Associated Press has made it quite clear that the organization intends to put the hammer down on bloggers who quote that news service. As one who routinely quotes and links to Associated Press content, all I can say is, "Yeah, good luck with that."

At first, AP took a hard-line stance, demanding that one particular blog should remove seven pieces of content which featured quotes from AP articles and stating that bloggers across the internet should curtail the use of AP content. However, when faced with a swift backlash from a cross section of well-known and heavily-read bloggers, the news service took a big step back. The New York Times reported that Jim Kennedy, vice president and strategy director of The A.P., stated in an interview that the agency was "heavy-handed" and that A.P. would "rethink its policies toward bloggers."

MAJOR PAPERS:

• According to the Wall Street Journal's (subscription required) "Heard on the Street" column, content firms such as Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ: AKAM) and Limelight Networks (NASDAQ: LLNW) are getting hammered, and there appears to be no letup in sight because while online traffic is up 60% a year over the last few years, those firm's shares are expensive and, says S&P's Scott Kessler, "There's plenty more room for [Akamai and Limelight] to fall."
• TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) is looking at a new revenue source -- being paid to give out market research to advertisers, reported the Wall Street Journal. The company plans to announce today that it will add demographic data, including age, income, marital status and ethnicity, about its viewers.
• The Financial Times (subscription required) reported that Ford (NYSE: F) is likely to have to pay any buyer of its Jaguar and Land Rover units because of a $2B pension deficit, according to people close to the situation.

OTHER PAPERS:

• The New York Times reported that Con Edison (NYSE: ED) was fined $18M for service disruptions in 2006, including the nine-day blackout in western Queens, NY.
• The Associated Press reported that Baidu (NASDAQ: BIDU) is considering listing on the Hong Kong and mainland China stock markets, according to the company's CEO.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Nasdaq Stock Market (NASDAQ: NDAQ) will acquire the Philadelphia Stock Exchange for $652M, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).

OTHER PAPERS:

• Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced yesterday that it fired Chief Information Officer Stuart L. Scott on Friday for violating company policies, although the company did not specify an exact reason for the dismissal, reported the Associated Press.
• Laurence Fink, the chairman and CEO of BlackRock (NYSE: BLK), has met with the executive search firm responsible for filling the CEO vacancy at Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER). Fink is believed to be the leading candidate to become Merrill's CEO, according to the New York Times.

WEBSITES:

• GigaOM reported that Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) is kicking off its game-focused advertising initiative later this month, according to inside sources.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• According to the Wall Street Journal's "Heard on the Street," Frederick Cannon of Keefe, Bruyette & Woods says that Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC) stock will "underperform" the market, and that they haven't indicated that they can "earn above its cost of capital" especially when future mortgage losses are unclear.
• Last month Bear Stearns (NYSE: BSC) reported a 61% fall in third quarter earnings and chairman and CEO James Cayne has announced that 300 staffers are being laid off, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• As a result of banking reforms in Japan, JP Morgan Chase (NYSE: JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon says the bank is ready to make a significant acquisitions there, according to the Financial Times.

OTHER PAPERS:

• Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) intends to close six unnamed plants that the UAW wants to remain open, and the company is willing to compromise if the UAW agrees to certain concessions, reported the Associated Press.
• On the heels of a strong third quarter, mall developer Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) is in a buying mode, looking for troubled companies, reported the Indianapolis Star.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• If AT&T (NYSE: T) were to acquire EchoStar Communications (NASDAQ: DISH) or DirectTV Group (NYSE: DTV), it's estimated that it would cost between $30B and $40B, and that should concern investors, according to the Wall Street Journal's (subscription required) "Heard on the Street" column.
• Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) is signing up tens of thousands of new subscribers tor it FiOs high speed TV and Internet service, that uses fiber optics, according to the Wall Street Journal, and the push is threatening the cable industry.

