State

• Trump tops off Chicago tower, endorses McCain

• University of Ill. virtual campus flounders

• Coast Guard reopens Mississippi River stretch

National

• House votes to end offshore drilling ban

• Deal close on $700 billion financial bailout plan

• Bernanke: Fed will 'act as needed' to help

• O.J. witness says he took plea after 'revelation'

• Opening arguments set in Stevens' corruption trial

• Documents: Ivins bragged he knew anthrax killer

• Kidnapped Mo. boy recounts captivity in interview

• 8 generals disciplined in nuke mistake

• Mail volume down in slow economy

International

• World leaders seek unity to fight financial crisis

• Pakistan leader: Citizens must support terror war

  • US bans all personnel from big Pakistan hotels

• Finland bewildered by deadly school shootings

  • Finnish media report threats sent to students

• Iraqi police raise death toll in ambush to 35

Election

• Obama, McCain to attend economic bailout talks

• Giants got 'access insurance' to McCain aide

• Who's running Alaska with Palin on stump?

• Conn. Democrats delay plan to censure Lieberman

ODD & Extraordinary

• Hot dogs outside Philly ballpark cause bomb scare

• Planned explosion goes awry at Vermont airport

• Calif. high school's main rivals are fire ants

• Seahawks fan accused of spitting on man's burger

• Rat bite wakes N.Y. firefighter sleeping at station

• Man cited for allegedly buying beer for young sons

• N.J. farm flings pumpkins with giant catapult

• Man accused of stealing empty beer truck

Science, Technology & The Environment

• New Smithsonian Ocean Hall opens Saturday

• NASA delays Hubble mission by 5 days, Ike blamed

• Study looks at beetles' effects on weather

Entertainment, Entertainers, and the Arts

• Disney gala shows off upcoming movies

• 2nd celebrity booted from 'Dancing with the Stars'

• McCartney in Bethlehem: I'm carrying peace message

• Healthy James Levine opens Boston Symphony season

Today

• This day in history

• The nation's weather