WATCH: Iran to Release American Hiker

Sarah Shourd is expected to be released for health reasons. Iran - 2009 detention of American hikers by Iran - Middle East - United States - Sarah Shourd

25 slain in Mexican city; 85 escape border prison

Gunmen killed 25 people in a series of drug-gang attacks in Ciudad Juarez, marking the deadliest day in more than two years for the Mexican border city. Farther east on the border, 85 inmates scaled the walls of a prison and escaped Friday in Mexico's biggest jail break in recent memory.

North Korea proposes talks with South on split families

North Korea has proposed holding Red Cross talks with the South on reunions of families split by the Korean War in what would be a rare contact between the rivals locked in a row over the sinking of a South Korean naval ship.

Canada's 'prince of pot' gets five years

The man once known as Canada's "prince of pot" is now a federal inmate in the U.S. system after a judge in Washington sentenced him Friday to five years in prison.

3rd Drill to the Rescue for Chile's Trapped Miners

Chile brings 3rd drill to rescue trapped miners; New US bit to fix smashed 2nd drill Chile - South America - Business - Mining and Drilling - Tools and Equipment

3rd drill to the rescue for Chile's trapped miners

Chile is sparing no expense to rescue its 33 trapped miners, mounting three separate drilling efforts to carve escape tunnels through nearly a half-mile of solid rock and collapsed mine shafts. The latest ? an oil-well drill so big it takes 40 trucks to carry it ? began arriving Friday.

Iran calls off planned release of American hiker

The release of American hiker Sarah Shourd has been "canceled," because the judicial process has not been completed, Tehran's public and revolutionary prosecutor Abas Jafari Dolatabadi said Friday, according to the semiofficial Iranian Labour News Agency.

Japan missing more than 230K listed centenarians

More than 230,000 Japanese citizens listed in government records as at least 100 years old can't be found and may have died long ago, according to a government survey.

Paratrooper to get Medal of Honor for actions in Afghanistan

An Army paratrooper who risked his life to save fellow soldiers will become the first living service member to receive the Medal of Honor for service in Iraq or Afghanistan, the White House said Friday.

Troops brave grenade attacks in Afghan town

After a relentless spate of grenade attacks, American soldiers now keep their distance from the people they're trying to protect.

85 prisoners escape jail on Mexico-U.S. border

Eighty-five prisoners escaped from a jail near the U.S. border on Friday, authorities and media said, the latest prison break underscoring the challenges Mexico faces as it battles powerful drug cartels.

Iran postpones American woman's release

Iran's state news agency confirmed that Tehran has postponed the planned release of an American woman who has been jailed for more than a year.

Muslims throng mosques to celebrate end of Ramadan

Far from the din and controversy roiling interfaith relations in the West, Muslims worldwide thronged mosques, cafes and parks Friday in a solemn and joyful end to the fasting month of Ramadan.

American Jihadi Killed In Somalia Shootout

An American member of an al Qaeda-connected terror group has been killed in fighting in Somalia, according to intelligence and government officials there. The fighter, a Somali-American man known as Dahir Gurey Sheikh Ali Guled, was found dead in Mogadishu after a street battle between the militant group, Al Shabab, and pro-government forces. A US official told ABC News that Gurey was believed to be an American citizen who arrived in Somalia earlier this year, but cautioned that the US government has not independently confirmed Mr. Gurey's death or nationality. Somali officials said the man had documents on him that indicated he was American. Somalia - Mogadishu - Harakat al-Shabaab Mujahideen - Al-Qaeda - Africa

India, Pakistan unite for U.S. Open

India and Pakistan have finally found something they can agree on.

Report: Al Qaeda still threat to America

Nearly nine years after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks, Americans still face a serious threat from al Qaeda, according to a new report from a panel of top national security experts.

Russians mourn bombing victims

Clashes between police and alleged militants left 10 more people dead Friday in Russia's volatile North Caucasus, even as stunned residents laid flowers in a square where a suicide car bombing killed 17 people and wounded more than 140 only a day ago.

Pentagon Buys Up Book to Keep Afghan Secrets

Dispute Over 'Classified' Material Delays Afghan war memoir by ex-Army intelligence officer War in Afghanistan - Afghanistan - Asia - United States Department of Defense - History

Quake shakes Bangladesh, no casualties reported

An earth quake shook central Bangladesh, including the capital Dhaka, around midnight on Friday but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties, the fire service said.

