AP - The Securities and Exchange Commission is seeking to permanently freeze the assets of a California financier accused of bilking investors until his fraud trial is over.

AP - The Airbus 310 that crashed Tuesday was 19 years old, yet experts say older planes can keep going strong for years as long as companies are willing to invest what it takes to keep them sky-worthy.

Reuters - U.S. consumer confidence took an unexpectedly steep slide in June, figures released on Tuesday showed, suggesting the 18-month-long recession had yet to loosen its grip on the economy.

AP - Chase said Tuesday it has approved 138,000 trial mortgage modifications for struggling homeowners in the past three months.

AP - Amazon.com has cut ties with Rhode Island Web sites that make referrals to the online retailer because a law designed to collect sales taxes on these transactions will soon come into force, the Providence Journal reported Tuesday.

AP - State Street Corp. on Monday disclosed in a regulatory filing that the Securities and Exchange Commission could bring civil charges against its main subsidiary for possible securities violations tied to past investments in subprime mortgages.

AFP - Britain’s recession-battered economy shrank at its fastest pace in more than 50 years during the first quarter of 2009 in the worst global slowdown in decades, revised official data showed on Tuesday.

AP - It’s a tragic loss ? and an accounting nightmare for the promoters of Michael Jackson’s doomed 50-night “This is It” concert extravaganza in London.

AP - Public funding for Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family cost British taxpayers the equivalent of 69 pence (US$1.14) each last year, according to accounts published Monday.

AP - It’s a tragic loss ? and an accounting nightmare for the promoters of Michael Jackson’s doomed 50-night “This is It” concert extravaganza in London.