NEW ORLEANS – Engineers had to completely uncap the broken oil well spewing into the Gulf of Mexico Wednesday after an undersea robot bumped into machinery being used to collect the spilled fuel.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama had little choice. Already weakened by the seemingly insolvable Gulf oil spill and his party's dicey prospects in the coming congressional election, Obama could not afford to give his Afghanistan commander a pass for his inflammatory public words.

NEW YORK — Pro football Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor was indicted Wednesday by a suburban New York grand jury on charges of third-degree rape and patronizing a prostitute.

Atlanta rapper Big Nel was one of hundreds of grassroots activists from across the United States who took to the streets in Detroit, Tuesday as part of the US Social Forum. The organizing event brings together leftist activists working on issues ranging from inequality and racism to immigrant rights and jobs.

PORT ELIZABETH, South Africa — A revived England made the round of the 16 at the World Cup on Wednesday, beating Slovenia 1-0 on Jermain Dafoe's goal in the 23rd minute.

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghan officials said Wednesday that firing Gen. Stanley McChrystal would disrupt progress in the war and could jeopardize a pivotal security operation under way in Taliban strongholds in the south.

KINGSTON, Jamaica (AP) — Reputed gang leader Christopher "Dudus" Coke, who eluded a bloody police offensive in his slum stronghold last month, was arrested Tuesday by authorities outside Jamaica's capital, the island's top cop said.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama rebuked his Afghanistan war commander for "poor judgment" Tuesday and considered whether to fire him in the most extraordinary airing of military-civilian tensions since Harry Truman stripped Gen. Douglas MacArthur of his command a half century ago.

A judge blocked the six-month moratorium on new deepwater drilling imposed by the Obama administration after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a ruling the White House immediately said it would appeal.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court on Monday lifted a nationwide ban on the planting of genetically engineered alfalfa seeds, despite claims they might harm the environment.