AP - Determined to advance President Barack Obama's health care agenda, key Senate Democrats are calling for a government-run insurance option to compete with private plans, as well as a $750-per-worker annual fee on larger companies that do not offer coverage to employees.

AP - Out-of-work with no place to land, the legions of America's unemployed are growing.

AP - The circumstances surrounding Michael Jackson's death have become a federal issue, with the Drug Enforcement Administration asked to help police take a look at the pop star's doctors and possible drug use.

AP - Thousands of U.S. Marines poured from helicopters and armored vehicles into Taliban-controlled villages of southern Afghanistan Thursday in the first major operation under President Barack Obama's strategy to stabilize the country.

AFP - The only known survivor of the crash of the Yemeni airliner clung to wreckage in the Indian Ocean for more than 10 hours before she was rescued, officials said Wednesday, hailing the girl's courage.

AFP - Deposed President Manuel Zelaya said Wednesday he has rescheduled his planned return to Honduras for this weekend, after the end of a 72-hour ultimatum issued by the Organization of American States to restore him to power.

Reuters - Two losing contenders in Iran's presidential election denounced the result on Wednesday in clear defiance of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, saying Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's next cabinet would be illegitimate.

Reuters - Iraqi politicians from across the ethnic and sectarian divide on Wednesday welcomed the U.S. troop withdrawal from cities as a step toward sovereignty, even though they feared it might trigger more violence.

Reuters - The Honduran interim government defied international pressure on Wednesday and vowed there was "no chance at all" of ousted President Manuel Zelaya returning to office.

Reuters - California's lawmakers failed to agree on a balanced budget by the start of its new fiscal year on Wednesday, clearing the way to suspend payments owed to the state's vendors and local agencies, who instead will get "IOU" notes promising payment.

Reuters - Details of Michael Jackson's will began to emerge on Wednesday with all of his multimillion-dollar estate being placed in a family trust, even as plans for his highly anticipated funeral remained sketchy.

Reuters - U.S. manufacturing mustered its highest level of activity in nearly a year in June but unexpected weakness in private sector employment signaled how slow an economic recovery might be, reports released on Wednesday showed.

AP - Roger Federer neutralized Ivo Karlovic's huge serves Wednesday to reach the Wimbledon semifinals and move a step closer to a record 15th Grand Slam championship.