PHOENIX (Reuters) - Police in Arizona arrested a former U.S. Navy sailor on charges of spying and providing material support to terrorists, authorities said on Wednesday.

AP - House Democratic leaders intend to propose legislation requiring the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the fall of 2008, and even earlier if the Iraqi government fails to meet security and other goals, congressional officials said Wednesday night.

AP - Blues Traveler singer and harmonica player John Popper was arrested after the vehicle he was riding in was clocked going 111 mph, the Washington State Patrol said Wednesday.

AP - LeBron James was unstoppable. Then, he said the Cleveland Cavaliers can be, too. James scored a season-high 41 points, leading the Cavaliers to a 101-97 overtime victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.

Reuters - Police in Arizona arrested a former U.S. Navy sailor on charges of spying and providing material support to terrorists, authorities said on Wednesday.

AFP - Investigators combed the burned-out skeleton of an Indonesian airliner Thursday to find out why it caught fire after a rough landing, killing 21 people.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush opens a week-long tour of Latin America on Thursday aimed at strengthening ties with a region tilting to the left and influenced by the populist appeal of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Insurgents trying to attack African Union peacekeepers hit a restaurant in Somalia's capital Mogadishu with a rocket-propelled grenade, killing at least nine people in the building, residents said on Thursday.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Major powers try again on Thursday to negotiate sanctions against Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment but remain divided over how stiff the measures should be, diplomats said.

YOGYAKARTA (Reuters) - Experts struggled on Thursday to identify bodies badly burned when an Indonesian plane overshot a runway and burst into flames as it landed in the cultural capital of Yogyakarta, killing more than 20 people.

TOKYO (Reuters) - A magnitude 6 earthquake was registered southeast of Japan's eastern coast, the Meteorological Agency said on Thursday.

MIAMI (Reuters) - Two thousand imaginary Cuban migrants set sail toward Florida during a massive two-day U.S. training exercise but were intercepted by federal, state and local agents armed with teamwork and acronyms.

AP - In a direct challenge to President Bush, House Democrats are advancing legislation requiring the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the fall of next year.

AP - President Bush will challenge a widespread perception in Latin America of U.S. neglect that has helped fuel leftist leader Hugo Chavez's rising influence in America's backyard.

Reuters - President Bush opens a week-long tour of Latin America on Thursday aimed at strengthening ties with a region tilting to the left and influenced by the populist appeal of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Reuters - Insurgents trying to attack African Union peacekeepers hit a restaurant in Somalia's capital Mogadishu with a rocket-propelled grenade, killing at least nine people in the building, residents said on Thursday.

Reuters - Major powers try again on Thursday to negotiate sanctions against Iran for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment but remain divided over how stiff the measures should be, diplomats said.

Reuters - Experts struggled on Thursday to identify bodies badly burned when an Indonesian plane overshot a runway and burst into flames as it landed in the cultural capital of Yogyakarta, killing more than 20 people.

Reuters - A magnitude 6 earthquake was registered southeast of Japan's eastern coast, the Meteorological Agency said on Thursday.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - U.S. and Iraqi security forces cannot solve the problem of violence in Iraq without political action and reconciliation with some militant groups, the U.S. commander in Iraq said on Thursday.

VIENNA (Reuters) - U.N. nuclear agency governors on Thursday ratified cuts in technical aid to Iran over concern that Tehran might be trying to build nuclear bombs under cover of a civilian atomic energy program, diplomats said.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has testified he launched last year's war against Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon in line with a contingency plan he approved four months before, the Haaretz daily said on Thursday.

AP - Eight children and an adult died and several others were injured in a house fire that authorities are calling one of New York's deadliest blazes in recent memory.

AP - Insurgents have sought to intensify attacks during a Baghdad security crackdown and additional U.S. forces will be sent to areas outside the capital where militant groups are regrouping, the new commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said Thursday.

AP - LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal made sure their teams wouldn't be pushed around again by rivals. There was nothing Kobe Bryant could do to help the Lakers, however.

Reuters - U.S. and Iraqi security forces cannot solve the problem of violence in Iraq without political action and reconciliation with some militant groups, the U.S. commander in Iraq said on Thursday.

