AP - Barack Obama — increasingly under fire from John McCain as he appears poised to win the Democratic nomination — said he is considering a trip to Iraq but dismissed as a "political stunt" an invitation by the Republican candidate to make the visit together.

AP - Opposition surfaced Thursday against Gov. David Paterson's directive to state agencies to recognize gay marriages legally performed in other states and countries.

AFP - The United States on Wednesday demanded Iran provide detailed answers about its nuclear program after a critical report from the UN atomic watchdog, as Tehran warned it might suspend cooperation with the agency.

AFP - Nepal celebrated a new era as the world's newest republic Thursday after consigning its centuries-old monarchy to the history books and ordering god-king Gyanendra to quit his palace in two weeks.

Reuters - A report from the U.N. nuclear watchdog shows the Security Council has no business bothering with Iran's atomic program since all open questions about it have now been resolved, Iran said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, hugely popular at home for his visits to quake-hit Sichuan, has emerged as the 10th most popular politician on the Facebook social networking site.

Reuters - Four countries last year prevented Syria from receiving equipment that could be used to test ballistic missile components, a senior U.S. official said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Thousands of protesters from an ethnic Indian group burned tires and blocked roads leading to New Delhi on Thursday, bringing a battle for college and government job quotas in which dozens have died closer to the capital.

Reuters - Sen. Barack Obama said on Wednesday he expected to become the Democratic U.S. presidential nominee after next week and he is considering an overseas trip that may include Iraq.

Reuters - The Pakistani army and President Pervez Musharraf's spokesman moved to dampen speculation on Thursday that the beleaguered president was about to quit.

Reuters - The grueling Democratic presidential nominating race moves on Saturday from the campaign trail to a Washington hotel, where party officials will hunt for a compromise over disputed contests in Michigan and Florida.

Reuters - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended on Thursday the Bush administration's record in Iraq after sharp criticism of the war in a new book by a former White House spokesman.

AP - Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins found their offense right where they left it — home in the Igloo. Crosby scored Pittsburgh's first two goals of the Stanley Cup finals, beating previously perfect goalie Chris Osgood, and the Penguins made this a series with a 3-2 victory Wednesday night.

AP - Ray Allen found his shooting touch just in time to put the Boston Celtics within one win of the NBA finals for the first time since the original Big Three.