Senate Dems pare back health bill

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Key Senate Democrats, bidding for bipartisan support on health care, pared back subsidies designed to make insurance more affordable on Thursday and floated a compromise that rules out direct government competition against private insurers. Despite the cost-cutting, the proposal backed by Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, requires most individuals to purchase coverage and forbids insurance companies from denying it on the basis of pre-existing medical conditions.

Officials: US tracking suspicious ship from NKorea

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The U.S. military is tracking a ship from North Korea that may be carrying illicit weapons, the first vessel monitored under tougher new United Nations rules meant to rein in and punish the communist government following a nuclear test, officials said Thursday. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said he has ordered additional protections for Hawaii just in case North Korea launches a long-range missile over the Pacific Ocean.

Billionaire Stanford to appear in federal court

DALLAS (AP) _ Texas billionaire R. Allen Stanford, chairman of the troubled Stanford Financial Group, is scheduled to appear in federal court Friday on fraud charges after surrendering to FBI agents in Virginia the day before, officials said. Authorities plan to unseal an indictment charging Stanford, law enforcement officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the case. Stanford surrendered in Stafford, Va., on Thursday and is to appear in federal court in the state capital, Richmond, on Friday morning, the officials said.

Hundreds of thousands stage somber rally in Iran

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) _ Hundreds of thousands of protesters dressed in black and green flooded the streets of Tehran on Thursday in a somber, candlelit show of defiance and mourning for those killed in clashes after Iran's disputed presidential election. The massive march _ the fourth this week _ sent a powerful message that opposition leader Mir Hossein Mousavi has the popular backing to sustain his unprecedented challenge to Iran's ruling clerics. Even President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, named the landslide winner in the June 12 election, appeared to take the growing opposition more seriously and backtracked on his dismissal of the protesters as "dust" and sore losers.

Judge to review Cheney interview in CIA leak case

WASHINGTON (AP) _ A federal judge said Thursday that he wants to look at notes from the FBI's interview with former Vice President Dick Cheney during the investigation into who leaked the identity of a CIA operative. U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan's decision to review the documents followed arguments by Obama administration lawyers that sounded much like the reasons the Bush administration provided for keeping Cheney's interview from the public.

Ensign helped mistress's husband get 2 jobs

LAS VEGAS (AP) _ Sen. John Ensign helped his mistress's husband get two jobs during the time the rising Republican senator acknowledges carrying on an extramarital affair, an Ensign spokesman said Thursday. "Just as he has done for many other staff members, Senator Ensign made recommendation calls for Mr. Hampton," Ensign spokesman Tory Mazzola said in a statement. Mazzola was responding to questions about the employment of Doug Hampton, a former aide to the Nevada senator.

An exceptionally soggy June for many in US

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Mud season has been extended. From North Dakota to Long Island, rain after rain after rain has dampened spirits and swamped roads. Picnics and kids' baseball games have been washed out, rescheduled and rained out again. Big-time sports, too. _ In Farmingdale, N.Y., Tiger Woods' defense of the U.S. Open championship was delayed Thursday as rain pelted an already soaked course and postponed most of the first round until Friday. "Where's my canoe," England's Ian Poulter wrote on his Twitter feed.

TLC: Jon & Kate announcing a major decision Monday

NEW YORK (AP) _ The TLC network says its biggest stars, Jon and Kate Gosselin, will announce a major decision on their reality show, "Jon & Kate Plus 8." TLC isn't commenting on what the news will be from these parents of 8-year-old twins and 5-year-old sextuplets. But viewers who have witnessed the Gosselins' marriage coming unraveled are clearly welcome to draw their own conclusions leading up to Monday's episode. And to show up in droves to see it. The show is scheduled to air at 9 p.m. EDT.

Mich. great-grandmothers become bowling champions

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) _ Two great-grandmothers from Grand Rapids have become state bowling champions. The women are 86-year-old Emma Dausman and 69-year-old Judy Conner. They won a Division 2 doubles title at the U.S. Bowling Congress' Women's Bowling Association state tournament. Dausman carried a 125 average but the octogenarian rolled games of 192, 189 and 173 for a personal-best 554 series in the tournament, which ended last month.

Stammen, Nats shutdown Yankees 3-0 to win series

NEW YORK (AP) _ Craig Stammen and the Washington Nationals really dampened the New York Yankees' day. After waiting out a 5 1/2-hour rain delay at the start, Stammen earned his first major league victory, Julian Tavarez provided key relief and the last-place Nationals beat New York 3-0 Thursday night in the first game without a homer at the new Yankee Stadium.