AFP - Mining giant Rio Tinto has confirmed a huge take-up for its record rights offering after investors snapped up the Australian portion, allowing it to pay off a large chunk of its heavy debt.

AFP - Honduran coup leaders raised the possibility of early elections to solve the country's political crisis, hours before the head of the Organization of American States was due to arrive in Tegucigalpa.

AFP - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has arrived in Myanmar's commercial hub Yangon for talks with the ruling junta aimed at seeking the release of political prisoners, according to local officials.

Reuters - South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, who faces growing calls to quit over an extramarital affair, did not misuse public funds in trips he made to see his mistress, the state's top police official said on Thursday.

AP - African leaders have agreed to a Libyan-driven push to transform the African Union and nominally greatly extend its power.

AP - The nation's police departments are clamoring for an unprecedented amount of federal aid to forestall big local tax hikes or the possible layoff of nearly 40,000 police officers — enough to staff the entire New York City Police Department.