Reuters - U.N. nuclear agency governors on Thursday ratified cuts in technical aid to Iran over concern that Tehran might be trying to build nuclear bombs under cover of a civilian atomic energy program, diplomats said.

Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has testified he launched last year's war against Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon in line with a contingency plan he approved four months before, the Haaretz daily said on Thursday.

Reuters - Two thousand imaginary Cuban migrants set sail toward Florida during a massive two-day U.S. training exercise but were intercepted by federal, state and local agents armed with teamwork and acronyms.

VIENNA (Reuters) - U.N. nuclear agency governors on Thursday ratified cuts in technical aid to Iran over concern that Tehran might be trying to build nuclear bombs.

BELFAST (Reuters) - Northern Ireland took a step toward restoring a government shared between Protestants and Catholics as it counted votes on Thursday from an election for a new provincial assembly.

AP - Delegates to a 35-nation meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday approved the suspension of nearly two dozen nuclear technical aid programs to Iran as part of U.N. sanctions imposed because its nuclear defiance.

AP - U.S. stocks futures suggested a strong opening for Wall Street Thursday as investors again looked to Asia to help set the tone for trading.

Reuters - U.N. nuclear agency governors on Thursday ratified cuts in technical aid to Iran over concern that Tehran might be trying to build nuclear bombs.

Reuters - Northern Ireland took a step toward restoring a government shared between Protestants and Catholics as it counted votes on Thursday from an election for a new provincial assembly.

Reuters - A fire swept through a building in the Bronx section of New York City overnight, killing eight children and one adult, a Fire Department spokesman said on Thursday.

AFP - The new US commander in Iraq, General David Petraeus, urged Iraq's leaders on Thursday to put aside sectarian rancour and warned there was no "military solution" to the nation's conflict.

AFP - An ambush on African Union peacekeeping troops in Mogadishu left 12 civilians dead, according to a new toll Thursday, as more Ugandan soldiers arrived at the capital's heavily-fortified airport.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The new U.S. commander in Iraq said on Thursday military force would not end violence unless talks were held with some militant groups and warned of more 'sensational attacks' during the current crackdown in Baghdad.

HANOI (Reuters) - Japan and North Korea cut short talks on Thursday about establishing diplomatic ties after wrangling again over historical differences, officials said.

VIENNA (Reuters) - U.N. nuclear agency governors on Thursday approved cuts in technical aid to Iran to uphold U.N. sanctions implemented over concern that Tehran may be trying to master the means to build atom bombs.

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - At least nine Somalis were killed when a rocket fired at African Union (AU) troops hit a restaurant in an ambush that inflicted the first casualties on the peacekeepers, officials said on Thursday.

AP - Military force alone is 'not sufficient' to end the violence in Iraq and political talks must eventually include some militant groups now opposing the U.S.-backed government, the new commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said Thursday.

AP - A devastating fire swept through a three-story brick house, killing eight children and an adult and leaving several others seriously injured in one of the city's deadliest blazes in years, authorities said.

AP - U.S. stocks futures suggested a strong opening for Wall Street Thursday as investors again looked to Asia to help set the tone for trading.

AP - Marquette was facing an early exit from the Big East tournament, and St. John's fans were thinking about an upset. One big run and a bunch of clutch shots down the stretch helped the 18th-ranked Golden Eagles regain control Wednesday night to make the second round of the Big East tournament.

Reuters - The new U.S. commander in Iraq said on Thursday military force would not end violence unless talks were held with some militant groups and warned of more 'sensational attacks' during the current crackdown in Baghdad.

Reuters - Japan and North Korea cut short talks on Thursday about establishing diplomatic ties after wrangling again over historical differences, officials said.

Reuters - U.N. nuclear agency governors on Thursday approved cuts in technical aid to Iran to uphold U.N. sanctions implemented over concern that Tehran may be trying to master the means to build atom bombs.

Reuters - At least nine Somalis were killed when a rocket fired at African Union (AU) troops hit a restaurant in an ambush that inflicted the first casualties on the peacekeepers, officials said on Thursday.

AFP - Counting began Thursday in Northern Ireland's make-or-break assembly elections, which Britain and Ireland hope will lead to a lasting power-sharing administration between Protestants and Catholics.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday proposed legislation that would bring American combat troops out of Iraq by August 2008 at the latest.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Nine immigrants from Mali, including eight children, died in a house fire after flames raced up the stairs, trapping people on the second floor, officials said on Thursday.

