AP - Barack Obama effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday after a grueling marathon, based on an Associated Press tally of convention delegates, becoming the first black candidate ever to lead his party into a fall campaign for the White House.

AFP - Pakistani Taliban militants likely carried out a suicide attack on the Danish embassy in Islamabad in revenge for controversial cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, officials said Tuesday.

AFP - Italian President Giorgio Napolitano on Tuesday opened a high-profile UN food security summit, after soaring prices sparked riots across the world, and prompted calls for a rethink of agricultural policies.

Reuters - The largest "quake lake" formed by China's most devastating earthquake in decades is not expected to start draining until Thursday due to a lack of rain, state media said.

Reuters - Yahoo Inc executives dismissed a search-advertising deal with Google due to antitrust concerns, one day before Microsoft Corp made its takeover offer earlier this year, according to court documents made public on Monday.

Reuters - A fire that burned through a large swath of the Universal Studios Hollywood back lot during the weekend was accidentally sparked by workers using heating tools on a film set, fire officials said on Monday.

Reuters - North Korea presents a serious security threat and U.S. forces in South Korea are ready to respond quickly and decisively to counter any attack, the U.S. defense secretary and military leaders said on Tuesday.

Reuters - U.S. General David McKiernan took command of around 50,000 troops in NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan on Tuesday, pledging that anyone who stood in the way of security would be dealt with.

Reuters - More than 400 child members of a polygamist sect began returning to their families on Monday after a judge lifted her order giving the state of Texas custody of the children.

Reuters - U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, a Democratic icon and a leading backer of presidential contender Barack Obama, had successful surgery on Monday to remove a malignant brain tumor and should suffer "no permanent neurological effects," his surgeon said.

Reuters - Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton end their historic Democratic presidential battle on Tuesday with two nominating contests that could help Obama clinch the nomination and push Clinton from the race.

AP - Vice President Dick Cheney on Monday rejected a suspension of the federal gasoline tax as proposed by his party's presumptive presidential nominee, Sen. John McCain. Cheney said it would offer little help to consumers coping with gas prices around $4 a gallon.

AP - Not so fast Motor City. The Detroit Red Wings' road to the Stanley Cup has another stop to make. Against all odds, the Pittsburgh Penguins stayed alive in the Stanley Cup finals with a 4-3 victory in Game 5 that ended on Petr Sykora's goal 9:57 into the third overtime Monday night.

AP - A spokesman for Kelsey Grammer says the "Frasier" star is recovering in a Hawaii hospital after a mild heart attack this weekend. Stan Rosenfield says Grammer is "resting comfortably" in an undisclosed hospital after being stricken Saturday. Rosenfield says the 53-year-old actor will be released early this week.

AP - NASA's newest spacecraft got down and dirty on Mars, taking its first practice scoop of Martian soil ahead of the actual dig expected later this week, scientists said Monday.