races and even preventing warfare.

ZANZIBAR, Tanzania - When 21-year-old Mwajuma Hamisi finished high school a few years ago, the only future she could envision was finding a husband as quickly as possible, to spare her family the burden of taking care of her.

Williams Gateway is becoming a real airport. The emerging Mesa air hub — for a half-century the centerpiece of a thriving Air Force base that ended up a casualty of the nationwide base closures of the 1990s — is poised to become a major economic engine for the East Valley.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama claimed early progress Tuesday night in his aggressive campaign to lead the nation out of economic chaos and declared that despite obstacles ahead, "we're moving in the right direction."

Despite unemployment brought on by the economic slump, Amy Lutchen isn’t about to miss skipping out on Chicago’s snow for Arizona’s warmth and the opportunity to watch her beloved Cubs.

NEW YORK - Alas, wireless Internet may not be the technology sector’s salvation after all.

Streetscape improvements to Arizona Avenue through downtown Chandler will be recognized by the International Downtown Association (IDA) at its annual conference in Charlotte, N.C.

Streetscape improvements to Arizona Avenue through downtown Chandler will be recognized by the International Downtown Association (IDA) at its annual conference in Charlotte, N.C.

Streetscape improvements to Arizona Avenue through downtown Chandler will be recognized by the International Downtown Association (IDA) at its annual conference in Charlotte, N.C.

Article 33 of the Geneva Convention, of which the United States is a signatory, states that "No general penalty, pecuniary or otherwise, shall be inflicted upon the population on account of the acts of individuals for which they can not be regarded as jointly and severally responsible." Both Hamas and Israel are in gross violation of Article 33.

NEW YORK - Overseas shoppers who once arrived in the U.S. with empty suitcases to take back their holiday loot may decide to stay home this year amid high-priced airline tickets, unfavorable exchange rates and lingering economic woes.

The first shipment of international cargo made its way to Williams Gateway Airport on Friday in Mesa, and business is expected to take off from there, officials said.

Detroit is presenting the North American International Auto Show starting in a couple of weeks, January 2-24 in downtown’s Renaissance Center. This auto show previews what the automotive world thinks America’s tastes in cars and trucks are going to be for the next year.

Thirty years ago, U.S. businesses bragged about having operations "coast to coast."

Thirty years ago, U.S. businesses bragged about having operations "coast to coast."