Iran postpones American woman's release (AP)

AP - Iran on Friday postponed the planned release of an American woman jailed along with two friends for more than a year, state media reported, dealing a blow to the hopes of three U.S. mothers who have pleaded for the trio's release.

New Study Illustrates Crippling Affects of Proposed Oil and Gas Tax Hikes (PR Newswire)

PR Newswire - LSU professor projects thousands of lost jobs, hundreds of billions in lost economic activity from proposed punitive tax hikes on U.S. energy companies

French lawmakers throw out retirement age at 60 (AFP)

AFP - French lawmakers on Friday approved government plans to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 by 2018, a key item on President Nicolas Sarkozy's agenda to overhaul the costly pension system.

2 in Wash. plead guilty to massive tax scheme (AP)

AP - Two Seattle-area men have pleaded guilty to federal charges involving a tax shelter that helped wealthy clients — including philanthropist Robert Wood Johnson IV and Hollywood mogul Haim Saban — avoid paying taxes on $1.3 billion in capital gains.

Toys R Us posts loss on costs and international weakness (Reuters)

Reuters - Toys R Us Inc , which is looking to go public, reported a quarterly loss on higher costs and weakness in its international business.

(AP)

AP - Iranian state media confirms release of jailed American woman has been postponed.

New GM CEO's pay package worth $9 million (AP)

AP - New General Motors Co. CEO Daniel Akerson will get up to $9 million in salary and stock, the same pay package granted to his predecessor, Ed Whitacre.

Geoghegan replaces Feinberg as pay czar (Reuters)

Reuters - The Treasury Department has selected Patricia Geoghegan to replace Kenneth Feinberg as the "pay czar" overseeing compensation at companies bailed out by the government.

Wall Street gains as economic outlook brightens (Reuters)

Reuters - The Dow and S&P 500 closed the week with their seventh gain in eight sessions in a turnaround period for stocks that has seen investors' worst fears about the economy start to dissipate.

25 killed Mexican city's deadliest day in 3 years (AP)

AP - Mexican authorities say 25 people have been killed in a series of drug-gang shootings in Ciudad Juarez, marking the deadliest day in three years for the border city.

Castro says he was misinterpreted on Cuban economy (AP)

AP - Fidel Castro said Friday his comments about the Cuban economic model no longer working were misinterpreted by a visiting American journalist — taking back an admission that caused a stir around the globe.

Koran burning outrage builds as Muslims mark Eid (AFP)

AFP - Thousands of Afghans hurled rocks at a NATO military outpost Friday in a wave of Muslim anger at a US pastor's threat to burn the Koran on the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Patron of Afghan school is local warlord, U.S. ally (McClatchy Newspapers)

McClatchy Newspapers - NOW RUZI, Afghanistan — There's only one functioning school in all of Zhari district in insurgency-plagued southern Afghanistan, and it's named for an anti-Taliban local strongman who uses his own private militia to protect it.

Toys R Us posts 2nd-quarter loss on higher costs (AP)

AP - Toys R Us Inc. posted a loss for its fiscal second quarter as its costs rose.

Bell Canada parent to buy CTV for C$1.3 billion (Reuters)

Reuters - BCE Inc, Canada's largest telecommunications company, will pay C$1.3 billion ($1.26 billion) for the country's biggest private broadcaster, in a bold gamble on the future of video over the Internet.

IMF to give Greece further 2.57 billion euro (AFP)

AFP - The International Monetary Fund on Friday announced it would provide Greece with a further 2.57 billion euro, the second installment of an economic rescue package.

The E.U. Tries to Stop France's Crackdown on Gypsies (Time.com)

Time.com - After weeks of watching from the sidelines, the European Union has finally condemned France's mass expulsion of Roma migrants. But does France care?

Foreign Businesses Say China's Regulations Shut Them Out (Time.com)

Time.com - Foreign businesses in China are voicing growing frustration about the country's heavily regulated market -- a bureaucratic maze many say is designed deliberately to hamstring non-Chinese players to the advantage of their local competitors

US troops brave grenade attacks in key Afghan town (AP)

AP - Pfc. Sean Provenzano saw it whiz by out of the corner of his eye: a dark object hurled from a rooftop as he patrolled the medieval maze of alleyways in this fort-like walled village at the center of America's Afghan surge.

