[August 12, 2008]

AP Top News at 10:18 a.m. EDT

(AP Online Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Georgia says bombings continue after Russian orderTBILISI, Georgia (AP) _ Russia ordered a halt to military action in Georgia on Tuesday, after five days of air and land attacks sent Georgia's army into headlong retreat and left towns and military bases destroyed. Georgian officials insisted that Russia has continued the bombings despite the pledge, but Russia denied that.

Phelps wins 9th career Olympic gold in swimmingBEIJING (AP) _ Michael Phelps put on another dominating performance at the Beijing Olympics, winning the 200-meter freestyle Tuesday with a third straight world record. The American's ninth career gold medal tied him with Mark Spitz, Carl Lewis, Paavo Nurmi and Larysa Latynina for the most in Olympic history.

June trade deficit shrinks as exports climbWASHINGTON (AP) _ The U.S. trade deficit unexpectedly fell in June as exports advanced to an all-time high, offsetting another big surge in oil imports. The Commerce Department reported Tuesday the trade imbalance dropped to $56.8 billion in June, down by 4.1 percent from a revised May deficit of $59.2 billion. It was the smallest deficit in three months and much better than the $61.5 billion deficit Wall Street had been expecting.

Judge rules Detroit mayor didn't violate bondDETROIT (AP) _ A judge ruled Tuesday that Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick didn't violate conditions of his bail in an assault case by visiting his sister, who is listed as a witness in the case. Judge Ronald Giles rejected a prosecution move, agreeing with the mayor's attorneys that a no-contact order didn't include Ayanna Kilpatrick. The mayor had spent time with his sister during the weekend.

China wins gold, US bronze in men's gymnasticsBEIJING (AP) _ China won the gold medal it has long craved in men's gymnastics Tuesday, while the Americans settled for bronze. China's score of 286.125 was more than seven points ahead of Japan, the defending Olympic champion. The Americans were in the running for the silver until their last two events, but it was a solid finish for a team that had to replace not one, but two injured Hamm brothers in the 10 days before the games began.

Easy win for Serena Williams at OlympicsBEIJING (AP) _ Serena and Venus Williams each had straight-set victories Tuesday to stay on track for a possible matchup in the final, and Rafael Nadal also won as he seeks his first Olympic medal. Serena Williams raced into the third round at the Olympics, winning the final 10 games to beat Samantha Stosur of Australia 6-2, 6-0. The match took only 44 minutes. Williams lost just five points in the second set, and dropped only six points on her serve in the match.

Bomb hits Pakistan military truck, up to 14 deadPESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) _ A roadside bomb hit a Pakistan air force truck in a northwestern city Tuesday, killing as many as 14 people including a 5-year-old girl in the latest violence in the volatile region. Meanwhile, Pakistani officials said they were investigating whether a suspected militant reported killed in ongoing clashes in a nearby tribal region was a senior al-Qaida commander.

Half of overweight adults may be heart-healthyCHICAGO (AP) _ You can look great in a swimsuit and still be a heart attack waiting to happen. And you can also be overweight and otherwise healthy. A new study suggests that a surprising number of overweight people _ about half _ have normal blood pressure and cholesterol levels, while an equally startling number of trim people suffer from some of the ills associated with obesity. The first national estimate of its kind bolsters the argument that you can be hefty but still healthy, or at least healthier than has been believed.

Panettiere's father accused of striking wifeLOS ANGELES (AP) _ The father of "Heroes" star Hayden Panettiere was arrested early Monday on suspicion of hitting his wife, authorities said. Alan Panettiere was arrested by Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies in West Hollywood and detained on suspicion of spousal assault, sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said. He was later released after posting $50,000 bail.

Nature group says humpback whales recoveringGENEVA (AP) _ The humpback whale, nearly hunted into history four decades ago, is now on the "road to recovery" and is no longer considered at high risk of extinction, an environmental group said Tuesday. The International Union for Conservation of Nature _ the producer each year of a Red List of threatened species _ also upgraded the status of the southern "right" whale from vulnerable. The right whale gets its name from whalers who deemed it a particularly good species to hunt, because it floats after being killed.

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