Nation & World news

Lieberman to speak at GOP convention

WASHINGTON – Socially moderate former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and former Democratic vice presidential nominee Joseph Lieberman will have featured speaking roles at next month's Republican National Convention, party officials announced Wednesday.

McCain now says Western water deal should stand as is

DENVER – Sen. John McCain has backed off his comment that a key Western water agreement should be renegotiated, but Democrats signaled they plan to pummel him for his remarks, which even Republicans in swing-state Colorado denounced.

U.S., Iraq draft timeline for pullback

BAGHDAD – Iraqi and U.S. negotiators have completed a draft security agreement that would see American troops leave Iraqi cities as soon as June 30, Iraqi and American officials told the Associated Press on Wednesday.

Spanish jet crashes on takeoff; 153 killed

MADRID, Spain – It was a troubled flight from the beginning. One attempt at takeoff was aborted. Departure was delayed by more than an hour. Passengers, many of them parents traveling with their young children, were grumpy and hot, eager to get on with it, to start their holidays in the alluring Canary Islands.

Alaska senator's trial will be held in D.C.

WASHINGTON – A federal judge has turned down Sen. Ted Stevens' request to move his corruption trial to Alaska, tying the 84-year-old Alaska Republican to a Washington courtroom at the height of his re-election campaign 3,500 miles away.

Rising Democratic lawmaker dies at 58

WASHINGTON – Stephanie Tubbs Jones, a Cleveland Democrat who was in her fifth term in the U.S. House of Representatives and was chairwoman of the House ethics committee, died Wednesday at Huron Hospital in East Cleveland, Ohio. She was 58 and had a brain hemorrhage.

U.S., Poland sign agreement for missile defense base

WARSAW, Poland – The United States and Poland signed a deal Wednesday to place a U.S. missile defense base just 115 miles from Russia – a move followed swiftly by a new warning from Moscow of a possible military response.

Russia plans checkpoints in Georgia

MOSCOW – Russia plans to establish a long-term presence inside Georgia and one of its breakaway republics by adding 18 checkpoints, including at least eight within undisputed Georgian territory outside the pro-Russian enclave of South Ossetia, a ranking Russian military official told reporters Wednesday.

Elderly Chinese women punished for applying for protest permits

BEIJING – Two elderly women were sentenced to a year of "re-education through labor" after they applied for permits to demonstrate during the Olympics, according to the son of one of the would-be protesters.

World in brief: Car bombs hit hotel, military HQ

Twin car bombs rocked a hotel and military headquarters in Algeria, killing 12 people Wednesday, a day after a suicide bombing nearby killed 43. The new bombings were the sixth major terrorist action this month in the North African nation.

Fay flooding central Florida

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. – Tropical Storm Fay's torrential downpours flooded people out of their homes, forced airboat evacuations and threatened to so overwhelm emergency officials that Gov. Charlie Crist requested a federal disaster declaration.

Nation in brief: 11 life sentences for Metrolink crash

A man convicted of causing a deadly commuter rail crash that he blamed on an attempt to commit suicide was sentenced Wednesday to 11 consecutive life terms by a judge who denounced him as a remorseless killer.

Democrats favor Biden to be Obama's No. 2

CHICAGO – Sen. Joe Biden has emerged as the favorite among Democrats to be Barack Obama's running mate for his understanding of foreign policy in grave global times and his fighting spirit against the rival Republican ticket.

Former Chinese leader Hua dies at 87

BEIJING – Hua Guofeng, one of the last of the early generation of Communist revolutionaries who was named briefly to succeed Chairman Mao Zedong, died Wednesday, Chinese state media reported. Hua was 87.

