AP - Congress appeared deadlocked Wednesday on responding to the nation's energy problems amid a bitterly partisan rift over whether to open long-restricted offshore waters to oil and gas drilling.

AP - A House panel voted Wednesday to cite Karl Rove, formerly President Bush's top aide, for contempt of Congress as its Senate counterpart explored punishment for alleged misdeeds by other administration officials.

AP - Presumptive GOP nominee John McCain distanced himself from Sen. Ted Stevens Wednesday, a day after his longtime rival was indicted on charges of lying about more than $250,000 in gifts he got from an oil services company.

Reuters - Legislation to give the U.S. Food and Drug Administration broad authority to regulate cigarettes and other forms of tobacco cleared the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday.

AP - Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens is due in federal court to answer charges that he lied about hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts from an oil services contractor.

AP - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Wednesday he offers fundamental change from reckless Republican economic policies that he contended have hammered middle-class families and would continue under Republican rival John McCain.

AP - Obama says 'reckless' GOP economic policies hammer middle class, would continue under McCain ... Analysis: McCain eager to reassure anxious conservatives he won't raise taxes