Washington Post

Economist Christina Romer serves up dismal news at her farewell luncheon – Dana Milbank comments on unsettling remarks by retiring chairman of president’s Council of Economic Advisors that the administration underestimated how bad the recession would be, the fixes were “inadequate,” says she doesn’t know how to fix the economy going forward

Number of illegal immigrants in U.S. drops, report says – Tara Bahrampour reports that number of illegal immigrants entering the U.S. is down by almost two-thirds over a five-year period, according to a study by the Pew Hispanic Center based on data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau; “dramatic shift” tied to downturn in U.S. economy and tighter immigration controls

Lehman ‘was forced into bankruptcy’ by regulators, former CEO testifies – Ariana Eunjung Cha reports that the Federal Reserve’s general counsel answered former Lehman chief’s charge that political considerations kept Fed from bailing out Lehman; at hearing looking into causes of financial crisis he contrasts Lehman with AIG, which had “sufficient resources” to back loans

Mixed reaction to new FEC rules on candidates, interest groups working together – Dan Eggen reports that the Federal Elections Commission voted to prohibit coordination between candidates and interest groups in ads for or against candidates, but does not define “coordination;” lone Democrat on FEC dissents; rules takes effect after current election cycle

Botox maker to pay $600M to resolve investigation – Matthew Perrone reports that Allergan, Inc., the maker of Botox wrinkle cream has settled a lawsuit by the Justice Dept. pleading guilty to “misbranding” or marketing the product for “unapproved” or “off-label” uses such as headaches, pain and cerebral palsy in children; whistleblower who sparked complaint will get $37.8 million of settlement

New York Times

F.C.C. seeks more input on wireless Internet rules – Edward Wyatt reports that the Federal Communications Commission is asking for more information before it decides extent of regulation of the Internet, including hotly debated “Internet neutrality,” pushes decision past the November election

Study sees heart risk in Meridia diet pill – Gardiner Harris reports on criticism of FDA for requiring warning label, but not taking drug off the market, like European agency; FDA official sees problem as same FDA officials who approved drug oversee its safety

Louisiana: Judge refuses to toss suit on drilling ban – AP reports that administration was rebuffed in its effort to get lawsuit opposing drilling moratorium thrown out

Wall Street Journal

Investigation broadens in egg recall – Alicia Mundy reports that the Justice Dept. has joined FDA’s investigation of egg farms where salmonella found; criminal violations possible

Gates to meet Karzai, Petraeus in Kabul – AP reports that while in the region to mark the end of U.S. combat operations in Iraq, Defense Secretary Gates will meet with Afghan president and commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan

Washington Post

Annual Rankings of Federal Workplaces Puts Nuclear Regulatory Commission at Top – Ed O’Keefe and Lisa Rein report that the Partnership for Public Service found that 65 percent of federal workers were satisfied with their jobs; among large agencies, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the Government Accountability Office, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp and the Smithsonian Institution topped the list of agencies with the most-satisfied workers

Hurricane Earl Could Force U.S. Evacuations Before Labor Day – News services and staff report that the Federal Emergency Management Agency warned people along the East Coast to prepare for possible evacuations; the first evacuations in coastal North Carolina have already been ordered — tourists on Ocracoke Island were ordered to evacuate, while year-round residents have the option to stay

Muslims Debate FBI Presence at Mosques – Jerry Markon reports that two FBI agents were present during worship at a Nashville-area mosque, mostly to discuss intentions to investigate a fire at the proposed Murfreesboro, Tenn. mosque; the FBI presence is being debated by Muslims, who themselves are facing great scrutiny and disapproval in much of the U.S.

Obama Declares that Combat in Iraq Is Over – Anne E. Kornblut reports that during his second Oval Office prime-time address, President Obama declared the war in Iraq to be over, saying that it was “time to turn the page” on one of the most divisive issues in U.S. history

New York Times

President’s Office Takes On New Neutral Tones, but Keeps Its Familiar Shape – Sheryl Gay Stolberg reports that President Obama has done away with the gold and yellow tones of the George W. Bush-era Oval Office, and has redecorated with neutral tones of brown and taupe — evoking the feel of a den

Terrorist Ties Doubted in Amsterdam Arrests – Scott Shane reports that while two Yemeni men — U.S. residents Ahmad Mohamed Nasser al-Soofi and Hezem al-Murisi — caught the eye of airport security with their luggage containing taped-together items, law-enforcement officials have ruled out terrorist suspicions

