AP - The economic crisis and raw politics threatened to derail the first presidential debate as John McCain challenged Barack Obama to delay Friday's event to work on the financial crisis. Obama rebuffed the plea, saying presidents need to "deal with more than one thing at once."

AP - Democrats have decided to allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week, conceding defeat in a months-long battle with the White House and Republicans set off by $4 a gallon gasoline prices this summer.

AP - For two weeks, Peter Kinder was a Republican candidate for governor. He started lining up support from donors, businesses and grass-roots organizers.

AP - Palin meets her first world leaders in a tightly controlled diplomatic debut in New York ... Obama says Wall Street bailout must protect Main Street, stands by tax-cut plans ... McCain says his support for bailout would be contingent on five principles ... Obama begins three days of debate preparations ... Poll: Obama's backing from Clinton supporters stuck at same levels as in June

AP - Democrat Barack Obama studied and practiced privately with aides in a Florida hotel Tuesday in the first of three days of intense preparations for his upcoming foreign policy debate with GOP rival John McCain.

AFP - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has began a diplomatic marathon in New York in an effort to bolster her foreign policy credentials ahead of the November 4 presidential election.

AP - Democrats have decided to allow a quarter-century ban on drilling for oil off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts to expire next week, conceding defeat in a months-long battle with the White House and Republicans set off by $4 a gallon gasoline prices this summer.

AP - For two weeks, Peter Kinder was a Republican candidate for governor. He started lining up support from donors, businesses and grass-roots organizers.

AP - Obama says massive financial bailout probably would delay his spending initiatives ... Poll: Obama's support from former Clinton supporters stuck at same levels as in June ... Clinton says Democratic win in 2008 should be obvious, given GOP policies ... For Palin, meet-and-greet time with world leaders at UN session in NY

AFP - The financial turmoil that has rocked global markets appears to be benefiting US presidential hopeful Barack Obama, according to a new poll released Monday that finds the Democratic candidate pulling ahead of his Republican opponent John McCain with a 51 percent to 46 percent lead.

Reuters - Stem cell experts said on Monday they hope the next U.S. president will end political curbs on embryonic stem cell research but some worry recent comments by Republican candidate John McCain suggest his past support for such research may be waning.