KABUL (Reuters) - President Hamid Karzai's campaign manager claimed victory on Friday in the country's presidential election, saying preliminary results showed there would be no need for a second round run-off.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - His healthcare reform plan is stumbling, the economy is still sputtering and violence is up in Iraq and Afghanistan. Who wouldn't want a break?

AP - A missile fired from a suspected U.S. unmanned plane destroyed a suspected militant hide-out in northwest Pakistan on Friday, killing at least nine people in a stronghold of a jihadi leader blamed for attacks in Afghanistan, intelligence officials said.

AP - A new role, another new name for Chad Ochocinco.

Reuters - President Hamid Karzai's campaign manager claimed victory on Friday in the country's presidential election, saying preliminary results showed there would be no need for a second round run-off.

Reuters - His healthcare reform plan is stumbling, the economy is still sputtering and violence is up in Iraq and Afghanistan. Who wouldn't want a break?

Reuters - More than 600 people were listed dead or missing in Taiwan on Friday after one of the island's worst typhoons as the military began digging up bodies buried deep under rocks and mud.

AFP - Ballot counting in Afghanistan's presidential election is over with results to be released next week and turnout expected at 40 to 50 percent, the election authority said Friday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - His healthcare reform plan is stumbling, the economy is still sputtering and violence is up in Iraq and Afghanistan. Who wouldn't want a break?

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran allowed IAEA nuclear officials to inspect the construction site of a heavy water reactor last week after blocking visits by the U.N. non-proliferation watchdog for over a year, diplomats said.

TAIPEI (Reuters) - More than 600 people were listed dead or missing in Taiwan on Friday after one of the island's worst typhoons as the military began digging up bodies buried deep under rocks and mud.

AP - It started out with a couple of liberal policy wonks. One on each coast.

AP - Campaign teams for President Hamid Karzai and top challenger Abdullah Abdullah each positioned themselves Friday as the winner of Afghanistan's presidential election, one day after millions of Afghans braved dozens of militant attacks to cast ballots.

AP - When Marlon Byrd saw on the Texas Rangers' lineup card before the game that he was in left field, he joked that he was in the spot for the less-than-average defender that hits homers.

Reuters - His healthcare reform plan is stumbling, the economy is still sputtering and violence is up in Iraq and Afghanistan. Who wouldn't want a break?

Reuters - Iran allowed IAEA nuclear officials to inspect the construction site of a heavy water reactor last week after blocking visits by the U.N. non-proliferation watchdog for over a year, diplomats said.

AFP - Contenders in the race to become Afghanistan's next president claimed Friday to be heading for victory in polls acclaimed by the West but undermined by complaints of ballot-stuffing and low turnout.

KABUL (Reuters) - President Hamid Karzai's campaign and chief rival Abdullah Abdullah both claimed victory on Friday in Afghanistan's election, each camp saying preliminary results showed there would be no need for a second round run-off.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian rebel website posted a statement on Friday signed by Chechen fighters declaring 'economic war' on Russia and claiming responsibility for a recent dam disaster and a bomb in Ingushetia.

LONDON (Reuters) - British politicians on Friday condemned celebrations in Tripoli on the return of the Lockerbie bomber, scrambling to deflect any international political fallout from a decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

AP - Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says pressure from fellow Cabinet members to raise the nation's terror alert level just before the 2004 presidential election helped convince him it was time to quit working for President George W. Bush.

AP - A high-level delegation of North Korean officials paid their respects Friday to late South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, shaking his sons' hands and leaving a wreath at the National Assembly mourning site.

AP - Thirteen-year-old Andrea Levy ticked off a mental list of rules to follow when her guest arrived: Greet her at the door. Introduce her to the family. Offer a cold drink.

Reuters - President Hamid Karzai's campaign and chief rival Abdullah Abdullah both claimed victory on Friday in Afghanistan's election, each camp saying preliminary results showed there would be no need for a second round run-off.

Reuters - A Russian rebel website posted a statement on Friday signed by Chechen fighters declaring 'economic war' on Russia and claiming responsibility for a recent dam disaster and a bomb in Ingushetia.

