AP - Tropical Storm Fay hobbled across Florida for a fifth day Friday as the state's death toll rose to five, while residents began plodding through muddy water to assess the flood damage to their homes.

AP - Pakistan's main ruling party on Friday proposed the widower of assassinated former premier Benazir Bhutto as Pakistan's next president, making Asif Ali Zardari the clear front-runner.

AP - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Friday the financial crisis that has pounded the country — coupled with higher inflation — is taking a toll on the economy and poses a major challenge to Fed policymakers as they try to restore stability.

AP - Russian military convoys rolled out of three key positions in Georgia and headed toward Moscow-backed separatist regions Friday in a significant withdrawal two weeks after thousands of troops roared into the former Soviet republic.

AP - The suspense holding, Barack Obama readied an announcement by text message Friday of his vice presidential running mate from a list suddenly spiced by a dark horse from Texas.

AFP - Pakistan's coalition government was set for pivotal talks on its future Friday, raising new fears for its ability to tackle Taliban violence after a massive double suicide bombing killed 64 people.

AFP - Russia promised to withdraw most forces from deep inside Georgia on Friday, but was set to retain a military presence in two separatist regions and a buffer zone.

Reuters - Al Qaeda's north African wing has claimed responsibility for two car bombs in Algeria which killed 12 people and wounded 42 this week, the Al Jazeera television network said on Thursday.

Reuters - A draft agreement between the United States and Iraq contains no fixed dates for U.S. forces to withdraw, but Iraq would like combat troops out by the end of 2011, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said on Thursday.

Reuters - Warren Buffett, the billionaire co-founder of a top private equity firm and a prominent voice for U.S. fiscal responsibility, called on the United States and its elected officials to combat the nation's fast-growing, multi-trillion dollar debt load.

Reuters - State-run Korea Development Bank said on Friday Lehman Brothers was one of its options for acquisitions, reviving expectations that the U.S. investment bank might still bring in a large investor.

Reuters - Pakistan's governing coalition was due to hold make-or-break talks on Friday to save the alliance between the country's two main parties, as concern grew that squabbling was keeping them from tackling critical problems.

Reuters - The International Olympic Committee has ordered an investigation into allegations Chinese authorities falsified the age of a double gold medal winning gymnast because she was too young to compete.

Reuters - Russia promised to complete a partial pullback of troops from Georgia by the end of Friday but said an unspecified number of "peacekeeping forces" would stay inside the country, angering the West.

AP - Brandon Webb set a personal best with his latest win and is now just one victory from being the National League's first 20-game winner in three years.