PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Investigators on Sunday attempted to identify a suicide bomber who tried to kill Pakistan's interior minister in what officials suspect may have been attack planned by Islamist militants.

AP - A leader of the militant Hamas justified recent rockets attacks on Israel as 'self defense,' while the camp of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday urged the preservation of a 5-month-old truce with the Israelis.

AP - A small group of student protesters, including one wearing a black hood and an orange jumpsuit, heckled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as he posed with old classmates Saturday during their 25-year Harvard Law School reunion.

Reuters - Investigators on Sunday attempted to identify a suicide bomber who tried to kill Pakistan's interior minister in what officials suspect may have been attack planned by Islamist militants.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military in Iraq launched an artillery barrage in southern Baghdad on Sunday against suspected insurgent targets, with two dozen loud explosions shaking the southern outskirts of the capital.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran will announce later on Sunday whether it will attend an international meeting in Egypt next month to discuss the situation in Iraq, Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki was quoted as saying.

KABUL (Reuters) - Hundreds of Afghans, some shouting 'Death to America', protested in the east on Sunday after six people were killed during a raid by U.S.-led coalition forces.

AP - U.S.-led forces fired an artillery barrage in Baghdad Sunday morning, rocking the capital with loud explosions.

AP - The Army's new chief of staff said Saturday he wants to accelerate by two years a plan to increase the nation's active duty soldiers by 65,000.

AP - It started with a clogged dust mask that fell onto the desk of Jan Ramirez on the afternoon of Sept. 11, 2001. A friend had used the paper mask to breathe while fleeing downtown Manhattan as the air was filled with grit and smoke from the World Trade Center towers.

Reuters - The U.S. military in Iraq launched an artillery barrage in southern Baghdad on Sunday against suspected insurgent targets, with two dozen loud explosions shaking the southern outskirts of the capital.

Reuters - Hundreds of Afghans, some shouting "Death to America," protested in the east on Sunday after six people were killed during a raid by U.S.-led coalition forces.

AFP - Tamil Tiger planes struck fuel facilities around Sri Lanka's capital early Sunday, briefly plunging Colombo into darkness and sending cricket fans watching the World Cup final fleeing in panic.

AFP - Pakistan's government has formed an investigation team to probe a suicide blast targeting the interior minister which injured him and killed 24 others, officials said Sunday.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran dismissed on Sunday any suggestion it might agree to partially suspend its uranium enrichment activities as a way towards ending an international standoff over its nuclear program.

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern set the clock running on Sunday for a general election to be held within the next 30 days by asking President Mary McAleese to dissolve parliament.

AP - Wooing influential California Democrats, presidential contender Barack Obama vowed to 'turn the page on this Iraq disaster' while Hillary Rodham Clinton denounced President Bush's conduct of the war as 'one of the darkest blots on leadership we've ever had.'

AP - A small group of student protesters, including one wearing a black hood and an orange jumpsuit, heckled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales as he posed with old classmates Saturday during their 25-year Harvard Law School reunion.

AP - Several rural homes were evacuated after spot fires ignated across a highway from a massive wildfire, and firefighters struggled to put them out before they could spread in the miles of tinder-dry forest beyond, authorities said.

AP - Rescuers worked Saturday to save more dead and dying dolphins and sea lions that have washed up on Southern California beaches, believed poisoned by a naturally occurring toxic acid.

Reuters - Iran dismissed on Sunday any suggestion it might agree to partially suspend its uranium enrichment activities as a way towards ending an international standoff over its nuclear program.

Reuters - Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern set the clock running on Sunday for a general election to be held within the next 30 days by asking President Mary McAleese to dissolve parliament.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran has told Iraq that it will attend a meeting of major powers in Egypt this week that will seek ways to end the violence in Iraq, the office of Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Sunday.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert responded stoically on Sunday to his reported censure in a Lebanon war inquiry report that could shape his political fate.

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern called a general election for May 24 on Sunday, stressing his Fianna Fail party's economic credentials but opinion polls show he has a battle on his hands.

AP - More than 100,000 secular Turks gathered in Istanbul Sunday, chanting slogans against the pro-Islamic government that has faced severe criticism from the country's powerful military.

AP - Hundreds of Russians came to bid final farewell Sunday to cellist and conductor Mstislav Rostropovich, who won international fame for his masterly playing and his courage in defending human rights.

Reuters - Iran has told Iraq that it will attend a meeting of major powers in Egypt this week that will seek ways to end the violence in Iraq, the office of Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Sunday.

