Crisis CEOs Sullivan and Peek find new jobs (Reuters)

Reuters - Two former chief executives who were criticized during the financial crisis for driving their firms to the brink have found new homes.

GM testing voice command to update Facebook status (AP)

AP - General Motors Co. is testing software that would let drivers talk to their cars to update status messages on the Facebook social media website, as well as listen to Facebook messages, the company said Wednesday.

AeroVironment narrows loss for fiscal 1Q (AP)

AP - AeroVironment Inc., which makes small, unmanned aircraft for the military, said Thursday it narrowed its loss in the fiscal first quarter, as aircraft sales edged up but contract services revenue declined.

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.

Tropical Storm Igor strengthens in the Atlantic (AP)

AP - Tropical Storm Igor is growing a bit stronger in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa near the Cape Verde Islands.

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.

Governor Rendell: Natural Gas Severance Tax Needed to Continue Protecting Environment, Aid Impacted Communities (PR Newswire)

PR Newswire - CHESTER COUNTY, Pa., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A proposed severance tax on the natural gas industry could help to continue Pennsylvania's investments in important environmental projects well into the future and help affected communities deal with the impacts of drilling, Governor Edward G. Rendell said today while addressing a coalition of organizations dedicated to protecting the state's natural resources.

Appeals court dismisses Boeing-CIA lawsuit (AP)

AP - A sharply divided federal appeals court on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit Boeing Co.'s role flying terrorism suspects to secret prisons around the world as part of the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" program.

Bankers urge government to pull plug on Fannie, Freddie (Reuters)

Reuters - The federal government should take mortgage finance giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac off life support sooner rather than later, the Mortgage Bankers Association urged on Wednesday.

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

AP - BP took some of the blame for the Gulf oil disaster in an internal report issued Wednesday, acknowledging among other things that it misinterpreted a key pressure test of the well. But in a possible preview of its legal strategy, it also pointed the finger at its partners on the doomed rig.

Official: 2nd killed in flooding swamping Texas (AP)

AP - Authorities say flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Hermine has killed a second person who was swept away from his pickup truck.

Mexican marines arrest 7 in killing of 72 migrants (AP)

AP - Mexican marines have arrested seven gunmen suspected of participating in the massacre of 72 Central and South American migrants, the government announced Wednesday.

U.S. asks appeals court to stay stem cell funding ban (Reuters)

Reuters - The Obama administration on Wednesday asked an appeals court for an emergency stay that would lift the ban on federal funding of research involving human embryonic stem cells.

Stocks resume rally as European debt worries ease (AP)

AP - Stocks resumed their rally Wednesday after a successful auction of Portuguese government debt eased worries about Europe's financial system.

Wall Street climbs in low-volume session (Reuters)

Reuters - Stocks rose on Wednesday, as investors latched onto positive news out of Europe in the latest in a string of low-volume sessions suggesting little confidence in market direction.

Conservatives see poll lead evaporate (Reuters)

Reuters - The Conservative government has seen its lead over the main opposition Liberals evaporate in public opinion polls following recent controversies and the two parties are now running neck and neck, though an election is not seen in the near term.

Pessimistic about peace, Israelis greet new year (AP)

AP - Israelis usher in the Jewish new year, or Rosh Hashana, at sundown Wednesday with a widespread sense of pessimism that a new round of U.S.-sponsored Mideast talks can achieve peace.

Turtle egg rescue at space center billed success (AP)

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

Study: Tweaking 14th Amendment would increase illegal immigration (Politico)

Politico - Repealing birthright citizenship wouldn't decrease illegal immigration, a nonpartisan report says.

Detroit mayor calls fires 'natural disaster' (AP)

AP - Detroit Mayor Dave Bing defended a stretched fire department Wednesday and its response to what he termed "a natural disaster," after wind-whipped flames destroyed dozens of occupied and abandoned homes across the city.

Muslim mason immortalized as cathedral gargoyle (AP)

AP - A Muslim stonemason who spent nearly four decades helping to restore a Roman Catholic cathedral in France has been immortalized as a winged gargoyle peering out from its facade — with the inscription "God is great" written in French and Arabic.

Eleven killed in Mogadishu battles (AFP)

AFP - At least 11 people including civilians died on Wednesday in fighting between African Union troops backing the Somali government and Islamist rebels, officials and witnesses said.

Chicago mayor race wide open as Daley steps aside (AP)

AP - Mayor Richard M. Daley said Wednesday that he will not endorse anyone to replace him as leader of the nation's third-largest city as speculation grew about who would emerge as a front-runner from a long list of potential contenders, including one-time aide and current White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.

Chicago mayor race wide open as Daley steps aside (AP)

AP - Mayor Richard M. Daley said Wednesday that he will not endorse anyone to replace him as leader of the nation's third-largest city as speculation grew about who would emerge as a front-runner from a long list of potential contenders, including one-time aide and current White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel.

Mahmood Karzai profited on deal tied to Kabul Bank (AP)

AP - The brother of Afghanistan's president said Wednesday he made at least $800,000 by buying and then quickly reselling a high-end Dubai villa using a loan provided by the chairman of the troubled Kabul Bank.

Gang in Mexico massacre tries to silence investigation (McClatchy Newspapers)

McClatchy Newspapers - MEXICO CITY — The criminal gang behind the slaying of 72 migrants late last month is suspected of killing those close to the case in an attempt to shut down further investigation.

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.

Peru president: New Yorker Berenson not a threat (AP)

AP - President Alan Garcia says he doesn't consider Lori Berenson a threat to Peru, suggesting he may be inclined to commute the New Yorker's accomplice-to-terrorism sentence so she can go home.

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.

European pressure mounts on Iran over stoning case (AP)

AP - European Union nations and the continent's biggest human rights organization slammed Iran on Wednesday for its plans to stone a woman convicted of adultery, increasing the global pressure on Tehran over a case it has tried to frame as a criminal matter and not one of human rights.

(AP)

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

Fewer Democratic candidates seeking Obama's help (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama doesn't go there anymore.

North Korea Succession: Reports of Power-Handover Talks (Time.com)

Time.com - In North Korea, the first congress in 30 years of the Workers' Party of Korea may be imminent, suggesting that a succession is being prepared to hand power from Kim Jong Il to his son Kim Jong Un

Koran Burning: Cues from Osama bin Laden Media Strategy? (Time.com)

Time.com - While he's planning violence against books, not people, the would-be Koran-burning Florida preacher Terry Jones is following a self-promotion strategy similar to that of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden

Alaska's 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.

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."

Agency promises to beef up presence at races (AP)

AP - The agency charged with monitoring off-road racing on federal lands is promising to increase staffing and crack down on violations of racing permits.