WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is blaming the “fog of war” for inadvertently killing an American and an Italian during airstrikes aimed at al-Qaida in Pakistan. The two were being held hostage by the terror group. Obama is taking full responsibility for the January CIA strikes and is promising a review which House Speaker John Boehner calls “entirely appropriate.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden is staunchly defending President Barack Obama’s record of supporting Israel. Speaking today at a Washington gala marking Israel’s independence day, Biden downplayed the rift between the administration and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and reaffirmed U.S. support for a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict.

BOSTON (AP) — A law enforcement person says several relatives of marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (joh-HAHR’ tsahr-NEYE’-ehv) are in Boston as the defense prepares to present its case in the penalty phase of his trial. The prosecution has rested. Tsarnaev’s lawyers are set to begin presenting witnesses to the jury Monday. Tsarnaev will receive either life in prison or be executed.

CENTENNIAL, Colo. (AP) — The judge in the Colorado theater shooting case is denying the longstanding request by attorneys for James Holmes to move the death penalty trial to another county. He says he would have to search outside the state and perhaps even the country to find jurors who haven’t been exposed to extensive publicity. Opening statements are scheduled for Monday.

ROUND ROCK, Texas (AP) — A Texas police chief is denying that one of his officers used excessive force when he tackled a drunken woman in a parking lot in suburban Austin. Round Rock Chief Allen Banks told KVUE-TV that the woman “was very combative, very argumentative, and also very intoxicated.” He says dash cam video shows the officer behaved professionally.