SKorea warns that in seeking US talks, NKorea wants recognition as nuclear state

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea is insisting on direct talks with the United States in an attempt to obtain recognition as a nuclear state, Seoul’s top diplomat said Friday, warning that the North’s atomic bombs are intended to target South Korea.

Koreas close to agreement on family reunions

SEOUL, South Korea — North and South Korea were close to agreement Friday on a schedule for reuniting families long separated by the Korean War, in rare talks being held amid Pyongyang’s push to reach out to Seoul and Washington, reports said.

Koreas hold fresh talks as Kim Dae-Jung is buried

SEOUL - Tens of thousands of South Koreans and international delegates attended the state funeral for former president and Nobel peace laureate Kim Dae Jung Sunday, which also prompted talks with North Korean envoys after months of stalled negotiations.

N. Koreans relay message from leader Kim Jong Il during rare meeting with S. Korean president

SEOUL, South Korea — A high-level North Korean delegation conveyed a message from leader Kim Jong Il to the South Korean president during a rare meeting Sunday in the latest sign of warming ties on the tense Korean peninsula.

North Korean condolence delegation arrives in Seoul to pay respects to late Pres. Kim

SEOUL, South Korea — A high-level North Korean delegation arrived in Seoul on Friday to pay respects to late former President Kim Dae-jung, a rare visit that raised hopes of improved relations between the tense neighbors.

‘Kiss-ins’ smack back at Mormon church as faith’s image suffers from Calif. gay marriage fight

SALT LAKE CITY — The Mormon church’s vigorous, well-heeled support for Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage in California last year, has turned the Utah-based faith into a lightning rod for gay rights activism, including a nationwide “kiss-in” Saturday.

South Korea, India sign broad agreement to boost trade, investment

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea and India signed a broad trade agreement Friday to slash tariffs on goods and services in a bid to increase commerce between two of Asia’s biggest economies.

Officials: Clinton urged NKorea to free South Koreans, make progress on Japanese abductions

SEOUL, South Korea — Former President Bill Clinton urged North Korea to free detained South Koreans and make progress on the issue of abducted Japanese citizens, South Korean and Japanese officials said Thursday.

The final frontier: Earthlings get up-close look at Virgin Galactic spaceship launcher

OSHKOSH, Wis. — Hundreds of earthlings turned their faces to the sky Monday to see an airplane built to launch a ship into space, watching the gleaming white craft soar overhead.

Fired SKorean auto workers, riot police square off amid labor dispute

SEOUL, South Korea — Helicopters sprayed tear gas on militant auto workers using slingshots to shoot nuts and bolts at riot police Tuesday amid a tense labor dispute at the main factory of an ailing South Korean automaker.

Fed plaintiffs say Alaska governor broke state law by ignoring holiday on freeing of slaves

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit against Gov. Sarah Palin asked a judge Friday to declare that she broke state law two years ago when she failed to issue a proclamation for a celebration commemorating the freeing of U.S. slaves.

Treasury cancels plans to hire cartoonist to lighten the mood for employees who manage deficit

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department is scrapping plans to hire a cartoonist to lighten the mood of its employees who manage the nation’s $1.2 trillion debt, after a senator questioned its merits.

Treasury prices rebound amid concerns over fate of CIT Group, weak manufacturing data

NEW YORK — Treasury prices rose Thursday for the first time this week amid concerns over the future of small business lender CIT Group Inc.

Police shoot and kill man near US Capitol after he brandished weapon during traffic stop

WASHINGTON — A chaotic scene unfolded near the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday after police shot and killed an armed man in what authorities described as a routine rush hour traffic stop that turned deadly.

‘Apprentice’ winner Randal Pinkett may get a new gig with New Jersey’s Democratic governor

TRENTON, N.J. — “Apprentice” winner Randal Pinkett may be auditioning for a different role: New Jersey lieutenant governor.

SKorea says North Korea fires 6 missiles off eastern coast; report says they are Scud-type

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea fired six ballistic missiles off its eastern coast Saturday, South Korea said, a violation of U.N. resolutions and an apparent message of defiance to the United States on its Independence Day.

