AP - Growing pressure on Iran to explain what could be secret nuclear weapons work has left Tehran increasingly defensive — and the U.S. and its allies hopeful they can exploit the situation to wrest concessions from Tehran. But it may be too late for that.

AP - Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is downplaying the idea of a nuclear attack by terrorists after recent postings on al-Qaida-affiliated Web sites exhorted militants to pursue weapons of mass destruction for use against the U.S.

AP - Chinese authorities had evacuated nearly 200,000 people by early Saturday and warned more than 1 million others to be ready to leave quickly as a lake formed by a devastating earthquake threatened to breach its dam.

AP - Most of the 8,000 children found alone after China's devastating earthquake have been reunited with their parents, Chinese officials said Friday.

Reuters - South African ruling party leader Jacob Zuma on Friday comforted the children of African migrants displaced in a wave of xenophobic attacks, pledging to help them and their families rebuild their lives.

AP - Brazil's government agreed to release stunning photos of Amazon Indians firing arrows at an airplane so that the world can better understand the threats facing one of the few tribes still living in near-total isolation from civilization, officials said Friday.

AP - The outgoing American commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan said the insurgency there will last for years unless Pakistan shuts down safe havens where militants train and recruit.

AP - Myanmar's military government is forcing cyclone victims out of shelters and refugee camps and sending some back to their devastated villages with virtually no aid supplies, United Nations and church officials said Friday.

AP - A U.S. Marine handed out coins promoting Christianity to Muslims in the former insurgent stronghold of Fallujah, outraged Sunni officials said Friday. The U.S. military responded quickly, removing a trooper from duty pending an investigation.

AP - Diplomats from 111 nations formally adopted a landmark treaty banning cluster bombs on Friday after futile calls for participation by the weapons' biggest makers and users, particularly the United States.

AFP - Australia's Origin Energy Ltd. said Friday its directors had decided to reject a revised offer from British energy giant BG Group valuing it at about 13.6 billion dollars (13 billion US).

AFP - Africa's leaders and Japan pledged Friday to ramp up the continent's food production, seeking to put the crisis of spiralling prices firmly on the agenda of the Group of Eight rich nations.