Bertha becomes 1st hurricane of Atlantic season

Hurricane Bertha continues to strengthen as it moves over the central Atlantic Ocean.

• Radar map from Myrtle Beach Online
• Miami Herald's hurricane coverage
• Hurricane Coverage from the Biloxi Sun Herald

40 dead in Indian embassy blast in Afghan capital

A car bomb ripped through the front wall of the Indian Embassy in central Kabul on Monday, killing 40 people in the deadliest attack in Afghanistan's capital since the fall of the Taliban, officials said.

G-8 summit opens with spotlight on aid for Africa

Aid for Africa - and whether enough was coming from the world's major economic powers - was in the spotlight Monday as the Group of Eight nations met with seven African leaders at its annual summit.

• Germany's Merkel urges G8 action on food
• Bush: Russia's new president is 'smart guy'
• G-8 summit draws grab-bag of activists, causes

Iraq's al-Maliki wants short-term US agreement

Iraq has proposed a short-term memorandum of understanding with the United States rather than trying to hammer through a formal agreement on the presence of U.S. forces, the country's prime minister said Monday.

McCain touts plan to create jobs, help workers

Republican presidential candidate John McCain acknowledged the steep drop in U.S. jobs and said he would help the economy by cutting taxes, encouraging free trade, building nuclear power plants and launching other initiatives.

• Guessing game: Who will be the next Democratic vice presidential candidate?
• Guessing game: Who will be the next Republican vice presidential candidate?
• McClatchy's Hot off the Trail blog

NBC to use Olympics to see how people use media

NBC is using the Olympics as a "billion-dollar research lab" to get a sense of how people are using different media platforms to experience the Beijing Games that begin Aug. 8.

• http://www.NBCOlympics.com
• Beijing 2008
• More coverage from McClatchy's Beijing Bureau Chief Tim Johnson

Bush: Russia's new president is 'smart guy'

President Bush and new Russian President Dmitry Medvedev stood united Monday on issues like Iran and North Korea. But for all their handshakes and smiles, it is clear that thorny issues like missile defense are in a holding pattern until a new U.S. president takes office.

• G-8 summit opens with spotlight on aid for Africa
• Germany's Merkel urges G8 action on food
• G-8 summit draws grab-bag of activists, causes

Nadal dethrones Federer in five-set Wimbledon epic

With darkness enveloping Centre Court and the clock showing 9:15 p.m., Rafael Nadal watched as Roger Federer's errant forehand settled into the net, ending what might have been the greatest men's final on the greatest stage in tennis.

• Wimbledon at a glance

Weather helps crews battling California wildfires

Firefighters took advantage of cooler temperatures and higher humidity overnight to make progress containing a blaze burning through the mountains in Santa Barbara County before hotter, drier conditions return.

Wimbledon at a glance

A look at Wimbledon on Sunday:

Freed Colombian hostages urge hope

Freed after years as rebel-held hostages, French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and four Colombian police officers sent messages of hope in a radio broadcast Sunday to captives still detained in remote jungle camps.

Cooler weather helps crews battle Calif wildfire

Firefighters on Sunday took advantage of cooler, damper weather to battle a vast blaze ravaging Santa Barbara County as they tried to gain a foothold against the fire before the expected return of hotter, drier conditions.

• California wildfire coverage by the Sacramento Bee

Black students helped end 'Massive Resistance'

The "Norfolk 17" were honored Sunday at the church that educated them 50 years ago when six of the city's all-white public schools closed under Virginia's defiant response to court-ordered desegregation.

• The Norfolk 17

Suicide attack in Pakistani capital kills 15

A suicide attacker detonated explosives near a police station in Pakistan's capital on Sunday, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens, officials said.

McCain goes to church, visits VA hospital

Republican presidential hopeful John McCain attended church Sunday and later visited a Veterans Affairs hospital in his hometown.

AP IMPACT: U.S. wavered over S. Korean executions

The American colonel, troubled by what he was hearing, tried to stall at first. But the declassified record shows he finally told his South Korean counterpart it "would be permitted" to machine-gun 3,500 political prisoners, to keep them from joining approaching enemy forces.

• http://www.jinsil.go.kr/English/index.asp

Nadal dethrones Federer at Wimbledon

Rafael Nadal ended Roger Federer's five-year reign at Wimbledon on Sunday, winning a riveting five-set marathon to claim his first title at the All England Club and signal a changing of the guard in men's tennis.

• Williams sisters claim 3rd Wimbledon doubles title

McCain's health plan: A threat to employer plans?

There's a great unknown about Sen. John McCain's health plan: How many employers would drop insurance coverage for their workers because of his tax policies?

• Guessing game: Who will be the next Republican vice presidential candidate?
• Guessing game: Who will be the next Democratic vice presidential candidate?
• Employers use federal law to deny benefits

Special court for vets addresses more than crime

The first clue that the Tuesday afternoon session in Part 4 of Buffalo City Court is not like other criminal proceedings comes just before it starts.

Freed Colombian hostages urge hope

Freed after years as rebel-held hostages, French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and four Colombian police officers sent radio messages of hope on Sunday to captives still detained in remote jungle camps.

• 3 freed US hostages give thanks for their rescue