GAZA (Reuters) - A Palestinian unity government is '99 percent' agreed, but will not be announced until next week, President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday after talks with his political rival, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas.

AP - In a direct challenge to President Bush, House Democrats unveiled legislation Thursday requiring the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the fall of next year.

AP - Military force alone is not sufficient to end the violence in Iraq and political talks must eventually include some militant groups now opposing the U.S.-backed government, the new commander of U.S. forces in Iraq said Thursday.

AP - President Bush was ready to challenge a widespread perception in Latin America that U.S. neglect has empowered leftist leader Hugo Chavez as he left Thursday on a five-nation tour of the region.

AP - Wall Street extended its recovery from last week's big plunge, rising sharply Thursday as investors responded to stabilizing markets abroad and looked past disappointing retail sales reports for February. The Dow Jones industrials rose more than 100 points.

Reuters - Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday proposed legislation that would bring American combat troops out of Iraq by August 2008 at the latest.

Reuters - Nine immigrants from Mali, including eight children, died in a house fire after flames raced up the stairs, trapping people on the second floor, officials said on Thursday.

Reuters - A Palestinian unity government is '99 percent' agreed, but will not be announced until next week, President Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday after talks with his political rival, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - President Bush could face a hostile reception in the streets of Latin America as he begins a tour aimed at winning back friends in a region where his administration is deeply unpopular.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Dick Cheney's health problems and the perjury conviction of his former chief of staff touched off another round of a favorite Washington 'what if?' parlor game: What would happen if he quit as President George W. Bush's vice president and who would replace him?

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States sent on Thursday its clearest signal to date that it is open to bilateral talks with Iran and Syria, saying it will not 'walk away' if either approaches to discuss stabilizing Iraq at a neighbors conference this weekend.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's Foreign Ministry poured scorn on a U.S. court's conviction of one of its U.N. diplomats for money laundering, saying on Thursday it had grave doubts about the trial.

AP - Two leaders of an Albany mosque who were snared in an FBI sting involving a fictional terror strike were sentenced Thursday to 15 years in federal prison.

AP - Wall Street extended its recovery from last week's big plunge, rising sharply Thursday after several stable sessions helped buttress investor sentiment and allay some concerns about the economy. The Dow Jones industrials rose more than 100 points before pulling back slightly.

AP - John Vukovich, the longest-serving coach in Philadelphia Phillies history and a member of their only World Series championship team in 1980, died Thursday. He was 59.

Reuters - President Bush could face a hostile reception in the streets of Latin America as he begins a tour aimed at winning back friends in a region where his administration is deeply unpopular.

Reuters - Dick Cheney's health problems and the perjury conviction of his former chief of staff touched off another round of a favorite Washington 'what if?' parlor game: What would happen if he quit as President George W. Bush's vice president and who would replace him?

Reuters - The United States sent on Thursday its clearest signal to date that it is open to bilateral talks with Iran and Syria, saying it will not 'walk away' if either approaches to discuss stabilizing Iraq at a neighbors conference this weekend.

Reuters - Russia's Foreign Ministry poured scorn on a U.S. court's conviction of one of its U.N. diplomats for money laundering, saying on Thursday it had grave doubts about the trial.

AFP - US President George W. Bush is due here Thursday on the first leg of a Latin American tour to promote democracy and free trade, amid protests around the region and a counter-trip by arch foe Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

BELFAST (Reuters) - Northern Ireland's biggest Protestant and Catholic parties were far ahead of rivals, early results from assembly elections showed on Thursday, as the province took a step toward restoring shared government.

LAREDO, Texas (Reuters) - Frustrated by tighter security on the U.S.-Mexico border, illegal immigrants and drug traffickers are taking it out on U.S. agents, increasingly attacking them with guns, rocks and petrol bombs.

AP - A federal jury on Thursday found that Internet phone carrier Vonage Holdings Corp. had infringed on Verizon Communications Inc.'s patents and ordered Vonage to pay $58 million.

AP - Amid a lavish party filled with fans, impersonators, orphans and handicapped children, Michael Jackson said Thursday that he wouldn't change the path of his career, despite 'deliberate attempts to hurt me.'

