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AFP - Carter, on a rare trip by a Western dignitary, was greeted at an official ceremony at Pyongyang airport by North Korean vice foreign minister and nuclear envoy Kim Kye-Gwan, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.

AP - Iran said Wednesday that it has successfully test-fired an upgraded version of a short-range surface-to-surface missile.

AP - The cleanup of history's worst peacetime oil spill is generating thousands of tons of oil-soaked debris that is ending up in local landfills, some of which were already dealing with environmental concerns.

AP - Promising medical research is in disarray as scientists await an appeal by the Obama administration of a judge's ruling that undercuts taxpayer-funded research using human embryonic stem cells.

AP - Former Pittsburgh Steelers coach Bill Cowher says it was hard to get through to Ben Roethlisberger after the quarterback had so much success early in his career.

AP - Pakistan will have to demonstrate it can spend relief funds transparently and well if it wants more help in rebuilding after its massive floods, the U.S. aid chief said, as the United Nations appealed urgently for more helicopters to ferry aid to around 800,000 stranded people.

AP - A major Chinese airline had questioned the safety of nighttime flights at the airport in northeastern China where a passenger jet crashed and burned while trying to land at night on a fog-shrouded runway, killing 42 people and injuring 54.

AP - The original Kermit the Frog from Jim Henson's Muppets collection is coming home to Washington where the characters were created in the 1950s.

Reuters - Representative Kendrick Meek won Florida's Democratic Senate primary on Tuesday and will square off against Governor Charlie Crist and conservative Republican Marco Rubio in the closely watched November 2 election.

AFP - The Philippines on Wednesday suspended four police officers over a hostage crisis that left eight Hong Kong tourists dead, amid outrage over a myriad of mistakes in the chaotic end to the stand-off.

AFP - A Chinese airliner smashed in two while attempting to land in heavy fog, leaving at least 42 people dead and 54 survivors in the country's first major air disaster in nearly six years.

Reuters - Over "midnight chow" just hours before leaving Iraq, U.S. soldiers had no illusions about the challenges that lie ahead for the Baghdad government.

AP - The Houston Astros' wild 4-2 win over Philadelphia lasted 16 innings, over 5 hours, and saw Phillies pitcher Roy Oswalt play left field and ground into the final out Tuesday night.

Reuters - Central bankers from around the world will assess a darkening economic outlook at their annual U.S. mountain retreat this week with discussion of printing yet more money to spur growth on the agenda.

AP - Jorge De La Rosa pitched seven effective innings and Carlos Gonzalez hit his 26th home run to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 5-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.