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Signs of fitful recovery emerge in some areas, AP stress map shows, but gains may be fleeting

WASHINGTON — Signs of a slow and fitful recovery emerged in August in some communities across the country where unemployment dropped and foreclosures stabilized, according to The Associated Press’ monthly analysis of economic stress in more than 3,100 U.S. counties.

Great Recession’s labor legacy: shorter workweeks, grayer work force and less job security

Going to work may never be the same again.

STIMULUS WATCH: Youth unemployment high despite US program; critic says ‘too little, too late’

FRESNO, Calif. — The Obama administration’s economic stimulus program to find jobs for thousands of teenagers this summer couldn’t overcome one of the bleakest job markets in more than 60 years that had desperate adults competing for the same kind of work.

Disney World stunt man killed practicing for show; park’s 3rd worker death this summer

ORLANDO, Fla. — Walt Disney World canceled a stunt show Tuesday after an employee died during practice, the theme park’s third worker killed on the job this summer.

When even fast-food restaurants aren’t hiring, unemployed teens finding summer stimulus jobs

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — You know the economy’s bad when teens can’t get summer jobs at fast-food restaurants or movie theaters.

Ford’s American utopia in the Amazon, summer hiring, collect calls on Father’s Day decline

SUBURBIA IN THE AMAZON: Deep in the Amazon rainforest are the ruins of what was once meant to be a Midwestern American utopia, complete with white picket fences, hamburgers and movie theaters. But now “Fordlandia” is overrun with weeds, a city Henry Ford long ago abandoned.

President Obama’s new ‘accelerated’ recovery plan is neither new nor accelerated

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is promising some exciting coming attractions for his stimulus plan. But it turns out they’re just summer reruns.

SPIN METER: Obama’s new ‘accelerated’ recovery plan is neither new nor accelerated

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is promising some exciting coming attractions for his stimulus plan. But it turns out they’re just summer reruns.

Obama defends revival plan, says it will provide 600,000 jobs this summer despite jobless rise

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama assured the nation his recovery plan was on track Monday, scrambling to calm Americans unnerved by unemployment rates still persistently rising nearly four months after he signed the biggest economic stimulus in history.

Obama promises more than 600,000 jobs by accelerating federal stimulus spending

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is promising to deliver more than 600,000 jobs through his $787 billion stimulus plan this summer, with federal agencies pumping billions into public works projects, schools and summer youth programs.

Preliminary results indicate victory for Iceland’s leftwing government in general election

REYKJAVIK — Iceland’s leftist government was headed Saturday for a strong victory in the country’s general election, a rejection of the pro-business Independence Party that ran the government last fall when the banking system failed, preliminary results show.

Idle cranes, empty shop windows signal grim mood as Icelanders vote for new Parliament

REYKJAVIK, Iceland — Idle building cranes and empty shop windows reminded Icelandic voters of their country’s economic calamity Saturday as they voted for a new Parliament.