Reuters - A U.S. federal judge said on Thursday he wanted to decide by the end of the year 12 cases involving 35 Guantanamo Bay prisoners who seek their release.

Reuters - Democrat Barack Obama appeared to be the favorite White House contender among media moguls at an annual Idaho retreat, even if they were not so certain how an Obama victory would affect their businesses.

Reuters - Russia will reject moves by the United States to play a bigger role in defusing a standoff with Georgia, Interfax news agency quoted a Russian diplomatic source as saying on Friday.

Reuters - Apple's new iPhone made its hotly awaited debut on Friday in Asia as buyers, many of whom had camped in line for days, stormed outlets to get their hands on the latest gadget to hit shelves.

Reuters - Iran's chief nuclear negotiator will meet European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Geneva on July 19 for talks on Iran's disputed nuclear program, Iran's official IRNA news agency said on Friday.

Reuters - President George W. Bush signed a law on Thursday overhauling the rules for eavesdropping on terrorism suspects but immediately met a civil liberties challenge calling it a threat to Americans' privacy.

AP - Tony Stewart knows he's taking a gamble by leaving NASCAR's elite Joe Gibbs Racing team to join one that usually runs in the middle of the pack.

AP - Sweat rolled down Lisa Mirander's forehead as she hacked a tangle of saplings and brush down to bare dirt to prevent a wildfire from spreading. It was a tough job, but no harder than the 13 months she served in Afghanistan.

AP - Former faculty at Antioch College, which is temporarily closing amid financial problems, plan to teach in coffee shops, bookstores and parks to keep alive the spirit of the private school known for its pioneering academic programs.

AP - The bodies of two U.S. soldiers missing in Iraq for more than a year have been found, their families said Thursday night. The military would not immediately confirm the report.

AP - The Screen Actors Guild rejected the latest contract offer from Hollywood studios on Thursday but claimed it was willing to negotiate and presented a counterproposal.

AP - Some fights of the 110th Congress have lost their oomph in the waning months before the November elections, with both parties content to run out the clock on messy matters like the war in Iraq, spending bills and various disputes with the White House.

AP - In the decades since they shared a prison cell in North Vietnam, George "Bud" Day has remained a close friend of Republican John McCain and emerged as a staunch opponent of Democrats seeking the presidency.