U.S. automakers try to sell Congress on rescue package

Business

• Nation's retailers see sales drop in dreary November

• Eileen Ambrose: You can take steps to repair credit records

• O'Malley proposes furloughs for more than 67,000 workers

• State plans to preserve 9,200 acres

• Treasury urged to act to push down mortgage rates

• Biotechnical Institute of Md. awarded Bauer grant

• Jos. A. Bank reports 31 percent profit jump

• Port nears 10-year accord with Finnish paper maker

• Building material firm leases Harford warehouse

• Howard council names Hopkins lab its tech company of year

• Market hope beats pessimism

• Howard Co. Business Digest

Real Estate

• Session examines GGP zoning proposals for Columbia

• Residents hear plan for Doughoregan Manor in Ellicott City

• Md. sees drop in loss of homes

• Tide Point office park for sale for $102 million

• General Growth gets loan break

Money & Life

• Market wavers, closes on gain

• It's official: It's a recession

• Wall St. rebounds after big drop; Dow ends up 270

• Stock market slump reflects recession pessimism

• Holiday buying surges, slows

Technology

• Annapolis ranks high as 'digital'

• Report fraud, waste, abuse on county Web site

• Lockheed wins contract for weather satellites

• New lease on 'Life'

• Andrew Ratner: Now that it's everywhere, it's probably time to give up on the 'rickroll'

More From The AP

• Mexican Senate approves tougher consumer credit rules for banks

• Paulson: US, China will offer $20 billion in trade financing for developing countries

• Mexico's Cemex says World Bank division to hear claim against Venezuela nationalization

• Philippines' inflation eases to 9.9 percent in November, down for 3rd straight month

• CEO of Fairfax Media _ publisher of top Australia, NZ papers _ resigns amid financial slowdown