AFP - A car bomb exploded near a Shiite shrine in Damascus on Saturday, killing 17 people and wounding 14 in one of the deadliest attacks to hit Syria in more than a decade, state media said.

Reuters - U.S. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Saturday said negotiators have made significant progress on a $700 billion Wall Street bailout package that lawmakers said is needed to keep the economy from falling deep into recession.

AP - Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon struggled to come up with the right words. Carlos Pena hugged teammate B.J. Upton and yelled "I told you we could do it! I told you we could do it!" This was one sweet celebration for the Rays.

AP - Dave Matthews has acted in a few films, but the Grammy-winning musician has been playing a behind-the-scenes role in Hollywood of late — that of film producer.

AP - In a state considered the American birthplace of hunting with hounds, George Washington's favorite sport has become a target for some Virginia landowners who say baying dogs and their owners are trampling property rights.

AP - A U.S. destroyer off the coast of Somalia closed in Saturday on a hijacked Ukrainian ship loaded with tanks and ammunition, watching it to ensure the pirates who seized it do not try to remove any cargo or crew.

AP - A pair of one-night polls gave Barack Obama a clear edge over John McCain in their first presidential debate.

AP - A rare hurricane watch was posted for part of the Maine coast on Saturday as Tropical Storm Kyle roared north toward the region with a threat of conditions similar to one of New England's nor'easter storms.

AP - Automakers gained $25 billion in taxpayer-subsidized loans and oil companies won elimination of a long-standing ban on drilling off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as the Senate passed a sprawling spending bill Saturday.

AP - Paul Newman, the Oscar-winning superstar who personified cool as the anti-hero of such films as "Hud," "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Color of Money" — followed by a second act as an activist, race car driver and popcorn impresario — has died. He was 83.

AP - Congressional leaders said Saturday they hoped to reach an agreement on a multibillion-dollar bailout plan for the financial sector before the markets open Monday, even if House and Senate votes would come later.

AFP - John McCain and Barack Obama battled in the shadow of the US finance crisis late Friday in a first presidential debate crackling with sharp disputes over the economy, Iraq and terrorism.

AFP - A car bomb exploded near a Shiite shrine in southern Damascus on Saturday killing 17 people and wounding 14 others, in one of the deadliest attacks in a dozen years, state television said.