AP - Apple Inc., on a tear with its popular iPod players and Macintosh computers, is expected to report strong quarterly results Wednesday but will face lingering worries over the role its iconic CEO played in its stock options backdating troubles.

AP - The Phoenix Suns' offense is racing at top speed, and that Game 2 jinx is history. The Suns revved up their frenetic style to near perfection on Tuesday night in a 126-98 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers that put Phoenix up 2-0 in the best-of-seven first-round series.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia prepared to bury former President Boris Yeltsin on Wednesday, mourning the man who dismantled the Soviet Union and piloted the country in its first chaotic years of independence.

AP - House Democratic leaders predict they will have enough votes to pass legislation requiring U.S. troops to begin leaving Iraq by Oct. 1 and send it on to President Bush for his promised veto.

Reuters - Russia prepared to bury former President Boris Yeltsin on Wednesday, mourning the man who dismantled the Soviet Union and piloted the country in its first chaotic years of independence.

AFP - Political mudslinging intensified Tuesday between US President George W. Bush's administration and Democrats, with no resolution in sight to the deepening deadlock over US troop pullout from Iraq.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia on Wednesday was burying Boris Yeltsin, the charismatic reformer who smashed the Soviet Union and bowed out of the Kremlin eight years later with his country free but in chaos.

GAZA (Reuters) - Egypt stepped in on Wednesday to try to restore Hamas's truce with Israel in the Gaza Strip after the Islamist group's armed wing fired rockets into Israeli territory and declared the ceasefire dead.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The United States will make a new pitch to Russia at NATO talks in Oslo on Thursday over its planned missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, but diplomats doubt there will be any movement from Moscow soon.

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has detained four U.S. citizens demonstrating for a free Tibet and protesting the Beijing Olympics at the base of Mount Everest, an overseas activist group said on Wednesday.

AP - Mexico City lawmakers voted to legalize abortion during the first three months of pregnancy, a landmark decision likely to heighten church-state tensions in the Roman Catholic country and lead to a bitter court battle.

Reuters - Egypt stepped in on Wednesday to try to restore Hamas's truce with Israel in the Gaza Strip after the Islamist group's armed wing fired rockets into Israeli territory and declared the ceasefire dead.

Reuters - Russia on Wednesday was burying Boris Yeltsin, the charismatic reformer who smashed the Soviet Union and bowed out of the Kremlin eight years later with his country free but in chaos.

Reuters - The United States will make a new pitch to Russia at NATO talks in Oslo on Thursday over its planned missile defense shield in Eastern Europe, but diplomats doubt there will be any movement from Moscow soon.

Reuters - China has detained four U.S. citizens demonstrating for a free Tibet and protesting the Beijing Olympics at the base of Mount Everest, an overseas activist group said on Wednesday.

AFP - Russians on Wednesday flocked to bid a final farewell to Boris Yeltsin on a national day of mourning for the funeral of the man who brought down the Soviet Union and forced through painful democratic reforms.

AFP - Ethiopia on Wednesday accused arch-foe Eritrea of supporting the rebels behind an attack on a remote Chinese-run oil field that killed 74 people, including nine Chinese workers.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The U.S. military said on Wednesday it had killed a senior al Qaeda in Iraq figure who it accused of leading a cell which sent children as young as 12 on suicide car bomb missions.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton embraced Boris Yeltsin's widow with one of his trademark hugs on Wednesday as he paid his last respects to the man with whom he formed a diplomatic double act in the 1990s.

ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran's nuclear negotiator said he expected the European Union to float 'new ideas' at talks on Wednesday over Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.

AP - A roadside bomb attack on an Afghan military convoy in eastern Afghanistan left seven soldiers dead Wednesday, a day after militants ambushed a police car in the west, killing four officers, officials said.

AP - A massive spring storm plowed toward the Midwest early Wednesday after dumping more than a foot of snow on the Colorado foothills and spawning a tornado that killed nine people along the Texas-Mexico border.

AP - Stocks were poised to open higher Wednesday as strong profits from Amazon.com and investor optimism ahead of a new batch of earnings and economic data made the 13,000 milestone appear more attainable for the Dow Jones industrials.

AP - The way Dwyane Wade sees it, this first-round series with the Chicago Bulls is a long way from over. In fact, it hasn't even begun in his mind.

