Meadows Valley Public Library

The U.S.'s most senior diplomat Condoleezza Rice arrived in Libya on Friday -- the first time in more than half a century that a U.S. secretary of state has visited the former pariah nation

For the second time in 15 days, a Florida woman suspected in the disappearance of her 3-year-old daughter has left jail, this time after somebody anonymously posted the $500,000 bond.

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Tropical Storm Hanna's top winds increased to 70 mph and its outer bands brushed Florida's coast as the storm headed toward landfall in the Carolinas Saturday. Hurricane Ike could hit South Florida by Tuesday.

Until a week ago, only a relatively few outside Alaska knew of that state's governor, Sarah Palin. All that is different now. To many in Palin's hometown, the GOP vice presidential candidate's near-iconic status is well-deserved. After all, the high school basketball star and former beauty queen rose from Wasilla City Council member to Alaska's first female governor in less than 14 years.

The top U.S. general in Iraq is recommending nearly 8,000 troop cuts in Iraq because of the improving situation there, a source close to the process has told CNN.

Sen. John McCain promised to revolutionize Washington during the closing night of the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota.

The unemployment rate soared to a nearly five-year high in August, topping 6 percent, as employers trimmed jobs for the eighth straight month. CNNMoney.com reports there was a net loss of 84,000 jobs in August.

Republicans are a gloomy lot. You show them a silver lining. They'll find a cloud.

Sen. John McCain gave his acceptance speech as the Republican presidential nominee Thursday night. Here is a look at what McCain said he would do, if elected, about a variety of topics:

John McCain vowed to "shake up Washington" and said he's prepared to reach across the aisle to get the country "back on the road to prosperity and peace." Accepting the Republican presidential nomination, McCain said, "Fight with me. Fight for what's right for our country."

Aides to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin improperly obtained her former brother-in-law's state police personnel files and cited information from those records to raise complaints about the officer, the head of Alaska's state police union said Thursday.

Sen. John McCain got one thing right Thursday when he said the Republicans had let Washington change them, Democrats said after his speech.

Police arrested an estimated 200 anti-war protesters Thursday night after using tear gas and percussion grenades to disperse a crowd near the State Capitol, about a mile from the Republican National Convention.

Tropical Storm Hanna churned across the Bahamas and toward the U.S. coast on Thursday, while Hurricane Ike, an "extremely dangerous" Category 4 hurricane, roared farther out in the Atlantic, its destination a mystery.

A Florida woman suspected in the disappearance of her 3-year-old daughter is likely to leave jail Friday after somebody posted $500,000 bond, police said.

Senior U.S. military leaders say it would be "impractical" to reduce U.S. troop levels in Iraq further before the end of the year because of the logistics required in the redeployments, two military officials told CNN Thursday.

Disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff was sentenced to four years in federal prison Thursday for his corrupt lobbying activities, which led to the downfalls of a congressman and several other Washington officials.