AP Interview: US women call Egypt captors &

AP - The top U.S. Catholic bishop vowed legislative and court challenges Tuesday to a compromise by President Barack Obama to his healthcare mandate that now exempts religiously affiliated institutions from paying directly for birth control for their workers, instead making insurance companies responsible.

AP - Their kidnappers gave them tea and dried fruit, and talked about religion and tribal rights. The California women were allowed to bring their Egyptian tour guide with them. One even put out his cigarette in the car when a hostage said the smoke was bothering her.

AP - The U.S.-led coalition has unleashed a new offensive against one of Afghanistan's most lethal militant networks and plans to ramp up operations next year along the border with Pakistan before the American drawdown gathers steam, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan said Wednesday.

AP - The Obama administration is edging closer to calling for an end to the long rule of the Assad family in Syria. Administration officials said Tuesday that the first step would be to say for the first time that President Bashar Assad has forfeited his legitimacy to rule, a major policy shift that would amount to a call for regime change that has questionable support in the world community.

AP - Former UConn women's basketball star Diana Taurasi is adamant: No matter what the test results showed, she never used performance-enhancing drugs.

AP - President Felipe Calderon calls Tijuana a success in his four-year-old war on drug cartels, though he is unsure that making the border city safer has reduced the flow of drugs to the United States.

AFP - Paula Creamer, who played through the pain of a sore thumb, birdied two of her final five holes in the final round for a four-shot victory at the 65th US Women's Open.

AP - The Obama administration on Friday renewed calls for Iran to immediately release three American hikers detained for nearly nine months and also appealed to the Iranian government to issue their families visas to visit them.

AP - A New Jersey man who has fought for five years to regain custody of his young son in Brazil would allow the boy's Brazilian family visitation if he wins his case, he told The Associated Press on Sunday.

AP - A New Jersey man who has fought for five years to regain custody of his young son in Brazil would allow the boy's Brazilian family visitation if he wins his case, he told The Associated Press on Sunday.

AP - Michelle Wie has failed to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open. Wie shot a 74 in the second round of qualifying Monday, and missed by one shot.

AP - Libya wants to open a new chapter in relations with the United States by investing some of its $100 billion sovereign wealth fund in U.S. companies and sending thousands of students to study in America, the son of Libya's leader said Friday.

Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, is seen in a Friday, June 27, 2008 file photo in Ankara, Turkey. Asif Ali Zardari said Monday, Nov. 10, 2008 that Pakistan is succeeding in its fight against Islamic extremists close to the border with Afghanistan, even though the campaign is being hampered by U.S. missile strikes in the region. (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)" border="0" />AP - Pakistan's leader said Monday he expects President-elect Barack Obama to re-evaluate the need for U.S. military strikes on al-Qaida and Taliban targets on Pakistan's side of the Afghan border. In an interview with The Associated Press, President Asif Ali Zardari warned that the surge in missile attacks since August was hurting Pakistan's own fight against the militants — a campaign he said was succeeding nonetheless.

Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and Katie Smith react during the women's gold medal basketball game at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. (AP Photo/Dusan Vranic)" border="0" />AP - Lisa Leslie and the U.S. women's basketball team were once again too good for Australia at the Olympics.

Korea Alexander Vershbow upon her arrival at Seoul Military Airport in Seongnam, South Korea, Saturday, June 28, 2008. (AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)" border="0" />AP - The United States plans to introduce a U.N. resolution next week calling for tough action against Zimbabwe's government, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday, to prevent the country's leaders from further abusing its population.