2011/08/18 Headlines: U.S. Justice Department Probes S&P on Improper Ratings of Mortgage Securities; Whistleblower: SEC Destroyed Thousands of Documents Linked to Wall Street Probes; Obama Concludes Midwest Bus Tour, Prepares Jobs Speech; Rick Perry Rejects Obama Criticism, Doubts Global Warming; Syrian Forces Widen Crackdown on Opposition; Rebels Press Fight to Win Control of Tripoli; Rebels Reopen Libyan Embassy in U.S.; 5 Killed, 22 Wounded in Iraq Violence; U.S. Admits to Iraq Air Strikes; Sadr Vows "War" over Extended Occupation; Thousands Protest Jailing of Anti-Graft Leader in India; Deadly Attacks Hit Southern Israel; Israel Refuses to Apologize to Turkey for Flotilla Killings; ATF Firearms Wound Up at U.S. Crime Scenes; Supervisors Promoted; Verizon Threatens Benefits of Striking Workers; Protesters Oppose Verizon-NYC Education Deal