Reuters - Countrywide Financial Corp , widely blamed for helping foment the U.S. housing crisis through free-wheeling lending, was sued for alleged deceptive mortgage practices by officials in its home state of California and in Illinois on Wednesday.

Reuters - California Attorney General Jerry Brown sued Countrywide Financial Corp and two top officers on Wednesday to stop the mortgage loan company from allegedly perpetrating a scheme to "mass produce loans for sale on the secondary market."

AP - Countrywide Financial Corp. says stockholders controlling a majority of the mortgage lender's outstanding shares have approved the company's takeover by Bank of America Corp.

AFP - Shareholders of Countrywide Financial, the largest US mortgage lender at the center of the housing crisis, approved its sale Wednesday to Bank of America, marking the latest shakeup in the troubled sector.

Reuters - Countrywide Financial Corp was sued for alleged deceptive mortgage lending by officials in its home state of California and in Illinois on Wednesday, the same day its shareholders approved the company's takeover by Bank of America Corp .

Reuters - The Senate was expected to approve as soon as Wednesday the biggest government program yet to tackle a deep housing market slump feared to be dragging the economy into recession.

AP - The nation's biggest mortgage lender engaged in "unfair and deceptive" practices to get homeowners to apply for risky mortgages far beyond their means, according to a civil lawsuit Illinois' attorney general planned to file Wednesday.

AP - Bank of America Corp.'s takeover of Countrywide Financial Corp. could be wrapped up as early as next week, but first it must clear one last hurdle — getting the OK from the struggling mortgage lender's shareholders.