Valley of the Tetons Library

A new political party in Germany has made saving the working class and the country's welfare system rallying points for attracting votes. Die Linke, or the Left Party, is drawing support from mainstream parties with a radical message.

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Multinationals have invested billions of dollars into developing an energy thruway that circumvents Russian territory. With the recent Russian-Georgian war, the route's security is questionable.

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Barack Obama sailed into history Wednesday as the first African-American to head a major-party presidential ticket. Prompted by Hillary Clinton, the party nominated him by acclamation. And after VP pick Joe Biden spoke, Obama joined him onstage.

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Barack Obama will accept the Democratic presidential nomination in an outdoor stadium with 70,000 screaming onlookers, a light show and music. It'll look like a rock concert rather than a political rally. Bruce Springsteen concertgoers give advice on how to keep your cool and not look like an Obama poseur.

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In his speech at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, Bill Clinton said Barack Obama is ready to be president. The former president also praised Obama's choice of Joe Biden as a running mate, saying, "He hit it out of the park."

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Democratic delegates in Denver are preparing to nominate Barack Obama as their presidential candidate. But before that can happen, Hillary Clinton's name will be placed alongside Obama's in a roll call. Clinton has asked her candidates to back Obama.

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Facing the threat posed by Gustav, New Orleans is trying to balance an evacuation plan with the need to not cause panic. Mark Schleifstein, of the New Orleans Times-Picayune, says models show the storm strengthening and potentially hitting New Orleans as a hurricane Monday.

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On Thursday, for the first time ever, Major League Baseball will use a limited instant-replay system to review questionable homeruns. Buster Olney, of ESPN The Magazine, says this season's rash of bad calls led to the decision.

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Yuri Nosenko, who died earlier this month at the age of 81, was a Soviet intelligence officer who defected to the U.S. in the 1960s. Author Peter Earley recounts Nosenko's story, including his secret incarceration and interrogation for three years.

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Bill Clinton and Joe Biden are speaking Wednesday at the Democratic Convention. The party is also poised to nominate Barack Obama for president under a carefully negotiated plan that lets Hillary Clinton's supporters express their support for her.

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When it comes to the people who run sports, look out for federations — and for officials wearing blue blazers. Commentator Frank Deford says team sports are easier to run than individual sports, and domestic sports are more manageable than international ones. That means the NFL trumps the Olympics.

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After a joint U.S.-Afghan bombing raid allegedly killed 90 Afghan civilians, Afghan support for U.S. military action is waning. Officials say bad intelligence probably led to the deadly strike aimed at Taliban fighters.

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Wednesday's speeches are designed to show how Biden and Obama will mesh in their approach to America's role in the world. But some question how closely their ideas align.

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For Slate.com blogger Mickey Kaus, it wasn't what Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday night, so much as what she didn't say. Like guests who don't show up at a party, it only began to bother him much later — when the buzz was over — that something was absent.

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The Afghan government is demanding that the U.S. and NATO presence there come under greater scrutiny. The move comes after the U.N. determined a U.S.-led air strike last week killed 90 civilians, most of them children.

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Despite a federal indictment, Republican Sen. Ted Stevens won his primary race for Senate and immediately proclaimed the November election a "piece of cake." He'll now move on to the general election, while facing charges that he failed to report gifts from an oil company.

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Painkillers, sleeping pills and anti-anxiety drugs are being prescribed to out-patients in high doses, without the oversight of a doctor. A new study found that in the last 20 years there has been a 500 percent increase in the death rate from medication errors made at home.

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Former presidential candidate and New York Sen. Hillary Clinton gave what some are calling the most passionate speech of her political career last night at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). Host Michel Martin checks in from Denver with guest host Cheryl Corley to discuss Clinton's address and other DNC highlights.

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Friday marks the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina striking the Gulf Coast. Some progress has been made in rebuilding New Orleans. And while huge problems remain, the woes don't seem as insuperable as they once did.

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A U.S. Coast Guard cutter loaded with humanitarian aid for Georgia docked at the country's Black Sea port of Batumi on Wednesday. The ship stayed clear of another port where Russian troops were stationed.

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