 Salmonella puts tomato farmers in red
 Associated Press
Expect fewer slices of red, ripe tomatoes next to the grill this holiday weekend. With a salmonella scare causing many customers to shun what's normally a summertime favorite, tomato farmers nationwide have had to plow under their fields.
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G-8 leaders face ominous economic woes this year
SAPPORO, Japan, 11:55 p.m. July 3 (AP)
Between surging oil prices, food inflation and a credit crunch that's depressed global growth, leaders from the Group of Eight economic powers face the gravest combination of economic woes in at least a decade when they gather next week.
The outlook has darkened dramatically since last year's summit in Germany, when the leaders declared the global economy was in “good condition” and oil cost $70 a barrel – which seemed high at the time.
LONDON, 8:01 a.m. July 4 (AP)
European shares fall, Asia markets mixed: European markets fell and Asian markets were mixed Friday as investors digested uneven readings on the U.S. economy and oil prices that remained near records. Japan posted its 12th straight day of losses.
7:35 a.m. July 4 (AP)
Oil prices fall more than $1 a barrel: Oil prices fell more than $1 a barrel Friday from record levels set a day earlier on hopes that tensions surrounding Iran's nuclear program could ease and cut the chances of American or Israeli military action against OPEC's second-largest oil producer.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Linspire sold; ex-CEO has questions: Linspire, the software company founded by MP3.com's Michael Robertson, has a new owner. But the San Diego company's former chief executive is questioning why minority shareholders weren't given more information about the deal.
July 4 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Mortgage rates fall, reversing 5-week streak:Rates on 30-year mortgages, which had been rising for five straight weeks, posted a decline this week as signals from the Federal Reserve eased worries about imminent rate increases.
NEW YORK, 2:15 p.m. July 3 (AP)Stocks end mixed following jobs, services data: Wall Street capped a shortened trading week with a mixed finish Thursday after some uneven economic data: news of a contraction in the nation's services sector and a tame reading on employment. NEW YORK, 2:28 p.m. July 3 (AP)
Oil heads past $145 for 1st time: Soaring fuel costs are taking some of the celebration out of this holiday weekend. Oil prices headed into the busy Fourth of July break by racing past $145 a barrel for the first time Thursday. The story was no different at the gas pump, where the national average soared to within a whisker of $4.10 a gallon. OMAHA, Neb., 2:01 p.m. July 3 (AP)
Nebraska Beef Ltd. recall now 5.3 million pounds: Nebraska Beef Ltd. is expanding a recall announced earlier this week to include all 5.3 million pounds of meat it produced for ground beef between May 16 and June 26. NEW YORK, 2:04 p.m. July 3 (AP)
NY judge orders prison for former Refco CEO: The former head of Refco Inc., blamed for the collapse of one of the world's largest commodities brokerages, was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday by a judge who decried the “staggeringly arrogant” greed of white collar criminals. WASHINGTON, 2:49 p.m. July 3 (AP)
Wall Street firms reduce, banks step up Fed loans: Wall Street companies sharply scaled back their borrowing from the Federal Reserve's emergency lending program over the past week while commercial banks boosted it slightly. COVINGTON, Ky., 2:53 p.m. July 3 (AP)
Ky. lawyers face new trial in diet-drug settlement: Two lawyers accused of defrauding their clients in a diet-drug settlement of $65 million were sent back to jail Thursday after a jury deadlocked and a federal judge declared a mistrial. LAWRENCEBURG, Ky., 3:04 p.m. July 3 (AP)
Bourbon producers see amber-colored future: To Wild Turkey master distiller Jimmy Russell, the piercing sounds of a warehouse rising in the Kentucky countryside are the sounds of prosperity. MONTGOMERY, Ala., 3:25 p.m. July 3 (AP)
2 drug firms to appeal $114M price fraud verdict: Two large pharmaceutical companies said Thursday they will appeal a jury verdict ordering them to pay more than $114 million for overcharging the state's Medicaid program for prescription drugs.
