USA
US authorities issued a hurricane watch for parts of the Florida coast Sunday as tropical storm Fay buffeted Cuba and was thought to be gaining strength. Above, Andrew Cardwell of Pirate Scooter Rentals filled up seat-belted gas cans in Key West, Fla., where Fay could arrive Monday.
Russia must honor its pledge to start withdrawing its troops from Georgia, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday, saying Moscow had broken earlier promises to pull out. "I hope he intends to honor the pledge this time," Rice said of Russian President Dmitri Medvedev on NBC's "Meet the Press."
US scientists accidentally discovered the world's newest bird species, the olive-backed forest robin, while in the forests of Gabon, members of a Smithsonian Institution research team have announced. The bird (above) measures 4.5 inches long and weighs half an ounce.
A small rural Texas school district will let teachers bring guns to class this fall, David Thweatt, superintendant of the Harrold Independent School District said. Teachers who wish to bring guns will have to be certified to carry a concealed handgun and get crisis training and permission from school officials. The district is thought to be the first in the US to accommodate armed teachers.
An antiwar march during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minn., could draw as many as 60,000 protesters in early September, officials predict. Thousands of demonstrators for various causes are also expected in Denver for the Democratic convention, which starts Aug. 25.
In a first for Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh has hired a full-time bicycle/pedestrian coordinator. Looking to improve the cycling environment, the city expects to consider zoning benefits and tax breaks for businesses that accommodate cyclists, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says.
A new law outlawing cockfighting has gone into effect in Louisiana, the last state where it was legal. Supporters of the law call the activity cruel and barbaric. Opponents, who bet on the fights, argue the new law will drive cockfighting underground.
Governors of 10 border states are considering charging to enter the US from Mexico, they said during a Border Governors Conference in Los Angeles. The fees could help build the infrastructure to reduce congestion and substantially reduce wait times by 2013.
