UNITED STATES-AFGHANISTAN

WASHINGTON — When President Barack Obama leaves office in 15 months, he'll hand his successor military conflicts in the two countries where he promised to end prolonged war: Afghanistan and Iraq. There will be far fewer troops in each, and the American forces won't have a direct combat role. But for Obama, it's nevertheless a frustrating end to a quest that was central to his political rise. 

CANADA-OBIT-KEN TAYLOR

TORONTO (AP) — Ken Taylor, Canada's ambassador to Iran who sheltered Americans at his residence during the 1979 hostage crisis, has died at 81. 

HOSPITAL ATTACK-ABRIDGED

WASHINGTON — American special operations analysts were gathering intelligence on an Afghan hospital days before it was destroyed by a U.S. military attack because they believed it was being used by a Pakistani operative to coordinate Taliban activity, The Associated Press has learned. 

FORMER HOUSE SPEAKER-INDICTMENT

CHICAGO — Former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert intends to plead guilty in a federal hush-money case linked to allegations of sexual misconduct from decades ago, a defense attorney tells a federal judge. By Michael Tarm. 

LAMAR ODOM

LAS VEGAS — Authorities are retracing Lamar Odom's $75,000 visit to the brothel to find out why the former NBA and reality TV star was found unconscious. 

VENEZUELA-OPPOSITION POLITICIAN

CARACAS, Venezuela — A Venezuelan opposition leader who had been living in self-imposed exile is arrested after returning to the socialist South American country.

PRESIDENTIAL RACE-BIDEN

WASHINGTON — Vice President Joe Biden is nearing a decision about whether to run for president and would focus his campaign on middle-class issues, a top aide says. 

BRAZIL-CORRUPTION PROBE

RIO DE JANEIRO — Former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva testified before Brazilian federal prosecutors who are investigating allegations of influence peddling, the ex-leader's foundation says. 

DAILY FANTASY SPORTS-NEVADA

LAS VEGAS — Nevada regulators orders daily fantasy sports sites like DraftKings and FanDuel to shut down, saying the hard-to-miss sites that have flooded the marketplace with TV and Internet ads cannot operate in the state without a gambling license.