AP - U.S. forces arrested a top Shiite official in Iraq's government as he stepped off a plane in Baghdad, a political ally said Thursday, and a U.S. military intelligence official linked the man to a June bombing that killed four Americans and six Iraqis.

AP - China and several Central Asian nations rebuffed Russia's hopes of international support for its actions in Georgia, issuing a statement Thursday denouncing the use of force and calling for the respect of every country's territorial integrity.

Reuters - Chinese central government departments misused or mismanaged more than 46 billion yuan ($6.73 billion) last year, including using disaster relief money to build government offices and diverting funds to speculate in stocks, the National Audit Office said on Thursday.

AP - The head of the U.N. refugee agency's office in Somalia says kidnappers have released him from captivity after more than two months.

AP - As of Wednesday, Aug. 27, 2008, at least 4,148 members of the U.S. military have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

AFP - A 27-year-old slice of wedding cake made for Prince Charles and Diana has sold for 1200 pounds at an auction, it was reported Thursday.

AP - Dissidents in Malaysia's ruling party clamored for the prime minister to resign Wednesday after opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim returned to Parliament with a sweeping election victory.

AP - Western leaders warned the Kremlin on Wednesday to "change course," hoping to keep the conflict from growing into a new Cold War after tensions broadened to imperil a key nuclear pact and threaten U.S. meat and poultry trade with Russia.

AP - Gustav was heading toward Jamaica early Thursday while many miles away, residents in the New Orleans area watched it with a nervous eye.

AP - Thousands of demonstrators, some armed with golf clubs, batons and bamboo sticks, defied a court order to end their occupation of the prime minister's office compound on Thursday, vowing to remain until the country's leaders resign.

AP - Suspected militants bombed a bus carrying prisoners in northwest Pakistan on Thursday, killing at least nine people as fighting between security forces and extremists flared across the country's tribal belt.

AFP - India survived Sanath Jayasuriya's explosive half-century to clinch the series against Sri Lanka with a 46-run victory in the fourth one-day international here on Wednesday.

AFP - Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir warned on Wednesday that possible legal proceedings against him by the International Criminal Court would damage foreign investment in the oil-rich country.

AP - The Supreme Court indicated Wednesday it will uphold a Mexico City law allowing abortion that has divided the country.