Summary Box: Google quickens with 'instant' search (AP)

AP - INSTANT SEARCH: Google is offering its users instant gratification by showing search results while a request is being typed.

AP - BP report blames itself, others for oil spill

Battle of oil titans as BP seeks to shift blame for spill (AFP)

AFP - BP sought to spread the blame for the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster Wednesday, setting off a battle of oil industry giants with tens of billions of dollars in potential fines and legal liabilities at stake.

Google milks animated doodle mystery on Twitter (AP)

AP - For a dozen years, Google Inc. has been occasionally swapping its everyday logo for a "doodle," a sketch celebrating holidays, inventions, artists and sporting events, and showcasing designs from contest-winning students.

Study: Texas Enterprise fund companies struggling (AP)

AP - Two-thirds of the Texas Enterprise Fund companies that had to meet job-creation goals in 2009 in exchange for millions of dollars in taxpayer money failed to bring in the jobs they promised, according to a report released Wednesday.

NYC burger joint lets customers add to the menu (AP)

AP - Ever chow down at a restaurant and think, "I could do better"? A new burger joint is giving you the chance to prove it.

Analysts: BP report supports case, buoys investors (AP)

AP - BP took a step Wednesday towards reassuring investors that it wasn't solely to blame for the Gulf oil spill — and that it won't have to foot the entire cost.

Analysts: BP report supports case, buoys investors (AP)

AP - BP took a step Wednesday towards reassuring investors that it wasn't solely to blame for the Gulf oil spill — and that it won't have to foot the entire cost.

Court asked to keep stem cell money flowing (AP)

AP - The Obama administration is asking a federal appeals court to lift an order blocking federal funding for some stem cell research, a day after being turned down by the judge who issued the order.

TNS to buy Cequint for up to $112.5 million (AP)

AP - Data-services provider TNS Inc. said Wednesday it will pay up to $112.5 million for Cequint Inc., which sells caller-ID goods and services to mobile phone operators.

Analyst: Business Use of iPad Sends Sales Soaring (NewsFactor)

NewsFactor - Apple's sales of iPads could reach 28 million units next year, according to one analyst's report this week. As the iPad wave continues, there are indications that the popular tablet is beginning to make entries into enterprises at a rate faster than other Apple products.

Immune System Genes Show Links to Type 1 Diabetes (HealthDay)

HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- The exact cause of type 1 diabetes is still unknown, but international researchers have found a link between the blood sugar disorder and a network of immune system genes.

2 Genes Have Possible Link to Deadly Ovarian Cancer (HealthDay)

HealthDay - WEDNESDAY, Sept. 8 (HealthDay News) -- Mutations in two genes may be associated with one of the most deadly types of ovarian cancer, U.S. researchers have found.

GM testing voice command to update Facebook status (AP)

AP - General Motors Co. is testing software that would let drivers talk to their cars to update status messages on the Facebook social media website, as well as listen to Facebook messages, the company said Wednesday.

Oracle plans to give Hurd $950,000 annual salary (AP)

AP - Oracle Corp. plans to pay newly appointed co-President Mark Hurd a base salary of $950,000 annually and said the ousted Hewlett-Packard Co. CEO is eligible for a target bonus of $5 million in the current fiscal year.

Governor Rendell: Natural Gas Severance Tax Needed to Continue Protecting Environment, Aid Impacted Communities (PR Newswire)

PR Newswire - CHESTER COUNTY, Pa., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A proposed severance tax on the natural gas industry could help to continue Pennsylvania's investments in important environmental projects well into the future and help affected communities deal with the impacts of drilling, Governor Edward G. Rendell said today while addressing a coalition of organizations dedicated to protecting the state's natural resources.

Google search accelerates with 'instant' results (AP)

AP - Google Inc. stepped on its Internet search accelerator Wednesday by adding a feature that displays results as soon as people begin typing their requests.