OTHER PAPERS:

• The New York Times reported that Merrill Lynch (NYSE: MER) reported another $2.9B in write-downs today.
• Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) is expected to announce a partnership today with the Nielsen company for measuring how many people are viewing TV ads on a second-by-second basis, reported the New York Times.
• Carlos Ghosn, head of Nissan Motor Co (NASDAQ: NSANY) and Renault, continues to be interested in a partnership with a U.S. automaker, but says he 's not now speaking with anyone, reported the Associated Press.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) MySpace is investing heavily in games to go along with its successful music and video offerings, and beginning in January, thanks to a deal with games distributor Oberon, will offer hundreds of free "casual" games, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
  
• The European Court of Justice in Luxembourg overturned a law that had been on the books in Germany since 1960 to prevent hostile foreign takeovers, reported the Wall Street Journal. The immediate result is expected to be a takeover attempt by Porsche, a 31% holder of Volkswagen (OTC: VLKAY) shares.

OTHER PAPERS:

• Mobile Telecom company France Telecom (NYSE: FTE) is close to creating a joint venture for long distance operations in India with Indian optical storage manufacturer Moser Baer, reported the Economic Times.
• British financial services company HSBC Holdings (NYSE: HBC) is looking to sell Marbles, the online credit card business it acquired in 2003, reported the Independent.
• The first undersea telecommunications cable linking China and the U.S. -- called the Trans-Pacific Express -- has begun to be constructed, reports the Associated Press, and it's expected to be in place before the Beijing Olympics next July. Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) is involved and says the cable will be 11,000 miles long and cost about $500M.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• In an interview with the Financial Times (subscription required), Carl Icahn said of Motorola (NYSE: MOT): "There is value there, and if that value doesn't manifest itself, I as an activist, would think very seriously about coming back."

OTHER PAPERS:

• Universal Music is in talks with Sony Corporation's (NYSE: SNE) Sony BMG and Warner Music Group (NYSE: WMG) over launching a music subscription service to be called Total Music, which would be free on certain devices, reported the Telegraph.
• While Emerging Memory Technologies CEO Sreedhar Natarajan would not confirm the deal, stating "I'm under a non-disclosure agreement," it is clear that EMT has been acquired by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM), the Ottawa Citizen reported.
• Lehman Brothers analyst Douglas Anmuth believes Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) will launch a mobile phone similar to that of Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL) iPhone in February, reported the Independent.
• The Associated Press reported that Nomura Holdings (NYSE: NMR) announced that it will close its mortgage-backed securities business in the U.S., and expects a group pretax loss of between $240M and $510M for the quarter ended in September.

WEBSITES:

• According to Unstrung.com's sources in the finance community, Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) is expected to enter the WiMax arena before the end of the month, and Navini Networks is Cisco's preferred target.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• American Electric Power (NYSE: AEP) has agreed to pay penalties totaling $15M to end a Clean Air Act lawsuit brought by the Justice Department for the EPA, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
• In 1992 Ecuador left OPEC, but this month is expected to rejoin the organization, according to the Wall Street Journal.
• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" section reported that Warren Buffett exercised call options to purchase 7.847M shares of Burlington Northern Santa Fe (NYSE: BNI).

OTHER PAPERS:

• The UK is going to purchase 140 armored vehicles from Force Protection (NASDAQ: FRPT) for use in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to the Associated Press.
• India's Reliance Retail has won the exclusive marketing and distribution rights for Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) stores in India. The first Apple-owned store in India is scheduled to open at the end of this month, reported the Economic Times.
• Independent movie studio Lions Gate Entertainment Corp (NYSE: LGF) has signed a partnership agreement with Mexican media conglomerate Grupo Televisa (NYSE: TV) to make movies and TV shows, and distribute Grupo's film library, reported the Los Angeles Times.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Sprint Nextel Corporation's (NYSE: S) investors are unhappy, and led by the activist investor Ralph Whitworth, are voicing their displeasure with chairman and CEO Gary Forsee and the company's board, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• Merrill Lynch and Company (NYSE: MER) has fired several top executives as a result of the fallout from the credit crunch, The Financial Times reported.

