ISRAEL

Israeli police, ultra-Orthodox Jews clash over Sabbath parking lot opening

Israeli police and ultra-Orthodox Jews scuffle over the opening of a parking lot on the Sabbath.

AFGHANISTAN

Pentagon 'terrorist suspect' talking to Karzai

Once a Guantanamo Bay inmate, Haji Rohullah Wakil now operates openly with Afghan government officials.

CENTRAL AMERICA | DIPLOMACY

Mediator is at home as peacemaker

Costa Rica's president is bringing persistence, a Nobel Peace Prize and a passion for demilitarization to the task of resolving the Honduran crisis.

BRITAIN

British prime minister defends Afghan mission

Despite recent casualties, Britain is close to achieving its goals in Afghanistan, says Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

PRESIDENT OBAMA | GHANA

Adoring Ghanaians greet Obama on tour

Accra extends a warm welcome to the Obamas with a billboard message declaring `We adore you'.

PHILIPPINES

Italian hostage freed in Philippines after 6 months

(AP) -- Muslim militants in the Philippines released an ailing Italian Red Cross worker Sunday from six months of jungle captivity, officials said.

In personal terms, Obama hails Africa's promise

America's president and Africa's son, Barack Obama dashed with pride onto the continent of his ancestors Saturday, challenging its people to shed corruption and conflict in favor of peace. Campaigning to all of Africa, he said "Yes you can." 1247387285

GHANA

Obama's Ghana visit will stress African self-reliance

President Obama's speech Saturday will commend Ghana for its stability and self-reliance.

VATICAN

Pope presses Obama on abortion, stem cells

In President Obama's first meeting with the Pope, the two discussed a wide range of issues, including abortion, the Middle East and stem cells.

CHINA

Muslim women leading protests in W. China

Women have faced down Chinese troops and led protests since the troops rounded up more than 1,000 men amid ethnic strife.

IRAN

Academic detained in Iran

An Iranian-American scholar's family says authorities in Tehran searched his house in Tehran and placed him under arrest.

PAKISTAN

Suspected U.S. missile attack kills 3 in Pakistan

Intelligence officials said a drone aircraft targeted the Pakistani Taliban leader firing missiles at a communication center.

SUMMIT IN RUSSIA | PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA

Obama offers critique, cooperation to Russia

President Barack Obama told a Russian audience that `America wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia.'

AFGHANISTAN

Taliban fighters escape wearing burqas

U.S. Marines trapped Taliban fighters in a residential compound and persuaded the insurgents to allow women and children to leave. The troops then moved in -- only to discover that the militants had slipped out, dressed in women's burqa robes.

Sarkozy urges release of Frenchwoman held in Iran

President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday demanded that Iran free a young French teacher detained after taking photos of Iranian protests and dismissed Iranian accusations that she was spying as "high fantasy."

Armed mobs spread ethnic strife in China's west

The government imposed a curfew Tuesday night in this regional capital of western China after mobs of Han Chinese with meat cleavers and clubs roamed the streets looking for Muslim Uighurs who had earlier beaten up people in the country's worst ethnic violence in decades.

Nearly 40 arrested at anti-G8 protests in Rome

Police arrested 38 activists Tuesday during clashes at protests in Rome against this week's Group of Eight summit in central Italy.

Suspected US missile kills 10 in Pakistan

A barrage of missiles believed fired from a U.S. unmanned plane destroyed a Taliban training camp on a mountain close to the Afghan border on Wednesday, killing at least 10 insurgents, two intelligence officials said.

NORTH KOREA

North Korea's launch of 7 missiles draws criticism

In a defiant move, North Korea launched seven missiles off its east coast as the United States celebrated Independence Day.