Palin resigns as governor, leaves plans secret (AP)

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announces that she is stepping down from her position as Governor in Wasilla, Alaska on Friday July 3, 2009. The former Republican vice presidential candidate made the surprise announcement, saying she would step down July 26 but didn't announce her plans. (AP Photo/The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, Robert DeBerry)AP - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin abruptly announced Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, a shocking move that rattled the Republican party but left open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012.



Powerful sedative found in Michael Jackson's home (AP)

Luis Aldama, 17, of Salinas, Calif., holds a portrait of Micheal Jackson near the gates of the late Michael Jackson's former residence, Neverland Ranch, in Los Olivos, Calif., Friday, July 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)AP - The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson's home, a law enforcement official said Friday as the city planned for a massive crowd at the singer's memorial service.



SKorea says NKorea fires 3 missiles off east coast (AP)

South Koreans watch a television broadcasting an undated image of a missile launch by North Korea at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Saturday, July 4, 2009. North Korea fired three missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said, in what was likely to be seen as a message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day holiday. The letters on the screen read 'Need one week to launch long-range missiles.'(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)AP - North Korea fired three missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said, in what was likely to be seen as a message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day holiday.



Iranian cleric: British Embassy staff to be tried (AP)

Top Iranian cleric Ayatollah Ahmad Jannati, arrives to deliver his sermon during Friday prayers at the Tehran University campus, in Tehran, Iran, Friday, July 3, 2009. Jannati, who is the head of the Guardian Council, a powerful body in Iran's ruling clerical hierarchy that stands above the elected government, said Friday that some of the detained Iranian staffers of the British Embassy in Tehran will be put on trial, and he accused Britain of a role in instigating widespread protests that erupted over the country's disputed presidential election. (AP Photo/Vahid Salemi)AP - EDITOR'S NOTE: Iranian authorities have barred journalists for international news organizations from reporting on the streets and ordered them to stay in their offices. This report is based on the accounts of witnesses reached in Iran and official statements carried on Iranian media.



Group Sotomayor belonged to sued over job tests (AP)

In this Monday, June 1, 2009 file photo, Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor meets with members of the White House Counsel's office at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in the White House Complex in Washington. A civil rights group advised by Sotomayor in the 1980's brought several discrimination lawsuits that sought to scrap the results of job tests because too few Hispanics scored highly enough, according to new documents that are fueling GOP criticism of the judge. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak, File)AP - A civil rights group advised by Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor in the 1980s brought several discrimination lawsuits that sought to scrap the results of job tests because too few Hispanics scored well, according to new documents that are fueling GOP criticism of the judge.



Honduras rejects OAS appeal to restore president (AP)

Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General the Organization of American States, OAS, right, meets with the Mayor of Tegucigalpa, Ricardo Alvarez, left, and  Porfirio Lobo Sosa, presidential candidate for the National Party, main opposition party to ousted president Manuel Zelaya, at a hotel in Tegucigalpa, Friday July 3, 2009. Honduras' Supreme Court rebuffed a personal appeal from Insulza on Friday, refusing to restore ousted President Manuel Zelaya before a Saturday deadline. (AP Photo/Fernando Antonio)AP - Honduras rebuffed a personal appeal from the Americas' top international diplomat Friday, refusing to reinstate President Manuel Zelaya and setting the stage for a dramatic showdown if the ousted leader returns to reclaim power this weekend.



Marines seek to cut Afghan insurgent supply lines (AP)

U.S. Marines from the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, 1st Battalion 5th Marines takes positions along a tree line in the Nawa district in Afghanistan's Helmand province Friday, July 3, 2009. U.S. forces have encountered little resistance in the initial phase of a massive operation by some 4,000 Marines in Taliban-controlled areas of southern Afghanistan, but that's a common tactic by insurgents. (AP Photo/David Guttenfelder)AP - NAWA, Afghanistan — U.S. Marines pushed deeper into Taliban areas of southern Afghanistan on Friday, seeking to cut insurgent supply lines and win over local elders on the second day of the biggest U.S. military operation here since the American-led invasion of 2001.



MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Rising debt may be next crisis (AP)
AP - The Founding Fathers left one legacy not celebrated on Independence Day but which affects us all. It's the national debt.
Ramirez apologizes to fans, Dodgers teammates (AP)

Los Angles Dodgers' Manny Ramirez walks with agent Scott Boras second from right, to Petco Park prior to the Dodgers' baseball game against the San Diego Padres Friday, July 3, 2009, in San Diego.  (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)AP - Manny Ramirez returned to the big leagues as only he could.



