Oil up to $75 as stocks rise, Europe worries ease (AP)

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

East Timor's deputy prime minister resigns (AP)

AP - One of East Timor's deputy prime ministers resigned after Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao allegedly screamed at him during a public meeting and called him a liar — dealing another blow to the young country's stability.

US sex offenders see sanctuary in Caribbean sun (AP)

AP - Jeffrey Allen Weathers moved from Alaska to an oceanfront apartment in the Caribbean, but his new neighbors soon suspected the heavyset American hadn't come for the sun. The FBI now says they were right.

Gunmen kill Iraqi TV journalist in Mosul (AP)

AP - Gunmen on Wednesday killed an Iraqi TV journalist, the second to be slain in Iraq in as many days, highlighting the dangers media workers continue to face in the country seven years after the U.S.-led invasion.

Father of UK PM Cameron dies on vacation in France (AP)

AP - British Prime Minister David Cameron's father died in France on Wednesday after suffering a stroke while on vacation, the leader's office said.

Ireland to split Anglo Irish into good, bad banks (AP)

AP - Ireland plans to split its most troubled financial institution, Anglo Irish Bank, in two as part of wider efforts to reassure international lenders that the Irish are dealing with their debt crisis.

Fragile Australian government battles discord on day one (AFP)

AFP - Australia's newly elected Prime Minister Julia Gillard pledged to serve a full term after scraping back into power but her fragile coalition was immediately hit by discord over a new tax Wednesday.

Sect's prison attack raises new fears in Nigeria (AP)

AP - A radical Muslim sect used assault rifles to launch a coordinated sunset raid on a prison in northern Nigeria, freeing more than 100 followers and raising new fears about violence in the oil-rich nation just months before elections.

UN gives 13 million books to Zimbabwe schools (AFP)

AFP - The UN Children's Fund on Wednesday launched a scheme to provide 13 million textbooks to Zimbabwe's students, in a 50-million-dollar effort to revive the struggling school system.

Pakistan to charge 3 over failed Times Square bomb (AP)

AP - Pakistan will soon bring terrorism charges against three men alleged to have helped the failed Times Square bomber meet up with militant leaders close to the Afghan border and sent him money to carry out the attack, a senior police officer said Wednesday.

Tories see poll lead evaporate (Reuters)

Reuters - The Conservative government has seen its lead over the Liberals evaporate following recent controversies and the two parties are now statistically deadlocked, according to a public opinion poll released on Wednesday.

BP shifts U.S. oil spill blame onto contractors (Reuters)

Reuters - BP shifted much of the blame for a rig blast that led to the United States' worst-ever oil spill onto its contractors Transocean and Halliburton.

BP shares gain after Gulf report (AP)

AP - Shares in BP PLC tracked slightly higher after the release of an internal report on the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico that deflects much of the blame onto rig owner Transocean Ltd. and contractor Halliburton Co.

Obama pitches road spending, tax incentives in Ohio (Reuters)

Reuters - President Barack Obama will push billions of dollars in new business tax incentives and spending on big construction projects on Wednesday, as he tries to convince a balky Congress to pass measures intended to spur the economy and create jobs.

Smithfield reports 1st-quarter profit (AP)

AP - Smithfield Foods Inc. says higher selling prices for pork and improvement in hog market prices helped it return to a profit in its fiscal first-quarter.

Stock futures track Europe stocks up (Reuters)

Reuters - Stock index futures rose on Wednesday tracking a turnaround in European stocks and ahead of comments from the Federal Reserve on the state of the economy.

Talbots profit tops estimates, but sales miss (Reuters)

Reuters - Women's clothing retailer Talbots Inc posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit as tighter inventory management boosted its margins, but its shares fell as sales missed Wall Street forecasts.

China's Hu calls for stable ties with US (AP)

AP - Trying to smooth over recently rocky relations before a visit to Washington, Chinese President Hu Jintao told American officials on Wednesday that he wants to see healthy and stable ties between the two countries.

