Attorney: Debbie Rowe still deciding whether to seek custody of kids she had with Jackson

LOS ANGELES — Deborah Rowe, the ex-wife of Michael Jackson and the mother of two of his children, has not reached a final decision on whether to seek custody of the children, a lawyer said Thursday.

Justice Dept delaying release of CIA report on detention, interrogation program until Sept

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration said Thursday that it needs two more months to review an internal CIA report on the agency’s secret detention and interrogation program before making it public, drawing criticism from civil libertarians who say it’s past time for Americans to know how its government treated terrorism suspects.

Austrian university launches online database to honor students, teachers expelled by Nazis

VIENNA — Kurt Elias vividly remembers the day in 1938 when the Nazis barred him from entering the University of Vienna because he was Jewish.

‘Boyfriend’ of model in Berlusconi sex-scandal was ‘fake’

LONDON - The sex scandal swirling around Silvio Berlusconi took a fresh turn when a reality TV show contestant claimed that he had only posed as the boyfriend of aspiring model Noemi Letizia, after the Italian premier attended her 18th birthday party in April.

Former lightweight champion, Managua mayor Alexis Arguello found dead at his home

MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Alexis Arguello, who fought in one of boxing’s most classic brawls and reigned supreme at 130 pounds, was found dead at his home early Wednesday.

UN formally opens probe into assassination of former Pakistan PM Bhutto

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The United Nations formally began a six-month investigation Wednesday into the slaying of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, a process that the government hopes will lead to her killers being brought to justice.

Vanity Fair critique on Palin sparks off GOP feud

WASHINGTON - The hard-hitting Vanity Fair piece on Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has touched off a blistering exchange of insults among high-profile Republicans, tearing open fresh wounds about leaks surrounding Palin.

Disgraced US Senator Edwards struck deal with aide to pose as his love child’s father

WASHINGTON - Andrew Young, a close aide of controversial former US senator John Edwards, is set to write a tell-all book and reveal how President Barack Obama’s rival for the democratic candidature last year asked him to pretend to be the father of his love child.

Military board says gay NY National Guard officer should be discharged

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A military administrative board recommended Tuesday that a National Guard officer who publicly announced he’s gay should be discharged for violating the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy.

SC gov’s affair with Argentine woman changes political landscape for would-be successors

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Gov. Mark Sanford’s bombshell admission of an affair with an Argentine woman has touched off a delicate political dance among fellow Republicans vying to replace him when his term ends.

After 20 years, ‘Do The Right Thing’ still poses burning questions for race relations

NEW YORK — Twenty years later, the trash can is still crashing through America’s window.

Farah Pandith play leading role engaging Muslims: Clinton

WASHINGTON - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that as US special representative to Muslim communities Farah Pandith, a Kashmiri-origin woman, will “play a leading role” in US efforts to engage Muslims around the world.

The 10 questions that are making Berlusconi’s life a living hell

LONDON - The ongoing saga involving Silvio Berlusconi and his alleged sexcapades has taken a fresh turn after a leading Italian newspaper asked the Prime Minister ten questions about his relationship with 18-year-old aspiring model Noemi Letizia.

Had Musharraf not toppled my Govt, Kashmir would have been solved by now: Sharif

LAHORE - Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that the long pending Kashmir issue would have been resolved long ago, had his government not been toppled by former military chief General Pervez Musharraf in 1999.

Millions of Americans get stimulus payments in May, but money goes into savings, not spending

WASHINGTON — Households raised their savings rate to the highest level in more than 15 years in May as many used a big boost in money from the government’s stimulus program to bolster nest eggs rather than to spend more. Still, with consumer spending expected to stay subdued, a sustained economic recovery seems doubtful anytime soon.

Swat Taliban deputy commander’s death ‘unconfirmed’: NWFP minister

PESHAWAR - The North West Frontier Province (NWFP) Information Minister Iftikhar Hussain has said that reports about the death of Taliban Swat chapter deputy leader, Shah Durran, had not been confirmed yet.

SC gov says he’s focused on family after affair, shakes his head no when asked if he’ll resign

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford tells reporters staking out his beach home that he’s focusing on his family right now.

RNC member asks for unfaithful SC governor to resign to spare party, practice his rhetoric

COLUMBIA, S.C. — A top South Carolina Republican leader says philandering Gov. Mark Sanford should resign and practice the philosophy he’s preached of holding GOP leaders accountable.

For SC governor, year of concealing affair ends with e-mails revealed, shame confessed

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Six bronze stars punctuate the smooth granite walls of the copper-domed State House. Each marks a scar left by the cannons of invading Union Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman’s bombardment of the capital in the final months of the Civil War.

Kashmiri-origin woman is Clinton aide for Muslims

WASHINGTON - Farah Pandith, a Kashmiri-origin woman, has been appointed as special representative to Muslim communities in the US State Department.

Escort girl claims Berlusconi promised help in project in return for sex

LONDON - While blasting Silvio Berlusconi’s claims that he has never paid for sex, escort girl Patrizia D’Addario has said that the Italian premiere promised her help to push through a stalled construction project in return for her services.

After admitting affair, SC Gov. Sanford gives up moral high ground, hope for political agenda

COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford faced legal and ethical questions Thursday as he fought to save his job after admitting having an affair with a woman from Argentina.

Paleontologists visit enemy turf in evolution debate with field trip to Creation Museum in Ky.

PETERSBURG, Ky. — In a dimly lit corner of the Creation Museum stands a life-size replica of a wrecking ball labeled “Millions of Years” demolishing the facade of a brick church.

Reality check: Preventive health care saves lives, but not money, despite claims by many

CHICAGO — When it comes to health care spending, an ounce of prevention is seldom worth a pound of cure.

SEC charges New York firm, California adviser with fraud in raising billions for Madoff scheme

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators filed securities fraud charges Monday against a prominent California investment adviser and a New York brokerage firm said to be secretly controlled by Bernard Madoff, accusing them of funneling billions of dollars from investors into Madoff’s Ponzi scheme.

Obama: Iran’s leaders must stop all ‘violent and unjust actions’ amid postelection crackdown

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Saturday challenged Iran’s government to halt a “violent and unjust” crackdown on dissenters, using his bluntest language yet to condemn Tehran’s postelection response.

Election rigging was planned months in advance, says Moussavi

TEHRAN/BERLIN - Mir-Hossein Moussavi, the presidential candidate defeated in last week’s contested poll, has written a letter to Iran’s Guardian Council Saturday, saying that he believes the election was rigged in advance.

Obama administration delays release of CIA report detailing interrogation, secret detentions

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is delaying by a week its release of an internal CIA report on the agency’s Bush-era secret detention and interrogation program.

Military: 3 US airstrikes didn’t follow rules, probably killed 26 Afghan civilians, 78 Taliban

WASHINGTON — A U.S. warplane failed to follow all operational rules in a complex battle in Afghanistan last month that killed an estimated 26 civilians and 78 Taliban fighters, the U.S. military concluded in a report released Friday.

UN Commission investigating Benazir Bhutto assassination to start work on July 1

UNITED NATIONS — A U.N. commission will begin a six-month investigation on July 1 into the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the U.N. announced Friday.