Appeals Court Backs Away From War Powers Ruling – Charlie Savage reports that a federal appeals court unanimously upheld the detention of a Guantanamo prisoner from Yemen, while disagreeing about the scope and limits of presidential power — namely, whether international laws of armed conflict can restrict the wartime power of a president

Wall Street Journal

Tax Cuts Weighed to Spur Economy – Deborah Solomon and Jonathan Weisman report that the Obama administration is considering a number of new measures to help boost economic growth — possibilities include additional tax cuts for small business, payroll tax cuts for business and individuals and renewing a mix of tax credits for businesses

Judge Is Asked to Lift Stem-Cell Funds Ban – Laura Meckler reports that the Obama administration asked judge Royce Lamberth to allow the government to continue funding embryonic stem-cell research, citing the possibility of losing 24 projects scheduled to receive $54 million, and “years of scientific progress” if funding continues to be denied

Strict Rules for Regulators on Ties to the Oil Industry – Stephen Power reports that new rules for federal off-shore drilling regulators bar employees from working on official actions involving companies that employ their family members or close friends; employees must also report incidents of potential coercion attempts

USDA Sees Rise in Farm Exports – Scott Kilman reports that the USDA is anticipating increased exports of U.S. wheat, corn and cotton in the fiscal 2011 year; growth is in part thanks to U.S. deals with growing Asian markets and the drought that knocked Russian wheat farmers out of the export market

Washington Post

VA eases rules allowing Vietnam vets to get treatment for Agent Orange exposure – Ed O’Keefe reports that the Veterans Administration will presume veterans who served in Vietnam were exposed to chemical used to defoliate jungle and linked to certain diseases; payouts could be as high as $42 billion over ten years; Sen. Jim Webb, Vietnam veteran himself, objects to coverage for heart ailment as excessive

Administrative law judges face more threats over disability, immigration issues – Joe Davidson reports that administration judges who preside over social security, immigration hearings are increasingly threatened; security measures recommended by judges’ groups

U.S. sues over Arizona immigration practices – Jerry Markon reports on the Justice Dept.’s lawsuit against colleges in Arizona for requiring additional immigration information from non-citizen job applicants, lawsuit says it violates the Immigration and Nationality Act’s anti-discrimination provision; action reflects “stepped-up enforcement” by Civil Rights Division depleted during Bush administration

Guide for interrogators tells how FBI agent turned suspect into informant – Walter Pincus reports on intelligence agency’s “teaching guide” for non-coercive interrogations of terrorist suspects, reported on Secrecy News website

New report on loss of Bush-era e-mails – Ed O’Keefe previews CREW report saying Bush Administration ignored warnings by National Archives, White House Office of Administration that computer system was not preserving emails; lawsuit resulted in recovery of some, but not all White House emails; information on development of major policy issues lost

New York Times

Egg farmers violated safety rules – William Neuman reviews FDA report on egg farms at epicenter of salmonella outbreak, report details filthy conditions, says there were “widespread” violations of safety rules; first inspection under new FDA rules

New stickers will go beyond M.P.G. in rating cars – Jim Motavalli reports that the Obama administration is proposing that car stickers include letter grades for fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions; proposal developed jointly by EPA and NHTSA

NASA tests engine with uncertain future – Kenneth Chang reports that while debate over value of expensive solid rocket motor continues, rocket is scheduled for testing; rocket part of Constellation manned moon program that Obama administration wants to cancel

Wall Street Journal

Coming soon: theaters, airplanes to post calories – Janet Adamy reports that the FDA is plans to apply health-care law requirement for food chains on other venues where food is sold, such as airlines, trains, movie theaters; FDA rule, aimed at countering obesity, to be released in December

Jetliner brake system probed – Andy Pasztor reports that NHTSA may reassess assumptions, safety standards for braking systems and landings on wet runways following investigation of American Airlines plane that slid off runway in Jamaica during storm

Washington Post

Medicare expands coverage to help smokers quit – The AP’s Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar reports that Medicare will now cover counseling for seniors trying to quit smoking; Medicare paid an estimated $800 billion from 1995-2005 for smoking-related illnesses

Pentagon considers preemptive strikes as part of cyber-defense strategy – Ellen Nakashima reports that the Pentagon is considering “attacking” computer networks in other countries, including blocking “malicious software,” before they can hack into U.S. military computers,  weighing international legal implications; new Cyber Command within Pentagon set to begin operating in October

Education Secretary hits the road for reform – Nick Anderson reports on Secretary Duncan’s bus tour to show solidarity with teachers, many of whom are skeptical about linking pay to student achievement, rally support for ‘Race to the Top’ program that has awarded  billions to states with innovative education programs

