Chinese authorities say 11 people confirmed dead in coal mine explosion, 128 trapped.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 8:30 pm

McCain urges Obama to speed up Afghan decision

By ROB GILLIES

U.S. Sen. John McCain predicted success in the Afghan war effort Friday if President Barack Obama makes a decision quickly to send the reinforcements requested by his top commander there.

Nov 20, 2009 | 3:15 pm

Afghan police are weak link in security force

By ELENA BECATOROS

Underpaid, under-equipped and under-trained, Afghanistan's 93,000-member police force is the weak link in an ambitious security strategy to hand over defense of the country to Afghans so American and other foreign troops can go home.

Nov 20, 2009 | 3:10 pm

Lesbian US war deserter wins stay of deportation

By CHARMAINE NORONHA

A lesbian who deserted the U.S. military and fled to Canada must be given another chance to plead her case for refugee status, Canada's Federal Court ruled Friday.

Nov 20, 2009 | 3:10 pm

US envoy criticizes coverage of Obama China visit

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN

Washington's ambassador to Beijing hit out Friday at negative U.S. media coverage of President Barack Obama's visit to China, saying it failed to take into account important progress on many issues.

Nov 20, 2009 | 2:15 pm

Gates: US to do its part to slow Afghan corruption

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

The United States will do its part to reduce corruption in Afghanistan by examining its own contracts and projects, even as it is demanding the same from the Afghan government, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday.

Nov 20, 2009 | 1:40 pm

Mumbai still vulnerable 1 year after attack

By ERIKA KINETZ

The walls that the rockets blew out have not been repaired, and the plaster is a dense scattershot of bullet holes. Dozens of holes, blasted by grenades, pockmark the linoleum floors.

Nov 20, 2009 | 1:40 pm

Egyptian soccer fans riot against Algeria

By OMAR SINAN

Egyptian soccer fans burned Algerian flags and rioted outside the Algerian Embassy in Cairo, smashing cars and shop windows, in an escalating row between the two countries over a bitter World Cup rivalry.

Nov 20, 2009 | 1:30 pm

Yemen: Somali pirates hijack Panamanian cargo ship

By AHMED AL-HAJ

Yemen's coast guard says Somali pirates have hijacked a Panamanian cargo ship in the treacherous Gulf of Aden between the Arabian peninsula and the Horn of Africa.

Nov 20, 2009 | 12:25 pm

Blast near aid offices wounds 1 in NW Pakistan

By KIM GAMEL

A security guard has been wounded in an explosion outside the office of a non-governmental organization in the main city in northwestern Pakistan.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 9:35 pm

Palestinians to set new date for elections

By DALIA NAMMARI

Palestinian officials announced Friday that a new date for parliamentary and presidential elections will be set next month now that President Mahmoud Abbas has agreed to postpone the January vote, though the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers maintain they will boycott the voting.

Nov 20, 2009 | 10:25 am

Ugandan army kills 34 tribesmen on cattle raids

Ugandan officials say the army has killed 34 tribesmen who were stealing cattle in Uganda's volatile northeastern region.

Nov 20, 2009 | 9:55 am

Iraq cleric's aide urges end to political crisis

By RYAN LUCAS

A top aide to Iraq's Shiite spiritual leader on Friday urged the country's fractious political blocs to resolve a crisis over a key election law that threatens to delay national polls planned for January.

Nov 20, 2009 | 8:55 am

Baby gorillas to get new sanctuary in east Congo

Conservationists say Congolese schoolchildren will soon be able to take a closer look at baby mountain gorillas.

Nov 20, 2009 | 8:15 am

Iran to launch satellite on its own by late 2011

By ALI AKBAR DAREINI

Iran plans to launch a communications satellite by late 2011 with no outside help, a top Iranian official said Friday, after Italy and Russia declined to put it into orbit.

Nov 20, 2009 | 7:40 am

Suicide bomber kills 16 in western Afghanistan

By KATHY GANNON

A suicide bomber killed 16 people and wounded at least 23 others Friday in a busy city square in western Afghanistan, while near Kabul a powerful former warlord narrowly escaped an assassination attempt, officials said.

Nov 20, 2009 | 6:40 am

Police say Afghan lawmaker survives bombing

By DEB RIECHMANN

Afghan police say Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, a parliamentarian and powerful former warlord, has narrowly escaped an assassination attempt near Kabul.

Nov 20, 2009 | 5:45 am

Top SKorean model found hanged in Paris apartment

By JEAN-PIERRE VERGES

A 20-year-old top South Korean model who was a fashion week regular in New York, Milan and Paris has been found hanged in her Paris apartment, a police official said Friday.

Nov 20, 2009 | 5:10 am

20 years after UN pact, many children still suffer

By The Associated Press

EDITOR'S NOTE _ The United Nations adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child 20 years ago Friday, yet hundreds of millions of children still suffer from violence, hunger and disease. Associated Press correspondents around the globe interviewed children who illustrate the remaining…

Nov 20, 2009 | 4:25 am