Panel examining recession's causes meets in Vegas (AP)

AP - Nevada had unrealistic growth expectations before the nation's financial meltdown battered the state's tourism industry and erased billions of dollars in real estate equity, an economist told a federal commission examining the causes of the Great Recession.

Fed report shows widespread signs growth easing (Reuters)

Reuters - The economy has shown "widespread signs" of slowing over recent weeks, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday in a report suggesting that while the recovery has been faltering, the economy may skirt a second recession.

Consumers cut back on credit card use once again (AP)

AP - Consumer borrowing fell again in July as households cut back on their credit card use for a 23rd consecutive month, adding more drag on an economy struggling to mount a sustained rebound.

Oil higher as stocks rise, Europe worries ease (AP)

AP - Oil prices followed stocks higher on Wednesday, as worries about European debt problems eased and buyers returned to the market.

Obama seeks to mend frayed bond with voters (AFP)

AFP - US President Barack Obama Wednesday admitted some of his policies were unpopular and had not revived the economy quickly enough, but sought to rekindle his frayed bond with American voters.

Hermine remnants cause massive flooding in Texas (AP)

AP - The remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine caused massive flooding in northern Texas on Wednesday, killing at least one person and much of the city of Arlington under water.

Military bans sale of violent video game (AP)

AP - Military bases across the U.S. have banned the sale of a new video game that lets a player pretend to be a Taliban fighter and "shoot" U.S. troops.

8 people missing in Colo. wildfire (AP)

AP - Firefighters encountered a tangle of rattlesnakes, downed power lines and combustible propane tanks Wednesday as authorities looked for eight people missing in a wildfire that has destroyed dozens of homes.

Obama: U.S. can't afford to extend tax cuts for rich (Reuters)

Reuters - President Barack Obama, fighting to keep Democrats in charge of Congress, said on Wednesday the United States could not afford to extend Bush-era tax cuts for the rich and accused Republicans of being fiscally irresponsible.

Obama: U.S. can't afford to extend tax cuts for rich (Reuters)

Reuters - President Barack Obama, fighting to keep Democrats in charge of Congress, said on Wednesday the United States could not afford to extend Bush-era tax cuts for the rich and accused Republicans of being fiscally irresponsible.

Obama: U.S. can't afford to extend tax cuts for rich (Reuters)

Reuters - President Barack Obama, fighting to keep Democrats in charge of Congress, said on Wednesday the United States could not afford to extend Bush-era tax cuts for the rich and accused Republicans of being fiscally irresponsible.

Obama tells Ohio audience of own family struggles (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama is getting a little personal about the sluggish economy, telling a Cleveland audience about his own family's struggles and hardships.

Obama's tax break for business: Will it put Americans to work? (The Christian Science Monitor)

The Christian Science Monitor - A new round of tax incentives for US businesses could have some positive impact on the job market, but it's not likely to ignite massive employment.

BP and partners trade blame for oil spill (Reuters)

Reuters - A BP Plc investigation of the Gulf of Mexico disaster played down its own role in the world's worst offshore oil spill and pointed the finger at what it said were failures by contractors.

AP Source: New GM CEO wants automaker to beat BMW (AP)

AP - New General Motors CEO Daniel Akerson (AAAK-er-sun) is telling employees that the automaker needs to make cars and trucks that are better than competitors such as BMW.

Summary Box: Portugal bond sale reflects debt fear (AP)

AP - HIGH COSTS: Portugal raised $1.3 billion in a debt auction Wednesday, but at sharply higher borrowing costs compared with recent auctions.

(AP)

AP - Consumer borrowing falls again in July as credit card use falls for 23rd straight month.

Detroit mayor calls fires 'natural disaster' (AP)

AP - Detroit Mayor Dave Bing has defended the fire department for its response to what he described as "a natural disaster" after wind-whipped flames destroyed dozens of homes across the city.

Murkowski Weighing Write-In Bid (CQPolitics.com)

CQPolitics.com - Sen. Lisa Murkowski is strongly considering a mounting a November write-in campaign to keep her seat and could make an announcement as soon as tomorrow, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Google seeks to speed up Web searches (Reuters)

Reuters - Google Inc unveiled a set of enhancements to its Internet search engine on Wednesday that predict search queries as users type, promising to speed up the time it takes to find information online and to generate more searches on the website.

Jackson Hewitt narrows 1Q loss as expenses fall (AP)

AP - Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. on Wednesday posted a narrower first-quarter loss as its expenses fell, beating Wall Street expectations, but its shares fell after it said it would seek new financing for its refund anticipation loan program.

Obama firm: Don't extend tax breaks for wealthiest (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama strongly defended his opposition to extending Bush-era tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans on Wednesday and delivered a searing attack on Republicans and their House leader for advocating "the same philosophy that led to this mess in the first place."

Obama firm: Don't extend tax breaks for wealthiest (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama strongly defended his opposition to extending Bush-era tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans on Wednesday and delivered a searing attack on Republicans and their House leader for advocating "the same philosophy that led to this mess in the first place."

Fed survey sees slower growth in East and Midwest (AP)

AP - The economy lost strength in late summer as factory production weakened in areas of the East Coast and Midwest.

Chicago mayor says he won't recommend a successor (AP)

AP - Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says he isn't going to recommend a candidate to succeed him and that it's up to voters to decide who they want to lead them.