Social security payback option may disappear – Mary Beth Franklin reports that the Office of Management and Budget is considering change to little-known social security rule that allows recipients who take early payout to change their minds at any time and buy into higher benefit; new rule would require change within 12 months

New York Times

Border sweeps in north reach miles into U.S. – Nina Bernstein reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents are patrolling domestic train routes in upstate New York for illegal immigrants, human traffickers and smugglers; some claim questioning, although voluntary, creates climate of fear and is unconstitutional; foreign students often targets

2 new federal programs to help borrowers pay their mortgages – Bloomberg News reports the administration is preparing a new Federal Housing Administration refinancing program and an emergency homeowners’ loan program in the wake of a worsening housing market

Wall Street Journal

Cash-poor governments ditching public hospitals – Suzanne Sataline reports on high rate of local governments transferring hospitals to for-profit companies; many “drowning in debt;” facing costly requirements under healthcare overhaul; concerns about future of hospitals that serve poor and research hospitals

Changes weighed in military exports – Nathan Hodge previews administration’s proposed changes to export control system designed during the Cold War with tiered system that imposes more restrictions on military equipment but streamlines export of commercial products, such as vehicle parts, that could have military applications; aimed at boosting sagging U.S. manufacturing, defense industry

Washington Post

Tension over Obama policies within Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Andrew Becker reports on rifts between political appointees and career employees of agency, part of Homeland Security Dept, as to how to enforce immigration laws; Obama administration shifts focus to deportation of criminals, “soft detention” of illegal immigrants; agency employees frustrated with new orders every time administration  changes

U.S. proposes record fine for American Airlines – Ashley Halsey III reports that FAA issued largest fine against airline – $24.2 million – for not fixing problem with wheel-well identified by FAA in 2006 that could have led to fires

Salmonella strain blamed in outbreak is confirmed at 2 Iowa farms – Lyndsey Layton reports that the FDA tests confirmed that the salmonella-tainted eggs sickening thousands were produced at Wright County Egg and Hillandale farms; eggs continued to be sold to food producers that pasteurize them for use in other products

Obama administration sides with utilities in Supreme Court case – Steven Mufson reports that environmentalists are furious with the administration for siding with Tennessee Valley Authority, utilities in lawsuit aimed at restricting fossil-fuel combustion at power plants; administration says EPA, through enforcement of Clean Air Act, is reducing carbon-dioxide emissions, promotes regulatory vs. court-driven approach

FBI, ATF squabbles are hurting bombing inquiries, Justice official says – Jerry Markon reports on Justice Dept. memo that reveals tensions between FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) over which agency controls investigations; memo designates FBI as lead in explosives cases involving terrorism, ATF all others – 90% of  explosives cases

NASA’s Kepler spacecraft discovers planetary system with ‘transiting’ planets – Marc Kaufman reports on spacecraft’s discovery of two planetary systems similar to earth’s, as reported in journal Science

New York Times

Surprise inspections come as no surprise – AP reports that Mine Safety and Health Administration notified mine owners not to tip off employees in advance of inspections, which is prevailing practice

Toyota recalls 1.1 million cars for engine problem – Nick Bunkley reports on recall after National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened investigations based on complaints about Corolla and Matrix models stalling; agency previous announced investigation of Chrysler Jeep Cherokees’ gas tanks after claims that tanks could catch fire in crash

Wall Street Journal

FCC appeals ‘fleeting expletives’ decision – Amy Schatz reports that the Federal Communications Commission is appealing a court decision that agency’s indecent speech rules violated First Amendment in case involving fines against Fox Television for broadcast that included swearing

Roche cancer drug review rejected – Katharina Bart reports on FDA’s denial of fast track (6-months) review for the company’s new cancer drug;Roche is pushing to get new drugs to market company’s as patents begin to expire for company’s existing top-selling cancer drugs

Washington Post

Egg farmer in current recall battled Maryland over facilities – Lindsey Layton reports that owner of egg farm involved in the massive recall of eggs has history of selling salmonella-contaminated eggs from facility in Maryland; Food and Drug Administration and Agriculture Dept. took no action while Maryland regulators tried to shut it down

Top Obama advisors’ input on drilling plan limited – Juliet Eilperin and Mary Pat Flaherty report on testimony of NOAA administrator and chair of Council on Environmental Quality at BP oil spill hearing; say their agencies provided comments on administration’s 5-year oil drilling policy, but  Interior Secretary made decision without consulting them; comments on environmental impact not formally requested, although NOAA raised concerns