BP report blames itself, others for oil spill (AP)

AP - BP took some of the blame for the Gulf oil disaster in an internal report issued Wednesday, acknowledging among other things that it misinterpreted a key pressure test of the well. But in a possible preview of its legal strategy, it also pointed the finger at its partners on the doomed rig.

BP report blames itself, others for oil spill (AP)

AP - BP took some of the blame for the Gulf oil disaster in an internal report issued Wednesday, acknowledging among other things that it misinterpreted a key pressure test of the well. But in a possible preview of its legal strategy, it also pointed the finger at its partners on the doomed rig.

U.S. asks appeals court to stay stem cell funding ban (Reuters)

Reuters - The Obama administration on Wednesday asked an appeals court for an emergency stay that would lift the ban on federal funding of research involving human embryonic stem cells.

Salazar: New inspectors headed to drilling agency (AP)

AP - The Obama administration said Wednesday it will spend $29 million to increase the number and training of offshore drilling inspectors, upgrade enforcement and take others steps to improve the beleaguered agency that oversees offshore drilling.

Salazar: New inspectors headed to drilling agency (AP)

AP - The Obama administration said Wednesday it will spend $29 million to increase the number and training of offshore drilling inspectors, upgrade enforcement and take others steps to improve the beleaguered agency that oversees offshore drilling.

Oil higher as stocks rise, Europe worries ease (AP)

AP - Oil prices followed stocks higher on Wednesday, as worries about European debt problems eased and buyers returned to the market.

Summary Box: Review finds Ping handy iTunes add-on (AP)

AP - THE OFFERING: Apple Inc.'s new music-discovery feature, Ping, which lets you see what songs your friends are buying and recommend some of your favorites to them.

Rural Pennsylvania town fights big gas (Reuters)

Reuters - In the rush to develop America's biggest new source of domestic energy, one community is fighting to protect its rural way of life from the environmental strains that accompany shale gas drilling.

Cybercrime is Rampant Around the World, Says Study (PC World)

PC World - A new study by security vendor Symantec reports that Internet crime has grown into a widespread problem globally. It also provides intriguing insights into consumers' lax attitudes toward online piracy, plagiarism, and other illegally or unethical activities.

Summary Box: Gamer from Fort Gay blocked by Xbox (AP)

AP - OOPS: Microsoft Corp. had to apologize to a small West Virginia town and a 26-year-old gamer after suspending him from its Xbox Live service for listing his location as Fort Gay — a name the company considered offensive.

Review: Ping a handy iTunes add-on with promise (AP)

AP - Apple Inc.'s new music-discovery feature, Ping, is a potentially useful addition to iTunes. With it, you can see what songs your friends are buying and recommend some of your favorites to them.

TVA Forum Promotes Electric Vehicle Network in Tennessee (PR Newswire)

PR Newswire - NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 8 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Leaders from federal, state and local governments, the automotive industry and electric utilities met Wednesday in Tennessee â soon to host what is believed to be one of the nation's largest electric vehicle charging networks â to discuss a national transition to electric transportation.Â Â

BP and partners trade blame for oil spill (Reuters)

Reuters - A BP Plc investigation of the Gulf of Mexico disaster played down its own role in the world's worst offshore oil spill and pointed the finger at what it said were failures by contractors.

BP and partners trade blame for oil spill (Reuters)

Reuters - A BP Plc investigation of the Gulf of Mexico disaster played down its own role in the world's worst offshore oil spill and pointed the finger at what it said were failures by contractors.

Kobo Extends E-Reading to the Desktop (Mashable)

Mashable - Kobo, the platform that powers Borders's suite of e-reading devices and mobile apps, among others, has released its first desktop application for PC and Mac owners.

NIH to use BP cash to study oil spill health effects (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. National Institutes of Health said on Tuesday it would use $10 million from BP to start a multiyear study to look at the potential health effects from the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Protect corals with reef networks, U.N. study says (Reuters)

Reuters - The world should safeguard coral reefs with networks of small no-fishing zones to confront threats such as climate change, and shift from favoring single, big protected areas, a U.N. study showed.