OTHER PAPERS:

• The Associated Press reported that members of the United Automobile Workers union at two General Motors Corporation (NYSE: GM) locals have approved the union's tentative contract agreement with GM, local union officials said Wednesday.
• Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC) has been ordered by a Delaware court to provide confidential information about its stock-granting practices to a Louisiana-based police pension fund that has invested in Countrywide, reported the Los Angeles Times.

WEBSITES:

• According to the Register, Alvarion Ltd (NASDAQ: ALVR) and Redline Performance Products (NASDAQ: REDL) are considered the most likely WiMAX companies to be acquired by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), but Airspan Networks (NASDAQ: AIRN), Aperto, and Navini have also been mentioned as possible acquisitions for the Internet networking giant.
• CNet.com reported that Yahoo Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO) is upgrading its e-mail system starting today with technology designed to block phishing, spam, and other fraudulent e-mails that look like they come from eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) and PayPal, but actually don't.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Singapore Airlines deal to buy 15.7% of China Eastern Airlines (NYSE: CEA), along with their parent Temasek Holding's 8.3% share, may be in jeopardy as Cathay Pacific Airways is said to also be interested in China Eastern, reported the Wall Street Journal.

OTHER PAPERS:

• As a part of its annual report to be released this week, BHP Billiton Limited (NYSE: BHP) is expected to announce that it has uncovered potentially the largest gold reserves in the world at its South Australian Olympic Dam mine, reported the Herald Sun.
• According to the Washington Post, citing congressional investigators, the FBI is investigating technology company Unisys Corporation (NYSE: UIS) after it allegedly failed to detect "cyber break-ins traced to a Chinese-language Web site and then tried to cover up its deficiencies."
• The Telegraph reported that British bank Barclays (NYSE: BCS) is reportedly preparing to sell FirstPlus, one of its subprime consumer loan units, at a loss. Barclays is expected to obtain a price lower than GBP4.5B, the book value of the unit's loan portfolio.
• Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) will tomorrow release its 'Halo 3' video game and the company expects over $150M in sales in the first 24 hours of its release, and a profit margin that could reach 90%, reported the Los Angeles Times.
• Housing slump or not, Home Depot Inc (NYSE: HD) CEO Frank Blake says there will be no large jobs cuts or store closings, reported the Associated Press.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Weekday Trader Extra" reported that Wall Street is eyeing the negotiations of the First Data Corp (NYSE: FDC) buyout, as there has been talk that Kravis Roberts might be willing to make some concessions to a bank group arranging financing for the purchase.
• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that General Motors Corp (NYSE: GM) has sent the UAW two proposals as their negotiations are nearing the deadline.
• With near record high oil prices, there are signs that OPEC may increase crude output 2%, or 500,000 barrels a day, as a gesture to comfort oil markets, according to the Wall Street Journal.

OTHER PAPERS:

• The Associated Press reported that EPR, a leftist guerrilla group, said they caused a number of explosions yesterday aimed at about six Mexican oil and gas pipelines, resulting in millions of dollars in lost production and unsettling financial markets.
• Countrywide Financial Corporation (NYSE: CFC) is reportedly working with Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) and a law firm to put together another multi-billion dollar bailout plan for Countrywide, the nation's largest home lender, reported the New York Post.
• Sir Martin Sorrell believes that WPP Group (NASDAQ: WPPGY), the company he has built and is currently the CEO of, is likely to appoint his successor from within the company, reported the Telegraph.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Mattel Inc (NYSE: MAT) is expected to soon announce another recall of toys made in China, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• Merck and Co. Inc (NYSE: MRK) CFO Judy Lewent sold 200K shares for $10.3M from July 26 through Aug. 7, at an average price of $51.31 per share, reported Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" column.
• The Royal Bank of Scotland (OTC: RBSPY)-led consortium seeking to purchase Dutch bank ABN Amro Holdings NV (NYSE: ABN) raised its stake in ABN to more than 3% between Friday and Monday, reported the Financial Times.

