Competing death chants...Israel seizes ship...health care countdown

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) In Tehran, chants of "Death to America" have been competing with cries of "Death to the dictator." On this, the 30th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy takeover, opposition protesters took to the streets of the Iranian capital, clashing with security forces near a government rally.

JERUSALEM (AP) Iran is denying an Israeli claim that a ship was carrying hundreds of tons of weapons from Iran bound for Hezbollah (hez-BUH'-lah) guerrillas in Lebanon. Israel says its commandos found an Iranian document on board the ship. Iran says there were no weapons.

KABUL (AP) Afghanistan's former foreign minister is calling President Hamid Karzai's election victory illegal and his government a failure. Abdullah Abdullah had challenged Karzai in the election, but opted not to participate in a runoff, saying it could not be free or fair.

Washington (AP) On Capitol Hill, the legislative clock is ticking toward a House floor vote on health care overhaul. House Democrats cleared the way for the pivotal vote as early as the weekend, after tweaking their 1,900-page bill to crack down harder on insurance companies.

CLEVELAND (AP) A convicted rapist who lived among 10 corpses is being held without bond. Anthony Sowell appeared in court under tight security, wearing a blue paper jumpsuit typically used when an inmate might be a suicide risk. Investigators are preparing to begin tearing apart walls inside Sowell's house.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 11-04-09 1240CST | save this article / add to your favorites list