Aso announces bid to lead Japan's ruling party

By JAY ALABASTER

Brash, right-leaning former Foreign Minister Taro Aso announced Friday that he will run for ruling party president in a move that would put him on track to take over as Japan's next prime minister.

Rice meets Gadhafi on historic visit to Libya

By MATTHEW LEE

The United States and Libya sealed a historic turnaround after decades of terrorist killings, American retaliation, suspicions and insults with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's peacemaking visit Friday with Moammar Gadhafi, Libya's mercurial strongman.