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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government is beefing up a task force to fight mortgage crimes and safeguard federal financial bailouts, the U.S. Justice Department said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Politicians want American consumers to resume spending to pull the economy out of its tailspin, and the U.S. government is leading by example with a potential $1 trillion deficit in 2009 -- even before a massive stimulus plan.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Throwing off its bully image for the 2009 U.S. tax season, the Internal Revenue Service is vowing to be sensitive and do what it can to help financially strapped Americans.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. operations of LyondellBasell, the world's third-largest petrochemical company, filed for bankruptcy protection under the weight of a massive debt load and slumping demand for its products.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Detroit, a city already struggling due to the depressed auto industry, was hit with another blow on Tuesday when Standard & Poor's Ratings Services downgraded the city's general obligation ratings to junk status, citing ongoing financial deterioration.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks gained on Tuesday on the increased likelihood of a government stimulus package after the release of minutes from the last Federal Reserve policy meeting painted a dismal picture of the U.S. economy.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Alcoa Inc said on Tuesday it would slash more than 15,000 jobs, halve capital spending and sell four businesses as it reduces aluminum production in the face of the global economic downturn.

Roland Burris headed to the Capitol on Tuesday, where he was expected to be denied entry to the Senate chambers as he tried to claim the seat once held by President-elect Barack Obama.

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Oscar-winning fugitive filmmaker Roman Polanski wants to disqualify the entire Los Angeles County court system from handling the sexual misconduct case that led him to flee the United States for France three decades ago.

The first session of the 111th Congress officially convened at noon Tuesday, with the troubled economy at the top of its agenda.

Apple Vice President Philip Schiller introduced new pricing tiers at Apple's popular iTunes store. Songs will now be available for 99 cents, 69 cents and $1.29.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A judge extended an order on Tuesday barring hedge fund founder Ezra Merkin from shutting down funds that had invested with accused swindler Bernard Madoff or withdrawing money from them.

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - Texas road officials on Tuesday scrapped a $180 billion plan to build a giant system of toll roads and commuter rails criss-crossing the state in favor of a smaller slate of infrastructure projects.

BLAUBEUREN, Germany (Reuters) - German billionaire Adolf Merckle has committed suicide, in despair over the huge losses suffered by his business empire during the financial crisis, his family said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A federal judge on Tuesday set a trial for early next year for five Blackwater security guards accused of killing 14 unarmed civilians in a 2007 shooting in Baghdad that strained U.S.-Iraqi relations.

John Travolta and Kelly Preston have returned to Ocala, Florida, with the remains of their teenage son, a family friend told CNN on Tuesday.

The Purple Heart medal, awarded to service members who have been physically wounded in combat, will not be given for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, a Pentagon statement said.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Many U.S. troops serving overseas are effectively excluded from voting because they are not given enough time to cast absentee ballots, according to a report released on Tuesday.

Gail Parker was many things to many people. She was an environmentalist who wrote about Love Canal and gave speeches about America's polluted waterways. She volunteered at the local hospital, helped the elderly and cancer patients. And she read to the blind.

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A U.S. court upheld the 19 felony convictions of former Enron Corp President and Chief Executive Jeffrey Skilling stemming from his role in the collapse of the energy trading company, but said he must be resentenced.

As a candidate, Barack Obama promoted hybrid cars. As president, he'll be handed the keys to one. Sort of. Shortly after taking the oath of office, Obama will climb into the Mother of All Hybrids -- part car, part truck and, from the looks of it, part tank.