AP - John McCain's campaign expressed cautious optimism Thursday as congressional Republicans and Democrats agreed in principle on a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry hours before the two presidential candidates were to meet with President Bush on the crisis.

AP - Warned of a possible financial panic, key Republicans and Democrats reported agreement in principle Thursday on a $700 billion bailout of the financial industry and said they would present it to the Bush administration in hopes of a vote within days.

AFP - South Africa's third post-apartheid president is set to be sworn into office Thursday after the dramatic toppling of Thabo Mbeki by his own party, just months before the end of his term.

AFP - Warning "our entire economy is in danger," US President George W. Bush called unprecedented crisis talks for Thursday with White House rivals John McCain and Barack Obama and congressional leaders.

Reuters - China readied for its next leap into space on Thursday, with the Shenzhou VII craft primed to blast off with three astronauts and plans for a first space walk that will underscore the country's technological ambitions.

Reuters - Israeli President Shimon Peres called Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a danger and a disgrace on Wednesday, rebuking the Iranian president for his vitriolic condemnation of Israel and Zionism at the United Nations.

Reuters - The World Health Organization and UNICEF said on Thursday China's contaminated milk powder scandal was "deplorable" as more countries in Asia and Europe banned imports of Chinese milk products.

Reuters - A wide-ranging Bush administration review of the war in Afghanistan could recommend changes to U.S. strategy in less than a month, officials said on Wednesday.

Reuters - North Korea has expelled U.N. monitors from its plutonium-making nuclear plant and plans to start reactivating it next week, rowing back from a 2007 deal to scrap its atomic bomb program, officials said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Republican White House hopeful John McCain threw the campaign into turmoil on Wednesday by calling for a delay in the first presidential debate to try to forge a Wall Street rescue plan -- a surprise move promptly rejected by Democrat Barack Obama.

Reuters - Congress looked close to reaching a deal to approve a $700 billion plan to bail out the U.S. financial system and President George W. Bush called an emergency meeting for Thursday to hammer out details.

Reuters - President George W. Bush warned on Wednesday that the United States was in the middle of a serious financial crisis that could push the economy into a long-term recession if the government did not act.

AP - With another brutal loss, the New York Mets kept tumbling toward another September collapse. Derrek Lee blooped a go-ahead double in the 10th inning off Luis Ayala, Aramis Ramirez followed with a two-run homer and the Chicago Cubs rallied from a four-run deficit to defeat the Mets 9-6 Wednesday night.

AP - Ted McGinley from "Married with Children" has gotten a divorce from "Dancing with the Stars."

AP - NASA is delaying next month's shuttle launch to the Hubble Space Telescope because of problems stemming from Hurricane Ike and replacement parts for the observatory.