House Speaker Pelosi says apologies a must for harsh rhetoric, no matter the offending party

WASHINGTON — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says anyone using harsh rhetoric to raise fears about health care reform should apologize and get on with writing policy, but said there’s no reason to single out a Florida Democrat who said Republicans want sick Americans to “die quickly.”

Baucus says has ‘high hopes’ of finishing work on health bill Thursday; final vote next week

WASHINGTON — The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee said Thursday he wanted to complete work on a sweeping health care bill by nightfall, opening the way for Democratic leaders to bring the historic legislation to the floors of both the House and Senate as early as mid-October.

Growing number of states push electronics manufacturers to take responsibility for e-waste

INDIANAPOLIS — Frustrated by inaction in Congress, a growing number of states are trying to reduce the rising tide of junked TVs, computers and other electronics that have become one of the nation’s fastest-growing waste streams.

Health care issues: How to pay doctors under Medicare

A look at key issues in the health care debate:

Ecuadorean gov’t, Indians trade blame for deadly clash in protest over jungle development

QUITO, Ecuador — The government and Amazon Indians traded blame Thursday for a battle in Ecuador’s southeastern jungle that authorities said killed at least one Indian and wounded 40 police and nine Indians.

Target will pay $600,000 civil penalty for importing and selling toys with lead paint

WASHINGTON — Target Corp. has agreed to pay a $600,000 civil penalty for importing and selling a variety of toys with high levels of lead paint on the surface.

Bernanke: Fed ‘well suited’ to oversee largest financial cos.; subdued on consumer protection

WASHINGTON — Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told a skeptical Congress Thursday that the central bank is “well suited” to oversee colossal financial companies whose failure could endanger the entire economy.

Democrats eye mid-October launch for health care debate in the full House and Senate

WASHINGTON — Historic health care legislation could be on the floor of both houses of Congress as early as mid-October as Democrats work to answer President Barack Obama’s call for greater protections for those who have unreliable insurance or no coverage at all.

Transportation chief signals goal should put the brakes on drivers texting behind the wheel

WASHINGTON — Determined to stop people from texting while driving, the Obama administration plans a campaign similar to past government efforts to discourage drunken driving and encourage the use of seat belts.

Sugar beet debate leaves farmers waiting as Colo.’s Boulder County reconsiders biotech crops

BOULDER, Colo. — Famuer Rasmussen Jr. and five other farmers filed what they thought was a routine request to grow genetically modified sugar beets on public land in Colorado’s Boulder County. The county already had allowed genetically altered corn.

Rivalries in oil-rich Kirkuk threaten to complicate Iraq’s parliament elections

BAGHDAD — Iraqi lawmakers appear to be snagged again at a familiar impasse: how to settle power-sharing disputes in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk before important national elections.

Ecuador president says 1 Indian killed, 40 police wounded in protest over water, mining laws

QUITO, Ecuador — Police on Wednesday battled Amazon Indians protesting laws they believe would encourage oil drilling and mining on their lands, leaving one Indian dead and 40 police and nine Indians wounded, officials said. Indians said two civilians were killed.

After Ken Lewis’ departure, next Bank of America CEO must make Merrill deal pay off

NEW YORK — Ken Lewis’ legacy as CEO of Bank of America Corp. will likely be determined by whether his successor can do what Lewis couldn’t: prove that the bank’s messy acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co. was worth the money.

29 police, 9 Indians wounded in clash during protest over Ecuador water, oil and mining laws

LIMA, Peru — Police clashed with Amazon Indians protesting proposed water, oil and mining laws Wednesday, leaving at least 29 police officers and nine Indians wounded, Ecuadorean officials said. Indians said two civilians were killed.

Hopi lawmakers, Navajo president say environmentalists harming tribes’ economies

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — The leader of the country’s largest Indian reservation threw his support behind the neighboring Hopi Tribe, whose lawmakers declared environmental groups unwelcome on the reservation.

Senate delivers stopgap spending bill to Obama, averts government shutdown

WASHINGTON — The Senate has passed a spending bill to prevent keep the government running after a midnight deadline — and to raise Congress’ own budget by 6 percent.

Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis to retire from troubled bank by end of the year

NEW YORK — Ken Lewis, the embattled CEO of Bank of America Corp., is leaving the company, succumbing to nearly a year of strife that followed his company’s acquisition of Merrill Lynch & Co.

Health care vote predicted soon by Senate panel; GOP challenges swept aside as emotions rise

WASHINGTON — A White House-backed overhaul of the nation’s health care system weathered repeated challenges from Republican critics over taxes, abortion and more on Wednesday, and the bill’s architect claimed enough votes to push it through the Senate Finance Committee as early as week’s end.

Meltdown 101: Why do we have so many different bank regulators, and what do they do?

WASHINGTON — The financial crisis has renewed the focus on bank regulation. Critics contend the patchwork system contributed to the crisis by allowing some banks to slip through the cracks and others to seek weaker oversight.

Transportation Department holds summit to find ways of curbing cell phone use by drivers

WASHINGTON — Driving while distracted is a growing peril in a nation reluctant to put down its cell phones and handheld devices even behind the wheel, the Obama administration declared on Wednesday. Officials said Congress and the public must team up to reduce the danger.

Key lawmaker proposes group liability for credit rating agencies to stem conflicts

WASHINGTON — A key House lawmaker wants to make credit rating agencies — widely criticized for failing to give investors adequate warning of the risks in subprime mortgage securities that triggered the financial crisis — collectively liable for inaccuracies.

American Express eliminates inactivity fee from gift cards

NEW YORK — At a time when credit and debit card fees are under fire, American Express Co. said Wednesday it will no longer charge monthly fees on its gift cards.

Former Moody’s employees lay out misconduct claims as lawmakers aim at rating industry

WASHINGTON — Two former Moody’s Investors Service employees detailed allegations of misconduct at the big ratings firm as lawmakers took aim at a credit rating industry they condemned as rife with conflicts of interest and needing reform.

NRC finds 2 problems with emergency shutdown of NJ plant following July lightning strike

LACEY TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Federal regulators say the emergency shutdown of the nation’s oldest nuclear power plant in July exposed two low-level problems.

Transportation Department kicks off effort to prevent drivers from using mobile devices

WASHINGTON — Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood called distracted driving a “menace to society” Wednesday, kicking off a two-day meeting on preventing drivers from using mobile devices behind the wheel.

Senators writing health overhaul bill reject anti-abortion language sought by conservatives

WASHINGTON — In a vote with far-reaching political implications, senators writing a health care overhaul Wednesday rejected a bid to strengthen anti-abortion provisions in the legislation — which could reach the Senate floor in the next two weeks.

Congressional deal offers cash for dairy farmers, surplus purchases of cheese, other products

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers from dairy-producing states announced agreement Wednesday on $350 million in aid for struggling milk farmers.

Moody’s executive says ex-analyst’s allegations of inflated ratings are groundless

WASHINGTON — The chief credit officer of Moody’s Investors Service told Congress Wednesday that a former analyst’s allegations of inflated ratings and conflicts of interest at the firm are groundless.

Kenya, Ethiopia authorities seize massive piles of bloody elephant ivory at airports

NAIROBI, Kenya — Authorities in Ethiopia and Kenya have seized more than 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms) of bloodstained ivory from about 100 illegally killed elephants at airports, the head of Kenya’s Wildlife Service said Wednesday.

UN nuclear chief says Iran ‘on the wrong side of the law’ for delay in revealing complex

NEW DELHI — Iran is “on the wrong side of the law” for its delay in revealing its nuclear complex, the head of the U.N. nuclear agency told an Indian news network.