OTHER PAPERS:

• The Independent reported that Barclays' (NYSE: BCS) bid for Dutch bank ABM Amro was approved by the Netherlands' Ministry of Finance yesterday.
• A highly publicized civilian nuclear deal with the U.S. still allows India to test nuclear weapons, according to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, reported the Associated Press.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Thanks to to the debt squeeze, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co., for one, may have to put off its own IPO, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
• About 75% of all McDonald's Corporation (NYSE: MCD) open at 5 a.m., and now the company wants that figure to be 100%, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• The production of biofuels is having a "material impact" on raw materials for food production, Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) CEO David Mackay said, reported the Financial Times (subscription required).

OTHER PAPERS:

• Coca-Cola's (NYSE: KO) suit charging PepsiCo Inc (NYSE: PEP) with patent infringement related to a bag that dispenses syrup for fountain drinks was dismissed by a federal judge, reported the Associated Press.
• From BusinessWeek's "Inside Wall Street" column:
  
• Is Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) on the way back up? Georges Yared of Yared Investment Research, who started buying when shares hit $25, sees the stock snapping back.
• Sweden's Elekta, which trades in Stockholm, is drawing more attention from American investors.
• Where can one find an underpriced bank? Consider Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria, Spain's second-largest, which provides financial and investment services in Europe, the U.S., and Latin America.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Bear Stearns Companies Inc (NYSE: BSC) says that its two hedge funds tied to subprime loans are basically worth nothing, reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
• An "error in judgment" is what Whole Foods Market Inc (NASDAQ: WFMI) chairman and CEO John Mackey called his anonymous blogging about his company and rival Wild Oats Markets Inc (NASDAQ: OATS) in an apology, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• SEC chairman Christopher Cox wants Congress to tighten its oversight of the $2.4T municipal bond market, the result of increasing complexities in the bond market and lax leadership at a number of firms, reported the Wall Street Journal.

OTHER PAPERS:

• Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is planning to offer $24M to acquire Macy's Inc (NYSE: M), according to Women's Wear Daily (subscription required).
• The U.K. Times reported that Barclays plc (NYSE: BCS) has deided against raising its bid for ABN Amro Holdings (NYSE: ABN).
• Honda Motor Co. (NYSE: HMC) is increasing its production capacity in North America and in other places, in order to meet growing demand for its fuel-efficient cars and to maintain momentum for global growth, reported the Associated Press.

Word on the Street is that Yahoo! Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO) CEO Terry Semel is considering resigning from the Internet giant. Rumors are swirling that if Semel resigns, potentially within the next six months, co-founder Jerry Yang will take his place as CEO and Sue Decker will become the company's president.

Last week, the Associated Press reported that angry shareholders have been looking to oust Semel for some time. One shareholder, the article noted, said he believes the company "is drifting" and "its problems ultimately lie at Terry's feet. The feeling among shareholders is widespread." The fact that rival Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) has seen its shares increase nearly six-fold since going public, while Yahoo!'s stock fell 4%, has had shareholders calling for Semel's head on a plate; Google's stock has risen about 30% over the past year, while Yahoo!'s is down 10%.

Shareholders believe that Yahoo!'s younger rival is dominant in the search advertising field, partly because of its acquisitions of DoubleClick and YouTube, while Yahoo! is contending with the resignation of CTO Farzad Nazem (Jerry Yang is serving as the company's interim CTO).

Then there's the issue of Panama, which some claim to be a "Google-wannabe." Back in January, the Wall Street Journal reported some users saying that an upgrade to the online-ad system is a "hassle." Currently, Yahoo! trails behind both Google and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) in the ad-search field, and with many disappointed in Panama, investors can only hope that a new CEO, someone with "fresh eyes," would be able to make an acquisition -- online advertising company ValueClick Inc (NASDAQ: VCLK), perhaps? -- to fill in the gap.

Let's say Semel resigned and Yang took his place. Many analysts feel that this would be a positive move for the company; RBC Capital, for one, believes that shares of Yahoo! could go up $1-$2 should Semel resign. Under new management, the firm said, the company could be open to new ideas that Semel had previously rejected.

While there has been speculation the company would be put up for sale under the direction of Semel, perhaps an intense restructuring under a new leader would be what the company needs to get back on track.