AP News

BOSTON—The Nuclear Regulatory Commission approved the renewal of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station's operating license for another 20 years, the agency announced Friday, despite objections from Gov. Deval Patrick and other Massachusetts officials.  

Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit Israel at the end of June, this following talks between high-level officials in Moscow and Jerusalem. During the snap visit, Putin will meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Shimon Peres. The Russian leader is expected to visit Netanya, where he and Netanyahu will unveil a [...]  

The U.S. military is investigating how pictures apparently showing the alleged 9/11 mastermind ... to enter any plea to the charges in connection with the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. If found guilty of organising the attacks ...  

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama will meet with Philippine President Benigno Aquino III on June 8 at the White House. The White House says Obama looks forward to discussing the strategic, economic and "people to people" ties between ...  

ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia (AP) — An African Union official says Sudan and South Sudan have agreed to resume talks over issues that brought the two nations to the brink of war: sharing oil wealth and establishing their border. Ramtane Lamamra said Friday that the resumption of talks has been confirmed.U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says he welcomes the resumption of talks in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia next week. Ban urged the parties to demonstrate...  

Pope Benedict XVI's private papers have shed unwanted light on power struggles and alleged corruption within the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.ROME — As it turns out, the butler did it. At least that's who the papal police force believes is responsible for the recent leaks of personal papal correspondence that has shed unwanted light on power struggles and alleged corruption within the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church.  

A spokesman for the African Union Mission in Somalia says that AU and Somali forces have pushed Islamist militants out of a town on the outskirts of the capital, Mogadishu. Paddy Ankunda said Friday that the troops crossed into Afgoye earlier in the day and that most of the town was now under their control, while some fighting with al-Shabab militants was still going on. The capture of Afgoye represents a major advance for African Union...  

BEIRUT (AP) – Syrian forces fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse thousands of protesters calling for President Bashar Assad's ouster Friday, killing two people in the northern city of Aleppo as the regime struggles to vanquish the 15 ...  

German Chancellor Angela Merkel had trouble finding the capital city of her nation on a map during a visit to a school, said reports. Moreover, after some effort, Merkel "managed to locate Berlin in Russia", writes Belgrade daily Večernje Novosti.  

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz found herself under fire Friday for President Barack Obama’s attacks against Mitt Romney’s record at Bain Capital, as the DNC chairwoman was grilled during an appearance on CNN about the “hypocrisy” of the president’s campaign strategy.  

The Senate Select Committee on Ethics publicly criticized Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn on Friday for acting improperly when he arranged a meeting for an ex-aide to former Sen. John Ensign who was precluded from lobbying senators under federal law.  

Nonetheless, we do agree on the need for further discussion to expand that common ground." But in Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said significant differences remain between the two sides and that it's now up to Iran "to close the gaps."  

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says international envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan is the only option right now for ending the violence in Syria. Ban said in an interview Thursday with CNN's Christiane Amanpour that "at this time, we don't have any plan B." The former U.N. secretary-general's plan calls for a complete cessation of violence but Ban said "unfortunately, this has not been implemented." He said the...  

Meanwhile, Syrian forces fired tear gas and live ammunition to disperse thousands of protesters calling for President Bashar Assad’s ouster Friday, killing two people in the northern city of Aleppo as the regime struggles to vanquish the 15-month-old ...  

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — President Barack Obama delivered his harshest rebuttal ... "There may be value for that kind of experience, but it's not in the White House," Obama said. The speech, to a cheering Iowa crowd of about 2,500 at the ...