Reuters - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert responded stoically on Sunday to his reported censure in a Lebanon war inquiry report that could shape his political fate.

Reuters - Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern called a general election for May 24 on Sunday, stressing his Fianna Fail party's economic credentials but opinion polls show he has a battle on his hands.

AFP - Legendary Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich, a powerful emblem of resistance to the Soviet system, was buried in Moscow's historic Novodevichy cemetery on Sunday to thundering applause.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran has confirmed it will attend a meeting of major powers this week in Egypt that will seek ways to end the violence in Iraq, Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Sunday.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - The death toll from a suicide bombing in Pakistan rose to 28 on Sunday as investigators attempted to identify the bomber who tried to kill the interior minister.

AP - U.S. forces fired an artillery barrage in southern Baghdad Sunday morning, rocking the capital with loud explosions, while the death toll from a suicide car bomb attack in the Shiite holy city of Karbala rose to 68.

AP - At least 300,000 Turks waving the red national flag flooded central Istanbul on Sunday to demand the resignation of the government, saying the Islamic roots of Turkey's leaders threatened to destroy the country's modern foundations.

AP - Several rural homes were evacuated after spot fires ignited across a highway from a massive wildfire, and firefighters fought the smaller blazes before they could spread to the tinder-dry forest beyond, authorities said.

AP - Mstislav Rostropovich, the renowned cellist and conductor who won world fame for his masterly playing and his courage in defending human rights, was buried Sunday in the Moscow cemetery that holds the graves of many of Russia's most luminous artists and thinkers.

AP - In the rampant real estate speculation of the Las Vegas valley three years ago, people lined up outside Pulte Homes sales offices overnight as if they were waiting for the release of the latest video game console or hot new movie.

Reuters - Iran has confirmed it will attend a meeting of major powers this week in Egypt that will seek ways to end the violence in Iraq, Iraq's Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said on Sunday.

Reuters - The death toll from a suicide bombing in Pakistan rose to 28 on Sunday as investigators attempted to identify the bomber who tried to kill the interior minister.

AFP - More than one million people are rallying in support of Turkish secularism and democracy amid a political crisis over presidential elections, police sources said Sunday.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iran will attend a conference of key powers including the United States this week that will focus on stabilizing Iraq, a meeting Baghdad said might be a turning point for regional cooperation in easing the violence.

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - As they consider filling the world's most powerful job in 2008, many Democrats appear to prefer presidential candidates with the most inspiring vision to those with the widest experience in elected office.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Up to a million people rallied in a sea of red Turkish flags on Sunday, accusing the government of planning an Islamist state and demanding it withdraw its presidential candidate.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Members of a bipartisan group of U.S. senators are pushing to reach agreement on immigration reform that would offer some illegal immigrants a chance to become citizens, and the coming month will prove critical to their efforts.

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern called a parliamentary election for May 24 on Sunday but opinion polls show his Fianna Fail party faces a close battle to keep control of Ireland's thriving economy.

AP - U.S. forces fired an artillery barrage in southern Baghdad Sunday morning, rocking the capital with loud explosions. The death toll from a suicide car bomb attack in the Shiite holy city of Karbala rose to 68 as residents dug through the debris of heavily damaged shops.

AP - President Bush will not support a war spending bill that punishes the Iraqi government for failing to meet benchmarks for progress, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday.

AP - An interchange connecting highways to the busy Oakland-San Francisco Bay Bridge collapsed early Sunday after a tractor trailer hauling 8,600 gallons of gasoline caught fire, authorities said.

Reuters - Iran will attend a conference of key powers including the United States this week that will focus on stabilizing Iraq, a meeting Baghdad said might be a turning point for regional cooperation in easing the violence.

Reuters - As they consider filling the world's most powerful job in 2008, many Democrats appear to prefer presidential candidates with the most inspiring vision to those with the widest experience in elected office.

Reuters - Up to a million people rallied in a sea of red Turkish flags on Sunday, accusing the government of planning an Islamist state and demanding it withdraw its presidential candidate.

Reuters - Members of a bipartisan group of U.S. senators are pushing to reach agreement on immigration reform that would offer some illegal immigrants a chance to become citizens, and the coming month will prove critical to their efforts.

AFP - More than one million people took part in a mass rally here Sunday in support of secularism and democracy amid a tense stand-off between the Islamist-rooted government and the army over presidential elections.

AFP - Tamil Tiger planes bombed fuel depots around Sri Lanka's capital early Sunday, briefly plunging Colombo into darkness and sending cricket fans watching the World Cup final running for cover.