Two missing after China oil rig accident (AFP)

AFP - Two oil workers were missing but more than 30 others were rescued from a listing Sinopec rig off China's northeast coast, the government said Wednesday, as the company insisted no oil was spilled.

An exclusive first drive of a Tesla-powered electric Mercedes (Y! Green)

Y! Green - (The very first Tesla/Mercedes Benz electric A-Class, at Tesla headquarters in Palo Alto, California. (Jim Motavalli photo)

Google real-time search projects, Android in China (Appolicious)

Appolicious - Google’s been revealing some insight to its ongoing research, the latest being real-time speech translation for Android. You speak to your phone in your native tongue, and the phone will speak back in the language to which you’re translating.

BP report on cause of Gulf oil spill spreads the blame (The Christian Science Monitor)

The Christian Science Monitor - The Deepwater Horizon oil well blowout that killed 11 men and resulted in the largest oil spill in US historyÂ was the result of a series of human and mechanical failures by "multiple companies and work teams," including the companies' own representatives, according to a report by BP released Wednesday.

BP Investigator: 8 failures led to disaster (AP)

AP - The lead BP PLC investigator is saying that eight separate failures had to occur for the company's deepwater well to unleash the largest offshore oil spill in history.

BP Investigator: 8 failures led to disaster (AP)

AP - The lead BP PLC investigator is saying that eight separate failures had to occur for the company's deepwater well to unleash the largest offshore oil spill in history.

Record Hong Kong air pollution sparks protest (Reuters)

Reuters - Roadside air pollution in Hong Kong hit record highs in the first six months of the year, hurting public health and economic competitiveness compared with Asian rivals, activists and lawmakers said on Tuesday.

Destruction of Giant Algae Doughnut Threatens Lake Michigan (LiveScience.com)

LiveScience.com - An invasive species of mussel called quagga has recently begun eating its way through the phytoplankton population of Lake Michigan, which could have dire effects on the lake's ecosystem, scientists now warn.

BP happy to talk to Russian firms about asset sales (Reuters)

Reuters - Oil giant BP is open to talks about selling assets to Russian companies as part of its $30 billion fund raising programme to help pay for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the group's Russia chief said on Wednesday.

Oil prices fall below $74 (AFP)

AFP - Oil prices fell below 74 dollars on Wednesday dragged down by sliding equity markets and a firmer dollar, analysts said.

Judge refuses to lift ban on government stem cell funds (Reuters)

Reuters - A U.S. judge refused on Tuesday to lift a ban on federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research despite Obama administration warnings it would set back key research and cost more than a thousand jobs.

BP probe to spread blame for spill: report (Reuters)

Reuters - BP Plc's internal probe of the deadly April 20 blowout that unleashed the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill will assign blame to BP as well as other companies involved in the well's operations, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

BP probe to spread blame for spill: report (Reuters)

Reuters - BP Plc's internal probe of the deadly April 20 blowout that unleashed the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill will assign blame to BP as well as other companies involved in the well's operations, The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.

Oil falls below $74 on EU bank debt worries (AP)

AP - Oil prices skidded below $74 a barrel Wednesday in Asia as traders followed regional stocks down on reports European banks may be saddled with more debt than previously estimated.

Drilling makes progress towards trapped Chile miners (AFP)

AFP - A truck convoy bearing a huge oil drilling machine is expected to arrive Wednesday to offer a third rescue option, or "Plan C," for the 33 men trapped for a month at the bottom of a Chilean mine.

34 rescued from China oil platform accident (AP)

AP - Emergency teams with helicopters rescued 34 workers Wednesday from an oil drilling platform that was leaning dangerously in the East China Sea after a storm, and searched for two others still missing, officials said.