Kerry: Assad guilty of 'crime against humanity'

Kerry: Assad guilty of 'crime against humanity'
U.N.'s Syria samples to undergo meticulous scrutiny
On San Diego mayor's last day, questions remain
Street killings underscore Iraq's rising unrest
Holiday trips on hold because of Sierra fire
NKorea withdraws invite for US envoy
Russian, NORAD forces unite for exercise
Nobel-winning Irish poet Seamus Heaney dies at 74
Tooth Fairy inflation: Price of a tooth nears $4
Kate makes first appearance since royal birth
US: 'High confidence' of Syria chemical arms use
Hip-hop version of 'Othello' resonates behind bars
APNewsBreak: US: Iran can't access much oil income
Syrians stock up ahead of feared US-led attack
UK's Cameron must fight back after tough setback
DOJ green light for Wash., Colo. pot reformers
U.N. experts finish gathering evidence in Syria
Syrian-Americans divided over U.S. intervention
Snowden leaks hurt UK's national security, could expose spies
U.S., France, but no Britain? Not a surprise
N. Korea cancels trip by U.S. envoy seeking American's release
Western doubts grow as Syria strike looms
France remains committed to Syria response
UK's Syria rejection a setback for Cameron

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 10:27 AM PDT

But the Secretary of State gave no hint of a timetable for U.S. action.

U.N.'s Syria samples to undergo meticulous scrutiny

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 10:37 AM PDT

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — They've endured repeated delays, unrelenting scrutiny and even snipers' bullets in Damascus. Now United Nations inspectors who have been gathering evidence of a possible chemical weapons attack in Syria are poised to return to the Netherlands in coming days, setting in motion a meticulous process of analyzing samples at specially accredited laboratories.

On San Diego mayor's last day, questions remain

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 07:09 AM PDT

SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego Mayor Bob Filner is leaving office in disgrace amid sexual harassment allegations and many unanswered questions, including how someone who acknowledged mistreating women for many years could have survived for so long in politics.

Street killings underscore Iraq's rising unrest

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 10:11 AM PDT

BAGHDAD (AP) — The mob strung up the suspected terrorist's shirtless body by the feet and set it ablaze on a street on the outskirts of the Iraqi capital, a tire placed underneath to fuel the flames. In grainy footage of the immolation this week, police appeared to do little to stop the vigilantes' street justice.

Holiday trips on hold because of Sierra fire

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 10:36 AM PDT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — With the last big travel weekend of the summer arriving, some nervous tourists are keeping an eye on the huge Sierra Nevada wildfire, wondering whether it will interfere with their travel plans to destinations like Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe.

NKorea withdraws invite for US envoy

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 10:29 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — North Korea has rescinded its invitation for a senior U.S. envoy to travel to Pyongyang to seek the release of a detained American, the State Department said Friday, abruptly dimming hopes for improved relations already strained by the North's nuclear program.

Russian, NORAD forces unite for exercise

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 08:36 AM PDT

OVER ALASKA (AP) — Flying at 34,000 feet over the Bering Strait, the Russian pilots had a singular focus: making sure they smoothly received the hand-off of a "hijacked" jetliner from their U.S.-Canadian counterparts.

Nobel-winning Irish poet Seamus Heaney dies at 74

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 10:06 AM PDT

DUBLIN (AP) — To all lovers of the perfectly weighed word, Seamus Heaney offered hope on this side of the grave.

Tooth Fairy inflation: Price of a tooth nears $4

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 10:03 AM PDT

NEW YORK (AP) — Days of finding a quarter under your pillow are long gone. The Tooth Fairy no longer leaves loose change.

Kate makes first appearance since royal birth

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 10:49 AM PDT

LONDON (AP) — The Duchess of Cambridge has appeared in her first public event since giving birth to Prince George last month.

US: 'High confidence' of Syria chemical arms use

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 10:25 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration says it has "high confidence" that Syria's government carried out a chemical weapons attack last week outside Damascus, the capital — killing 1,429 people.

Hip-hop version of 'Othello' resonates behind bars

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 09:22 AM PDT

CHICAGO (AP) — Act I, Scene 1: Four actors in well-worn coveralls and baseball caps take the stage at the county jail. They're here to tell a tale of love, friendship, jealousy and betrayal. It's the stuff of Shakespearean tragedy. The names and themes haven't changed over the centuries, but the language has a modern beat:

APNewsBreak: US: Iran can't access much oil income

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 04:07 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has concluded that nearly half of Iran's monthly earnings from crude oil exports are accumulating in accounts overseas because of sanctions that restrict Tehran's access to the money.

Syrians stock up ahead of feared US-led attack

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 09:04 AM PDT

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — Syrians stocked up on bread, canned food and candles Friday as the U.S. and France prepared for a potential military strike against the Syrian government, which the West alleges used chemical weapons against civilians in its civil war.

UK's Cameron must fight back after tough setback

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 08:41 AM PDT

LONDON (AP) — David Cameron seemed the picture of a confident national leader when he cut short his vacation early this week to muster support for a military reprisal against Syria for its purported use of chemical weapons against civilians. He stood with President Barack Obama, facing down a dictator, demanding respect for international law.

DOJ green light for Wash., Colo. pot reformers

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 01:15 AM PDT

SEATTLE (AP) — For generations, pot crusaders have called for an end to the nation's prohibition of marijuana, citing everything from what they say are the government's exaggerated claims about its dangers to the racial disparities in who gets busted for drug possession.

U.N. experts finish gathering evidence in Syria

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 11:10 AM PDT

The team will leave on Saturday, but will return to investigate other alleged gas attacks.

Syrian-Americans divided over U.S. intervention

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 08:58 AM PDT

Syrian-Americans are split on whether it's a good idea for the Obama administration to intervene in Syria

Snowden leaks hurt UK's national security, could expose spies

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 07:46 AM PDT

By Costas Pitas LONDON (Reuters) - Leaks by a fugitive U.S. intelligence contractor have damaged Britain's national security, and the data he gave journalists includes information that might expose the identities of British spies, a government official told the High Court in London. The official said Brazilian David Miranda, the partner of a Guardian newspaper journalist, was carrying a computer hard-drive containing 58,000 highly classified intelligence documents when he was detained at Heathrow airport earlier this month. ...

U.S., France, but no Britain? Not a surprise

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 07:54 AM PDT

A Franco-U.S. partnership against Damascus is rooted in history.

N. Korea cancels trip by U.S. envoy seeking American's release

Posted: 30 Aug 2013 08:19 AM PDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea canceled a planned trip for a U.S. envoy to travel to Pyongyang on Friday and Saturday to seek the release of imprisoned and ailing American missionary Kenneth Bae, the U.S. State Department said. "We are surprised and disappointed by North Korea's decision," State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said of the North's decision to withdraw its invitation to Robert King, the U.S. special envoy for North Korean human rights issues. "We remain gravely concerned about Mr. Bae's health and we continue to urge the DPRK authorities to grant Mr. ...