Reuters - The U.S. military said on Wednesday it had killed a senior al Qaeda in Iraq figure who it accused of leading a cell which sent children as young as 12 on suicide car bomb missions.

Reuters - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton embraced Boris Yeltsin's widow with one of his trademark hugs on Wednesday as he paid his last respects to the man with whom he formed a diplomatic double act in the 1990s.

Reuters - Iran's nuclear negotiator said he expected the European Union to float "new ideas" at talks on Wednesday over Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment.

AFP - Russia bade a grandiose farewell Wednesday to Boris Yeltsin, along with former world leaders who eagerly supported the former president through the traumatic era of post-Soviet reform.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United Nations criticized Iraq's government on Wednesday for not disclosing politically sensitive civilian casualty figures and said the humanitarian crisis there was rapidly worsening.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A gun-carriage pulled former Russian President Boris Yeltsin's coffin through the streets of Moscow on Wednesday to the cemetery where he is to be buried with full state honors.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert opted on Wednesday for limited military action in Gaza after Hamas's armed wing fired rockets into Israel and declared a ceasefire in the territory dead, political sources said.

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - A tornado killed six people and injured more than 80 when it slammed into a small border community in Texas overnight, officials said on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush said on Tuesday he was ordering implementation of a government-wide 'action plan' to improve health care and related services for U.S. troops and returning veterans.

AP - The House has scheduled a vote today on a bill that would require U.S. troops to begin pulling out of Iraq by Oct. 1. Democratic leaders predict they will have enough votes to pass the legislation and send it on to President Bush for his promised veto.

AP - A massive spring storm plowed toward the Midwest early Wednesday after dumping more than a foot of snow on the Colorado foothills and spawning a tornado that killed nine people along the Texas-Mexico border.

AP - Russia bid a solemn farewell Wednesday to Boris Yeltsin, its first post-Soviet leader, in a funeral presided over by some two dozen white-robed priests, with a crowd of dignitaries including President Vladimir Putin and two former U.S. leaders in attendance.

AP - The Iraqi government withheld recent casualty figures from the United Nations, fearing they would be used to present a grim picture of Iraq that would undermine the coalition's security efforts, U.N. officials said Wednesday.

AP - Authorities arrested a suspect Wednesday morning in the case of two pipe bombs that were mailed to financial companies in Chicago and Kansas City, Mo., along with threatening letters signed 'The Bishop,' the U.S. Postal Inspection Service said.

AP - More than four years after an actress was shot to death at Phil Spector's hilltop mansion, a jury must decide whether the music producer murdered her. Opening statements in Spector's trial were scheduled for Wednesday.

AP - The Chicago Bulls and the Phoenix Suns took 2-0 leads in their opening round NBA playoff series and the Toronto Raptors evened their series with the New Jersey Nets 1-1.

Reuters - The United Nations criticized Iraq's government on Wednesday for not disclosing politically sensitive civilian casualty figures and said the humanitarian crisis there was rapidly worsening.

Reuters - A gun-carriage pulled former Russian President Boris Yeltsin's coffin through the streets of Moscow on Wednesday to the cemetery where he is to be buried with full state honors.

Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday considered military options in the Gaza Strip after Hamas's armed wing fired rockets into Israel and declared a ceasefire dead.

Reuters - A tornado killed six people and injured more than 80 when it slammed into a small border community in Texas overnight, officials said on Wednesday.

Reuters - President George W. Bush said on Tuesday he was ordering implementation of a government-wide "action plan" to improve health care and related services for U.S. troops and returning veterans.

AFP - Russia bade a grand farewell Wednesday to Boris Yeltsin, along with former world leaders who eagerly supported the former president through the traumatic era of post-Soviet reform.

AFP - Ethiopia on Wednesday accused arch-foe Eritrea of supporting the rebels who attacked a remote Chinese-run oil venture, killing 74 people and abducting up to seven Chinese workers.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday on an onslaught of higher-than-expected earnings and Alcoa Inc.'s plan to explore the sale of its packaging business, pushing the Dow to 13,000 for the first time.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Boris Yeltsin's sobbing widow stooped over his open coffin to kiss his face on Wednesday moments before the first president of independent Russia was buried with full state honors.

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - A tornado killed 10 people and injured more than 80 when it slammed into towns on Texas-Mexico border overnight, officials said on Wednesday.

DUBAI (Reuters) - Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden is orchestrating militants' operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior commander of Afghan Islamist group Taliban said in remarks broadcast on Wednesday.