Chicago mayor says he won't recommend a successor (AP)

AP - Chicago Mayor Richard Daley says he isn't going to recommend a candidate to succeed him and that it's up to voters to decide who they want to lead them.

Mitt: 'Burning the Quran is wrong' (Politico)

Politico - The presumed GOP presidential candidate says it would endanger American troops.

Hack attack hits home for AP writer (AP)

AP - The Twitterverse is full of far more mysterious forces than indecipherable trending topics and Lady Gaga.

Summary Box: Ireland to split Anglo Irish Bank (AP)

AP - SPLIT: Ireland plans to split its most troubled financial institution, Anglo Irish Bank, into a "good" deposit bank and a "bad" toxic-debt bank. The move comes as the nation seeks to reassure international lenders that it is dealing with the Irish debt crisis.

22 states receive $10 million from US Department of Labor to enhance their unemployment insurance integrity systems ...

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced $10 million in grant funds to 22 states to make technology improvements leading to more accurate unemployment insurance benefit payments.

Fidel Castro says Cuban model no longer works (Reuters)

Reuters - Fidel Castro said Cuba's economic model no longer works, a U.S.-based journalist reported on Wednesday following interviews with the former president last week.

States receive more than $8 million from US Department of Labor for improvements to unemployment insurance systems [09 ...

The U.S. Department of Labor today announced more than $8 million in grants to 22 states to make automation and technology upgrades within unemployment insurance systems.

Summary Box: Canada ups key interest rate to 1 pct (AP)

AP - BANK OF CANADA UPS KEY RATE: Canada's central bank raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to 1 percent, after similar moves in June and July.

Appeals court dismisses Boeing-CIA lawsuit (AP)

AP - A sharply divided federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit against Boeing Co. that claimed the company flew terrorism suspects to secret prisons around the world to be tortured as part of the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" program.

LA police quell 2nd protest over fatal shooting (AP)

AP - Demonstrators pelted police for a second night in a poor immigrant neighborhood following the fatal shooting of a Guatemalan day laborer who allegedly threatened people with a knife and then turned the weapon on a responding officer.

Fla. minister determined to hold 9/11 Quran burn (AP)

AP - The leader of a small Florida church that espouses anti-Islam philosophy said Wednesday he was determined to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11, despite pressure from the White House, religious leaders and others to call it off.

Fed sees 'widespread' signs US economy is slowing (AFP)

AFP - The US economy is showing "widespread" signs of deceleration, the US Federal Reserve warned in its latest Beige Book report published Wednesday.

Tropical Storm Igor forms in the Atlantic (AP)

AP - Tropical Storm Igor has formed in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa near the Cape Verde Islands and has top sustained winds of near 40 mph (65 kph).

Grassley seeks answers to USDA's role at egg farms (AP)

AP - Sen. Charles Grassley has asked Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to address accusations that federal workers ignored complaints about conditions at an Iowa farm involved in a recall of salmonella-tainted eggs.

BP report blames itself, others for oil spill (AP)

AP - In an internal report released Wednesday, BP blames itself, other companies' workers and a complex series of failures for the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill and the drilling rig explosion that preceded it.

Xbox blocks W.Va. gamer over town's name: Fort Gay (AP)

AP - Microsoft Corp. and the chief rules enforcer for Xbox Live are apologizing to a small West Virginia town and a 26-year-old gamer accused of violating the online gaming service's code of conduct by publicly declaring he's from Fort Gay — a name the company considered offensive.

Freddie Mac to issue new 5-year note due 2015 (AP)

AP - Government sponsored mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Wednesday it plans to issue new five-year notes due on Sept. 10, 2015.

Goldman NY proprietary traders consider next move (Reuters)

Reuters - Members of Goldman Sachs Group Inc's New York Principal Strategies team are in talks with several groups, including KKR, Perella Weinberg, BlackRock Inc and Carlyle Group, to possibly join one of the firms, a source familiar with the matter said.

Accused Somali pirate pleads guilty in DC (AP)

AP - An accused Somali pirate has pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy from a November 2008 attack in the Gulf of Aden on a Danish ship carrying cargo from a U.S. company.

Hungary won't seek to renew IMF, EU loans (AP)

AP - Hungary will not seek any more loans from the International Monetary Fund or the European Union and will be able to meet its financing needs by selling bonds to international and domestic investors, Economics Minister Gyorgy Matolcsy said Wednesday.

Hungary won't seek to renew IMF, EU loans (AP)

AP - Hungary will not seek any more loans from the International Monetary Fund or the European Union and will be able to meet its financing needs by selling bonds to international and domestic investors, Economics Minister Gyorgy Matolcsy said Wednesday.

Turtle egg rescue at space center billed success (AP)

AP - The turtle rescue effort at NASA's Kennedy Space Center is winding down.

S&P 500 rises 1 percent (Reuters)

Reuters - The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose more than 1 percent in afternoon trading on Wednesday, while the Dow and Nasdaq added to gains as worries about Europe's banking system decreased, easing risk aversion.

Old Farmer's Almanac: Global cooling to continue (AP)

AP - Most of the country will see a colder-than-usual winter while summer and spring will be relatively cool and dry, according to the time-honored, complex calculations of the "Old Farmer's Almanac."

FBI investigating bomb hoax on LA-bound plane (AP)

AP - The FBI on Wednesday was trying to determine whether a passenger staged a bomb hoax that prompted a search of a Thai Airways jetliner at Los Angeles International Airport.