Reuters - British politicians on Friday condemned celebrations in Tripoli on the return of the Lockerbie bomber, scrambling to deflect any international political fallout from a decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain on Friday condemned celebrations in Tripoli to mark the return of the Lockerbie bomber, and scrambled to deflect international fallout from the decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

AP - A new poll says that Americans, concerned over the future of health care reform and anxious about the growing federal budget deficit, are losing faith in President Barack Obama.

AP - Hurricane Bill weakened slightly early Friday but still threatened to flood Bermuda's coastlines and generate dangerous waves and riptides along the eastern U.S. coast.

AP - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says there's no way the House can pass a health overhaul bill that doesn't include a new public insurance plan.

Reuters - Britain on Friday condemned celebrations in Tripoli to mark the return of the Lockerbie bomber, and scrambled to deflect international fallout from the decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

AFP - The government blasted Friday the hero's welcome given to Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi in Libya, and sought to distance itself from the Scottish decision to free him.

KABUL (Reuters) - President Hamid Karzai's campaign and chief rival Abdullah Abdullah both said on Friday they had won Afghanistan's election, but Washington's chief envoy warned candidates not to declare victory prematurely.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain Friday condemned celebrations in Tripoli to mark the return of the Lockerbie bomber, and scrambled to deflect international fallout from the decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

AP - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke declared Friday that the U.S. economy is on the verge of a long-awaited recovery after enduring a brutal recession and the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

AP - Home resales posted the largest monthly increase in at least 10 years last month as first-time buyers rushed to take advantage of a tax credit that expires this fall.

AP - Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge says pressure from fellow Cabinet members to raise the nation's terror alert level just before the 2004 presidential election helped convince him it was time to quit working for President George W. Bush.

Reuters - The global economy appears on the mend after a deep downturn, but the recovery is likely to be sluggish and risks remain, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said on Friday.

Reuters - President Hamid Karzai's campaign and chief rival Abdullah Abdullah both said on Friday they had won Afghanistan's election, but Washington's chief envoy warned candidates not to declare victory prematurely.

Reuters - Sales of previously owned U.S. homes in July notched their fastest pace in nearly two years, an industry survey showed on Friday, the strongest sign yet that housing was pulling out of a three-year slump.

Reuters - Britain Friday condemned celebrations in Tripoli to mark the return of the Lockerbie bomber, and scrambled to deflect international fallout from the decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

Reuters - Chechen rebels claimed responsibility on Friday for a Siberian dam disaster as part of a new 'economic war' against Russia but the Kremlin dismissed the claim and financial markets ignored it.

AFP - A hero's welcome given to the Lockerbie bomber in Libya sparked fury Friday in the United States and Britain which both warned Tripoli of serious diplomatic repercussions.

JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (Reuters) - Federal Reserve chief Ben Bernanke on Friday said prospects for a return to global economic growth looked good 'in the near term,' the clearest signal yet the world's most powerful central banker thinks a recovery is at hand.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Sales of previously owned U.S. homes jumped 7.2 percent in July to mark the fastest sales pace in nearly two years, an industry survey showed on Friday, in a strong sign that housing is pulling out of a three-year slump.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Chechen rebels claimed responsibility on Friday for a Siberian dam disaster as part of a new 'economic war' against Russia but the Kremlin dismissed the claim and financial markets ignored it.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rain from Hurricane Bill was already falling on Bermuda Friday morning as the large and dangerous storm continued on a path west of Bermuda and just east of Cape Cod before it will slam into eastern Canada on Sunday, weather forecasters said.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (Reuters) - Bradley Birkenfeld, a key informant in the U.S. tax evasion case against Swiss bank UBS, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison on Friday by a federal court judge in Florida.

AP - President Hamid Karzai and top challenger Abdullah Abdullah positioned themselves Friday as the likely winner of Afghanistan's presidential election, one day after millions of Afghans braved Taliban threats and intimidation to cast ballots.

AP - Federal officials said Friday that the airline whose passengers were stranded overnight on a Minnesota airport tarmac wasn't at fault, but they blamed another airline for refusing requests to allow the passengers to enter the airport's terminal.

Reuters - Sales of previously owned U.S. homes jumped 7.2 percent in July to mark the fastest sales pace in nearly two years, an industry survey showed on Friday, in a strong sign that housing is pulling out of a three-year slump.