Taliban Commander Hit Before Kabul Attack

NATO Says 3 Insurgents Planning Bomb Attacks in Afghan Capital Killed in a Precision Airstrike Taliban - NATO - Afghanistan - Warfare and Conflict - Asia

Chinese military power worries Japan

China's military puts the scare into Japan and the U.S. is a key to keeping peace in the region, Japan's Defense Ministry said in a white paper Friday. FULL STORY l YEN BUYS TROUBLE TOKYO l NEW PM COMING?

Oil drilling platform arrives at Chilean mine to aid in rescue

A large oil drilling platform arrived Thursday at the Chilean mine where 33 trapped miners are awaiting rescue.

Priest sex abuse linked to 13 suicides in Belgium

Hundreds of sex abuse victims have come forward in Belgium with harrowing accounts of molestation by Catholic clergy that reportedly led to at least 13 suicides and affected children as young as two, a special commission said Friday.

Medvedev Says Russia Is Democracy - With Limits

Medvedev Says Russia Isn't Authoritarian, But Indicates No Easing for Opposition Russia - Democracy - Politics - Soviet Union - Dmitry Medvedev

Mudslide hits village on Italy's Amalfi Coast

A river of mud unleashed by heavy rains has flooded a tiny village on Italy's Amalfi Coast, and at least one person was reported missing.

Belgian Report: Catholic Church Sex Abuse Caused at Least 13 Suicides

A Belgian commission looking into sexual abuse by Catholic clergy says it has received testimony from hundreds of victims and that witnesses say widespread abuse over decades led to at least 13 suicides. Sexual abuse - Support Groups - Belgium - Catholic Church - Clergy

Poof! Law to Tax Witches Disappears

Banish The Tax! Romanian Witches 'Frighten' Lawmakers into Voting Against Levy Law - Democratic Liberal Party - Tax - Romania - Taxation

Afghan anti-U.S. demonstrations grow over Quran

Protests by thousands of angry Afghans over plans by an obscure U.S. church to burn copies of the Quran grew on Friday, with demonstrations spreading to the capital and at least five provinces, officials said.

Female Hiker in Iran to Be Released

Sarah Shourd, one of the three American hikers who have been detained in Iran for more than a year, will be released "very soon," an Iranian official told ABC News today. Iran - United States - 2009 detention of American hikers by Iran - Middle East - American Broadcasting Company

Dateless coin could bring big payday

People in Britain are being urged to check their wallets for some rare loose change that could earn them some serious cash.

Southern Sudan acquires military aircraft

Nearing a January vote on independence, southern Sudan is acquiring its first military aircraft as the oil-rich region prepares for potential conflict in a nation Washington is calling a "ticking time-bomb."

Parents try to recover runaway teen in Brazil

An American family is desperately trying to get their daughter back after the 15-year-old ran away with her boyfriend to Brazil, where authorities handed her over to the boyfriend's family.

Marines Retake Ship From Somali Pirates

U.S. Marines stormed a German-owned commercial vessel that had been captured by Somali pirates, in what appears to be the first U.S.-led military boarding off the coast of East Africa. Piracy in Somalia - East Africa - Somalia - United States Marine Corps - Gulf of Aden

WATCH: 'Death to America': Protestors Burn U.S. Flag

People in Pakistan and Afghanistan protest Rev. Terry Jones' Koran-burning plan. Afghanistan - Pakistan - United States - Terry Jones - Asia

WATCH: 163 Taiwanese Couples Tie the Knot

Sept. 9, at 9:09 a.m., carried special significance for lovers. Knots - Neckties - Republic of China - Taipei - Marriage

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WATCH: Magnitude 7.0 Quake Shakes New Zealand

Miraculously no one was killed when the earthquake hit the city of Christchurch. Earthquake - Christchurch - New Zealand - Oceania - South Island

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WATCH: Russians Pimp Their Rides

Moscow drivers turn their cars into works of art. Moscow - Russia - Administrative Regions - Travel and Tourism - Travel Guides

WATCH: Blair Egged at Book Signing

Anit-war activists try to pelt the former prime minister with shoes and eggs. Prime minister - History - Tony Blair - Parliament - Government

WATCH: Sunken Suds: Shipwreck Yields Old Beer

Researchers sample beer from a 19th century shipwreck in the Baltic Sea. Shipwreck - Baltic Sea - Beer - Recreation - Food

WATCH: China's Pandas Go Back to School

Tree climbing is on the curriculum at the Chengdu Panda Base. People's Republic of China - China - Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding - Giant Panda - Sichuan

Cancer Drug May Keep Lockerbie Bomber Alive for 5 Years

The Lockerbie bomber is at the center of a fresh row after it emerged he is taking a cancer drug that could keep him alive for five more years, The Sun reported on Monday.

