The U.S. central bank is widely expected to cut interest rates for the second meeting in a row even though the government shutdown is obscuring officials' view of the economy.
With visitors increasingly interested in the social and political realities of global tourist hot spots, some local guides are adapting their offerings.
The states petitioned a federal court days after the Agriculture Dept. said it would not take emergency steps to provide aid during the government shutdown.
Toyota said it would sell some of its U.S.-made cars in Japan, one of a number of announcements by companies responding to U.S. pressure over trade imbalances.