NFL players union chief Upshaw dies at 63

Gene Upshaw, the Hall of Fame guard who during a quarter century as union head helped get NFL players free agency and the riches that came with it, has died. He was 63.

NYT: Rural slice of Penn. tests Obama

Once solidly Democratic, the rural reaches of western Pennsylvania pose a particular hurdle for Barack Obama. One hears much hesitating talk about Obama, some not-so-subtly racial.

Day 13 Highlights: Japan stuns U.S. softball

Day 13 highlights: The U.S. Olympic softball team was denied a fourth straight gold medal, losing to Japan in the sport's final appearance in the games for at least eight years.

Buzz over Biden for VP crystalizes concerns

Sen. Joe Biden's emergence at the center of speculation about who will be Barack Obama's running mate may say more about Obama's challenges in the presidential race than it does about the final selection.

Gators prowl as Fay heads back to Fla.

Tropical Storm Fay hung offshore Thursday and poured more rain on Florida's central Atlantic coast after flooding hundreds of homes and leaving much of the state a soggy mess.

Poll: McCain halves Obama's lead

The latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll finds Obama up only 45-42 percent, as he still hasn't closed the deal with some Clinton backers.

3 NATO troops die in Afghanistan
U.S.-led coalition troops battled a group of militants in eastern Afghanistan, killing over 30 insurgents, while three NATO soldiers were killed in a roadside blast elsewhere, officials said Thursday.

Illinois sheriff does jail time - voluntarily
The Lake County sheriff is behind bars — voluntarily. His goal is to talk to inmates so he can see the jail from their perspective and try to solve potential problems.

Up to 225 days of White House e-mail lost
According to an internal document, the White House is missing as many as 225 days of e-mail dating back to 2003.