Bigfoot 'discovery' a hoax, researchers report on Web site

Scientists create blood from stem cells

Fay gains strength after coming ashore in Florida

Study suggests link between trace arsenic, Type 2 diabetes

Nation in brief: Warren Jeffs' wife, 14, sent to foster care

10 French soldiers killed; six bombers target U.S. base

Iraqi security forces kill official in Diyala raid

World in brief: Five states call for general strike

NATO issues mild warning to Russia

Suicide bomber kills dozens at Algerian police academy

Obama takes offensive with McCain on Iraq

Survey shows presidential race in a virtual tie

Environmentalists sue to protect pika threatened by warming

Dave Matthews' saxophonist dies

Unattended for 22 hours, patient dies at hospital.

Musharraf exit will test fledgling government

Village evacuated after Grand Canyon flooding

Georgia remains under siege

Hispanic birth rates keep U.S. population stable

Court bans bias in medical treatment

College presidents seek debate on drinking age

Vietnam releases Gary Glitter from prison, plans to deport him

Nation in brief: Detroit City Council can't remove mayor

Tropical Storm Fay lashes Florida

Feds urge stronger warning on Byetta

Iraq disarms U.S.-backed Sunni fighters

Obama may delay announcement

Chavez government seizes Venezuela cement plants

Kremlin to begin limited pullback

Kempthorne can't reclaim mediator role

65-year-old matador gets back in the ring

Soldiers say barracks were mold-infested

Florida Keys brace for storm

Officials want sect children back in custody

Floods breach Grand Canyon dam

Obama returns to campaign trail

Muslim rebels attack villages

Condition on ground belies Russian report

World in brief: At least 15 killed in suicide bombing

Phenomenal Phelps the new gold standard

Bear attacks have Anchorage on edge

Tropical storm leaves four dead

Obama, McCain speak at California megachurch

Obama packs fundraising wallop in July

Russia's next front: Energy

Forces move into Abkhazia despite truce

Thousands turn out for Bernie Mac funeral

In Passing: Darren 'Bo' Taylor, gang peace broker

Mother, group charged in child's death

In brief: Fire claims seven; three hospitalized

Egyptian woman gives birth to seven

In brief: Zimbabwe power-sharing plan offered

Third bombing kills more pilgrims

Contractors involved in Baghdad shooting likely to be charged

Group seizes Hawaiian palace

Plan eases spying rules

Harsh rhetoric flies between Russia, U.S.

Strangers lift bus off pregnant woman

FDA: No health risks using food containers with BPA

New president breaks one-party rule

In brief: Obama staff seeks big donations

Iraqi assassins training in Iran, U.S. alleges

Car bomb kills more Shiite pilgrims

Stevens made quick $100,000, prosecutors say

Georgia men claim to have body of Bigfoot in freezer

Record producer Wexler dies at 91

Tropical storm in Caribbean

Pakistan's Musharraf expected to quit soon

U.S. won't send troops to Georgia

Investigation tarnishes Alaska's Gov. Palin

Singer suing McCain for using 'Running on Empty'

U.S., Poland agree on missile deal

Georgia crisis could complicate Iraq withdrawal

Female suicide bomber kills 20 during pilgrimage in Iraq

Highway fatalities are down sharply

Televangelist's wife wins assault case

Edwards aide explains payment to mistress

32 protesters arrested outside Disneyland

Nation in brief: Medicare monthly premiums increase

Ocean 'dead zones' are showing up everywhere

World in brief: Libya, U.S. settle terrorism lawsuits

Clinton will get roll-call vote at convention

Tension with Russia is trouble for NASA

Rice heads to Georgia as Bush promises aid effort

Julia Child among spies for U.S. during WWII

Pelosi considers offshore drilling

Lebanon, Syria ease long diplomatic chill

Leading Arkansas Democrat shot dead

Census projection: Minorities to become majority by 2042

Mark Warner chosen for keynote address

'Enthusiastic supporter' injures Cindy McCain

Infant transplant procedure ignites debate

Lionfish spell big trouble for sensitive Caribbean

Nation in brief: Firefighting costs crippling budget

Airstrike kills nine in Pakistan tribal region

Putin still ruling over Russia

Multiple platforms are golden for NBC

Outgunned Georgian president accepts Russia's truce proposal

New Air Force chief tackles service's failings

Al-Qaida's No. 3 reportedly killed

Breast cancer return risk low for 5-year survivors

Mukasey: No plans to seek charges in Gonzales hirings

Cheerleading is a major cause of injuries

Nation in brief: Boeing still in tanker competition

Relations with Russia are likely to suffer

Beijing Olympics lip-syncing sparks debate

Iraq contracts have cost U.S. billions, report says

Suicide bomber dressed as woman

World in brief: Reports differ on power-sharing deal

On Georgia, a war of words

Humpback on 'road to recovery'

