WASHINGTON -- A rising tide of late mortgage payments and home foreclosures poses considerable dangers to the national economy, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned anew as he urged Congress to take additional steps to alleviate the problems.

WASHINGTON -- A rising tide of late mortgage payments and home foreclosures poses considerable dangers to the national economy, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned anew Monday as he urged Congress to take additional steps to alleviate the problems.

LONDON -- Britain attempted Monday to contain a run on the country's fifth largest mortgage lender amid fears that a sustained panic could damage the national economy should it further undermine the confidence of investors and consumers.

Employers sliced payrolls by 4,000 in August, the first drop in four years, a stark sign that a painful credit crunch that has unnerved Wall Street is putting a strain on the national economy.

WASHINGTON -- A painful credit crunch is taking its worst toll on the already ailing housing market, while its impact on the rest of the national economy at least so far seems limited, the Federal Reserve reported Wednesday.

JACKSON, Wyo. -- Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke pledged Friday that the central bank will "act as needed" to keep the credit crisis that has unhinged Wall Street from hurting the national economy.

Discussions bubble about whether the current real estate woes in many parts of the country -- slow sales, rising foreclosures, collapses of mortgage firms -- could push the U.S. business climate into a deep economic quagmire. What do you think the chances are that the national economy falls into a true recession in the coming year? Very high High Low Very low

Discussions bubble about whether the current real estate woes in many parts of the country -- slow sales, rising foreclosures, collapses of mortgage firms -- could push the U.S. business climate into a deep economic quagmire. What do you think the chances are that the national economy falls into a true recession in the coming year? Very high High Low Very low

Discussions bubble about whether the current real estate woes in many parts of the country -- slow sales, rising foreclosures, collapses of mortgage firms -- could push the U.S. business climate into a deep economic quagmire. What do you think the chances are that the national economy falls into a true recession in the coming year? Very high High Low Very low