AP - Democrat Barack Obama told a campaign audience Thursday that Republican John McCain's mortgage buyout plan would cost taxpayers billions of dollars and reward bad behavior by lenders.

AP - NATO allies must send either more forces or more money for the fight in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Robert Gates will argue this week as he meets with NATO defense ministers.

AP - A group of Chinese Muslims set to be freed into the U.S. this week from Guantanamo Bay found their freedom stymied yet again after a simple government plea: What's a couple more weeks or so in jail after nearly seven years?

AP - For U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert, Democratic challenger Darcy Burner is too inexperienced and left-leaning. For Burner, Reichert is ineffective and has sided with President Bush too often.

AP - The son of a Democratic Tennessee state lawmaker pleaded not guilty Wednesday to hacking the e-mail account of Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

AP - John McCain's health plan would reduce the ranks of the uninsured by about 21.1 million people if fully put in place by 2010, while Barack Obama's would reduce the number by 26.6 million, an analysis predicts.

Politico - Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) made an overnight change in the homeowner bailout he proposed at Tuesday’s presidential debate, making it more generous to financial institutions and more costly for taxpayers.

AP - Waiting to get lunch at the Dari Creme's walk-up window, Denise Leport wore an Ohio State Buckeyes sweat shirt along with a frown as she considered this year's presidential candidates.

AP - Barack Obama spent $3.3 million in TV advertising on Monday. At that rate the Democrat will spend more than $90 million on ads through Election Day — more than all the money Republican rival John McCain has to spend on his entire fall campaign.

AP - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin remained in the dark while her husband repeatedly asked top state officials to help get his former brother-in-law kicked off the state police force, Palin's husband and top aides said in affidavits provided to The Associated Press.