Endangered Species Act overhaul proposed

Boeing may drop out of tanker bidding battle

Athletes, primates share victory stance

Nation in brief: Suit filed against California controller

Al-Qaida threatens Musharraf

Egypt upgrading security, ambience at Giza Pyramids

Jordan's King Abdullah strengthens ties to Iraq

Ousted Thai leader jumps bail

World in brief: Prime minister condemns coup

Russian forces open second front

Georgia president's gamble may end NATO aspirations

No guns at Atlanta airport, judge says

Study weighs in: Hefty may not mean unhealthy

Execution set for infamous Texas killer

Russian forces push into Georgia

Photogenic arch gives in to gravity

Singer, songwriter Isaac Hayes dead at 65

Bus service pulled after fatal Texas crash

Nation in brief: Casino bus accident leaves three dead

Suicide bombing kills U.S. soldier

Bolivian president survives election test

World in brief: One dead as blasts force evacuations

Phelps earns his first gold

New York experiments with traffic-free zone

American killed in Beijing stabbing attack

Officials tackle Iraq water issues

Former Edwards aide rules out paternity test

In brief: At least 31 killed in mine mudslide

Comedian, film star Bernie Mac dies at 50

Same-sex divorce filing comes weeks after marriage

Bolivia holds referendum

Palestinian poet Darwish dies at 67

Cloned puppies uncover 31-year-old mystery

Democrats vote on party platform

Mexico's drug wars fought with U.S. arms

Service honors anthrax suspect

Russia, Georgia at brink of war

Hollywood producer Bernie Brillstein dies

Edwards admits to affair in 2006

Elizabeth Edwards asks for privacy in her latest ordeal

Texas bus crash kills 15 pilgrims

Al-Sadr proposes militia breakup

In brief: Kilpatrick charged with more felonies

Investigation of bio-labs grows

Deal near on troop pullout, Iraqis say

Feline fashionistas benefit animal welfare

Bin Laden driver given short sentence

Leaders move to impeach Musharraf

Bear shot, killed in B.C. yard

McCain calls for probe of company he once helped

Detroit mayor jailed after trip to Canada

China rebuffs Bush over rights criticisms

Reports: South Ossetia region under heavy fire

War claims 500 soldiers

Nation in brief: Man in 'Greatest Dad' shirt guilty of sex abuse

Pentagon reopens tanker bids

Old age sobers up drinkers, study says

FBI unveils case against anthrax suspect

Nader gets on ballot in California, vows more

Jury convicts bin Laden's ex-driver

Army commanders oust leader, seize control in Mauritania

Rodeo star, 14 horses die in crash

Nine presumed dead in fire copter crash

Rocket carrying Doohan's remains fails

Nation in brief: Eight biker gang members arrested

L.A. hospitals used homeless in Medicare fraud, authorities allege

China uses restraint with foreign activists

Bush chides China for dissidents' treatment

Iraqi lawmakers fail to agree on elections

Chavez's decrees spark protests

Gun-control groups oust alleged NRA spy

FBI to present evidence in anthrax investigation

Iraq oil income to more than double

Bush says N. Korea must work to get off terror list

Bush aide denies Iraq documents falsified

Iran's reply to nuclear offer 'unacceptable'

Rapist, murderer executed in Texas amid controversy

Federal agent shot, killed in apparent road rage incident

Nation in brief: Crews begin storm cleanup

Visit puts focus on nuclear power

McCain backer rallies support from odd donors

Six GOP senators will skip convention

Black reporter told to leave Florida rally

Getting married standing on a biplane?

