The authorities have been investigating what appears to be collusion in the multibillion-dollar municipal bonds market.

Sheila C. Bair will most likely be kept in her job by the Obama administration, two senior advisers to the Obama transition team said on Wednesday.

Bernard L. Madoff tried to hide at least $1 million in assets from investigators, prosecutors told a judge.

The S.E.C. has been deteriorating for years. Rebuilding it will require political backing and greater industry expertise.

Some 10,000 air operators would lose at least some of their exemption status if a new security plan is adopted.

The disgraced financier Bernard L. Madoff tried to hide at least $1 million in assets from government investigators, federal prosecutors told a judge Monday.

Lawmakers said the agency “failed miserably” after warnings that could have uncovered the alleged scheme.

Democratic lawmakers charged that the agency had “failed miserably” in following up on warnings that could have uncovered years ago possible wrongdoing by Bernard L. Madoff.

The Ministry of Public Security and six other agencies would work together “to purify the Internet’s cultural environment,” the government said in a statement.

The proposed deal is unusual because it is one of the first transactions involving unregulated private equity firms acquiring a majority stake in a bank holding company.