OAKLAND, California (Reuters) - A stretch of vital highway for San Francisco Bay Area commuters collapsed on Sunday after a fuel truck crashed and ignited flames more than 200 feet high, the California Highway Patrol said.

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - As many as one million people rallied in a sea of red Turkish flags in Istanbul on Sunday, accusing the government of planning an Islamist state and demanding it withdraw its presidential candidate.

AP - Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told an Iranian envoy Sunday that the persistent attacks in Iraq are also a threat abroad, a pointed warning amid U.S. accusations that the government in Tehran is stoking the violence by supporting Shiite militias.

AP - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is not ruling out direct talks with Iranian officials at a conference this week on Iraq, though Tehran's nuclear program probably would not come up.

AP - A 4-year-old boy lay on an operating table here a few weeks ago with a tumor that had eaten into his brain and the base of his skull. Standard surgery would involve cutting open his face, leaving an ugly scar and hindering his facial growth as he matured.

AP - Former 'American Idol' finalist Jessica Sierra was arrested early Sunday on felony battery charges for allegedly hitting a man on the head with a heavy glass at a cafe, police said.

AP - Josh Hancock, a key member of the bullpen that helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series last season, was killed in a car crash early Sunday.

Reuters - A stretch of vital highway for San Francisco Bay Area commuters collapsed on Sunday after a fuel truck crashed and ignited flames more than 200 feet high, the California Highway Patrol said.

Reuters - As many as one million people rallied in a sea of red Turkish flags in Istanbul on Sunday, accusing the government of planning an Islamist state and demanding it withdraw its presidential candidate.

AP - GOP presidential candidate John McCain, defending his conservative credentials, said Sunday he is resented by some political activists in Washington while well received by Republicans around the country.

AP - Firefighters have managed to contain about 70 percent of the largest wildfire in Georgia history, which had charred 100 square miles of forest and swampland, officials said Sunday.

AP - Movie-goers continued to keep their eyes on the Peeping Tom thriller 'Disturbia,' which fended off a weak batch of newcomers to remain No. 1 for the third straight weekend with $9.1 million.

AP - Corporate America's strong profits helped drive the Dow Jones industrials past 13,000 for the first time last week, but investors will want to see if U.S. consumers also have financial muscle before pushing stocks much higher.

AFP - Iran announced on Sunday that it will attend a key conference on Iraq's security in Egypt alongside arch-enemy the United States this week, ending weeks of uncertainty over its involvement.

AFP - More than a million Turks rallied here Sunday in support of secular democracy amid an unprecedented stand-off between the Islamist-rooted government and the army over presidential elections.

EMERYVILLE, California (Reuters) - A stretch of vital highway for San Francisco Bay area commuters collapsed on Sunday after a gas tanker truck crashed and ignited flames that shot more than 200 feet high, officials said.

AP - A heavily traveled section of freeway that funnels traffic off the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed early Sunday after a gasoline tanker truck overturned and erupted into flames, authorities said.

AP - Forcing Big Oil to give up control of Venezuela's most promising oil fields this week will be relatively easy for President Hugo Chavez, but he will face a more delicate challenge in getting the world's top oil companies to stay and keep investing.

AP - The possibility of an observant Muslim president is pitting Turkey's deeply secular military and civilian establishment against its religiously oriented ruling party in a fundamental struggle over national identity.

AP - Scotland Yard has called the fashion police.

AP - Michael Jordan's old Chicago jersey hangs over the Miami Heat's home floor, a tribute to the six-time NBA champion. Now, a new bunch of Bulls want a title of their own after ending the Heat's reign atop the league with a four-game sweep.

Reuters - A stretch of vital highway for San Francisco Bay area commuters collapsed on Sunday after a gas tanker truck crashed and ignited flames that shot more than 200 feet high, officials said.

AFP - More than a million Turks rallied here Sunday in support of secular democracy amid an unprecedented stand-off between the Islamist-rooted government and the army over the country's next president.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Four people were shot and killed, including an assailant, and at least three others were wounded on Sunday in two incidents, including one at a crowded shopping mall in Kansas City, police said.

LONDON (Reuters) - Six Muslim men were charged on Sunday with raising funds for terrorists, British police said.

AP - A stretch of highway near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed Sunday after a gasoline tanker crashed and burst into flames, leaving one of the nation's busiest spans in a state of near paralysis. Officials said traffic could be disrupted for months.

AP - A shooting at a shopping center Sunday afternoon left three people dead, including the gunman, police said.

