The FBI on Wednesday was trying to determine whether a passenger staged a bomb hoax that prompted a search of a Thai Airways jetliner at Los Angeles International Airport.

Bangkok - Thai Airways International - Los Angeles International Airport - Business - Aviation

Ahead of President Obama's big economic speech, House Republican Leader John Boehner is proposing a two-year freeze on all tax rates and a cut in government spending to the levels of 2008.



John Boehner - Barack Obama - United States - Party leaders of the United States House of Representatives - Tax cut

The leader of a small Florida church says he is determined to go through with his plan to burn copies of the Quran, despite pressure from the White House, religious leaders and others to call it off.

Pastor - Eric Holder - Florida - Attorney general - United States

Detroit fire authorities on Wednesday began to investigate the estimated 85 fires that raged through the city the night before, sweeping through dozens of homes.

Detroit - United States - Michigan - Metro Areas - Detroit Metro

Oracle Corp said its newly appointed president, Mark Hurd, will be paid an annual salary of $950,000 and the former HP chief will be eligible for a target bonus of $5million-$10 million.



Mark Hurd - Hewlett-Packard - Oracle Corporation - Oracle - Databases

Transocean Ltd., the owner of the doomed rig leased by BP, says BP's internal investigation into the explosion and Gulf  oil spill covered up the critical factor leading to the tragedy: the  well design.

Gulf of Mexico - Oil spill - BP - Wall Street Journal - Transocean

Iranian authorities have suspended the execution by stoning of a woman convicted of adultery, the foreign ministry said on Wednesday, after weeks of condemnation from around the world.



Iran - Stoning - Adultery - Middle East - Capital punishment

As communities in south and central Texas kept an eye on rivers rising due to torrential rain from Hermine, a new tropical storm formed on Wednesday in the deep Atlantic.



Texas - Tropical Storm Hermine - Rain - Mexico - National Hurricane Center

NYT: President Obama will rule out on Wednesday any compromise that would extend the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy beyond this year, officials said.



Barack Obama - United States - Tax cut - President of the United States - President

With consumers’ interest recently refocused on efficiency, Honda has trotted out an updated version of its beloved old model.

Honda - Honda CR-Z - Makes and Models - Recreation - Automobile

Crews are searching for eight people who didn't leave their homes as a wildfire tore through a canyon in the foothills near Boulder, Sheriff's Cmdr. Rich Brough said Wednesday.



Wildfire - Wind - Colorado - Boulder County Colorado - Boulder

Already in distinctive company as an American president, George W. Bush seeks to join an even more select group: president and top-selling author.

George W. Bush - United States - President - History - Bush George Walker

We’re fatter than we’ve ever been; at the same time, our idea of the “ideal” body has gone from lean to impossibly leaner. Still, we’re pretty damn pleased with the way we look, a new survey suggests.

United States - Programming - Methodologies - Lean Programming - Agile

Parents perplexed by the plethora of booster seats available now have a new guide to help them choose the safest option.  The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has reviewed the seat belt fit of 72 models.



Insurance Institute for Highway Safety - Seat belt - Children - Shopping - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Syrian drama aired on state TV has sparked intense debate between critics who say it distorts Islam's image and supporters who say it's a realistic portrayal.

Syria - Islam - Middle East - Television - Business and Economy

Elderly heiress Huguette Clark's attorney has responded to an effort by her relatives to oust him by ridiculing them as Johnny-come-latelies. Msnbc.com's Bill Dedman reports.

Bill Dedman - United States - Msnbc.com - Huguette Clark - New York City

What was left of Tropical Storm Hermine was making its way north Wednesday, having drenched parts of northeastern Mexico and south Texas before weakening.



Mexico - Texas - Tropical Storm Hermine - Tropical cyclone - Meteorology

Florida pastor Terry Jones will undoubtedly offend and infuriate many people around the world if he follows through on a plan to burn Muslim Qurans at his church this weekend.



Florida - Pastor - Terry Jones - Islam - Religion and Spirituality