NASA scientists find toxic chemical in Martian soil

World in brief: Beheading suspect: 'Please kill me'

Robert Maheu, CIA spy and tycoon aide, dies at 90

Candidates focus on quick relief from high gas prices

K2 survivor tells of panic

End prostate tests on elderly, panel urges

Tornado warnings empty Wrigley Field

Guantanamo interrogations may be on tape

Al-Qaida suspect brought to U.S.

Bush tells troops Iraq not 'hopeless'

Nation in brief: Overweight inmate fighting execution

Tire pressure kicked around as campaign issue

A not-so-modest Obama birthday wish

World in brief: Lowland gorilla census is encouraging

Soviet regime chronicler Solzhenitsyn dies

World's smallest snake discovered in Barbados

World in brief: 9 climbers feared dead in avalanche

Al-Qaida confirms commander's death

Stampede at Hindu temple leaves 145 dead in India

DNA led to anthrax suspect

Dispute over Kirkuk threatens elections

Low-wage voters favor Obama

GAO finds lax oversight of Medicare suppliers

Nation in brief: '76 flood fatality alive and well

For second straight year, melt may open Northwest Passage

Anthrax scientist's disquieting descent

Eclipse spans Arctic to China

Driver registers a 0.49, pleads not guilty

Lottery numbers

Senators unveil energy deal

Heating help hits snag in Senate

In brief: Company recalls prescription drugs

China loosens restrictions on Internet

Suspect in bus killing faces second-degree murder charge

World in brief: Al-Qaida kingpin: Driver unfit to plan

Economy saw fair growth in spring

Princess Chunky really a prince, vet confirms

Bush: Security gains in Iraq may last

Karadzic appears in U.N. war crimes court

Stem cell advance could treat ALS

Death toll falls to lowest ever

Bush aides' subpoenas upheld

States face tough budget crises

Stevens enters plea, hopes to clear name before election

Nation in brief: Small jet crashes, killing eight

Saudi capital bans pets because of flirting factor

Bus riders witness grisly killing

Tenacity, DNA help reunite mother, girl

Olmert resignation leaves peace process even more tenuous

Phoenix lander finds water in Martian soil

Race moves to center stage in campaign

Anthrax suspect dies in apparent suicide

Clinton supporters seek to influence platform

House votes to ban lead in toys

Dinosaur "tissue" turned out to be ordinary slime

Israel's embattled Olmert to resign

Al-Qaida in Iraq leaders reported to be leaving

Bush signs bill on housing relief

Penguins near equator 'unheard of'

Zimbabwe to drop 10 zeros from currency

Salmonella traced to Mexican farm

Alaskans ponder impact of Stevens indictment

Barge spills more oil, closing part of Mississippi

After botched raid, officers honored, family outraged

Man dies after crane topples

Both candidates focus on how public perceives Obama

Report notes drop in illegal immigrants

Sen. Ted Stevens indictment may hit GOP

Particle accelerator reveals hidden van Gogh painting

New Alzheimer's drug is promising

Quake rattles S. California

House of Representatives apologizes for slavery

Nation in brief: Council bars new fast-food outlets

Karadzic en route to tribunal

Iraqis begin sweep of province

AIDS deaths decline in 2007

Afghanistan far deadlier than Iraq for U.S. troops in July

U.S. tells Israel attack on Iran still an option

Obama holds meeting with women leaders

McCain camp won't back down

Wildfire disrupts Yosemite tourism

Four Senators urge EPA leader to quit

State votes to repeal marriage restriction

Hazy skies clear up in Beijing

World in brief: Chunk breaks off of Arctic ice shelf

Observers see deficit of specifics

Oil shale extraction has environmental cost

Hurricane shrinks dead zone, scientist says

Justice hiring improper, report finds

EPA official warned managers not to talk

Bush approves military execution

Scores die in Iraq bombings

Al-Qaida figure believed dead in strike

Police: Shooter targeted church for liberal views

In Iraq, a monument to waste

Myanmar cyclone survivors rush to plant against long odds

Researchers link genes to criminal tendencies

Study says exercise may aid Alzheimer's patients

Slain Iraqis were unarmed, military says

Pair of blasts kill 16, injure dozens in Turkey

Karadzic appeals extradition to U.N.