AP - The first animal to crawl onto land from the ocean probably looked a bit like today's salamander, and researchers have wondered how it was able to switch from swimming to walking.

AP - Roy Hibbert scored eight of his 14 points in No. 9 Georgetown's opening 26-2 run, and the Hoyas held on for a 62-57 victory over ninth-seeded Villanova in the quarterfinals of the Big East tournament Thursday.

Reuters - Northern Ireland's biggest Protestant and Catholic parties were far ahead of rivals, early results from assembly elections showed on Thursday, as the province took a step toward restoring shared government.

Reuters - Frustrated by tighter security on the U.S.-Mexico border, illegal immigrants and drug traffickers are taking it out on U.S. agents, increasingly attacking them with guns, rocks and petrol bombs.

AFP - A second NATO soldier was killed Thursday as Taliban strongholds came under attack in the alliance's biggest joint operation with Afghan forces.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic leaders in the U.S. Congress on Thursday proposed withdrawing all American combat troops from Iraq by next year, saying President George W. Bush's war strategy had failed and that the United States must instead focus on a brewing storm in Afghanistan.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Thousands of protesters marched through Brazil's largest city on Thursday calling President Bush a warmonger and planet polluter as he started a tour aimed at winning friends in Latin America.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - With California leading the stampede, states are rushing to get more clout in the 2008 White House race by moving their primaries to early February -- a shift that could aid front-runners with big names and big bank accounts.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia and China have raised objections to nearly every Western proposal for new U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions except a ban on arms exports, according to a working paper.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - African American men are nearly seven times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than white men, according to a report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday sent its clearest signal yet it is open to bilateral talks with Iran and Syria by saying it will not rebuff them if they wish to discuss stabilizing Iraq at a regional meeting this weekend.

AP - U.S. and Iraqi troops captured eight suspected insurgents Thursday in raids north of Baghdad as part of a campaign to prevent insurgents from regrouping outside the city during the ongoing security crackdown.

AP - President Bush sought to reverse an impression of U.S. neglect as he opened a six-day tour of Latin America on Thursday. Street protests awaited him.

AP - The Bush administration appears increasingly focused on undertaking a risky military rescue of three Americans held hostage more than four years by drug-trafficking leftist rebels in Colombia.

AP - Screams poured from the burning building along with smoke and flames: 'Help me! Help me! Please! Please!' Bystanders looked up to see a woman toss her children out the window one at a time to those below. The scene unfolded early Thursday during New York's deadliest fire in nearly two decades — a blaze that killed eight children and one adult, part of an extended family led by African immigrants who shared a row house near Yankee Stadium.

AP - Thai veterinarians announced Thursday that an artificially inseminated elephant has given birth to a bouncing baby boy — a first in Asia that could be a crucial step in conserving the endangered species.

AP - Lane Garrison was charged Thursday with manslaughter and drunken driving in a car crash that killed a 17-year-old boy last year.

AP - Wall Street extended its recovery from last week's big plunge, rising Thursday after several stable sessions helped buttress investor sentiment and allay some concerns about the economy.

AP - After breezing through the first half, the Georgetown Hoyas weren't expecting to sweat it out against Villanova in the last few minutes. 'I'm glad our guys held on,' Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. 'It was coming too easily. We just had to refocus.'

Reuters - Democratic leaders in the U.S. Congress on Thursday proposed withdrawing all American combat troops from Iraq by next year, saying President George W. Bush's war strategy had failed and that the United States must instead focus on a brewing storm in Afghanistan.

Reuters - Thousands of protesters marched through Brazil's largest city on Thursday calling President Bush a warmonger and planet polluter as he started a tour aimed at winning friends in Latin America.

Reuters - With California leading the stampede, states are rushing to get more clout in the 2008 White House race by moving their primaries to early February -- a shift that could aid front-runners with big names and big bank accounts.

Reuters - Russia and China have raised objections to nearly every Western proposal for new U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions except a ban on arms exports, according to a working paper.

SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas and clubbed demonstrators in Brazil's largest city on Thursday as thousands protested against a visit by President Bush aimed at winning friends in Latin America.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Polar bears, sea ice and global warming are taboo subjects, at least in public, for some U.S. scientists attending meetings abroad, environmental groups and a top federal wildlife official said on Thursday.

