The government is seeking to avoid court chaos by persuading at least some creditors to agree to a plan that would cleave General Motors into two pieces.

U.S. Hopes to Ease G.M. to Bankruptcy

Cerberus Capital Management has agreed to give up its 80.1 percent stake in Chrysler, and the private investment firm is now trying to save its investment in GMAC and Chrysler Financial.

Cerberus Tries to Get Chrysler Out of a Ditch

A plan that provides government subsidies to drivers who junk their old jalopies for new cars has exceeded expectations.

In Europe, ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Drives Sales

The Obama administration must decide whether 17 Uighurs are innocent refugees or dangerous terrorists.

Chinese Inmates at Guantánamo Pose a Dilemma

European leaders are resisting calls for stimulus measures, but history shows that they often work.

Stimulus Thinking, and Nuance

Ordinary consumers are being pitted against professional scalpers who scoop up large numbers of tickets in a flash.

Online Sales Make Hot Tickets Harder to Get

There are questions about whether doctors hired by insurers to examine injured workers are really independent.

Exams of Injured Workers Fuel Mutual Mistrust

Germany and France want global financial regulations that could reach inside America’s borders, while President Obama is pushing for more stimulus.

In Europe, Obama Faces Calls for Rules on Finances

The Justice Department moved to drop charges against Ted Stevens, citing prosecutorial misconduct.

Justice Dept. Moves to Void Stevens Case

Massachusetts’ top securities regulator has sued Fairfield Greenwich Advisors, which directed billions of dollars of its clients’ money into Bernard L. Madoff’s investment firm.

Funds Tied to Madoff in Legal Vise

New-vehicle sales fell in March for a 17th consecutive month, but carmakers said proposed federal incentives could mean the market was bottoming out.

Auto Sales for March Offer Hope

In an age of instant information gratification, the burden of having to dial in to a mailbox, enter a passcode and sit through “um’s” and “ah’s” from unwanted callers can seem too much to bear.

You’ve Got Voice Mail, but Do You Care?

Botox may be bracing for a new wrinkle on the block with the arrival of Reloxin, another injectable made from the botulinum toxin.

Heads Up, Botox

This area in southwestern France offers a journey into a land of caves, rivers and prehistoric creations dating back 400,000 years.

In the Dordogne, Canoeing Into Prehistory

As many Americans seek ways to save, people who lived through the Depression tell stories of life without luxuries.

Making Ends Meet in the Great Depression

Stores like Ann Taylor and Talbots are now recession destinations, and shoppers may be surprised by how much fashion they get for the dollar.

Irresistible and Affordable

The recession garden seems to be enjoying a revival during these bad times, but first-time gardeners face challenges.

A Novice in Search of Bounty

The beleaguered New York City Opera announced its first operatic season since essentially shutting down a year ago during renovations to its home at Lincoln Center.

City Opera Unveils Five-Show Season

An improved personal reminder system collects your every utterance and idea and holds them for posterity.

Reminders From Out of the Blue

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is set to spend more money on influencing popular culture through a deal with Viacom.

Messages With a Mission, Embedded in TV Shows

The 72-year-old soap opera “Guiding Light,” the longest-running scripted program in broadcasting history, will end in September.

CBS Turns Out ‘Guiding Light’

Paul Dano, a former child actor who is now starring in the film “Gigantic,” wants his share of ordinary life.

Chasing Stardom, in No Particular Rush

The final episodes of “ER” served up a parable of anxiety — not the viewers’ sense of loss, but the creators’ fears of oblivion.

‘ER’ Goes the Way of Nurses’ Caps

Finding their retirement nest eggs short, many are doing whatever it takes to start a second career.

Skills to Learn, to Restart Earnings

In a new threat to Detroit, China is investing heavily in hybrid and electric-vehicle technology.

April 1, 2009

Headlines from April 1, 2009

U.S. Hopes to Ease G.M. to Bankruptcy

Cerberus Tries to Get Chrysler Out of a Ditch

In Europe, ‘Cash for Clunkers’ Drives Sales

Chinese Inmates at Guantánamo Pose a Dilemma

Stimulus Thinking, and Nuance

Billboard 200

All I Ever Wanted

No Line On The Horizon

Twilight

Love V/S Money

The Fame

Historical Context for April 1, 2009