AP - Former White House adviser Karl Rove defied a congressional subpoena and refused to testify Thursday about allegations of political pressure at the Justice Department, including whether he influenced the prosecution of a former Democratic governor of Alabama.

AP - Going after the women's vote, Democrat Barack Obama chastised Republican John McCain on Thursday over his opposition to an equal-pay Senate bill, his support for conservative-leaning Supreme Court justices and his abortion-rights objections.

AP - Iran test-fired more long-range missiles overnight in a second round of exercises meant to show that the country can defend itself against any attack by the U.S. or Israel, state television reported Thursday.

AP - The Senate has confirmed Gen. David Petraeus as the top commander in the Middle East and Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno to replace Petraeus as the chief military officer in Iraq.

AP - President Bush signed a bill Thursday that overhauls rules about government eavesdropping and grants immunity to telecommunications companies that helped the U.S. spy on Americans in suspected terrorism cases.

AFP - Talks on North Korea's nuclear programmes were set to resume on Thursday after a nine-month break, with the United States describing the latest round as pivotal in the long-running disarmament process.

AFP - The United States has played down any prospects of war with Iran or any immediate dangers from its nuclear drive but warned that the world was ready to confront its "provocative" policies.

Reuters - The United States on Wednesday condemned the attack on its consulate in Istanbul and a State Department spokesman said he could neither confirm nor rule out al Qaeda involvement.

Reuters - Two accused Sept. 11 plotters told a U.S. military war crimes court on Wednesday they had not been bullied by suspected al Qaeda mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and one said the allegation resulted from the misunderstanding of a joke.

Reuters - A military strike on Iran would be unlikely to force changes in Tehran's nuclear policy, the Rand research organization said on Thursday in an analysis recommending long-term policies to deal with the country.

Reuters - Authorities ordered more than 10,000 residents of Paradise, California, to leave their homes on Wednesday as a stubborn wildfire threatened to jump a river and spread into town where a blaze destroyed 74 homes in June.

Reuters - U.S. civil rights leader Jesse Jackson complained on Tuesday that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama can seem to be "talking down to black people" at times and should broaden his message.