British Boy Kidnapped in Pakistan Freed

Kidnappers released a 5-year-old British boy unharmed Tuesday almost two weeks after abducting him from his grandparents' house in central Pakistan, British and Pakistani officials said.

Somalia Signs Deal With Militia in Fight Against Insurgents

Somalia's government signed an agreement with a powerful militia on Monday that offers high-level militants senior government positions in return for their military support during a long-planned offensive against an Islamist insurgency.

German Diocese Suspends Priest Amid Sex Abuse Charges

Pope Benedict XVI's former diocese says it has suspended a priest convicted in 1986 of sexually abusing minors and accepted the resignation of his superior.

Drug Gang to Blame for Killings of U.S. Consulate Workers

A suspected Mexican drug gang gunned down two cars carrying families with ties to the U.S. consulate on Saturday, killing an American couple and a Mexican man in the country's deadliest city.

Iran Bans Leading Pro-Reform Political Party

Iran's hard-line government says the country's largest pro-reform political party has been banned as part of the crackdown on the opposition.

U.K. Lawmaker Found Dead Inside Home

U.K. Labour Party lawmaker Ashok Kumar was found dead at his home in Middlesbrough, northern England, Monday, his office said.

Pakistan Police Find Cache of Explosives in Lahore

Pakistani police discovered a cache of bomb-making equipment and thousands of pounds of explosives Monday in an empty Lahore shop where authorities said a string of attacks on the eastern city may have been plotted.

UN Expert: No. Korean Farm Controls Causing Hunger

North Korea should let farms produce freely and allow food to be sold in local markets because the communist government cannot provide enough food for its people, a U.N. human rights investigator urged Monday.

Thai PM Rejects Protesters' Call for New Elections

Thailand's prime minister, backed by a formidable military force, rejected an ultimatum to dissolve Parliament on Monday as tens of thousands of red-shirted protesters vowed to wet the seat of government with their own blood if their demands weren't met.

Georgian Opposition Condemns Phony TV War Report

Georgia's opposition politicians are denouncing the government over a hoax television broadcast that said Russia had invaded and the president had been killed.

South Africa's Youth Leader Convicted of Hate Speech

A court convicted the governing party's youth leader of hate speech Monday after he said the woman who once accused South Africa's president of rape had had a 'nice time' because she stayed the night and asked for taxi money.

Teams Forcibly Evacuate Mozambique Flood Victims

Authorities say rescue teams have evacuated 6,000 people, some of them forcibly, from flood-stricken districts in central Mozambique.

Rocket Attack Kills 1 at NATO Base in Afghanistan

An early morning rocket attack on the largest U.S. military hub in Afghanistan killed one person Monday, NATO said. In the east, meanwhile, Afghan authorities thwarted three would-be homicide bombers from attacking a security post.

Car Bombs Explode During Nigerian Amnesty Talks

Twin car bombs exploded outside a government building where amnesty talks were underway Monday in Nigeria's restive and oil-rich region, wounding two people and causing panic, a government spokesman said.

Pope to Lend 'Decisive Voice' to Catholic Sex Abuse Debate

A top Vatican official says Pope Benedict XVI will speak with a 'clear and decisive voice' when he addresses clerical sex abuses in Ireland in a forthcoming letter.

Egypt Arrests Israeli Journalist Along the Border

Egyptian security officials arrested an Israeli journalist as he tried to sneak across the porous Israeli-Egyptian border with African migrants, his newspaper reported Monday.

British Couple Appeals Dubai Kissing Conviction

A British couple is appealing a jail sentence after being accused of sharing a passionate kiss in a Dubai restaurant.

Pakistani Jets Pound Taliban Hide-Outs, Killing 17

Pakistani fighter jets pounded Taliban hide-outs near the Afghan border Sunday, killing 17 insurgents, local officials said.

Yemen Launches Airstrike on Al Qaeda Hideout

Yemen's embassy in Washington says its nation's air force launched an airstrike on an al Qaeda hideout ahead of a likely terror attack.