Reuters - Rain from Hurricane Bill was already falling on Bermuda Friday morning as the large and dangerous storm continued on a path west of Bermuda and just east of Cape Cod before it will slam into eastern Canada on Sunday, weather forecasters said.

Reuters - Bradley Birkenfeld, a key informant in the U.S. tax evasion case against Swiss bank UBS, was sentenced to three years and four months in prison on Friday by a federal court judge in Florida.

AFP - The White House warned Libya on Friday that it was sending 'the wrong message' to the world by giving a hero's welcome to convicted Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (Reuters) - A former UBS banker and key informant in the U.S. tax evasion case against Swiss bank UBS AG was sentenced to three years and four months in prison on Friday for helping a billionaire hide assets from U.S. tax authorities.

VIENNA (Reuters) - Iran has let U.N. inspectors access a nuclear reactor under construction after blocking visits for a year, and allowed better monitoring at another, but the moves were greeted with skepticism by the West.

LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Britain condemned celebrations in Tripoli to mark the return of the Lockerbie bomber, with London scrambling on Friday to stem fallout from the decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Senior Iraqi officials called on Friday for a thorough review of their security forces, improved intelligence gathering and tougher treatment of terrorism suspects and detainees after massive truck bombings in Baghdad.

MIAMI (Reuters) - Hurricane Bill weakened to a Category 2 storm with top winds of 110 mph on a path that would take it between Bermuda and the eastern United States on Saturday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Friday.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Chechen rebels claimed responsibility on Friday for a Siberian dam disaster as part of an economic war against Russia, but the Kremlin dismissed the claim and financial markets ignored it.

AP - The pilot of an airliner stranded overnight on an airport tarmac in Minnesota pleaded unsuccessfully for her 47 passengers to be allowed to get off and go inside a terminal. 'We just need to work out some way to get them off ... We can't keep them here any longer,' she said.

AP - Michael Jackson won't be laid to rest on what would have been his 51st birthday after all.

AP - Nigerian hurdler Amaka Ogoegbunam tested positive for steroids and was suspended for the rest of the world championships.

Reuters - A former UBS banker and key informant in the U.S. tax evasion case against Swiss bank UBS AG was sentenced to three years and four months in prison on Friday for helping a billionaire hide assets from U.S. tax authorities.

Reuters - Iran has let U.N. inspectors access a nuclear reactor under construction after blocking visits for a year, and allowed better monitoring at another, but the moves were greeted with skepticism by the West.

Reuters - The United States and Britain condemned celebrations in Tripoli to mark the return of the Lockerbie bomber, with London scrambling on Friday to stem fallout from the decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

Reuters - Senior Iraqi officials called on Friday for a thorough review of their security forces, improved intelligence gathering and tougher treatment of terrorism suspects and detainees after massive truck bombings in Baghdad.

JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and other central bankers said on Friday the worst global recession in 70 years was nearing a close but warned it would be a long, slow climb back to normal growth.

LONDON/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States and Britain on Friday condemned a 'hero's welcome' given to the newly released Lockerbie bomber, with London scrambling to stem fallout from the decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Senior Iraqi officials called on Friday for a thorough review of their security forces, improved intelligence gathering and tougher treatment of terrorism suspects and detainees after massive truck bombings in Baghdad.

HAMILTON (Reuters) - Hurricane Bill weakened slightly on Friday as it followed a path between the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda, but the tiny British territory warned its residents to prepare for dangerous surf and possible flooding.

AP - Both main candidates for Afghan president claimed to be ahead Friday after an election marred by violence, spotty turnout and fraud allegations — threatening U.S. hopes for Afghans to come together to combat the challenges of Taliban insurgency, corruption and poverty.

AP - The release of the only man convicted of blowing up a Pan Am flight in 1988 has brought high drama and controversy: the jeering mob outside a Scottish prison, the cheering crowd at a Tripoli airport, the furious families of the 270 people who died in the Lockerbie bombing.

AP - Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has told investors what they want to hear: The economy is indeed on the verge of recovery. And investors have responded Friday by enthusiastically buying stocks. Major stock indicators have all surged more than 1 percent and hit new highs for the year. And Treasury prices have tumbled and pushed yields sharply higher, as investors no longer felt they needed the safety of government debt.

