AP - Republican John McCain said Tuesday he's satisfied that Sarah Palin's background was properly checked out before the Alaska governor joined the Republican ticket. He predicted that public excitement about her candidacy will increase after her address to the GOP convention on Wednesday.

AP - Republicans swung their convention back on a political track Tuesday after a pause for Hurricane Gustav, giving President Bush an abbreviated slot for a televised address promoting John McCain's candidacy for the White House. Former Democrat Joe Lieberman and TV star and former Sen. Fred Thompson got prominent roles.

Reuters - European Union countries faced a struggle to keep a united front on Russia at an emergency summit on Monday, with splits emerging over whether to punish Moscow for its intervention in Georgia.

AP - Those who love New Orleans say Hurricane Gustav is proof that the billions of dollars spent to protect the city and bring it back to life after the devastating 2005 storm season was worth it.

AP - Sarah Palin's path to the Republican ticket started with her name on a list — and a team of some 25 people poring through public records searching for trouble spots without her knowledge. Then came the 70-question survey and a nearly three-hour interview.

AP - Republican John McCain, whose running mate disclosed that her unmarried 17-year-old daughter is pregnant, has opposed proposals to spend federal money on teen-pregnancy prevention programs and voted to require poor teen mothers to stay in school or lose their benefits.

AP - The political red meat that was missing from speeches on Day One of the Republican National Convention managed to make its way into the convention hall on delegates' hats and vests.

AP - Republican National Convention script, Day One: Take your seats, 2:39 p.m. Call to order, 2:45 p.m. Recite the Pledge of Allegiance, 2:49 p.m. Singing of the national anthem by Miss Minnesota 2008, 2:52 p.m.

AP - Sarah Palin voluntarily told John McCain's campaign about her pregnant teenage daughter and her husband's 2-decade-old DUI arrest during questioning as part of the Republican's vice presidential search.

AP - Republicans set aside the agenda to focus on hurricane relief in the opening hours of their national convention, only to see the scaled-back program for Day One overshadowed by jarring disclosures about the family and work life of John McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin.

AP - The U.S.-led coalition, Afghan government and the United Nations will launch a joint probe into last week's deadly raid in a village in the country's west, a top NATO official said Saturday.

AP - Cartons of food, water, blankets and other supplies to sustain 1 million people for three days were ready to be distributed Monday as FEMA anxiously eyed Louisiana levees to gauge how much damage Hurricane Gustav would wreak.

AP - First lady Laura Bush says she'll be addressing Monday's opening session of the Republican National Convention, but Day One of the gathering won't be the big celebration that once was planned.

AP - Democratic vice presidential candidate Joe Biden is skipping a Labor Day parade in Pittsburgh to monitor storm developments as Hurricane Gustav strikes the Louisiana coast.