Hurricane Dolly slams South Texas before weakening (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:30:25 GMT
AP - Hurricane Dolly slammed into the South Texas coast Wednesday with punishing rain and winds of 100 mph, blowing down signs, peeling off roofs and knocking out power to thousands before weakening over land.

McCain denies he misstated timing of Iraq surge (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:31:24 GMT
AP - Republican John McCain is pushing back against Democratic criticism that he misstated the timing of the buildup of troops ordered by President Bush in early 2007. He says parts of the new strategy began months earlier.

Congress moves quickly to pass housing package (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:11:29 GMT
AP - Congress is moving quickly to pass a housing package that aims to help 400,000 strapped homeowners avoid foreclosures and prevent Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from collapsing.

Obama tells Israel he's committed to its security (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:32:53 GMT
AP - From the solemnity of a Holocaust museum to a dusty village battered by Hamas rockets, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama on Wednesday professed "an unshakable commitment to the security" of Israel, whether the threat comes from terrorists, Iran or elsewhere.

Authorities seek indicted polygamist sect members (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:22:30 GMT
AP - Texas authorities on Wednesday began looking for five indicted members of a polygamist sect, in a child sex-abuse case that the group's spokesman alleged was a face-saving move by officials who lost a court battle over their seizure of hundreds of children from a sect-owned ranch.

Calif. woman attacked by bear, drives self to help (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:20:35 GMT
AP - A woman walking her two dogs in a rural area of Southern California was attacked and severely injured by a bear, but managed to escape and drive herself to a nearby fire station.

Unknown disease killing off Florida's state tree (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:55:11 GMT
AP - The sabal palm, Florida's state tree, is under attack by a microscopic killer that has scientists stumped. An unknown but growing number of sabal palms in the Tampa Bay area have died from a mysterious disease that researchers are struggling to identify. Even after scientists pinpoint the disease — and that could take years — they will have to learn what insect spreads it. The disease will be tough to stop.

Rapper DMX indicted on felony charges in Arizona (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:44:46 GMT
AP - Rapper DMX has been indicted on felony charges by a grand jury in Arizona for allegedly trying to get out of paying a hospital bill.

'Pantyhose Bandit' causes sheer annoyance in Mass. (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:43:20 GMT
AP - Dozens of pairs of pantyhose have been left near a Milford school bus stop — causing sheer annoyance in the neighborhood. The pantyhose — sometimes new, sometimes used — has been left on Camp Street for more than two years. They're almost always black and queen sized.

WNBA reviewing fight between Detroit, LA players (AP)
Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:32:55 GMT
AP - The WNBA always seems to crave more attention. Mission accomplished, albeit it without a dunk or fantastic play. The Detroit Shock — and assistant coach Rick Mahorn — were involved in a skirmish with the Los Angeles Sparks, making the WNBA a hot topic on TV, sports-talk radio and blogs.