July 3 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
L.A. Times set to eliminate 250 positions:The Los Angeles Times said it plans to cut 250 positions, including 150 jobs in the print and online news departments, amid a continuing industrywide slump in ad sales.
NEW YORK, 1:29 p.m. July 3 (REUTERS)
Former Refco CEO sentenced to 16 years in prison: Phillip Bennett, the former chief executive of Refco, was sentenced to 16 years in prison Thursday for fleecing investors of more than $2.4 billion in a fraud that destroyed the world's largest independent commodities broker.
WILMINGTON, Del., 1:29 p.m. July 3 (AP)
Del. judge mulls settlement in Countrywide lawsuit: A Delaware judge has granted preliminary approval of a proposed settlement in a shareholder lawsuit against mortgage lender Countrywide Financial.
HARTFORD, Conn., 1:10 p.m. July 3 (AP)
GE Aviation buys Czech turboprop engine maker: General Electric's aviation unit said Thursday it bought a Czech company that will help it make inroads into the fast-growing market for small twin-engine turboprop aircraft.
NEW YORK, 12:57 p.m. July 3 (AP)
Court orders YouTube to give Viacom video logs: Dismissing privacy concerns, a federal judge overseeing a $1 billion copyright-infringement lawsuit against YouTube has ordered the popular online video-sharing service to disclose who watches which video clips and when.
WASHINGTON, 12:06 p.m. July 3 (REUTERS)
U.S. sets steep final duties on China fridge magnets: The U.S. Commerce Department said Thursday it has set final duties of up to 300 percent on refrigerator magnets from China to offset unfair pricing and government subsidies.
WINDHOEK, Namibia, 11:36 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Ex-tech exec gets new judge in extradition case: A Namibian prosecutor says a new judge will be appointed to hear the extradition case of businessman Jacob “Kobi” Alexander.
INDIANAPOLIS, 11:36 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Cummins takes $100M damage hit to research center: Flooding from a creek caused more than $100 million in damage last month to a research and development center for the diesel engine maker Cummins Inc.
NEW YORK, 11:29 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Service sector contracts as orders fall: Higher oil prices caused service businesses to shrink in June, as falling new orders and rising costs hit the nation's coffee shops, paper mills and corner stores.
SALT LAKE CITY, 11:15 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Utah is going to a 4-day workweek to save energy: Starting next month, it will be “TGIT” for Utah state employees. As in: “Thank God It's Thursday.”
BOSTON, 11:10 a.m. July 3 (REUTERS)
Icahn takes majority stake in Federal Mogul: An investment vehicle controlled by activist shareholder Carl Icahn said Thursday it has acquired a majority interest in auto parts supplier Federal Mogul Corp.
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 11:05 a.m. July 3 (AP)
WTO chief: Subsidies undermine farming: The WTO chief says European and American farm subsidies are partly responsible for high food prices because they undermine farming in developing countries.
BOSTON, 10:55 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Ex-UBS broker files whistle-blower complaint: A former broker with UBS AG filed a whistle-blower complaint alleging the firm forced him to resign after he cooperated with state regulators investigating sales of risky investments to Massachusetts cities and towns.
PARIS, 10:51 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Continental ordered to trial in Concorde explosion: A French judge ordered Continental Airlines and five people to stand trial on charges of manslaughter for the 2000 crash of a Concorde jet that killed 113 people, a prosecutor said Thursday.
PARIS, 10:50 a.m. July 3 (REUTERS)
Wage fears keep ECB's Trichet shadow-boxing: If pay rises have been modest for years, why is the European Central Bank talking up the risks of a “wage-price spiral” reminiscent of recession and the birth of mass unemployment in the 1970s?
WASHINGTON, 9:35 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Rates on 30-year mortgages drop to 6.35 percent: Rates on 30-year mortgages, which had been rising for five straight weeks, posted a decline this week as signals from the Federal Reserve eased worries about imminent rate increases.
