Rice Says Diplomacy Can Succeed in Iran BERLIN - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined British and German allies pledging Friday to help Israel and the Palestinians seize an opening for peace in the Middle East.

Ruling Could Cripple U.S. Case Vs. Tobacco WASHINGTON - An appeals court Friday dealt a major blow to the government's attempt to hold the tobacco industry accountable for decades of alleged deceit about the dangers of smoking, ruling the Justice Department can't seek $280 billion in penalties.

French Criticize Music Download Crackdown PARIS - Dozens of French musicians, intellectuals and politicians are criticizing what they call a "repressive" crackdown against those who download music illegally over the Internet.

Fall Arrives at New York Fashion Week NEW YORK - The first trappings of fall aren't crunching leaves or a chill in the air - they're the brown, plum, wine and rust fabrics that designers Kenneth Cole, Jerry Kaye for Perry Ellis and John Bartlett previewed Friday, the opening day of New York Fashion Week.

UC Considers Using Barcodes for Cadavers BERKELEY, Calif. - Shaken by scandals involving the black-market sale of body parts, University of California officials are considering inserting supermarket-style barcodes or radio frequency devices in cadavers to keep track of them.

AP Top News At 8:08 p.m. EST Bush Plan Would Up Defense, Cut Farm Funds news://newsclip.ap.org/D8821O380@news.ap.org Shiite Ticket Has Big Lead in Iraq Vote news://newsclip.ap.org/D8821ON80@news.ap.org Rice Says Diplomacy Can Succeed in Iran news://newsclip.ap.org/D88217G00@news.ap.org Ruling Could Cripple U.S.

Bush Plan Would Up Defense, Cut Farm Funds WASHINGTON - President Bush will propose a nearly 5 percent increase for next year's defense spending while calling for cuts in payments to farmers and work on a nuclear waste storage site in Nevada, according to documents and federal officials.

Rice Says Diplomacy Can Succeed in Iran BERLIN - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined British and German allies pledging Friday to help Israel and the Palestinians seize an opening for peace in the Middle East.

Dow Closes Up 123 While Nasdaq Gains 29 NEW YORK - Investors found some reassurance in weak job growth figures Friday, and sent stocks sharply higher on a bet that the numbers will prompt Federal Reserve to be less aggressive in raising interest rates.

Embattled Secretary of Calif. to Resign SACRAMENTO, Calif. - California's embattled secretary of state announced his resignation Friday amid investigations into his handling of federal election funds and questionable campaign contributions.

Girl Misses End of Recess, Gets Locked Out BENNINGTON, Vt. - A 6-year-old first grader was locked out of the school after recess and spent an hour walking the streets before she was spotted by a relative.