U.S. avoids Russia-held port

Western leaders warns Russia to "change course," hoping to keep a conflict that threatens a key nuclear pact and could even raise U.S. chicken prices from blossoming into a new Cold War.

Democrat delegates cast votes

Barack Obama was poised to become the first African-American ever nominated for president by a major political party Wednesday after delegates to the Democratic convention began the historic nomination process.

Obama fights 'Swift Boat'-style ads
Sen. Barack Obama's campaign and its allies have begun an aggressive attack on an advertisement running in swing states that seeks to link him to former domestic terrorist William Ayers.

Lesbian activist Del Martin dies at 87

Pioneering lesbian rights activist Del Martin, who married her lifelong partner in June on the first day that same-sex couples here gained that right, has died. She was 87.

One-horse town to be no-horse town
A one-horse town in Nebraska looks like it's set to become a no-horse town.

Mental skills fade earlier than thought
Simple tests of perceptual speed, spatial ability and verbal function showed that some cognitive skills begin rapidly fading nearly 15 years before death, said Valgeir Thorvaldsson, who worked on the study.

Gustav may reach Category 3

Gustav swirled toward Cuba on Wednesday after triggering flooding and landslides that killed at least 22 people in the Caribbean. Its track pointed toward the U.S. Gulf coast, including Louisiana.

Regulator: Troubled banks highest since 2003
The number of troubled U.S. banks rose 30 percent to 117 in the second quarter, the highest level in five years, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Gulf Coast watches ominous Gustav

Gulf coast residents keep a close watch on Hurricane Gustav as the third anniversary of Katrina approaches.