MUNICH (Reuters) - The leader of the Syrian opposition was expected to meet U.S., Russian and U.N. officials on Saturday at a Munich conference which may provide a rare chance to overcome differences on how to end Syria's civil war. U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden, head of the Syrian National Coalition Moaz Alkhatib, U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov were all expected to meet - but not necessarily all at the same table, as the opposition hoped. ...

TIMBUKTU, Mali (Reuters) - French President Francois Hollande flew to Mali on Saturday to support French troops fighting Islamist rebels in the Sahel nation, and he visited the famed ancient city of Timbuktu that was recaptured from al Qaeda-allied fighters six days ago. Hollande, accompanied by his ministers for defense, foreign affairs and development, was greeted by a group of dancers and singers at Timbuktu airport and then went on to visit the Grand Mosque in the UNESCO World Heritage Site city. ...

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — A Turkish official says a suicide bomber who struck the American Embassy in Ankara spent four years in prison on terrorism charges before being released for a brain disorder contracted while on hunger strike.

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) — Militants attacked an army post in northwestern Pakistan with automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenades and suicide vests before dawn on Saturday, killing 23 people including 10 civilians, officials said. Twelve attackers were also reported killed in the assault.

MUNICH (AP) — U.S. Vice President Joe Biden is telling an international security conference that there's still time for diplomacy to succeed in resolving concerns over Iran's nuclear program — but he's insisting that it's up to Tehran to show good faith.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Retired Roman Catholic Cardinal Roger Mahony defended his tattered legacy Friday in a sharply worded letter to his successor, one day after Archbishop Jose Gomez stripped him of his administrative duties and bowed to a court order to release thousands of pages of confidential files on sexually abusive priests.

CHICAGO (AP) — A convicted murderer from Indiana who was mistakenly released following a Chicago court appearance was back in custody Saturday after authorities tracked him down about 60 miles away.

MIDLAND CITY, Ala. (AP) — As a police standoff with an Alabama man accused of holding a 5-year-old boy hostage in an underground bunker entered its fifth day, authorities were saying little except that their talks with the 65-year-old loner were continuing through a ventilation pipe.

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (AP) — Furry little Punxsutawney (puhnk-suh-TAW'-nee) Phil is ready to make his annual appearance out of Gobbler's Knob in west-central Pennsylvania.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio man pleaded guilty Friday to raping a boy at the center of sexual abuse allegations that have already landed the boy's adoptive father and another man long prison sentences.

BEIJING (AP) — Chinese authorities have detained four people, state media said Saturday, a day after at least 11 people died when a truck loaded with fireworks for Lunar New Year celebration exploded, collapsing an elevated portion of highway in central China.

A commercial Sea Launch rocket failed 40 seconds after liftoff from its floating launch platform in the Pacific Ocean.