SEC gives shareholders long-sought boost – Zachary A. Goldfarb reports that the SEC voted 3-2 to give shareholders new powers to nominate directors; small public companies exempted for three years

Education chief calls on schools to share more data – Nick Anderson reports that Education Secretary Duncan wants schools to share student achievement data, measurement of teachers’ success, with teachers, parents; follows Los Angeles Times investigative report that included analysis of years of data

Fed policy foggy as the economic picture clouds – Neil Irwin looks at options for Federal Reserve and Fed Chairman’s style of open debate, as Fed set to meet on Friday against backdrop of Commerce Dept. report that sales of new homes are lowest ever and economic growth report due Friday expected to be grim

Cartels’ cash flows across border – William Booth and Nick Miroff report that $20-25 billion dollars in drug money is being smuggled across U.S. border into Mexico, overwhelming both countries’ customs agents, who are only seizing 1% of cash; administration proposed $600 million more for equipment and personnel

In report, CIA worried about U.S. terror exports – Ellen Nakashima reports on WikiLeaks release of CIA memo discussing impact of U.S. citizens committing terrorist acts in India and Israel

New York Times

Key Karzai aide in corruption inquiry is linked to CIA – Dexter Filkins and Mark Mazzetti report that chief of Afghan’s National Security Council, under investigation for corruption, has been on the CIA payroll for years; ironic and embarrassing for Obama administration, which has been railing against widespread corruption in Afghanistan

Military computer attack confirmed – Brian Knowlton reports that the Pentagon official confirms a “significant” 2008 breach of military computers first reported by Wired magazine blog

New jobless claims fall more than expected – AP reports that new claims for unemployment benefits “fell sharply” in the last week following pattern of increases

Wall Street Journal

USDA sees tame food-price inflation – Scott Kilman and Julie Jargon report that Agriculture Dept. expects smallest increase in consumer price index for food since 1992; weaker economy has food producers reticent to pass along costs

Disabled face sharply higher jobless rate – Sara Murray reports on Labor Dept. statistics showing unemployment among disabled – 16.4% — well above numbers for non-disabled

Former MMS chief stands by drilling policies – Siobhan Hughes reports that the former head of the (now-reorganized) agency charged with overseeing oil drilling operations says she provided input into and supported administration’s 5-year drilling plan

Washington Post

Shirley Sherrod Turns Down USDA Job After Video Controversy – Krissah Thomas reports that Sherry Sherrod, the former USDA worker forced to resign due to a misleading, racially charged video, declined a recent job offer to stay with the government

All Stem Cell Funding in Jeopardy, NIH Says – Rob Stein reports that a court order has barred the National Institutes of Health from funding new and soon-to-require-renewal embryonic stem cell research because it involves the destruction of embryos

Fairs Help Job-Seekers with Security Clearances Connect with Intelligence Firms – Dana Hedgpeth reports that job fairs like TechExpo Top Secret respond to the increase of government jobs and contractor positions that require security clearance by bringing together those with clearances and contract companies who require employees with high clearance levels

How the Minerals Management Service’s Partnership with Industry Lead to Failure – Juliet Eilperin and Scott Higham report that the MMS has frequently adopted industry-generated standards as federal regulations, as they did with regulation surrounding BP’s Macondo well

Dollars and Visits to Mark Katrina Anniversary – Ed O’Keefe reports the Obama administration has allotted $28.4 million in federal funds for reconstruction projects in Louisiana and Mississippi as the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina nears

Pentagon Surveys Military Spouses on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” – Ed O’Keefe reports the Pentagon sent surveys to 150,000 military spouses, asking them if they would encourage their husband or wife to leave the military should “don’t ask, don’t tell” be repealed

New York Times

Eastern States Dominate in Winning School Grants – Sam Dillon reports that while Race to the Top winners were chosen based on their radical plans to shake up their public school systems, the fact that most schools are located in the East has raised criticism that the rules of the competition specifically favored schools located in the East

Stem Cell Ruling Will Be Appealed – Sheryl Gay Stolberg and Gardiner Harris report that the Obama administration plans to appeal a judge’s recent ruling that challenged the legality of Obama’s rules governing stem cell research

U.S. Rejected Hen Vaccine Despite Success in Britain – William Neuman reports that while Britain was facing an outbreak of egg-related Salmonella, they simply vaccinated their hens and virtually eliminated the problem; when American egg regulators had the opportunity to green-light the vaccine in the States, they concluded that there was not enough evidence to tell that vaccinating hens would prevent people from getting sick

