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Obama seeks a personal touch within a huge stadium (AP)

AP - Barack Obama was unveiling a delicate balancing act Thursday, trying to get personal with 75,000 supporters in a massive stadium and millions more at home while explaining how as president he would make a difference in their lives.

Economy rebounds in 2Q, mostly spurred by exports (AP)

AP - The economy shifted to a higher gear in the spring, growing at its fastest pace in nearly a year as foreign buyers snapped up U.S. exports and tax rebates spurred shoppers at home.

Officials may evacuate New Orleans as Gustav nears (AP)

AP - National Guard troops stand ready, batteries and water bottles are selling briskly, and one small-town mayor has spent a sleepless night worrying. The New Orleans area is skittishly watching as a storm marches across the Caribbean on the eve of Hurricane Katrina's third anniversary.

Georgia: S. Ossetia ethnic cleansing nearly done (AP)

AP - Georgia's foreign minister says the ethnic cleansing of Georgians from the separatist province of South Ossetia has nearly been completed.

Obama makes unscripted appearance at the DNC (AP)

AP - Sen. Barack Obama dropped in on his own party at the Democratic convention a day early Wednesday to praise his wife, his former rival, and former President Bill Clinton for going to bat for him.

9 killed as violence spreads along Pakistan border (AP)

AP - Suspected militants bombed a bus carrying prisoners in northwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least nine people, as fighting between security forces and extremists flared across the country's tribal belt.

Blogger arrested over leak of Guns N' Roses songs (AP)

AP - A blogger suspected of streaming songs from the unreleased Guns N' Roses album "Chinese Democracy" on his Web site was arrested Wednesday and appeared in court, where his bail was set at $10,000.

Malaysia blocks anti-government news Web site (AP)
AP - Malaysia has blocked access to a popular news Web site that often runs afoul of authorities for its sensational political reporting, sparking complaints Thursday that the government has reneged on its pledge to keep cyberspace uncensored.

Mets rally to beat Phillies, reclaim first place (AP)

AP - Daniel Murphy hit a tiebreaking double after Carlos Delgado's second solo homer had tied the game in the eighth and the New York Mets beat Philadelphia 6-3 on Wednesday night to reclaim first place in the NL East.

Ga. town's scarecrows h(a)unting for world record (AP)

AP - This small northeastern Georgia town's population boom is frightening. In a bid to break a world record for scarecrows and scare up some fun for the fall season, thousands of straw-stuffed newcomers are creeping across town.

Obama wins nomination and Clintons' support (Reuters)

Reuters - To shouts of "Yes we can," Democrats nominated Barack Obama on Wednesday as their presidential candidate in a historic first for a black American, backed by his ex-rivals Bill and Hillary Clinton.

Strengthening Gustav heads for Jamaica (Reuters)

Reuters - Tropical Storm Gustav strengthened Thursday morning as it headed towards Jamaica, and the system was expected to regain hurricane status later today, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory.

Second quarter growth revised upward to 3.3 percent (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. economy grew at a solid 3.3 percent annual rate in the second quarter, much stronger than first thought, but many economists expect growth to flag as the year progresses.

Russia faces diplomatic isolation on Georgia (Reuters)

Reuters - Russia faced diplomatic isolation over its military action against Georgia on Thursday, with its Asian allies failing to offer support and France saying EU leaders were considering imposing sanctions.

Russia long-range missile test a success (Reuters)

Reuters - Russia successfully tested a long-range Topol missile designed to avoid detection by anti-missile defence systems from its Plesetsk launch site, a Russian military spokesman said on Thursday.