Obama hopes to salvage health care plan after delays and GOP attacks take a toll

WASHINGTON — In retrospect, President Barack Obama now says, he should have offered more details about health care proposals a few months ago, rather than give critics all summer to criticize them, often with baseless claims.

Aluminum number 8 monument commemorating Cal Ripken is stolen from Md. ballpark, recovered

BALTIMORE — A large aluminum No. 8 that commemorates Orioles great Cal Ripken outside the Camden Yards ballpark was recovered early Wednesday, about two hours after it was stolen by four young men, Baltimore police said.

Health care overhaul, an odyssey of social-system change whose time, critics say, hasn’t come

WASHINGTON — Harry Reid could hardly believe his ears.

Health care’s bumpy road: More potholes, headaches than Democrats expected

WASHINGTON — Harry Reid could hardly believe his ears.

Banks that trade derivatives commit to targets to expand central clearing, tighten oversight

WASHINGTON — Fifteen big banks that dominate worldwide trading of derivatives have committed to greater transparency in a $600 trillion market that regulators say needs stricter oversight to protect the global financial system.

Valero Energy to close part of Delaware refinery; employees, contract workers to be laid off

SAN ANTONIO — Valero Energy Corp., the nation’s largest independent refiner, said Tuesday it will close an unprofitable portion of a Delaware refinery, laying off at least 150 employees and 100 contract workers.

Pirate-plagued Somalia finishes the training of 500 recruits to form new navy

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Pirate-plagued Somalia took a step toward policing its own shores with the graduation of its first 500 naval recruits Tuesday. Officials hope the men will form the backbone of the country’s first naval force for nearly two decades, but said they need international funding to make it a viable force.

From Shakespeare’s pen to national nuisance, pesky European starlings stubbornly hang on

SALT LAKE CITY — The next time the sky darkens with a flock of noisy unwelcome starlings, blame Shakespeare — or, better yet, a few of his strangest fans.

Heroine worth 600 million rupees seized in Punjab

AMRITSAR - A special team of Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) sleuths on late Saturday night seized about 13 kilograms of heroine estimated to be worth over 600 million rupees in the international market, near Sarhali in Tarn Taran district.

Pfahler catches 2 touchdown passes to help Grizzlies defeat Division II school 38-0

MISSOULA, Mont. — Steve Pfahler caught two second-half touchdown passes Saturday to lead Montana to a 38-0 season-opening victory over Division II Western State, Colo.

‘Accident’ director Cheang seeks reinvent Hong Kong thriller and his directing style

VENICE, Italy — Hong Kong director Soi Cheang’s urban thriller “Accident” was two years in the making. The director spent much of that time plotting murders that go undetected as accidents.

Anatomy of a meltdown: How the financial crisis unfolded in 5 terrifying weeks

NEW YORK — The nation was focused on a tropical storm spinning off the Carolinas and a hurricane headed for Florida. People were gaming out how a political novice named Sarah Palin might upend the presidential campaign.

Pak Army determined to chase Taliban till the very end: Kayani

RAWALPINDI - The Pakistan Army is determined chase the Taliban till the very end, and would continue its offensive against the extremists until they are rooted out from the country, Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Kayani has said.

Unemployment rate rises to 9.7 percent in August, highest level in 26 years; 216,000 jobs lost

WASHINGTON — The unemployment rate jumped almost half a point to 9.7 percent in August, the highest since 1983, reflecting a poor job market that will make it hard for the economy to begin a sustained recovery.

Unemployment rate expected to rise, even as economy recovers from deep recession

WASHINGTON — The economy is showing consistent signs of improvement, but probably not enough to stop employers from cutting jobs or to keep the unemployment rate from rising.

Banks boost borrowing from Fed’s emergency lending program, cut back on other types of loans

WASHINGTON — Banks boosted borrowing from the Federal Reserve’s emergency lending facility over the past week, but cut back on other programs intended to ease the financial crisis. The results offered a mixed picture of credit conditions.

Sun-Times is closing suburban Chicago printing press, meeting with union on efforts to sell

CHICAGO — The Chicago Sun-Times’ parent company is closing a suburban printing plant, which is expected to cost 70 jobs.

Industry group wants Fannie, Freddie replaced, explicit government backing for mortgage bonds

WASHINGTON — A mortgage industry group wants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac replaced with private companies that would be able to issue mortgage bonds formally backed by the federal government.

New orders for US factory goods rise less than expected in July due to lower oil prices

WASHINGTON — Orders to U.S. factories rose less than expected in July as reduced demand for petroleum products offset a jump in orders for aircraft and other transportation goods.

Talk about tread wear: Dog makes meal out of NC deputy’s 4 tires; owner billed for cost

HOPE MILLS, N.C. — Some dogs chase cars.

European shares drop, Wall Street seen sliding on open on worries stocks are overvalued

LONDON — European markets dropped Tuesday and Wall Street futures pointed lower as investors worried stocks are overvalued and that an economic recovery will be only gradual.

Pit bull deflates all four tires on police cruiser as deputy responds to complaint about another dog

HOPE MILLS, N.C. — Some dogs chase cars. One in a North Carolina town decided to try and eat one. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office says a pit bull deflated all four tires of a deputy’s cruiser near Hope Mills on Sunday. Spokeswoman Debbie Tanna said the deputy parked his car in a woman’s driveway while responding to her complaint about another dog.

Stocks tumble as traders juggle worries about health of banks, size of market’s six-month run

NEW YORK — A stock market ripe for a big pullback succumbed Tuesday, plunging when rumors of a bank failure revived investors’ anxiety about the banking industry and the economy as a whole.

Orange County Register publisher Freedom files for Chapter 11, agrees with lenders on reorg.

SAN FRANCISCO — The owner of the Orange County Register in California and dozens of other newspapers became the latest publisher Tuesday to seek bankruptcy protection, driven into financial despair by a staggering drop in advertising revenue.

European shares drop, Asian rebound is weak as investors worry stock values not justified

LONDON — European markets dropped Tuesday after a mild rebound in Asia, as investors worried that stocks are overvalued and that an economic recovery will be only gradual.

Asian markets rebound as investors shrug off China’s latest sell-off; Hang Seng up 0.6 percent

SHANGHAI — Most Asian markets rebounded on Tuesday, with China’s key index edging up after tumbling the previous day, as investors weighed prospects for a global economic recovery. European markets opened lower.

BofA seeking to pay back some federal bailout aid & end Merrill loss-sharing deal, says WSJ

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Bank of America Corp. is looking to pay back some of the billions in federal bailout aid it has received in an effort to get out from underneath the government’s thumb, according to a published report.

Meltdown 101: Will the government be able to recover bailout money _ and even earn a profit?

WASHINGTON — A gaggle of big banks have repaid their loans to the government under the $700 billion financial rescue. Is there a chance taxpayers will eventually recoup the rest of the money spent on this and other bailouts — and maybe even take in a little profit?

Asian markets head lower as Chinese stocks tumble nearly 7 pct; European shares mixed

HONG KONG — Asian markets sank Monday as Chinese stocks plunged nearly 7 percent and Japanese shares weakened after the country’s opposition party came to power in a landslide victory. European stocks were mixed in early trade.

Report: Orange County Register owner Freedom Communications to file for bankruptcy protection

NEW YORK — Freedom Communications Inc., the owner of the Orange County Register, is expected to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection this week, according to a published report.