AP - Japan's space agency suffered another glitch in its mission to collect surface samples from an asteroid and return to Earth when a can-sized robot lander apparently became lost in space while attempting a practice touch down.

Reuters - France's interior minister pressed home his pledge of tough action including the expulsion of immigrants involved in 17 consecutive nights of unrest by youths protesting harsh police treatment and lack of opportunities.

Reuters - New evidence suggests Iran has made significant progress in its pursuit of nuclear weapons and that should strengthen the case for increasing international pressure on Tehran to end the program, U.S. and European officials say.

AFP - The US Senate has allowed the Bush administration discretionary power to treat terror suspects as it wishes by voting to revoke their right to appeal their detention in civilian courts, a move that has legal experts worried.

AFP - Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said an immediate withdrawal of coalition troops from his country would be "catastrophic", in an interview to be broadcast Sunday.

AP - Just days after criticizing Saudi Arabia as a place with no tolerance for religious minorities, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has a full agenda in the kingdom, an important Arab ally estranged by the Sept. 11 attacks four years ago.

Reuters - France's interior minister pressed home a pledge of tough action to curb urban unrest by angry youths, including the expulsion of foreigners involved in 17 successive nights of violence.

Reuters - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice begins a trip to Israel and the West Bank on Sunday, hoping to revive the Arab-Israeli peace process but realistic that domestic political upheaval lessens chances of a breakthrough.

Reuters - Six years after ascending the throne, Jordan's King Abdullah is facing one of his biggest challenges following suicide bombings that have shattered the kingdom's reputation as an oasis of safety.

AP - British troops could leave Iraq by the end of 2006, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said in a television interview to be broadcast on Sunday. Britain's top soldier said this timetable was well within the realm of possibility.

AP - A senior Palestinian official has called for a U.N. investigation into the death of Yasser Arafat, reiterating allegations that the Palestinian leader was poisoned by Israel.

AP - Police shut down a suburban shopping mall Saturday after screaming fans of the boy band B5 rushed the stage during a free concert, grabbing at the band members' clothing and overwhelming the small team of security guards.

AP - England's David Howell held off Tiger Woods in the HSBC Champions on Sunday, closing with a 4-under 68 for a three-stroke victory.

Reuters - Israel's march toward what appears to be an inevitable early election gained speed on Sunday after new Labor Party leader Amir Peretz threatened to act quickly to bring down Ariel Sharon's government.

Reuters - Iran on Sunday dismissed fresh U.S. allegations about its atomic ambitions as a bid to poison the atmosphere at a crucial meeting of the U.N. nuclear watchdog later this month.

AFP - Two Palestinians were killed and another wounded by gunfire from Israeli soldiers in separate incidents in the Gaza Strip and West Bank overnight.

AP - Jordanian police have arrested a woman who accompanied a suicide bomber to one of the targeted Amman hotels and failed to detonate her own explosive device, King Abdullah II said Sunday.

AP - India has arrested a Kashmiri militant who allegedly planned and funded the triple bombings in New Delhi last month that killed 60 people, police said on Sunday.

AP - Mariah Carey walked away with four honors at the Vibe Awards, a celebration of hip-hop and R&B that went smoothly after last year's ceremony was marred by a brawl and stabbing.

Reuters - The Jordanian government on Sunday gave the names of three Iraqi men and an Iraqi woman who took part in the suicide attacks against luxury hotels in Amman.

Reuters - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Sunday urged Saudi Arabia to do more to fight terrorism and prevent incitement but the kingdom said it was doing everything it could to fight the scourge.

Reuters - A sharp drop in violence across France fueled police hopes on Sunday that curfews and other measures have curbed the worst wave of urban unrest since 1968, despite the first clash in a major city center.

AFP - Jordan has said it had arrested a woman who was part of the team of suicide bombers who carried out the attacks on three luxury hotels in Amman but had failed to blow up her explosives.

AFP - China's President Hu Jintao was due to arrive in Spain for the third and last leg of a European trip dominated by trade, but was again set to be dogged by protests over his country's human rights record.

AMMAN (Reuters) - Jordan has arrested an Iraqi woman who failed in her attempt to carry out a suicide bombing alongside her husband at an Amman hotel last week, officials said on Sunday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A push for China to embrace more currency flexibility and crack down on trade in fake U.S. goods will dominate President George W. Bush's economic message as he sets off this week on a four-nation trip to Asia.

LONDON (Reuters) - British troops could leave Iraq by the end of next year, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said on Sunday.