Lions upset Tendulkar's Mumbai in opener (AFP)

AFP - The Champions League Twenty20 tournament got off to a thrilling and surprise start Friday with local outfit Highveld Lions of South Africa defeating star-studded Mumbai Indians by nine runs.

US, Iraq sign deal to settle Saddam-era claims (AP)

AP - Iraq has agreed to pay $400 million to Americans who say they were abused by Saddam Hussein's regime, U.S. and Iraqi officials said Friday.

Where to Buy a Home for Less Than $800 a Month (U.S. News & World Report)

U.S. News & World Report - While the nation's real estate crash has been a nightmare for homeowners, it has created some outstanding opportunities for would-be buyers. Home prices in 20 major cities dropped 33 percent from the summer of 2006 to the spring of 2009--and in certain markets, the plunge was even steeper. At the same time, the federal government's efforts to revive the housing market have helped drive financing costs to record lows. Thirty-year fixed mortgage rates fell to an average of 4.32 percent for the week ending September 2. That's the lowest level in nearly 40 years of record-keeping. ...

Google's Android to be world No. 2 in 2010: report (Reuters)

Reuters - Google Inc's Android software will become the world's second most popular operating system for cell phones this year, leapfrogging rival offerings from Microsoft Corp, Research in Motion and Apple Inc, according to a new report.

Some see Turkey's secularism at stake in Sept. 12 referendum (The Christian Science Monitor)

The Christian Science Monitor - Turks are preparing to vote on a package of far-reaching constitutional changes Sunday, in what has turned into a referendum on the countryâs Islamic-leaning ruling party.

Priest sex abuse linked to 13 suicides in Belgium (AP)

AP - Hundreds of sex abuse victims have come forward in Belgium with harrowing accounts of molestation by Catholic clergy that reportedly led to at least 13 suicides and affected children as young as two, a special commission said Friday.

Treasury's Barr to testify on Fannie and Freddie (Reuters)

Reuters - Michael Barr, assistant treasury secretary for financial institutions, and Edward DeMarco, acting director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency will testify on Capitol Hill next week on the future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac .

Greece pledges to overhaul loss-making state rail (AP)

AP - The Greek government pledged Friday to radically overhaul loss-making state rail company OSE, as official data showed efforts to cut the country's bloated budget deficit remained on track, if slightly asthmatic.

Obama to voters: Our economic policies better (AP)

AP - President Barack Obama says that if voters weigh his economic policies against those of Republicans, then "the Democrats will do very well" in November.

Nokia brings in Microsoft exec to replace CEO (Reuters)

Reuters - Nokia has hired Stephen Elop, a Canadian Microsoft executive with Silicon Valley credentials, to replace its embattled chief executive and renew its drive to compete with Apple.

Admissions Q&A: Brigham Young (BusinessWeek)

BusinessWeek - Brigham Young University's Marriott School of Management (Marriott Full-Time MBA Profile) offers students more than a rigorous business education. Students at the school, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, are required to abide by a strict honor code, based on the tenets of the Mormon religion. The code includes rules against academic dishonesty and requires students to "live a chaste and virtuous life." It also prohibits drugs, alcohol, and coffee -- even at home. ...

Australian 'kingmaking' MP declines ministerial post (AFP)

AFP - An independent Australian politician whose support was crucial to keeping Prime Minister Julia Gillard in power Friday knocked back an offer to become a minister in her minority government.

Shoe seller DSW's operator says 2Q profit jumps (AP)

AP - Retail Ventures Inc., which operates the DSW shoe store chain, posted a 67 percent jump in second-quarter net income as a key revenue figure improved.

Wall Street's super traders come under fire (AFP)

AFP - A handful of traders who master stock markets using ultra-fast computers may soon face a clampdown by US watchdogs as they try to prevent freak electronic glitches.

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.