NEW YORK, 7:22 a.m. July 3 (REUTERS)
Aetna, Health Net drop as Goldman deems them 'sell': Aetna Inc shares dropped 5 percent and Health Net Inc tumbled 10 percent after a Goldman Sachs analyst slapped “sell” ratings on the two health insurers' stocks Thursday.
NEW DELHI, 7:13 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Key Indian party delays decision on government bid for support on U.S. civilian nuclear deal: The Indian government's bid to secure political support for a civilian nuclear deal with the United States stalled Thursday when a key regional party asked for more time to make a decision.
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 7:06 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Humanitarian, food policy officials call for a revision of EU, U.S. biofuel policies: Europe and the U.S. must reconsider their biofuel policies because of rising food prices around the world, aid officials and food policy experts said Thursday.
FRANKFURT, Germany, 7:05 a.m. July 3 (AP)
ECB raises benchmark rate to 4.25%: The European Central Bank raised its benchmark interest rate Thursday by a quarter percentage point to 4.25 percent in an effort to rein in escalating inflation in the 15-nation euro zone.
WASHINGTON, 6:56 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Employers cut jobs for sixth straight month: Employers cut payrolls by 62,000 in June, the sixth straight month of nationwide job losses, underscoring the economy's fragile state. The unemployment rate held steady at 5.5 percent.
NEW YORK, 6:48 a.m. July 3 (REUTERS)
New York cabbies struggle as fuel costs hack pay: Tired of pumping his cash right back into his gas tank, New York City taxi driver Mohammed Kalair says he is considering quitting his job and going back to his native Pakistan.
FRANKFURT, 6:38 a.m. July 3 (REUTERS)
Trichet says ECB has no bias after rate rise: European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet said the ECB has no bias on future policy moves after it raised interest rates for the first time in over a year on Thursday, taking them to 4.25 percent from 4.0 percent.
SYDNEY, Australia, 6:16 a.m. July 3 (AP)
BHP clears U.S. hurdle to Rio bid: Global mining company BHP Billiton said Thursday that U.S. antitrust regulators had granted partial approval for its $170 billion hostile takeover bid for rival Rio Tinto.
NEW YORK, 5:45 a.m. July 3 (AP)
JPMorgan: Detroit automakers face liquidity crisis: Analysts at JPMorgan painted a bleak picture for Detroit's automakers Thursday, suggesting General Motors Corp. might need to raise $10 billion, Ford Motor Co. could be forced to sell Volvo and Chrysler LLC may have few if any options by late next year.
WASHINGTON, 5:34 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Jobless lines growing longer: The number of newly laid off people signing up for unemployment insurance rose sharply last week.
SEOUL, South Korea, 5:17 a.m. July 3 (AP)
SKorean leader calls for end to beef dispute: South Korea's president called Thursday for an end to a long-running dispute over American beef imports, saying it was time for the nation to concentrate instead on overcoming its economic difficulties.
BERLIN, 5:17 a.m. July 3 (REUTERS)
Strong G8 wording on oil would help-German source: A clear statement by the Group of Eight (G8) industrialised nations on oil prices would be a “definite” help, a German government source said on Thursday.
NEW YORK, 11:29 a.m. July 3 (AP)
Service sector contracts as orders fall: Higher oil prices caused service businesses to shrink in June, as falling new orders and rising costs hit the nation's coffee shops, paper mills and corner stores.
CINCINNATI, 1:45 p.m. July 2 (AP)Kroger expands ground beef recall: The Kroger Co. expanded its voluntary recall of some ground beef products beyond stores in Michigan and parts of Ohio to its stores in more than 20 states on Wednesday.
3:55 p.m. July 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Survey says lenders lagging in aiding California homeowners: A report issued Wednesday by the California Reinvestment Coalition says lenders are doing too little, too late to help distressed borrowers avoid foreclosure.
