PRESIDENTIAL RACE

BEDFORD, New Hampshire — Republican Donald Trump appeared poised to clinch his first victory in Tuesday's first-in-the-nation primary in New Hampshire following a humbling second-place finish in the leadoff Iowa caucuses, while Sen. Bernie Sanders was cruising to a likely win over Hillary Clinton in what has become an unexpectedly competitive Democratic race. 

FIGHTING-ISLAMIC STATE

WASHINGTON — To doubters of its strategy for defeating the Islamic State, the Obama administration likes to tout its coalition of 66 nations and claim strength in numbers. But a year and a half into the war, some administration officials are acknowledging that this supposed source of strength has its own weaknesses. 

ISLAMIC STATE HOSTAGE

WASHINGTON — The wife of a senior Islamic State leader who was killed in a U.S. raid last year has been charged in federal court with holding American Kayla Mueller hostage and with contributing to the aid worker's death, the Justice Department says.

CANADA-ISLAMIC STATE

TORONTO — Canada's prime minister on Monday announced that the country will end airstrikes against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq by Feb. 22, saying that "the people terrorized by ISIL every day don't need our vengeance, they need our help."

CANADA RADIO ASSAULT TRIAL

TORONTO) — The third witness at the sexual assault trial of a former Canadian Broadcast Corp. radio host acknowledged that she deliberately misled police when she didn't tell them that she had engaged in some sexual activity with him after the alleged assault took place. By Rob Gillies.

OBAMA-ZIKA

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama is asking Congress for more than $1.8 billion in emergency funding to fight the Zika virus and the mosquitoes that spread it here and abroad, but says "there shouldn't be a panic on this."

UNITED STATES-NKOREA-CHINA

WASHINGTON — North Korean nuclear and rocket tests are drawing quick responses from the U.S. that will upset a supposed partner against Pyongyang's weapons development — China. New efforts to toughen missile defense in South Korea and sanctions legislation moving swiftly through Congress could both hurt Chinese interests. The Chinese are concerned the missile defense system could be used against them, and the U.S. sanctions could hit Chinese companies that trade with North Korea. 

MEXICO-POPE-VIOLENCE

ECATEPEC, Mexico — Pope Francis' upcoming visit to this sprawling, dangerous, disastrously mismanaged Mexico City suburb of more than 1 million highlights the government's failures to solve rampant violence and corruption that plague many parts of the country.