Speedy Tropical Storm Hanna charges for Carolinas (AP)

AP - Tropical Storm Hanna cruised toward the Carolinas on Friday, forecast to hit land overnight and promising to deliver gusty winds and heavy rain during a dash up the Eastern Seaboard that could wash out the weekend for millions of people.

Obama, seeing hope in Ohio, shifts schedule there (AP)

AP - So much for the full-on 50-state strategy. Call Barack Obama's implementation of national Democrats' coast-to-coast plan "Fifty-State Lite." Barack Obama's strategists say they will pick and choose where to spend time and money.

McCain, Palin get a rousing welcome in Mich., Wis. (AP)

AP - John McCain and Sarah Palin got a rousing welcome Friday to the final two months of the presidential campaign, stressing themes of a strong America and concern about the sinking economy. "Tough times all over America," McCain said.

Rice meets Gadhafi on historic visit to Libya (AP)

AP - The United States and Libya sealed a historic turnaround after decades of terrorist killings, American retaliation, suspicions and insults with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's peacemaking visit Friday with Moammar Gadhafi, Libya's mercurial strongman.

White House: Bush wasn't detached from war review (AP)

AP - The White House on Friday disputed an assertion in a new book by Bob Woodward that President Bush was slow to react to escalating attacks in Iraq, forcefully arguing that Bush's military buildup was responsible for a sharp drop in the violence.

Wash. rampage suspect in court: 'I kill for God' (AP)

AP - "I kill for God. I listen to God," a man accused of a northwest Washington shooting rampage said Friday at a hearing where six charges of first-degree murder and four of first-degree assault were filed against him.

Oldest gorilla in captivity dies in Dallas at 55 (AP)

AP - The oldest gorilla in captivity, a 55-year-old female named Jenny, has died at the Dallas Zoo — her home for more than half a century, a spokesman said Friday.

Stand Up to Cancer telethon takes over network TV (AP)

AP - Skateboarder Tony Hawk, actor Shemar Moore and other celebrities said they joined in a three-network cancer telethon on Friday because the disease had touched or taken the lives of loved ones.

NJ cops kick in door over bird's cries for help (AP)

AP - Cries for help inside a Trenton, N.J., home turned out to be for the birds. Neighbors called police Wednesday morning after hearing a woman's persistent cry of "Help me! Help me!" coming from a house. Officers arrived and when no one answered the door, they kicked it in to make a rescue.

AL HR Carlos Quentin breaks wrist hitting own bat (AP)

AP - American League home run leader Carlos Quentin has a broken right wrist stemming from his own temper, and the Chicago White Sox left fielder will have surgery Monday that could sideline him for the rest of the season. Quentin was injured Monday night in Cleveland. After fouling off a pitch while batting against Cliff Lee, Quentin hit his right hand on the bat as he was holding it with his left.

McCain and Obama clash on economy (Reuters)

Reuters - Presidential rivals John McCain and Barack Obama, back on the campaign trail after their party conventions, clashed over the ailing U.S. economy on Friday as unemployment hit its highest monthly rate in nearly five years.

Treasury near GSE bailout plan: report (Reuters)

Reuters - The U.S. Treasury Department is close to finalizing a plan to buttress mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac , The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

Boeing machinists to strike as contract talks fail (Reuters)

Reuters - Boeing Co's 27,000-strong machinists' union declared it will strike at midnight Pacific time on Friday, as the plane maker failed to improve its contract offer after two days of emergency talks.

Hurricane Ike targets Gulf, Hanna's toll rises (Reuters)

Reuters - Fierce Hurricane Ike weakened as it charged across the Atlantic on Friday and took aim at south Florida and the oil fields of the Gulf of Mexico, while Tropical Storm Hanna buffeted the Carolinas after killing at least 529 people in Haiti.

Rice meets Gaddafi on historic Libya visit (Reuters)

Reuters - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi -- once reviled as a "mad dog" by a U.S. president -- on Friday on a historic visit which she said proved that Washington had no permanent enemies.

Bhutto's widower set to become Pakistan's president (Reuters)

Reuters - Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto, was poised on Saturday to win an election to become president.

Bhutto's widower set to become Pakistan president (AFP)

AFP - Pakistan lawmakers were Saturday expected to elect slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto's widower as president of the frontline state in the United States-led "war on terror".

US Secretary of State visits Tunisia after Kadhafi meeting (AFP)

AFP - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Tunis early Saturday to pursue a North Africa tour after a landmark meeting in Libya with its leader Moamer Kadhafi.