WASHINGTON, 2:56 p.m. July 2 (AP)Factory orders see 0.6 percent gain in May: Orders to U.S. factories turned in the slowest performance in three months in May as a surge in demand for commercial aircraft was not enough to offset weakness in autos, heavy machinery and steel. NEW YORK, 2:05 p.m. July 2 (AP)
Stocks drop after new record for oil prices: Wall Street resumed its sell-off Wednesday after oil hit a new record and a bearish analyst report renewed concerns that General Motors Corp. could run out of cash. NEW YORK, 1:58 p.m. July 2 (AP)
Oil prices rise to record high above $144: Oil prices shot to a new record above $144 a barrel Wednesday as the government reported a bigger-than-expected drop in U.S. supplies and the threat of conflict with Iran weighed on traders' minds. LOS ANGELES, 1:36 p.m. July 2 (AP)
Moviemakers keep filming despite uncertainty: Hollywood studios have repeatedly warned that the possibility of a strike by the Screen Actors Guild had stalled financing and production of movies. RICHMOND, Va., 1:36 p.m. July 2 (AP)
Circuit City shares fall as Blockbuster yanks bid: Circuit City Stores Inc. plummeted to historic lows in trading Wednesday after Blockbuster Inc. withdrew its takeover bid, causing investors to question the consumer electronics retailer's future. NEW YORK, 1:40 p.m. July 2 (AP)
GM shares fall below $10 for first time since 1954: Shares of General Motors Corp. plunged Wednesday to close below $10 for the first time in more than half a century, as investors shrugged off better-than-expected June sales and analysts raised concerns about the company's cash needs. SAN FRANCISCO, 1:37 p.m. July 2 (AP)
Report: Microsoft seeks help for another Yahoo bid: Unable to strike a deal on its own, Microsoft Corp. reportedly is hoping to snap up Yahoo's online search operations with the help of News Corp. and Time Warner Inc. DALLAS, 1:37 p.m. July 2 (AP)
American could cut 900 flight attendant jobs: American Airlines says it could cut 900 flight attendant jobs as it reduces flights to cope with record high fuel costs. ATLANTA, 1:53 p.m. July 2 (AP)
AirTran Airways wants to cut employee pay: Discount carrier AirTran Airways said Wednesday it is seeking to cut its overall employee pay by about 10 percent to help offset soaring fuel prices, and it warned that it may need to cut wages further in the future. NEW YORK, 2:05 p.m. July 2 (AP)
Rush Limbaugh sets new radio deal: Approaching his 20th anniversary as talk radio's most dominant force, Rush Limbaugh has signed a lucrative new deal with Premiere Radio Networks that will keep him on the air until 2016. MINNEAPOLIS, 2:12 p.m. July 2 (AP)
UnitedHealth cuts 4,000 jobs and 2008 outlook: UnitedHealth Group Inc. cleared its decks of bad news on Wednesday, announcing a lower profit outlook, a restructuring that will trim 4,000 jobs and a $900 million payout to settle a class-action lawsuit over options backdating. NEW YORK, 11:58 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Fugitive hedge-fund swindler surrenders in Mass.: A hedge fund swindler who set off a national manhunt when he faked his suicide to avoid reporting to prison surrendered Wednesday to small-town police in Massachusetts after three weeks in which authorities suspected he was hiding out in RV parks and highway rest areas. Authorities say his own mother helped broker the surrender. WASHINGTON, 12:03 p.m. July 2 (AP)
Pace of mortgage aid by industry dropped in May: The pace of the mortgage industry's efforts to assist troubled borrowers declined in May, as critics questioned lenders' progress in aiding U.S. homeowners facing foreclosure.
WASHINGTON, 12:15 a.m. July 2 (AP)
U.S. contradicts itself over its own ID theft advice: When it comes to the risks of identity theft, the U.S. government isn't taking its own advice.
July 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
Silicon Space of S.D. acquired by Dataskill: Silicon Space, a longtime San Diego maker of Web software, has been purchased by Dataskill for an undisclosed price.
