Palestinians to set new date for elections after president accepts delay of January voting

Palestinian officials announced Friday that a new date for parliamentary and presidential elections will be set next month now that President Mahmoud Abbas has agreed to postpone the January vote, though the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers maintain they will boycott the voting.

 

Brazil's leader urges freeze on Israeli settlements in east Jerusalem

Brazil's President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva is joining his Palestinian counterpart in calling on Israel to stop building new settlements in areas claimed by Palestinians.

 

Canadian government attacks diplomat who testified country turned blind eye to Afghan abuses

Canada's defense minister on Thursday attacked the credibility of a senior Canadian diplomat who alleged that government officials ignored evidence that prisoners handed over to Afghanistan's intelligence service a few years ago were tortured.

 

Representative of Iraqi Shiite spiritual leader urges parties to break election law impasse

A top aide to Iraq's Shiite spiritual leader on Friday urged the country's fractious political blocs to resolve a crisis over a key election law that threatens to delay national polls planned for January.

 

Congo's only 2 captive baby gorillas to move to new sanctuary where schoolchildren can visit

Conservationists say Congolese schoolchildren will soon be able to take a closer look at baby mountain gorillas.

 

Egyptian soccer fans riot against Algeria in escalating row over World Cup rivalry

Egyptian soccer fans burned Algerian flags and rioted outside the Algerian Embassy in Cairo, smashing cars and shop windows, in an escalating row between the two countries over a bitter World Cup rivalry.

 

Iran says it will launch another communications satellite without outside help in 2 years

Iran plans to launch a communications satellite by late 2011 with no outside help, a top Iranian official said Friday, after Italy and Russia declined to put it into orbit.

 

Kenyan draft constitution to avoid repeat of election violence unveiled; referendum in 2010

A government-appointed panel this week unveiled a draft constitution that is part of wide-ranging efforts to avoid a repeat of political violence that saw more than 1,000 people killed after Kenya's December 2007 presidential elections.

 

Police say Afghan lawmaker survives assassination attempt near Kabul

Afghan police say Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, a parliamentarian and powerful former warlord, has narrowly escaped an assassination attempt near Kabul.

 

20 years after UN pact to protect children, some successes alongside a long list of woes

EDITOR'S NOTE — The United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child 20 years ago Friday, yet hundreds of millions of children still suffer from violence, hunger and disease. Associated Press correspondents around the globe interviewed children who illustrate the remaining challenges, along with some victories.

 

Rebel blast derails train in eastern India, killing 2 passengers, wounding 30

A passenger train derailed after Maoist rebels blew up a key track in eastern India, killing two people and injuring at least 30 others, a police official said Friday.

 

Formerly conjoined twins in stable condition

Formerly conjoined Bangladeshi twins spent their first night in separate beds and were in serious...

 

Ida now a Category 2 storm with 100 mph winds

MIAMI — Hurricane Ida strengthened to a Category 2 storm on Sunday, and a hurricane watch...

 

Karzai accepts runoff in Afghan election

KABUL (AP) — A grim President Hamid Karzai bowed to intense U.S. pressure and agreed...

 

Clinton downplays threat to Pakistan nuke arsenal

BELFAST, Northern Ireland — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday...

 

9 dead, 926 rescued from capsized Philippine ferry

Passengers leapt into the dark sea and parents dropped children into life rafts from a stricken...

 

Karzai edges closer to 50 percent in Afghan vote

President Hamid Karzai nudged closer to the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff in...

 

Dutch university fires Islamic scholar Ramadan

A Dutch university fired Islamic scholar Tariq Ramadan on Tuesday for hosting a show on Iran's...

 

$1.65M reward offered in London jewel thief hunt

British police say a reward of 1 million pounds ($1.65 million) is being offered for information...

 

Time running short for new climate-change deal

Poor countries stepped up demands Friday on the industrial world to keep the Earth from...

 

Mexico cartels go from drugs to full-scale mafias

Shopkeepers in this pine-covered mountain region easily recite the list of "protection"...

 

US defense chief vows new sanctions if Iran balks

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the United States will seek much tougher United Nations...