We helped in Iraq - now help us, beg Georgians  —  As Russia forces its neighbour to retreat from South Ossetia, the people of Gori tell our correspondent of betrayal by the West  —  As a Russian jet bombed fields around his village, Djimali Avago, a Georgian farmer, asked me: “Why won't America and Nato help us?

Obama's VP choice imminent via website, e-mail, text message  —  Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, is on vacation in Hawaii tonight.  We believe.  But, thanks to loyal Ticket reader Mark, just minutes ago we learned that the freshman senator's presidential campaign …

Democrats Shrug Off Edwards' Affair, Paternity Questions  —  WASHINGTON — While many questions remain unanswered regarding John Edwards' affair with a woman he hired to produce videos of him, some Democrats are already writing off the impact of the news.  —  Edwards, who admitted on Friday …

Life Sentence  —  Stop kidding yourself: John McCain is a pro-life zealot.  —  John McCain was mad.  Fuming mad.  It was then the early days of his political career, and he had paid an unscheduled visit to a Planned Parenthood clinic in Mesa, which was within his Arizona congressional district.

Iraq Private Sector Falters; Rolls of Government Soar  —  BAGHDAD — Hampered by years of violence, a decimated infrastructure, a lack of foreign investors and a flood of imports that undercut local businesses, Iraq's private sector, particularly its small non-oil economy, has so far failed to flourish as its American patrons had hoped.

Isaac Hayes, 65, a Creator of '70s Soul Style, Dies  —  Isaac Hayes, the singer and songwriter whose luxurious, strutting funk arrangements in songs like “Theme From ‘Shaft’ ” defined the glories and excesses of soul music in the early 1970s, died on Sunday in East Memphis, Tenn. He was 65.

Beijing Olympic 2008 opening ceremony giant firework footprints ‘faked’  —  Parts of the spectacular Beijing Olympics opening ceremony on Friday were faked because of fears over live filming, it has emerged.  —  As the ceremony got under way with a dramatic, drummed countdown …

Angelina Jolie's Endorsement  —  It may seem as if most entertainment industry figures are aligning with Barack Obama and just a few with John McCain, but there are still a handful of famous names who are still on the fence.  And both campaigns are well aware of one star who stands out among the undecideds: Angelina Jolie.

Science close to unveiling invisible man  —  INVISIBILITY devices, long the realm of science fiction and fantasy, have moved closer after scientists engineered a material that can bend visible light around objects.  —  The breakthrough could lead to systems for rendering anything from people …

Face Of The Day  —  United States President and Leader of the Free World, George W. Bush, and daughter Barbara Bush attend the National Aquatics Center on Day 3 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 11, 2008 in Beijing, China.  By Cameron Spencer/Getty Images.

Trial by Tribunal  —  THE FIRST U.S. military commission since World War II rendered a stunning verdict and sentence last week against Salim Ahmed Hamdan, Osama bin Laden's former driver.  The commission's decision was remarkable not because it was the first of its era but because it appeared to be measured …