AP - House Democratic leaders vowed Thursday to pass legislation setting a deadline of Sept. 1, 2008, for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Iraq, a challenge to President Bush's war policy that drew a blunt veto threat in return.

AP - Screams poured from the burning building along with smoke and flames: 'Help me! Help me! Please! Please!' Bystanders looked up to see a woman toss two children out the window one at a time to those below.

AP - Doctors have long advised that a good night's sleep is important for memory — but researchers now say a familiar scent wafting in the bedroom might help sometimes, too.

AP - What could a Chinese dumpling maker and Mexican telecom mogul possibly have in common? They're among a record number of wealthy people who held the title of billionaire over the past year. The tally of billionaires around the globe reached a high of 946, their combined wealth growing 35 percent to $3.5 trillion, according to Forbes magazine's 2007 rankings of the world's richest people.

AP - After breezing through the first half, the Georgetown Hoyas weren't expecting to sweat it out against Villanova in the last few minutes. 'I'm glad our guys held on,' Georgetown coach John Thompson III said. 'It was coming too easily. We just had to refocus.'

Reuters - Police fired tear gas and clubbed demonstrators in Brazil's largest city on Thursday as thousands protested against a visit by President Bush aimed at winning friends in Latin America.

Reuters - Polar bears, sea ice and global warming are taboo subjects, at least in public, for some U.S. scientists attending meetings abroad, environmental groups and a top federal wildlife official said on Thursday.

AFP - US President George W. Bush arrived in Brazil Thursday at the start of a Latin American tour to promote democracy and free trade, amid protests in the region and a rival trip by his arch foe Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Russia and China have raised objections to nearly every Western proposal for new U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions except a ban on arms exports, according to a working paper.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - Black men in the United States are nearly seven times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than their white counterparts, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report released on Thursday.

AP - Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich acknowledged he was having an extramarital affair even as he led the charge against President Clinton over the Monica Lewinsky affair, he acknowledged in an interview with a conservative Christian group.

AP - The murder rate jumped by more than 10 percent among dozens of large U.S. cities since 2004, a study shows in the latest sign of the end of a national lull in violent crime. Robberies also spiked, as did felony assaults and attacks with guns, according to the report to be released Friday by the Police Executive Research Forum, a Washington-based law enforcement think tank.

AP - 'American Idol' slimmed down the competition Thursday night, leaving 12 finalists to compete for the ultimate prize — a record contract. Antonella Barba, Sabrina Sloan, Jared Cotter and Jason 'Sundance' Head were voted off Thursday in phone voting, which drew about 37 million calls and text messages from viewers.

AP - Ayinde Ubaka scored eight of his career-high 29 points in overtime and California stunned fourth-ranked UCLA 76-69 in the Pac-10 tournament quarterfinals Thursday night. UCLA's second straight loss dealt a serious blow to its hopes of being a No. 1 seed in next week's NCAA tournament.

Reuters - Russia and China have raised objections to nearly every Western proposal for new U.N. sanctions against Iran over its nuclear ambitions except a ban on arms exports, according to a working paper.

AFP - Top UN officials led global calls to end violence against women and girls Thursday as they marked International Women's Day.

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday George W. Bush should be given 'the gold medal for hypocrisy' as the U.S. president embarked on a tour of Latin America aimed at making new friends.

AP - An internal Justice Department report accuses the FBI of underreporting its use of the Patriot Act to force businesses to turn over customer information in terrorism cases, according to officials familiar with its findings.

AP - Georgia is poised to introduce two literature classes on the Bible in public schools next year, a move analysts say would make the state the first to take an explicit stance endorsing — and funding — biblical teachings. The Bible already is incorporated into some classes in Georgia and other states, but some critics say the board's move, which makes the Bible the classes' main text, treads into dangerous turf.

Reuters - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday George W. Bush should be given 'the gold medal for hypocrisy' as the U.S. president embarked on a tour of Latin America aimed at making new friends.

AFP - US Democrats unveiled a double-pronged attack on President George W. Bush over Iraq Thursday, demanding the withdrawal of all US combat troops from the unpopular war as early as March 2008.

AFP - US President George W. Bush arrived in Brazil Thursday at the start of a Latin America tour to promote democracy and free trade, amid protests in the region and a rival trip by his arch foe Hugo Chavez of Venezuela.