AP - Barack Obama visited Saturday with U.S. troops and Afghan officials in this war-weary nation, which is the focal point of his proposed strategy for dealing with threats to the U.S. if elected president.
AP - Tropical Storm Cristobal churned off the Southeast seaboard after it formed Saturday, the first storm to threaten the U.S. this hurricane season, forecasters said.
AP - Far from the combat zones, the strains and separations of no-end-in-sight wars are taking an ever-growing toll on military families despite the armed services' earnest efforts to help.
AP - After intense U.S. assaults, al-Qaida may be considering shifting focus to its original home base in Afghanistan, where American casualties are running higher than in Iraq, the top U.S. commander in Iraq said Saturday.
AP - QUNU, South Africa — Songs, laughter, teasing and tender words marked Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebration Saturday as presidents, village elders and African royalty joined him for a festive luncheon on his rural homestead.
AP - A U.S. decision to bend policy and sit down with Iran at nuclear talks fizzled Saturday, with Iran stonewalling Washington and five other world powers on their call to freeze uranium enrichment.
AP - Batman's joust with the Joker has set another box office record. Stoked by fan fever over the manic performance of the late Heath Ledger as the Joker, "The Dark Knight" set a one-day box office record with $66.4 million on opening day, Warner Bros. head of distribution Dan Fellman said Saturday.
AP - The political vision of a summer gas tax holiday died a quick death in Congress, losing to a view that federal excise taxes on gasoline and diesel fuel will have to go up if they go anywhere.
AP - Brett Favre is sticking to the script, declining to address his public rift with the Green Bay Packers in an appearance at Lambeau Field on Saturday.
Reuters - Democratic presidential candidate BarackObama met the commander of U.S. troops in eastern Afghanistanon Saturday to talk about the war he says is not getting enoughattention from the Bush administration.
Reuters - Major powers gave Iran two weeks toanswer calls to rein in its nuclear programme on Saturday orface tougher sanctions after talks ended in stalemate despiteunprecedented U.S. participation.
Reuters - Pope Benedict on Saturday apologizeddirectly for the first time for sexual abuse of minors byCatholic clergy, but victims groups in Australia said theywanted action and not words.
Zimbabwe opposition may sign initial talks agreement (Reuters)
Reuters - Zimbabwe's main opposition party couldsign an agreement as early as Monday to begin substantive talkswith President Robert Mugabe's party on ending a politicalimpasse that has worsened the country's severe economic crisis,opposition officials said on Saturday.
Tropical storm Cristobal strengthens off U.S. (Reuters)
Reuters - The third tropical storm of the 2008Atlantic hurricane season, Cristobal, gained strength just offthe U.S. East Coast on Saturday and gale-force winds and heavyrains were expected to lash the Carolinas as the storm grazedthe shoreline on a northeasterly path.
Reuters - Chinese police arrested a human rightscampaigner in the country's southwest for "possession of statesecrets" after he offered help to parents of children killed inthe region's massive earthquake, his family said.
Reuters - On the eveof the first Guantanamo war crimes trial, defense lawyers onFriday won long-sought permission to question potentialwitnesses including the alleged September 11 mastermind after amilitary judge threatened to delay the trial.
AFP - World powers' latest bid to make Iran halt its nuclear programme stalled Saturday as high-level talks involving US and Iranian officials ended without a deal and Washington warned of possible further "confrontation."
AFP - Britain's Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Saturday flew in to Tel Aviv on a previously unannounced visit to Israel and the West Bank, his first since taking over as premier.