July 2 (UNION-TRIBUNE)
BAE Systems to build center in Point Loma: BAE Systems, the British defense contractor, plans to open a maritime development center for command, control, communications, computers and intelligence systems in Point Loma.
LOS ANGELES, 11:24 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Survey: Loan changes lag foreclosures in Calif.: A survey of nonprofit mortgage counseling agencies in California suggests more homeowners are losing their homes to foreclosure than receiving loan modifications and other payment workarounds from lenders.
TAMPA, Fla., 11:27 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Tampa Tribune plans to cut one-fifth of newsroom: The Tampa Tribune plans to lay off 11 newsroom employees this week and another 10 by early fall as part of a one-fifth cut in the news staff.
MILWAUKEE, 11:17 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Journal Sentinel to lay off 10 percent of workers: Journal Sentinel Inc. will cut about 10 percent of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's 1,300 full-time employees due to the slump in ad sales affecting the entire newspaper industry.
BRUSSELS, Belgium, 11:10 a.m. July 2 (AP)
EU, U.S. near deal on pact on protecting privacy: Privacy rights vs. terror fights: The EU and the United States are close to agreeing on how to protect personal and private data while still letting law enforcement officials share information to combat organized crime and terrorism.
NEW YORK, 10:51 a.m. July 2 (REUTERS)
U.S. mortgage modifications dip in May: U.S. mortgage companies helped slightly fewer of borrowers avoid foreclosure in May, but the second quarter will likely be the best in a year-old program to ease the housing crisis, according to data from an industry alliance.
CHARLESTON, W.Va., 10:48 a.m. July 2 (AP)
W.Va. Gov. seeks review of $400M DuPont case: Gov. Joe Manchin has urged the West Virginia Supreme Court to clarify whether DuPont has a right to have an appeal heard on $196.2 million in punitive damages, about half of a jury settlement awarded last year in a civil suit claiming health threats at a former zinc smelting plant.
PARIS, 10:39 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Charges filed against ex-Airbus chief: French judges filed preliminary charges Wednesday against former Airbus CEO Gustav Humbert as part of an investigation into alleged insider trading, a judicial official said.
ST. LOUIS, 10:26 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Anheuser-Busch fights shareholder lawsuits: Attorneys for Anheuser-Busch are going to court in St. Louis to fight a shareholder lawsuit involving the proposed takeover by brewer InBev.
LONDON, 10:10 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Paulson: overhaul bank regulations: The United States must build a tougher regulatory system that can allow financial institutions to fail without causing wider economic turbulence, U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Wednesday in London.
WASHINGTON, 9:32 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Late payments on consumer loans dipped in 1Q: Late payments on consumer loans dipped slightly in the first three months of the year, but remained at a level not seen since the early 1990s.
FRANKFURT, Germany, 9:27 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Dollar falls against the euro: The dollar fell against the euro Wednesday on traders' expectations that the European Central Bank will lift its benchmark interest rate for the first time since last summer. Such a move would make the already-strong euro more desirable to investors.
FRANKFURT, Germany, 9:22 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Deutsche Bank expects to post 2Q profit: Deutsche Bank AG said Wednesday that market uncertainty and a wavering global economy was unlikely to result in a second-quarter loss.
COVINGTON, Ky., 7:39 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Jurors say they're deadlocked in fen-phen trial: Jurors were deadlocked at the start of the seventh day of deliberations Wednesday in the case of two lawyers charged in federal court with defrauding their clients out of $65 million in a diet-drug settlement.
WASHINGTON, 5:30 a.m. July 2 (REUTERS)
U.S. home equity credit line delinquencies at new high-ABA: Late payments on U.S. home equity lines of credit rose to a 21-year high in the first quarter of 2008 due to continued stress in the housing market and general weakness in the economy, the American Bankers Association said Wednesday.
MADRID, Spain, 3:46 a.m. July 2 (AP)
Iran: attack would provoke fierce reaction: Iran's oil minister is warning that any attack on his country by the United States or Israel will provoke a fierce response.
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