Owner acquitted in ferry disaster

Dozens detained as India bomb toll rises

Obama stresses U.S. attitude on world stage

Gunman kills two in Tenn. church

Yosemite fire destroys homes

22,000 veterans called suicide line

Wrong Larry: Button manufacturer screws up

Thirst for oil turns Arctic refuge into a battleground

NYC adds double dutch to official school sports

Lottery numbers

Senate passes mortgage relief bill

Nation in brief: Virgin Galactic to roll out ship

Housing plan breakdown

Volunteer rate drops to 1 in 4 adults in U.S.

Obama refocuses on U.S. economy

McCain urges broader ADA protections

Extremists held court in prisons

Series of blasts kill 29, injure 88 in western India

Ahmadinejad says Iran has 6,000 centrifuges

World in brief: Cylinder may have exploded in flight

Fire threatens homes near Yosemite Valley

In Passing: Charles Z. Wick, shaped the USIA

Inspirational professor Randy Pausch dies at 47

California bans trans fats in restaurants

Satellite radio merger allowed

Qantas jet loses piece of fuselage

Bush congressional critics get unimpeachable forum

U.S.-grown jalapenos cleared

Inspector says old mines risk public's health, safety

McCain calls Obama's Iraq strategy 'audacity of hopelessness'

Sarkozy exuberant with praise for Obama

In brief: Iraq war costs near Vietnam War

Massive crowd turns out for Obama in Germany

McCain tours heartland, criticizes rival's trip

McCain makes gains in key states, polls show

Analysis shows boys, girls about equal in math

Report faults Utah mine operator

Nation in brief: Republicans block oil reserve release

Firm accused of oil market manipulation

Justice advised CIA on interrogations

Oil spill closes part of Mississippi

Conservation land opened to grazing, haying

U.S. released bin Laden bodyguard ID'd by driver

World in brief: Crocker says insurgency is weak

Nuclear missile crew members fell asleep on duty

Housing bill helps owners, financiers

Health detectives key in cracking salmonella case

Hurricane Dolly dumps rain but spares levees in Texas

Leaders welcome Obama's Mideast peace 'commitment'

Rivals' tax plans would both raise debt, report says

Cancer institute warns staff cell phones could boost risk

FEMA seeks immunity from trailer lawsuits

Indicted Georgia woman has five dead husbands

Comatose woman ordered back on life support

Air Force suspends search after Guam crash

Study estimates vast supplies of Arctic oil, gas

Veterans not told about benefits

Housing bill likely to have limited effect

China designating zones for protests at Olympics

Bin Laden driver bolts war-crimes trial during video

Man-eating bears scare off miners

High prices at gas pumps save lives on the road

Feds push changes to job-site toxin rules

'Golden Girls' co-star Estelle Getty, 84, dies

AIDS on the increase among U.S. Latinos

McCain montage focuses on media bias

Strengthening hurricane threatens Texas levees

Union Pacific to pay huge fine for wildfire

Study finds Viagra can help women using antidepressants

Prostate tumor drug 'extremely promising'

Mortgage bailout may not be needed

Venezuela, Russia forge energy alliance

Serb war crimes suspect hid in plain sight for over a decade

Kurdish legislators walk out of Iraq parliament in protest

Obama gets warning about Iran

Palestinian killed after rampage

Social Security gets new tool

Iraq policy buzz elevates Obama

Jalapenos investigated as source of salmonella

Accused war-crimes architect found

Guantanamo judge limits evidence

Zimbabwe rivals meet to negotiate agreement

Thanks to forester, bear cub gets second chance

Dolly expected to become hurricane