AP - Iran agreed Sunday to join the U.S. and other countries at a conference on Iraq this week, raising hopes the government in Tehran would help stabilize its violent neighbor and stem the flow of guns and bombs over the border.

AP - The St. Louis Cardinals are mourning a teammate for the second time in five years, and it isn't any easier this time. Josh Hancock, a relief pitcher who helped the team win the World Series last season, died early Sunday when his sport utility vehicle slammed into the back of a tow truck, bringing back painful memories of Darryl Kile's death in June 2002.

AP - A U.S.-led raid Sunday on a suspected militant cell killed as many as six Afghans — including a woman and a teenage girl — and spawned protests by hundreds of angry Afghans chanting 'Death to Bush!'

AP - Former 'American Idol' finalist Jessica Sierra was arrested early Sunday on felony battery charges for allegedly hitting a man on the head with a heavy glass at a cafe, police said.

AP - The Phoenix Suns wanted to speed things up against the Los Angeles Lakers. So they gave the ball to two-time MVP Steve Nash and took off. Nash had 23 assists — one shy of the NBA playoff record — to go with 17 points, Amare Stoudemire had 27 points and a career playoff-high 21 rebounds, and the Suns raced to a 113-100 victory Sunday for a 3-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Reuters - Four people were shot and killed, including an assailant, and at least three others were wounded on Sunday in two incidents, including one at a crowded shopping mall in Kansas City, police said.

Reuters - Six Muslim men were charged on Sunday with raising funds for terrorists, British police said.

EMERYVILLE, California (Reuters) - A stretch of vital highway for San Francisco Bay-area commuters collapsed on Sunday after a gas tanker truck crashed and ignited flames that shot more than 200 feet high, officials said.

AP - A stretch of highway near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge collapsed Sunday after a gasoline tanker crashed and burst into flames, a loss that officials said could leave freeways leading to one of the nation's busiest spans in near paralysis at rush hour. Officials said traffic will be disrupted for weeks, if not months.

AP - A man driving a dead woman's car shot a police officer, then opened fire in a parking lot and a mall Sunday, authorities said. By the end of the day, four people, including the gunman, were dead.

AP - Iran agreed Sunday to join the U.S. and other countries at a conference on Iraq this week, raising hopes the government in Tehran would help stabilize its violent neighbor and stem the flow of guns and bombs over the border.

AP - The backlash has built up even before the official release of former CIA Director George Tenet's memoir, with criticism about his version of the run-up to the Iraq war, interrogation techniques and other events.

AP - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will face fierce criticism when a government commission releases its first findings Monday on last year's inconclusive war in Lebanon, officials said, raising pressure on the Israeli leader to step down.

AP - China has failed to live up to promises to improve human rights for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing despite reforms to the death penalty system and more freedoms for foreign reporters, Amnesty International said in a report Monday.

AP - Steve Nash did what he usually does — only better than he's ever done it. With that, the Phoenix Suns have a commanding 3-1 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in their first-round playoff series. Nash had a career-high 23 assists — one shy of the NBA playoff record — to go with 17 points, and the Suns raced to a 113-100 victory over the Lakers on Sunday to move within one win of advancing to the second round.

Reuters - A stretch of vital highway for San Francisco Bay-area commuters collapsed on Sunday after a gas tanker truck crashed and ignited flames that shot more than 200 feet high, officials said.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Three people were shot to death, including the assailant, and at least two were wounded on Sunday in a shooting spree at a Kansas City shopping mall, police said.

AP - A man driving a dead woman's car shot a police officer, then opened fire in a parking lot and a mall Sunday, authorities said. By the end of the day, four people, including the gunman, were dead.

AP - Iran agreed Sunday to join the U.S. and other countries at a conference on Iraq this week, raising hopes the government in Tehran would help stabilize its violent neighbor and stem the flow of guns and bombs over the border.

AP - The backlash has built up even before the official release of former CIA Director George Tenet's memoir, with criticism about his version of the run-up to the Iraq war, interrogation techniques and other events.

AP - Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will face fierce criticism when a government commission releases its first findings Monday on last year's inconclusive war in Lebanon, officials said, raising pressure on the Israeli leader to step down.

AP - Thousands of people protested outside Prime Minister Tony Blair's residence Sunday to demand decisive action against the violence in Darfur, holding up a 7-foot hourglass filled with artificial blood.

AP - The Toronto Raptors are talking about their return to the playoffs as a learning experience — and the Nets sure are teaching them a lesson.

Reuters - Three people were shot to death, including the assailant, and at least two were wounded on Sunday in a shooting spree at a Kansas City shopping mall, police said.