Federal regulators have begun a formal antitrust investigation into Google's business practices.

In a blog post Friday, the Internet search giant said it received notification from the Federal Trade Commission of the review on Thursday.

Google said "it's still unclear exactly what the FTC's concerns are."

But the inquiry is expected to focus in large part on whether Google abuses its dominance of Internet search to extend its influence into other lucrative online markets, such as mapping, comparison shopping and travel. Rivals complain that Google, which handles two out of every three Internet searches in the U.S., manipulates its results to steer users to its own sites and services and bury links to competitors.

The authors of the Mitchell Report on performance-enhancing drugs in Major League Baseball were ordered to give pitching legend Roger Clemens more of the evidence they used to accuse him of using steroids and human growth hormone.

U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, in a ruling filed Thursday, said Clemens needs the investigators' notes of interviews with his accusers to defend himself in a criminal trial next month on charges he lied when he denied using drugs.

The notes were taken when the investigators questioned steroids dealer Kirk Radomski and longtime Clemens trainer Brian McNamee. Both said they provided drugs for the seven-time Cy Young winner. Clemens has denied the accusation.

Walton gave the Mitchell Report investigators until Saturday to say whether they plan to appeal. An appeal could threaten to delay the July 6 scheduled start of the trial.

Clemens issued a subpoena in February on the DLA Piper law firm, where former Sen. George Mitchell led an investigation into drug use for Major League Baseball. The Mitchell Report came out in December 2007 and named Clemens as one of several players who used steroids and human growth hormone.

Clemens denied the charges, raising questions about the report's credibility, and the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee held hearings in February 2008 to investigate the dispute. Clemens testified he never used drugs in his 24-year career. Prosecutors say that was a lie and have charged him with false statements, perjury and obstruction of Congress.

An 18-year-old student has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder in a case that has brought unusual attention to a Hasidic Jewish enclave in New York.

Shaul Spitzer of New Square is accused of severely burning a neighbor, Aron Rottenberg, with gasoline on May 22. Rottenberg claims Spitzer was acting at the direction of the village's chief rabbi because Rottenberg had stopped praying at the rabbi's synagogue.

Spitzer was arraigned Friday in Rockland County Court on charges of attempted murder, attempted arson and assault. His lawyer entered not-guilty pleas to all charges. He said outside court that Spitzer did not intend to harm anyone or to burn down Rottenberg's house.

He also said the chief rabbi had no involvement.

Increasingly troubled by the economy, more Americans are convinced the country is headed in the wrong direction and fewer approve of President Barack Obama's economic stewardship. The sentiments pose a new complication for the president's re-election hopes and create an obstacle to a recovery that relies in part on public perceptions.

For the first time this year, less than 50 percent of respondents to an Associated Press-GfK poll say Obama deserves re-election. The new poll shows a virtual split of 48-47 in favor, raising a new hurdle for the president as economic concerns strip away the gloss he briefly gained in May after the death of Osama bin Laden.

What's more, four out of five now believe the economy is in poor shape, with 36 percent calling it "very poor," a new high in AP-GfK polling.

The survey findings track with recent independent data that show a dip in consumer confidence, and they reflect the May uptick in unemployment and a stubbornly depressed housing market. Amid anemic hiring, high gas prices and financial turmoil in Europe, Americans are increasingly interested in saving — not spending — their money, adding yet another constraint to the economic recovery.

Yet, 16 months before the November 2012 elections, Obama also is perceived favorably by 56 percent of respondents and 52 percent approve of his job performance overall. Despite the overwhelming sentiment that the national economy is in poor shape, more than three of five of those polled rated the financial situation of their own households as good. And, echoing previous findings, about three-quarters of the survey participants said it is unrealistic to expect noticeable results on the economy in one term.

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig hasn't acted in good faith by rejecting a proposed television deal involving the Los Angeles Dodgers and appeared determined to run Frank McCourt out of the sport, an attorney representing the embattled owner said Tuesday.

A day after Selig announced he wouldn't approve a Dodgers TV deal with Fox Sports — reportedly worth up to $3 billion — lawyer Robert Sacks questioned the commissioner's intentions and warned that any potential takeover of the team by Major League Baseball would be met with resistance.

"There seems to be a predetermined result to drive Frank out of baseball without a good faith basis," Sacks said. "This isn't going to go away quietly."

McCourt hoped Selig would sign off on the transaction that would have provided him with $385 million up front and was vital to a binding settlement reached between him and his ex-wife and former Dodger CEO Jamie McCourt last week. McCourt now faces the potential of missing a June 30 team payroll without the TV funds and that could lead to a MLB takeover.

Rob Manfred, MLB's executive vice president of labor relations, wouldn't say what Selig's next move would be, but noted the league has treated McCourt fairly and wasn't interested in seeing him take on further debt or pull future revenues to be used for non-baseball expenses.