AP - Retail sales dropped in July, government data showed, reinforcing concerns among economists that consumers won't spend enough to help a recovery take hold. But Friday is expected to bring better news: July inflation is expected to have remained flat, and industrial production is likely to have grown for the first time in nine months.

AP - President Barack Obama's push to revamp health care got a boost Thursday as a new coalition of drug makers, unions, hospitals and others launched a $12 million pro-overhaul ad campaign. Meanwhile, the administration sought to regain control of the health care debate by asking supporters to forward a chain e-mail to counter criticism that's circulating on the Internet.

AP - Authorities have suspended an air traffic controller who was talking on the phone during last week's deadly mid-air collision over New York's Hudson River, along with a supervisor who was out of the building at the time.