John McCain accepts the Republican nomination for president Thursday, riding the crest of a political wave unleashed by Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, his running mate who whipped convention delegates into a frenzy of support for the party standard-bearer and unleashed a burst of conservative enthusiasm few expected or even thought possible.
Americas

U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney vowed on Thursday to stand by Georgia in its showdown with Russia, calling Moscow's military push into the ex-Soviet state an illegitimate act that cast doubt on its reliability.
Europe

Tropical Storm Hanna roared along the edge of the Bahamas on Thursday ahead of a possible hurricane hit on the Carolinas, leaving behind at least 61 dead in Haiti.
Americas

The United States said on Thursday 45 nuclear supplier nations were making headway toward agreement on lifting a ban on trade with India after Washington revised a draft for the move to ease proliferation fears.
Americas

The dominant U.S. service sector improved last month and businesses boosted productivity in the second quarter but the labor market continues to struggle, government reports on Thursday showed.
Americas

A roadside bomb killed two American soldiers Thursday in eastern Baghdad, the U.S. military said. They were the first combat deaths in the capital in a week.
Middle East

A helicopter carrying foreign contractors crashed into an oil platform off the coast of Dubai, killing all seven people on board and halting production in one of the emirate's four offshore oil fields, officials said Thursday.
Middle East

French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned Iran on Thursday it was taking a dangerous gamble in seeking to develop nuclear weapons because one day its arch-foe Israel could strike.
Europe

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the running mate for GOP presidential candidate John McCain, wrote e-mails that harshly criticized Alaska state troopers for failing to fire her former brother-in-law and ridiculed an internal affairs investigation into his conduct.
Americas

Prosecutors accusing Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick of lying on the witness stand to cover up an extramarital affair with a top aide said Wednesday that a plea deal is expected soon in the case, though the mayor's attorneys insisted one had not been struck yet.
Americas