BP to try well kill Tuesday

BILOXI, Mississippi (Reuters) - BP said on Friday it could seal its ruptured Gulf of Mexico oil well by next week as the House of Representatives voted to toughen regulation of offshore energy drilling.

House approves oil spill reform bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives on Friday approved the toughest reforms ever to offshore energy drilling practices, as Democrats narrowly pushed through an election-year response to BP's massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

U.S. worried more secret documents may be released

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. officials are worried about what other secret documents the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks may possess and have tried to contact the group without success to avoid their release, the State Department said on Friday.

Obama hopes Rep. Rangel can leave "with dignity"

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama called ethics charges against Representative Charles Rangel "very troubling" on Friday and said he hoped the lawmaker could end his career "with dignity."

Grand jury eyes monitor shutdown at Massey mine: report

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A federal grand jury looking into an explosion that killed 29 workers at a Massey Energy Co coal mine in West Virginia heard testimony this week about possible illegal tampering with a mine safety monitor, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

Pakistan spy chief scraps UK trip on "terror" remarks

ISLAMABAD/LONDON (Reuters) - Pakistan's spy chief has canceled a trip to Britain, a spokesman said on Saturday, but Islamabad played down a row over remarks by British Prime Minister David Cameron suggesting Pakistan was not doing enough to fight terrorism.

Nebraska's Nelson first Democratic senator to oppose Kagan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson has announced he will oppose the nomination of Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court, making him the first Democrat to declare against her.

Israeli air strike kills Hamas commander in Gaza

GAZA (Reuters) - An Israeli air strike has killed a Hamas military commander and rocket-maker in the Gaza Strip, the Islamist group that rules the Palestinian territory said on Saturday.

Enbridge says no restart date for ruptured line

DETROIT/CALGARY (Reuters) - Enbridge Inc's chief executive said on Friday he was unable to say when the company would be able to restart the Michigan pipeline that ruptured earlier this week, spilling more than 800,000 gallons of oil.

Wildfires spread in western Russia, kill 28

VORONEZH, Russia (Reuters) - Raging wildfires spread across parts of western Russia on Saturday, engulfing 30 percent more land in just 24 hours, and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin described the situation as very difficult.

Second senior Democrat may face ethics trial

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A second senior Democratic lawmaker may face a public ethics trial this fall, adding a new threat to their party's efforts to keep control of the House of Representatives in the November elections.

BP may sell German gas stations for $2.6 billion: report

VIENNA (Reuters) - BP Plc is seeking to sell its German petrol station chain Aral for around 2 billion euros ($2.6 billion), German magazine Wirtschaftswoche reported on Saturday, citing investment bankers familiar with BP's plans.

BP's Dudley to visit Moscow next week: source

LONDON (Reuters) - Bob Dudley, BP's newly appointed chief executive, will fly to Moscow next week to meet shareholders in its Russian joint venture TNK-BP, a source close to the company said on Friday.

Arizona immigration law appeal set for November

PHOENIX, Arizona (Reuters) - A U.S. court denied a request for an expedited hearing on Friday and instead set a November date for Arizona's appeal to a federal court ruling that blocked key parts of a state law cracking down on illegal immigration.

U.S. bank failures total 108 after 5 shut on Friday

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. bank failures reached 108 so far in 2010 on Friday as regulators seized five small banks in the Pacific Northwest and the Southeast, none publicly traded.

Petters seeks new trial after Ponzi conviction

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Lawyers for convicted U.S. Ponzi schemer Tom Petters on Friday asked an appeals court to send the case back for a new trial, saying they were not able to fully present arguments against some of his accusers.

Chavez deploys military units in Colombia row

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Friday said he deployed military units to repel a possible attack after Colombia claimed last week his country harbored leftist rebels, but said he hoped to mend ties soon.

Obama urges Iran to release three U.S. hikers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama on Friday called on Iran to immediately release three Americans who were detained a year ago after straying across the border while hiking in the mountains of northern Iraq.

House votes to end offshore drilling moratorium

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House of Representatives on Friday voted to end the federal moratorium on deepwater drilling for oil companies that meet new federal safety requirements.

Imports slow Q2 growth as business spending surges

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. economic growth slowed in the second quarter as companies invested heavily in equipment from abroad and the pace of consumer spending eased, raising concerns about the recovery in the rest of 2010.