AP - The Tampa Bay Rays are making believers out of the Boston Red Sox. The AL East-leading Rays beat the Red Sox 10-3 Wednesday night, moving closer to their first playoff berth with another "star-less" effort that's become their signature. The victory moved Tampa Bay two games in front of Boston in the division.

AP - Brad Pitt has donated $100,000 to fight California's November ballot initiative that would overturn the state Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage.

AP - A long-awaited federal study of an X-ray alternative to the dreaded colonoscopy confirms its effectiveness at spotting most cancers, although it was far from perfect.

AP - Republican John McCain, an abortion rights opponent with a conservative Senate record on the issue, seems content with the public's perception that he's more moderate on the issue.

AP - The authors of a U.S. program designed to secure weapons of mass destruction in the former Soviet Union say they worry that deteriorating relations between the United States and Russia could undermine efforts to keep the weapons out of the hands of terrorists.

AP - When facing allegations of U.S. airstrikes killing or injuring civilians in Afghanistan, it is better to apologize first and investigate later, Defense Secretary Robert Gates says.

AP - More than a year after a key Minneapolis bridge collapsed and killed 13 people, state troopers prepared to lead motorists in a slow procession Thursday morning across the new span that reconnects Interstate 35W over the Mississippi River.

AP - Officials were stung by an ill-fated attempt to let residents and business owners "look and leave" their hurricane-battered city, which only created frustrating traffic jams for two days. Now, their message is clear: Stay away from Galveston.

AP - Israel's foreign minister declared victory Thursday in a tight race to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as the head of the governing party, getting a chance to be the country's first female leader in 34 years.

AP - Asian stocks tumbled Thursday, tracking declines on Wall Street as investors feared more companies could succumb to the global financial crisis that forced the U.S. to bail out troubled insurer American International Group Inc.

AFP - Islamist militants attacked the US embassy in the Yemeni capital with two car bombs and rockets on Wednesday, leaving 16 people dead, as Washington blamed Al-Qaeda for the strike.

AFP - The global financial firestorm tore through markets Wednesday, sending US and European shares plunging following a huge US bailout of insurer AIG and news that British bank HBOS could be taken over.

Reuters - A U.S. missile strike killed five militants in northwest Pakistan on Wednesday, a Pakistani official said.

Reuters - U.S. federal regulators recently called a number of banks asking if they would consider buying Washington Mutual Inc should it eventually falter, the New York Post said, citing sources.

Reuters - John McCain called for an end to the "casino culture on Wall Street" and Barack Obama demanded protection for ordinary investors on Wednesday as financial markets stumbled again on news of a government bailout of a giant U.S. insurer.