AP - Rep. Patrick Kennedy said Friday that his father, Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, has been 'very frustrated' to be absent from Washington during the debate over health care reform.

AP - Grammy-winning country music star LeAnn Rimes was involved in a traffic collision in West Los Angeles, authorities said Friday. No injuries were reported.

AP - A man with a tattoo of Britney Spears' name on his arm or neck allegedly stole a Chihuahua with pink earrings from a South Florida gay bar. Brian Dortort, 48, said Thursday he has spent weeks searching for his 4-month-old pooch, named Hudson Hayward Hemingway. The dog, about the size of a softball, was in a specialty pet bag.

AP - Bill Haas has moved into the lead after one round at the rainy Wyndham Championship. Haas had five birdies while finishing his career-best 62 early Friday to take a two-stroke lead over Brandt Snedeker, Chez Reavie and Ryan Moore at the PGA Tour's final event before the playoffs.

Reuters - The United States and Britain on Friday condemned a 'hero's welcome' given to the newly released Lockerbie bomber, with London scrambling to stem fallout from the decision to free him on humanitarian grounds.

AFP - Powerful Shiite politicians and Iraq's leading Sunni insurgent group on Friday accused each other of being responsible for massive truck bombings in Baghdad that killed 95 people.

AP - Bipartisan health care negotiators are aiming to cut the costs of their bill after getting an earful from voters, a participant in the closed-door talks said Friday.

AP - Two men walked away from a fiery small-plane crash Friday morning and were found by emergency responders at a bus stop minutes later — alert and conscious but badly burned. The mishap occurred after the pilot of the twin-engine Beechcraft Baron aborted a landing at Teterboro Airport and crashed into a tree and sign just after 3 a.m.

AP - An ex-model found stuffed in a bloodstained suitcase without fingers or teeth was so badly mutilated that detectives had to identify her through the serial number of her breast implants, prosecutors disclosed Friday.

AP - Stephen Strasburg watched the fireworks explode over Nationals Park during his over-the-top welcome to the nation's capital. Amid the hoopla, he was asked what will happen when he pitches his first shutout at the stadium.

AP - Little snippets of memories have been coming back to the man who now calls himself Jon Doe: being treated in Shanghai for a kidney stone, a high school girlfriend, a wife who died while pregnant.

JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (Reuters) - U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and other central bankers said on Friday the worst global recession in 70 years was nearing a close but warned it would be a long, slow climb back to normal growth.

HAMILTON (Reuters) - Bermuda advised its residents on Friday to stay off the streets to avoid rain, battering surf and flooding as Hurricane Bill, weakened but still a powerful storm, followed a path between the island and the U.S. East Coast.

AP - Leaders of the nation's largest Lutheran church voted Friday to allow sexually active gays and lesbians in committed relationships to serve as clergy.

AP - Bands of rain from Hurricane Bill pelted Bermuda as the storm roared over the open ocean Friday, causing flooding on the Atlantic island and spreading dangerous waves across the East Coast of the U.S.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. auto dealers are asking the government to extend the deadline for submissions for its 'Cash for Clunkers' program to August 31, citing computer problems that are delaying the entry of applications into the system.

AP - What was once unthinkable became reality on Friday night under the big white top of the Metrodome — Brett Favre received a standing ovation in Minnesota.

Reuters - U.S. auto dealers are asking the government to extend the deadline for submissions for its 'Cash for Clunkers' program to August 31, citing computer problems that are delaying the entry of applications into the system.

LONDON (Reuters) - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was shown on television on Saturday meeting a former agent who was released by Scotland from a life sentence for the Lockerbie bombing in which 270 people were killed.

HAMILTON (Reuters) - Bermuda advised its residents on Friday to stay off the streets to avoid rain, battering surf and flooding as Hurricane Bill, weakened but still a powerful storm, followed a path between the island and the U.S. East Coast.

Reuters - Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi was shown on television on Saturday meeting a former agent who was released by Scotland from a life sentence for the Lockerbie bombing in which 270 people were killed.

AFP - Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi met with Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmet al-Megrahi amid mounting Western outrage over the hero's welcome he received upon his return.

AFP - A North Korean envoy sent to mourn former South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung on Saturday met with a government minister here in the first high-level talks in nearly two years.