Belgian abuse probe to continue despite ruling (AP)

AP - The government says an investigation into sexual abuse in the Catholic Church can continue even though a June raid on the archdiocese has been ruled illegal.

Qureshi falls in bid for US Open mixed doubles crown (AFP)

AFP - Pakistan's Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi was thwarted in his first attempt to win a US Open doubles title when he and partner Kveta Peschke lost to Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan in Thursday's mixed doubles final.

Iran to free female American for holiday clemency (AP)

AP - Iran said Thursday it will free Sarah Shourd, one of three Americans jailed for more than 13 months, as an act of clemency to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

German central bank board member Sarrazin to quit (AP)

AP - A member of Germany's central bank who made disparaging remarks about Muslims and Jews in a disputed book has agreed to quit his position on the board, the Bundesbank said in a statement Thursday.

APNewsBreak: Haley biz didn't pay taxes on time (AP)

AP - Records show the business owned by the family of South Carolina Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley has been penalized for failing to pay taxes three times since 2003.

Somali refugees tell of hellish scene in Mogadishu (AP)

AP - Terrified Somalis fleeing an offensive by Islamist insurgents in their capital described a hellish scene of putrefying corpses, graves hastily dug in gardens and neighborhoods flattened by mortars.

(AP)

AP - Iran says female American held for more than year will be released.

Teamsters Support Steelworkers Trade Case Against Illegal Activities By China (PR Newswire)

PR Newswire - USW Case Exposes Violations of Trade Law by China in Effort to Dominate Alternative and Renewable Energy Industry

Retire Rich While Others Work Forever (The Motley Fool)

The Motley Fool - The looming cloud hanging over our collective financial future has a big, fat silver lining -- if you bother to look for it.

Bombers hit Somali airport, killing 9 others (AP)

AP - A suicide car bomber exploded at the gate to Mogadishu's airport Thursday, and suicide bombers in a second vehicle rushed toward the terminal before exploding themselves short of their goal, officials said. Up to 14 people were killed, including five attackers.

Four escape U.S. custody at Iraq prison that held Saddam (McClatchy Newspapers)

McClatchy Newspapers - BAGHDAD — Four prisoners escaped a maximum-security U.S. military facility housing al Qaida in Iraq suspects and former members of Saddam Hussein's regime, officials said Thursday, in an embarrassing development for American forces as they hand over security operations in Iraq.

Wall Street buoyed by upbeat economic data (Reuters)

Reuters - Stocks rose modestly on Thursday as better-than-expected jobs and trade data added to optimism over the economic recovery.

Ford summons dealers to discuss Lincoln's future (Reuters)

Reuters - Ford Motor Co will host a meeting for its Lincoln dealers in early October to discuss its plans for re-energizing a brand that has long trailed luxury market competitors such as Cadillac and Mercedes.

Has Pakistan's Military Lost Ground to the Floods? (Time.com)

Time.com - For Pakistan's powerful military, the unprecedented floods have been a mixed blessing

China makes major breakthrough in quantum teleportation (Time.com)

Time.com - While China has been showing off its new hardware, a potentially more important military advancement has gone largely unnoticed -- a major breakthrough in quantum teleportation

McDonald's France lags in August, shares fall (Reuters)

Reuters - McDonald's Corp's European sales growth fell in August from the sizzling levels it experienced for much of the year due to weakness in France, which generates the company's biggest European sales, and its shares fell nearly 3 percent.

Suicide attack in Russia kills 17, wounds over 130 (AP)

AP - A suicide car bomber hit a central market in southern Russia on Thursday, killing at least 17 people and wounding more than 130 in one of the North Caucasus region's worst attacks in years, officials said.

Afghans protest Quran burning plan, torch US flag (AP)

AP - Hundreds of angry Afghans burned a U.S. flag and chanted "Death to the Christians" on Thursday to protest plans by a small American church to torch copies of the Muslim holy book on the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

CA-CANADA Summary (Reuters)

Reuters - Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Thursday he is concerned by the record high trade deficit Canada had in July and he called on the private sector to step up investment to improve productivity and help support economic growth. Canada's monthly trade deficit in July rose more than expected as anemic demand from the United States sapped exports, while imports surged to their highest level since November 2008.

Canada export weakness a concern: Flaherty (Reuters)

Reuters - Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Thursday he is concerned by the record high trade deficit Canada had in July and he called on the private sector to step up investment to improve productivity and help support economic growth.

As Wall Street Sheriff, Coffey would be discreet (Reuters)

Reuters - New York state attorney general candidate Sean Coffey on Thursday said he was the only contender qualified to police Wall Street and called Democratic rivals career politicians fixated on becoming governor.

Data shows economic recovery still on track (Reuters)

Reuters - New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week to a two-month low, while the trade deficit narrowed sharply in July, hopeful signs for the stuttering economic recovery.

Strong earthquake strikes Chile's disaster area (AP)

AP - A magnitude-6.1 earthquake has hit the same part of Chile that suffered a catastrophic quake in February. The new temblor has caused alarm but no reported damage or injuries.

Struggling Spain OKs labor market reforms (AP)

AP - Spain gave final approval Thursday to labor market reforms designed to shake up a listless economy and help slash a bloated deficit that has prompted European-wide worries of another Greek-style debt crisis.

US jobless claims drop faster than expected (AFP)

AFP - The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits fell faster than expected last week, extending a three-week decline, government data showed Thursday.

Avg. mortgage rate up to 4.35 pct. off decades-low (AP)

AP - Mortgage rates mostly edged up last week as investors' fears about the economy eased.

Web Impostors May Face Prison in California (BusinessWeek)

BusinessWeek - California Web impostors beware: You may soon be breaking the law, even if you aren't one of the perpetrators targeted by the state's "e-personation" bill.

Toys R Us to double U.S. store print for holiday season (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. retailer Toys R Us, which has filed for an initial public offering, said it plans to open about 600 temporary stores in malls and shopping centers nationwide, doubling the number of store locations for the holiday season.

British MPs to grill BP CEO Hayward (Reuters)

Reuters - British Members of Parliament (MPs) will next week grill outgoing BP Plc Chief Executive Tony Hayward, as part of an investigation into risks around deepwater drilling in the North Sea.

Australian regulators reject NAB bid for AXA Asia Pacific (AFP)

AFP - Australian regulators rejected National Australia Bank's 12.2 billion US dollar bid for financial firm AXA Asia Pacific on competition concerns Thursday, in a move welcomed by rival suitor AMP.

Spartech posts fiscal 3Q loss, misses expectations (AP)

AP - Plastic sheet and packaging maker Spartech Corp. reported a net loss for its fiscal third quarter on Wednesday and said that despite higher revenue, the overall market recover is slower than expected.

Germany considers scrapping the draft (The Christian Science Monitor)

The Christian Science Monitor - The young man playing with kids at the Main Krokodile preschool here isn't your typical caregiver. He's among the tens of thousands of Germans who fulfill their military service by working with children, the elderly, or the disabled. The head of the school, Berndt NiedergesÃ¤ss, is all for it: "The children love dealing with men," he says.

Kuwait appoints first stock market regulator (AFP)

AFP - Kuwait has appointed its first independent regulatory body, the Capital Market Authority, to oversee its stock exchange, Commerce Minister Ahmad al-Harun said on Wednesday.

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.