Egg Recall Exposes Flaws in Nation’s Food Safety System – Andrew Martin reports that the Salmonella outbreak in chicken eggs helps illustrate how sticky and seemingly illogical the American food regulation system is — while the FDA oversees the safety of eggs still in their shells, the Agriculture Department regulates liquid eggs that are used in industrial food production, as well as chickens and the grading of eggs for quality

Wall Street Journal

FDA Offers Guidance on Food-Labeling Law – Jared A. Favole reports the FDA is proposing guidelines to help restaurants comply with new food-labeling requirements enacted by the new health-care overhaul; restaurants must post the number of calories for standard items on their menu and menu boards, while other nutritional information, including saturated fat content and sugar content, would need to be made available upon request

Schooling Fish Customers – AP reports that the FDA and NOAA have been asked to strengthen procedures for determining whether seafood is safe for consumption, and also to have sampling protocols and data published online

Energy Regulator Cited for Taking Industry Perks – Stephen Power reports that Steven P. Henke, a former district manager in the Bureau of Land Management’s Farmington, N.M. location, accepted gifts including golf tickets, lodging and meals from William Cos., one of the natural gas companies he regulated

E-Cigarettes Spark New Smoking War – David Kesmodel and Danny Yadron report the FDA is fighting to regulate electronic cigarettes as drug delivery devices, which would subject the products to lengthy and expensive trials to prove they are safe and effective

Washington Post

As egg producers consolidate, problems of just one company can be far-reaching – Lindsey Layton reports that “patchwork of regulation” leaves large hole in food safety regulation; neither FDA nor Agriculture Dept. inspected egg facilities where salmonella contamination occurred; massive consolidation of egg industry in last 20 years, similar to meat industries, makes it difficult to trace tainted foods sold under numerous labels

NIH cannot fund embryonic stem cell research, judge rules – Rob Stein and Spencer S. Hsu report on judge’s order temporarily preventing NIH from funding stem cell research under guidelines issued by presidential order while legal challenge of guidelines is pending; researchers “stunned” by decision

OSHA fines SeaWorld in death of trainer – AP reports that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found SeaWorld guilty of its most serious infraction – “willful disregard” for the safety of its employees – and issued $75,000 fine

Hybrid hearings in Houston on oil spill is focusing on safety regulations – Joel Achenbach reports on testimony of Deepwater Horizon oil rig manager about problems at the well at Coast Guard – Bureau of Ocean Management, Regulation and Enforcement hearing aimed at finding causes of spill

Afghan officials challenge U.S. on aid contract abuses – David Nakamura reports that the Afghan government is turning the tables on charges of corruption usually pointed in its direction by claiming there is significant fraud and abuse in U.S. payment of hundreds of millions of dollars to Afghan contractors

New York Times

Scant progress in effort on old racial killings – Shaila Dewan reports that little has been accomplished since Bush administration announced Justice Dept. push to prosecute civil rights era killings; Obama Justice Dept. is criticized for closing cases instead of pursuing investigations

A.I.G. to repay fed $3.9 billion – AP reports on insurance giant AIG’s repayment of portion of federal bailout; as of June, company owed government $101 billion

Wall Street Journal

FAA set to plumb mid-air incidents – Andy Pasztor reports on the FAA’s new program of bringing pilots and air-traffic controllers together to discuss incidents, designed to develop safety measures, encourage reporting of incidents

Fed split on move to bolster sluggish economy – Jon Hilsenrath reports on dissent among Federal Reserve Board members in debate on Federal Reserve Board management of its stock portfolio

Washington Post

Federal regulators’ knowledge of egg producer in salmonella outbreak is probed – Rob Stein reports on Rep. DeLauro’s (D-NY) letter to Food and Drug Administration asking what it was doing about egg company’s “poor” track record of compliance with regulations; move comes after record egg recall, report of 1,200 cases of salmonella

Proliferation of old-style coal plants increase despite public outcry – Matthew Brown reports on largest expansion of coal plants in two decades despite knowledge that they are the greatest source of pollution related to climate change and despite administration’s investment in developing alternative energy sources; carbon dioxide emissions not a factor in state, federal approval for coal plants

South Korea free trade pact back on U.S. agenda – Howard Schneider reports that South Korean ambassador is stumping in U.S. for trade agreement pending in Congress for three years as debate continues on its benefit to U.S.