HSBC faces thorny issues in hunt for new chairman (Reuters)

Reuters - For a bank that prides itself on smooth successions, HSBC is suddenly scrambling to pick its next chairman.

Jackson Hewitt loss narrower than expected (Reuters)

Reuters - No. 2 U.S. tax-preparer Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc posted a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss, as a drop in total expenses offset the decline in revenue.

Swisscom to delist troubled Italian unit Fastweb (AP)

AP - Swisscom AG announced Wednesday it will buy all outstanding shares in its Italian telecoms unit Fastweb SpA, which has been rocked by a money-laundering probe, for a total of euro256 million ($326 million).

Foster's knocks back $2.5 billion offer for wine (Reuters)

Reuters - Foster's Group Ltd , Australia's largest brewer, rejected a private equity offer worth up to $2.5 billion for its wine business as too cheap, sending its shares up as much as 6 percent on hopes of higher bids.

China: Journalist Attacks Hurt Investigative Reporting (Time.com)

Time.com - China has long been an unfriendly place for journalists, but two attacks on journalists in Beijing this summer serve as a reminder that the threats to the press can extend beyond censorship to outright violence

Financial Sheriffs to Monitor Banks, Markets in European Union (Time.com)

Time.com - A trio of financial sheriffs will oversee finance in the entire European market

US provides relief for floods in Guatemala (AFP)

AFP - The United States said Tuesday it has requested 50,000 dollars in emergency aid for flood-hit Guatemala and reprogrammed another 4.38 million dollars in economic aid for recovery efforts.

Banging a Drum for the MDG Summit (OneWorld.net)

OneWorld.net - NEW YORK, Sep 7 (IRIN) - Activists are pulling out all the stops ahead of a development summit at UN headquarters on 20-22 September. Pro-aid and anti-poverty lobbyists are trying everything from giant letters to banging pans to raise awareness of the high-level event.

U.S. offensive expected in home district of Afghan Taliban leader (McClatchy Newspapers)

McClatchy Newspapers - ASHEQUE, Afghanistan — Zhari, the birthplace of the Taliban movement and once again a major stronghold of the Taliban insurgency, looks set to become a battle zone where some 2,400 U.S. troops will lead an attempt to reclaim the region for the Afghan government.

IAEA report: What's driving Iran's latest bout of nuclear obstinacy (The Christian Science Monitor)

The Christian Science Monitor - Iran reacted angrily Tuesday to charges from the United Nations nuclear watchdog that it was hindering an investigation of its nuclear programs by blocking experienced inspectors, and limiting access and design information.

Gov't launches plan to help "underwater" borrowers (AP)

AP - The Obama administration is trying to jump-start its sputtering attempts to tackle the foreclosure crisis with an effort to assist homeowners who owe more on their properties than their homes are worth.

Post-holiday pump prices should slide (AP)

AP - Motorists should see pump prices slide again after spending a little more to fill their tanks over the Labor Day weekend.

Summary Box: Worried investors turn to gold (AP)

AP - SEEKING SAFETY: Gold settled at a record high Tuesday as more worries resurfaced about European banks and the global economy.

Bullish or Bearish? The World's Greatest Investors Debate. (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - The bears and bulls were battling as ferociously as ever over the past month. Let's dive right into the debate, through the words of some of the world's greatest investors.

FTSE 100 closes lower (AFP)

AFP - London shares declined on Tuesday with weaknesses in the US market taking effect as Wall Street traders returned from a long holiday weekend.

The Treasury's New Research Office (BusinessWeek)

BusinessWeek - Don't expect an Elizabeth Warren-style campaign for the first director of the Office of Financial Research, yet another agency set up under the financial system overhaul. Unlike the pending decision over who will lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which has prompted online petitions and a viral rap video in support of the Harvard law professor, the competition over who will be the head of the research office is a wonks-only affair. ...