Venus faces lil' sis Serena in 4th Wimbledon final (AP)

Serena, left and Venus, right Williams return speak while playing Cara Black of Zimbabwe and Liezel Huber of the U.S. during their doubles match at Wimbledon, Friday, July 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Anja Niedringhaus)AP - Venus Williams is just about the perfect older sibling: She supports Serena endlessly, protects her fiercely and even lets her pick which bedroom she wants when they're on the road. Where does Venus draw the line? At Grand Slam championships. The sisters face each other again in a major final, meeting Saturday for the Wimbledon title for the fourth time.



Palin resigning as Alaska governor in surprise move (Reuters)

U.S. Republican vice- presidential nominee Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin waves to the crowd after U.S. Republican presidential nominee Senator John McCain delivered his concession speech in Phoenix, November 4, 2008. REUTERS/Mike BlakeReuters - Sarah Palin, the brash, deeply conservative governor of Alaska who crashed onto the U.S. national political scene last year as the Republican candidate for U.S. vice president, announced abruptly on Friday she was resigning as governor.



North Korea raises stakes with new missile launch (Reuters)

Anti-North Korea protesters shout slogans behind North Korean flags and mock North Korean missiles at a rally denouncing the North's missile launch, in Seoul July 3, 2009. REUTERS/Jo Yong-HakReuters - North Korea test-fired three Scud missiles on Saturday, South Korea's Yonhap news agency said, further stoking regional tensions that were already high due to its nuclear test in May.



Putin rejects Obama criticism before meeting (Reuters)

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers remarks about innovation and jobs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, July 2, 2009. REUTERS/Jim YoungReuters - Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin on Friday rejected U.S. President Barack Obama's charge that he was mired in Cold War thinking, setting the scene for a stormy first meeting at a Moscow summit next week.



Medici lawyer says Kohn didn't get Madoff payments (Reuters)
Reuters - Austrian fund manager Sonja Kohn did not receive any kickbacks from Bernard Madoff to steer Bank Medici customer funds to the swindler's investment business, a Medici lawyer said on Friday.
Honduras rulers reject OAS call for Zelaya return (Reuters)

Honduras' ousted President Manuel Zelaya waves upon his arrival at Comalapa international airport, in San Salvador July 2, 2009. REUTERS/La Prensa Grafica/Milton Flores/PoolReuters - Honduras's interim rulers spurned a demand from the Organization of American States on Friday to restore leftist President Manuel Zelaya to power, deepening Central America's worst political crisis in decades.



U.S. drone kills 10 in Pakistan, copter crash kills 26 (Reuters)

A deserted village in South Wazirstan is seen in this May 18, 2008 file photo. REUTERS/Simon Cameron-MooreReuters - A U.S. drone aircraft fired missiles on Friday into Pakistan's South Waziristan region, killing 10 militants, officials said, ahead of an expected Pakistani military offensive in the area.



Iranian cleric says UK embassy staff face trial (Reuters)

Ahmad Janati, the powerful head of Iran's Guardian Council, has said the local British embassy staff arrested for allegedly stoking post-election unrest, will be put on trial. Janati made his remarks during the weekly Friday prayers sermon in Tehran University.(AFP/Behrouz Mehri)Reuters - A senior Iranian cleric warned on Friday that detained British embassy staff would face trial for their alleged role in post-election unrest, and EU countries summoned Iranian envoys to protest against the detentions.



U.S. sounds out Arabs on Israel gestures: diplomats (Reuters)
Reuters - The United States and its Western allies are sounding out Arab governments to see if they might ease sanctions on Israel if it stopped building Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory, diplomats said on Friday.
NKorea test-fires three missiles: SKorea ministry (AFP)

This undated handout photo released by the Korean Central News Agency in January shows a missile-firing drill at an undisclosed location in North Korea. North Korea test-fired three missiles on the eve of American Independence Day celebrations, South Korea's defence ministry said, further stoking tensions amid an international nuclear standoff.(AFP/KCNA/KNS/File)AFP - North Korea test-fired three missiles on the eve of American Independence Day celebrations, South Korea's defence ministry said, further stoking tensions amid an international nuclear standoff.



Marines in 'hell of a fight' in Afghanistan: commander (AFP)

US Marines from the 2nd Battalion make preparations ahead of Operation Khanjar at Camp Dwyer in Helmand Province, Afghanistan on July 2, 2009. US Marines are in a AFP - US Marines are in a "hell of a fight" as they storm into Taliban strongholds during a major assault in Afghanistan, their commanding officer said Friday.