Top headlines:
Georgia to sever ties with Russia: A Georgian Foreign Ministry official says Georgia is to recall all diplomatic staff from its embassy in Moscow because of the Russian military presence in Georgia. ›16:01
Relaxing ocean getaways this fall from only $85: As the calendar turns to September and October, posh seaside havens such as Cape Cod and Marthas Vineyard become enticing tranquil outposts and the expansive ocean shores reveal even more of their rugged natural beauty. ›15:24
Travel abroad to see your donations in action: It used to be that if you wanted to give money to charity, you simply sent a check. Nowadays, people are traveling abroad to see their donations in action. Below, what you need to know before you go. ›18:27 28 Aug, Thu
1 killed in W.Va. chemical plant blast: One worker was killed and a second injured in an explosion at a Bayer CropScience plant that shook an area west of Charleston. ›11:37
4th inmate captured in N.M. jailbreak: A fourth inmate who escaped from an eastern New Mexico jail has been captured, authorities said. ›21:16
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. ›09:33 27 Aug, Wed
Anxious freshmen meeting first on Facebook: Filled with going-to-college angst, many incoming freshmen spent plenty of time this summer soaking up campus life and getting to know their roomies and classmates first on Facebook. ›12:59 28 Aug, Thu
Enjoy 7 nights in Curaao, from$435: Thanks to the Curaao Tourism Corporation's latest promotion, it's no sweat to get to this vibrant Dutch Caribbean island just off the coast of Venezuela and outside the hurricane belt. ›15:24
World champ in wacky competitions? Finland: They carry their wives, sit on ants, throw milking stools, boots and mobile phones here in the home of weird world championships, participants will do just about anything to win their offbeat crowns. ›22:14 26 Aug, Tue
Doorstep astronomy: Venus shines bright: Venus will be visible low above the western horizon after sunset. If you're lucky you might catch Mars and Mercury too. ›19:24
Library scofflaw: They were good books: Heidi Dalibor, the 20-year-old Wisconsin woman recently arrested and booked for failing to pay her library fines, was rueful about the surprising chapter in her life that landed her in headlines and a police car: It was my fault. Now all I can do is laugh. ›15:22 25 Aug, Mon
The Internet makes me feel fat: In the Internet age with its endless playground for reinvention and resources for human understanding, its painfully clear just how hung up we are on appearances. ›12:56
Phone companies plan backups for Gustav: The tropical storm bearing down on the Gulf Coast could be a test for the country's wireless carriers, which faced criticism and a regulatory push after Hurricane Katrina took out networks. ›16:48
Ancient gold treasure puzzles archaeologists: A priceless gold wreath has been unearthed in an ancient city in northern Greece, buried with human bones in a large copper vase that workers initially took for a land mine. ›15:31
Go girls! Alpha female adventures 08: Girlfriend getaways? Old hat. In their place are adventurous female-only forays into the Great Outdoors, from heli-skiing in Banff to Patagonian mountaineering and more. ›18:28 28 Aug, Thu
No death penalty in 'Precious Doe' killing: Prosecutors in Kansas City say they won't seek the death penalty against a man accused of beheading his 3-year-old stepdaughter, whose body was unidentified for nearly four years. ›21:00
Report: Oxygen bottle burst on Qantas jet: Air safety investigators confirmed Friday that an exploding oxygen cylinder ripped a gaping hole in a Qantas jet's fuselage mid-flight last month, but said they were no closer to solving the mystery of why the tank failed. ›15:47
Auctioneers find explosives in suitcase: Auctioneers preparing for a backyard estate sale Saturday morning made an explosive discovery among the china and other items up for bid a suitcase full of military-grade explosives. ›07:24 25 Aug, Mon
iPhone security flaw exposes private data: A security flaw in Apple Inc.'s iPhone allows unauthorized users to gain easy access to private contacts and e-mails even when the device is locked, but the company said a fix is on the way. ›14:38 28 Aug, Thu
Cat survives being walled in for 7 weeks: A four-year-old cat in Germany called Bonny has survived after being walled in beneath a bathtub for seven weeks, its owner said Tuesday. By the time the neighbor heard Bonny's plaintive meowing from behind the tiles on August 8, the cat's weight had dropped from 13 pounds to 4 pounds. ›18:36 26 Aug, Tue
Detroit mayor back in court: A lawyer for Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick asked a judge Friday to freeze next week's hearing that could remove him from office, accusing Michigan's governor of being too biased to hear the case. ›21:31
Car hits Playboy Mansion twice: One man appears determined to crash the party at the Playboy Mansion. ›10:20 28 Aug, Thu
Woman out of doghouse in vote case: A judge has decided that a suburban Seattle woman who registered her Australian shepherd-terrier mix to vote has spent enough time in the legal doghouse. ›22:05 26 Aug, Tue
Gulf Coast's tourism industry readies for storm: As Tropical Storm Gustav approaches, the Gulf Coast's tourism industry is gearing up for the key holiday weekend while keeping a wary eye on the storm and preparing for the mixed bag it may bring next week. ›20:23