Car bomb kills at least 27 people in crowded outdoor market in northern Iraqi city

BAGHDAD — A car bomb exploded in a crowded outdoor market in the northern city of Kirkuk on Tuesday, killing at least 27 people, police said, a deadly reminder of the challenges facing the Iraqi government even as it celebrated the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from cities.

4 US soldiers killed during withdrawal from Iraqi cities; premier says Iraqi forces capable

BAGHDAD — Four U.S. soldiers were killed in combat shortly before the American military completed a withdrawal from Iraq’s cities, and the prime minister assured Iraqis that government forces taking control of urban areas on Tuesday were more than capable of protecting the country.

Iraqi bombings kill scores ahead of June 30 deadline for US withdrawal from cities

BAGHDAD — The bombing of a Baghdad bus station Thursday pushed the death toll from a weeklong series of blasts near Shiite targets to about 200, calling into question Iraq’s ability to provide security as U.S. combat troops slowly withdraw from cities.

Sealed divorce record in Pa. county 50 miles from their home offers privacy to Jon & Kate

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Jon and Kate Gosselin don’t live in Montgomery County, Pa. So why are the stars of “Jon & Kate Plus 8″ getting divorced there?

Web-based petition seeks healing, softer gay marriage stance from Mormon leaders

SALT LAKE CITY — A group of current and former Mormons at odds with the church’s position on gay marriage and its political activism to ban it has launched a Web site asking the faith to soften its stance.

Police look for suspect in shooting deaths of 2, including driver, at northern Va. bus station

WOODBRIDGE, Va. — A bus driver and another man were shot and killed Monday in the employee lot of a northern Virginia bus station about a mile from a busy shopping mall.

Tens of thousands in North Korea attend massive rally to condemn UN sanctions

SEOUL, South Korea — Tens of thousands of North Koreans rallied in Pyongyang on Monday to condemn the U.N. rebuke of the country’s latest nuclear test amid concern the communist regime could conduct another one.

North Korea warns of nuclear war amid rising tension with the United States

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s president ordered his top security officials Sunday to deal “resolutely and squarely” with new North Korean warnings of a nuclear war on the eve of his U.S. visit. In Washington, Vice President Joe Biden said “God only knows” what North Korea wants from the latest showdown.

North Korea says it will ‘weaponize’ its plutonium; views US ‘blockade’ as ‘act of war’

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea vowed Saturday to step up its atomic bomb-making program and threatened war if its ships are stopped as part of new U.N. sanctions aimed at punishing the nation for its latest nuclear test.

Sentencing of journalists escalates North Korea-US tensions (Lead)

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama got back to Washington after trips to the Middle East and Europe only to encounter another challenge, this time North Korea’s sentencing of two US journalists to 12 years in prison.

Report: US pushing hard to slap strong financial sanctions on North Korea

SEOUL, South Korea — The U.S. is pushing hard to slap strong financial sanctions against North Korea as part of U.N. punishments or even as indepedent measures for the communist nation’s latest nuclear test, news reports said Thursday.

Murder case against rap stars’ NJ lawyer puts focus on criminal defense practices

NEWARK, N.J. — With his expensive suits and slicked-back hair, Paul Bergrin fit the stereotype of the flashy defense attorney willing to go to any length to help his clients beat a rap.

North Korea vows retaliation, US officials say new missile launches feared

SEOUL, South Korea — North Korea threatened to retaliate if punitive U.N. sanctions are imposed for its latest nuclear test, and U.S. officials said there are new signs Pyongyang may be planning more long-range missile launches.

Sorrow mixed with growing anger against government as SKoreans mourn ex-president Roh

SEOUL, South Korea — Anger mixed with sorrow as hundreds of thousands of South Koreans — mothers pushing strollers, businessmen and long-haired artists — flooded into the streets Friday to mourn the death of an ex-president who some say was driven to suicide by political rivals.