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian police have arrested a man from Kashmir who they said coordinated and financed last month's devastating blasts in New Delhi that killed 66 people, a senior police officer said on Sunday.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S.-led forces in Iraq are treating with caution reports that Saddam Hussein's deputy has died because it could be a tactic to mislead those still hunting for him, the U.S. military said on Sunday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Beset with woes at home, U.S. President George W. Bush looks to boost his image on the world stage this week on a trip to Asia expected to focus on festering issues like North Korea, trade and bird flu.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush's political woes are rattling the Republican-led Congress where his majority party is starting to lose control of its conservative agenda, congressional officials and political analysts say.

JEDDAH (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice begins a trip to Israel and the West Bank on Sunday, hoping to revive the Arab-Israeli peace process and convince both sides to return to a U.S.-sponsored peace plan.

AP - Jordan said Sunday it had arrested the wife of an Amman suicide bomber, caught after she failed to detonate her explosives belt during a wedding reception in one of the hotels targeted in the attacks that killed 57 people.

AP - Two U.S. Marines were killed in combat and an American soldier died in a vehicle accident in Iraq, the military said in a statement Sunday.

AP - Rioters pelted police with stones in the historic heart of Lyon, and youths rammed a burning car into a center for retirees in southern France in a 17th night of urban violence. Paris was calm, despite fears of a rampage in the capital.

AFP - The suspected key coordinator of last month's serial bombings in New Delhi that killed 62 people has been arrested, police have announced.

AFP - Iraqi forces will probably be ready to replace British troops in one year and allow the British to return home, Iraqi President Jalal Talabani said in a television interview.

AP - An Iraqi woman confessed on state television Sunday to trying to detonate explosives strapped around her waist while she was in one of three Amman hotels bombed by al-Qaida in Iraq.

AP - Sunni Arab leaders demanded Sunday that U.S. and Iraqi troops suspend military operations in heavily Sunni areas, accusing the Shiite-led government of trying to divide the nation ahead of next month's legislative elections.

AP - Only $114 a month stands between Shawn Williams, a Hurricane Katrina evacuee, and eviction from her temporary apartment in suburban Houston. Williams can afford to pay out of her own pocket and is willing to do so to make up the difference between the $633 voucher she gets in federal housing aid and the apartment's $747 rent. But a bureaucratic snag prevents her from closing the gap on her own.

AP - Indian police on Sunday claimed a breakthrough in the Oct. 29 triple bombings in New Delhi after arresting an alleged Kashmiri conspirator, and said they have valuable information that could lead to the capture of four others, including the bombers.

AP - An ancient weapon that struck fear in the hearts of Spanish conquistadors, and that some think was used to slay wooly mammoths in Florida, may soon be added to the arsenal of Pennsylvania's hunters.

AP - Mariah Carey walked away with four honors at the Vibe Awards, a celebration of hip-hop and R&B that went smoothly after last year's ceremony was marred by a brawl and stabbing.

Reuters - Iraqi perceptions that not enough is being done to rebuild the country after the U.S.-led invasion are simply a case of bad public relations, Washington's new reconstruction chief said on Sunday.

AFP - The suspected key coordinator of last month's serial bombings in New Delhi that killed 62 people has been arrested, police have announced.

AFP - Violence continued in French suburbs overnight, despite curfews in some 30 localities and a ban on public meetings has been imposed in Lyon to head off more clashes in its historic centre.

AFP - Saudi Arabia and the United States have pledged to boost cooperation on terrorism, Iraq and Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts in a renewed display of unity in their often-delicate alliance.

AFP - China's President Hu Jintao has arrived in Spain for the final leg of a European trip dominated by trade, but was again set to be dogged by protests over his country's human rights record.

AP - While admitting "we were wrong" about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, President Bush's national security adviser on Sunday rejected assertions that the president manipulated intelligence and misled the American people.

AP - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday the Bush administration is under no illusion that democratic change in the Middle East will be either swift or easy.

AP - Sunni Arab politicians stepped up demands Sunday for an end to U.S. and Iraqi military operations, claiming they threaten Sunni participation in next month's elections — a key U.S. goal. The U.S. command announced the deaths of three more American troops.

AP - Jackie and Bill Seeman sorted through the wreckage of their home Sunday to see what was spared by a tornado that killed one person and damaged dozens of homes.

AP - 'Desperate Housewives' on your iPod. Jay Leno's monologue on your cell phone. Brian Williams delivering the night's news on your computer. And 'CSI: Crime Scene Investigation' available whenever you want to watch it — not just Thursday night.

AP - Kurt Busch was suspended by his team Sunday for the last two races of the NASCAR season after police cited the reigning Nextel Cup champion for reckless driving.

Reuters - An Iraqi woman confessed on Jordanian television on Sunday that she had tried to blow herself up alongside her husband in an Amman hotel last week in one of three attacks that killed more than 50 people.

Reuters - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Israel on Sunday declaring a Palestinian state would enhance the Jewish state's security.

AFP - A Iraqi woman captured by Jordan and accused of taking part in a suicide attack confessed on television to joining a wedding party at an Amman hotel and then unsuccessfully trying to blow herself up.