Federal investigators again try to question BP spill witnesses – David S. Hilzenrath reports on questions about effectiveness of Coast Guard/Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement panel investigating oil spill as it tries to get witnesses to testify; panel looking at actions of its own agencies as well as BP, Transocean, other private parties

Air base expansion plans reflect long-term investment in Afghanistan – Walter Pincus reports on construction of air bases costing $100 million, signals long-term military operations in Afghanistan despite administration’s pledge to start drawing-down troops in July 2011

The BP oil spill: An unprecedented response – Thad Allen, who leads oil spill response, reflects on “largest public-private sector disaster response” in country’s history, says mission not yet accomplished

New York Times

U.S. inaction lets look-alike tubes kill patients – Gardiner Harris reports that the Food and Drug Administration has resisted safety measures for medical devices that could save lives; feeding tube mix-ups causing death rarely reported

Tougher medical privacy rules sought – Robert Pear reports that Health and Human Services withdrew temporary rules governing notification to patients when their records have been improperly used or disclosed after privacy rights groups, members of Congress criticized rules as inadequate

In S.E.C. fraud suit, Texas brothers stand firm – David Segal reports on what might be the endgame of an SEC fraud case against billionaires for hiding money offshore and insider trading that has gone on for years

Now, the rules – Times Editorial Board says Congress should keep a close eye on the Federal Reserve as it writes the rules to curb predatory lending because the institution has history of “kowtowing to the banks, mortgage lenders and credit card companies”

Wall Street Journal

U.S. reviews tech spending – Amy Schatz reports that in budget cutting effort,  administration will list government technology projects in next budget separately, rather than lump them together; total cost of projects estimated at $30 billion

New food-safety rules come amid egg probe – Timothy W. Martin reports that under new rules to prevent salmonella in eggs, which went into effect July 9^t,h Agriculture Department will share job of inspecting eggs at manufacturing plants with Food and Drug Administration

Washington Post

Salmonella-tainted eggs from big producer in Iowa have sickened at least 1,200 – David Brown reports that Wright County Egg has recalled its eggs sold in 17 states after 10 states report illnesses; new federal regulations designed to prevent salmonella in eggs went into effect July 9; FDA says outbreak could have been prevented

Academic scientists say oil from gulf spill is not going away quickly – David A. Fahrenthold and Kimberly Kindy cover findings of independent scientists about “plume” of oil from BP spill far beneath the surface, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s recent rosier projections about long-term effects of spill are questioned

Keeping tax cuts beneficial in short term, harmful over long term, CBO says – Brady Dennis reports on analysis of nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office that reflects difficult choice on whether to extend Bush-era tax cuts for those earning more than $250,000 beyond this year

Small cable providers object to Comcast-NBC deal – Todd Shields reports that in comments on Comcast-NBC merger, small cable providers ask Federal Communications Commission to prohibit Comcast from bundling TV stations and sports networks with national cable channels because of anti-competitive effects; Justice Dept. is examining merger

Event data recorders used in NHTSA study of Toyotas have history of problems – Peter Whoriskey reports that the agency investigating Toyota’s unintended acceleration crashes relies heavily on “event data recorders” that track cars’ speed, application of brakes, but carmaker claims recorders are not reliable

U.S. will give $60 million more to U.N. to help Pakistan flood victims – Colum Lynch  reports that the additional funds bring total U.S. contribution to $150 million, increased aid intended to encourage other countries to donate

New York Times

BP settlement likely to shield top defendants – Ian Urbina reports that BP compensation fund rules likely to prohibit recipients from suing BP, others involved in oil spill; fund administrator Kenneth Feinberg used similar approach in 9/11 compensation fund

Well to be sealed after Labor Day – Henry Fountain and John M. Broder report that retired Admiral Thad Allen, overseeing gulf spill, in consultation with Energy Secretary Steven Chu, has ordered replacement of Deepwater Horizon oil rig’s defective “blowout preventer” before sealing well; cautionary measure will delay sealing well by one month

Foreclosures grind on – Editorial Board looks at what federal government did wrong and what it must do to stem home foreclosures

Wall Street Journal

FAA set to levy penalty on airline – Andy Pasztor reports on Federal Aviation Administration’s proposed $25 million+ penalty against American Airlines for poor maintenance that led to flight cancellations in 2008; large penalty designed to send message that agency expects strict compliance with maintenance requirements

Jobless claims jump in new sign recovery is sputtering – Luca Di Leo and Sarah N. Lynch look at latest Labor Dept. statistics that show unemployment claims rose to last November’s levels after falling steadily in recent months