Nation

• McCain camp disavows use of Obama's middle name

  BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Republican Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign disavowed an introduction here yesterday that included Democratic Sen. Barack Obama's middle name, Hussein.

• McCain's plan for troubled home loans called impractical

  WASHINGTON - John McCain's proposal to have the federal government directly buy and refinance troubled home loans would cost about $300 billion, his campaign said yesterday, as the plan was criticized in light of the scale of the mortgage meltdown.

• McCain's 'that one' comment spurs debate

  The recent presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain might have produced the only oh-no-he-didn't moment so far. But it depends on whom you ask.

• Polls favor Obama after blame-filled debate

  NASHVILLE, Tenn. - John McCain dismissively called rival Barack Obama "that one," Obama mocked McCain's "Straight Talk Express," and both left the stage to return to the campaign trail yesterday.

• Nation briefs: Release of Uighur detainees blocked

  An appeals court temporarily blocked yesterday a judge's decision to immediately free 17 Chinese Muslims at Guantánamo Bay into the United States. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit issued the emergency stay at the request of the Bush administration. The three-judge panel said it would postpone release of the detainees for at least another week to give the government more time to make arguments in the case.