AFP - Visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Israel and the Palestinians to make new efforts to revive the peace process still bogged down after Israel's pullout from the Gaza Strip.

AFP - Spain said that dialogue must foster progress on the issue of human rights, promising to address the subject as Chinese President Hu Jintao arrived on a state visit for the final leg of his European tour.

Reuters - Top U.S. Republicans, stung by election defeats last week, acknowledged political problems on Sunday but rejected predictions that Democrats would win back control of the U.S. Congress next year.

AP - The sign outside Rick Klaphake's turkey farm reads: "Absolutely no trespassing — disease control."

AP - 'Chicken Little' remained No. 1 in the pecking order, taking in $32 million in its second weekend to beat back a flock of new movies.

AP - Steve Spurrier has South Carolina in the Top 25. The Gamecocks made it to No. 19 in The Associated Press media poll Sunday, the first time they have been in the rankings under their new coach. South Carolina (7-3) ended a 14-game losing streak to Spurrier's old school on Saturday, beating Florida 30-22 in Columbia, S.C.

Reuters - Ben Bernanke, President George W. Bush's pick to succeed Alan Greenspan at the U.S. Federal Reserve, heads to Capitol Hill on Tuesday with two key tasks: convincing financial markets he'll be tough on prices, while reassuring lawmakers he's no "inflation nutter."

AP - Police were searching for a 14-year-old girl who was reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint Sunday by an older boy after her parents were killed at their home.

AP - Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is on the move, or at least that's the message he wants to send. With Wednesday's attacks in his birthplace of Jordan, the al-Qaida in Iraq chief signaled he has the capacity and desire to export his suicide-bombing campaign outside Iraq's borders.

AP - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice gave her strongest rebuke yet on Sunday to the renewed hardline Islamic leadership of Iran, saying that "no civilized nation" can call for the annihilation of another.

AP - The ranks of people sentenced to death and the number executed declined in 2004 as the nation's death row population kept shrinking, the government reported Sunday.

AP - 'Chicken Little' remained No. 1 in the pecking order, taking in $32 million in its second weekend to beat back a flock of new movies.

AP - Nathan Vasher set sail on a blustery day at Soldier Field. Vasher returned a missed field goal 108 yards Sunday, the longest play in NFL history, and the Chicago Bears beat the San Francisco 49ers 17-9 for their fifth straight victory.

AFP - Iraqi Sunni Arab leaders warned that military and police crackdowns were alienating their minority community in the run-up to December elections for a new parliament.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Monday in a bid to revive the peace process that has been stalled by violence.

AP - A World Wrestling Entertainment star was found dead in his hotel room Sunday in Minneapolis, where he was scheduled to appear that evening in a WWE show.

AP - The NFC West race might have ended Sunday. Seattle's Shaun Alexander romped again, this time for 165 yards on a season-high 33 carries and three touchdowns, and the Seahawks beat the mistake-prone Rams 31-16 at Qwest Field.

AFP - In an important clarification of President George W. Bush's earlier statement, a top White House official refused to unequivocally rule out the use of torture, arguing the US administration was duty-bound to protect Americans from terrorist attack.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate Ethics Committee has dropped its investigation of Sen. Richard Shelby regarding allegations he was the source of a media leak about how the National Security Agency handled messages before the September 11 attacks.

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Indonesian tests on a 16-year-old youth show he is suffering from the H5N1 bird flu virus, but the results have to be confirmed by a laboratory in Hong Kong, a hospital spokesman said on Monday.

AP - An Iraqi woman confessed on Jordanian state television Sunday that she tried to blow herself up along with her husband during a hotel wedding reception last week, saying that the explosives concealed under her denim dress failed to detonate.

AP - Three recently arrested terror suspects had been stopped and questioned by police last December near Australia's only nuclear reactor, according to a police document released Monday.

AP - Somehow, Mike Alstott found a way into the end zone on a gutsy 2-point conversion call by coach Jon Gruden. Alstott's run with 58 seconds remaining Sunday gave the Tampa Bay Buccaneers a stunning 36-35 victory over the Washington Redskins, who blocked a potential game-tying extra point, only to be penalized for being offside on the previous play.

AP - An Iraqi woman confessed on Jordanian state television Sunday that she tried to blow herself up along with her husband during a hotel wedding reception last week, saying that the explosives concealed under her denim dress failed to detonate.

AP - A 14-year-old girl was missing after her parents were shot to death in their home Sunday morning, and authorities issued an arrest warrant for an 18-year-old believed to be her boyfriend.

AP - Larry Brown finally got his first victory in six games as New York's coach, with rookie Channing Frye scoring 19 points in the Knicks' 105-95 win over the struggling Sacramento Kings on Sunday night.