AP - Search teams worked their way through wreckage-strewn neighborhoods in this border town Wednesday after a tornado killed at least 10 people and destroyed two schools and more than 20 homes.

AP - Russia bade a solemn farewell Wednesday to Boris Yeltsin, its first post-Soviet president, with a sonorous funeral under the gilded arches of a cathedral near the Kremlin and burial in a leafy cemetery near the banks of the Moscow River.

AP - The Dow Jones industrial average shot past 13,000 for the first time Wednesday as stronger-than-expected earnings reports streamed in, suggesting to investors that corporate America is successfully weathering the cooling economy.

AP - Authorities arrested a man Wednesday suspected of mailing dud pipe bombs to financial companies in Chicago and Kansas City, Mo., and threatening letters that were signed 'The Bishop,' federal officials said.

AP - A House committee voted Wednesday to grant immunity to Monica Goodling, a key aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales during the firings of eight U.S. attorneys. She had refused to testify, invoking her Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

AP - Rosie O'Donnell's stormy tenure on 'The View' will be a short one. The opinionated host was unable to agree on a contract with ABC, and she'll leave the show in June.

Reuters - U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday on an onslaught of higher-than-expected earnings and Alcoa Inc.'s plan to explore the sale of its packaging business, pushing the Dow to 13,000 for the first time.

Reuters - Boris Yeltsin's sobbing widow stooped over his open coffin to kiss his face on Wednesday moments before the first president of independent Russia was buried with full state honors.

Reuters - Al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden is orchestrating militants' operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, a senior commander of Afghan Islamist group Taliban said in remarks broadcast on Wednesday.

Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert opted on Wednesday for limited military action in Gaza after Hamas's armed wing fired rockets into Israel and declared a ceasefire in the territory dead, political sources said.

AFP - Russia bade a solemn farewell Wednesday to Boris Yeltsin with an ornate state funeral that saw President Vladimir Putin and two former US presidents pay tribute to the man who brought democracy to the ruins of the Soviet Union.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stocks rose on Wednesday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average above 13,000 for the first time, boosted by stronger-than-expected profits and Alcoa Inc.'s plan to sell its packaging unit.

PORTSMOUTH, New Hampshire (Reuters) - Faced with questions about his age and all-out support for the Iraq war, Republican Sen. John McCain pitched his experience in seeking to breathe fresh life into his presidential campaign on Wednesday in New Hampshire.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Federal agents charged a 42-year-old Iowa machinist on Monday with being 'The Bishop,' a shadowy figure who sent threats and unarmed bombs to U.S. investment houses in an effort to influence stock prices.

BERLIN (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates dismissed on Wednesday comments by Russia's foreign minister, who accused Washington of presenting its plans for a missile shield in central Europe as a fait accompli.

ANKARA (Reuters) - Iran said it expected the EU to float new ideas at talks on Wednesday to try and end a standoff over Tehran's refusal to suspend uranium enrichment that the West fears could be used for nuclear weapons.

AP - The Dow Jones industrial average shot past 13,000 for the first time Wednesday as stronger-than-expected earnings reports streamed in, suggesting to investors that corporate America is successfully weathering the cooling economy.

AP - Republican John McCain officially entered the 2008 presidential race Wednesday, stressing his experience honed in war and Washington as he sought to revive his struggling campaign.

AP - An Iowa machinist was arrested Wednesday and charged with sending dud pipe bombs and threatening letters to investment companies in Denver and Kansas City in an effort to drive up stock prices. Authorities said he signed the messages 'The Bishop.'

AP - In rapid succession, congressional committees Wednesday ramped up their investigations of the Bush administration by approving a subpoena for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and granting immunity to a key aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

AP - Rosie O'Donnell's stormy tenure on 'The View' will be a short one. The opinionated host was unable to agree on a contract with ABC, and she'll leave the show in June.

AP - Red Wings forward Tomas Holmstrom has an eye injury that will sideline him Thursday night when Detroit opens its second-round series against San Jose.

Reuters - Stocks rose on Wednesday, sending the Dow Jones industrial average above 13,000 for the first time, boosted by stronger-than-expected profits and Alcoa Inc.'s plan to sell its packaging unit.

Reuters - The United Nations accused Iraq on Wednesday of withholding sensitive civilian casualty figures because it fears they would be used to paint a "very grim" picture of a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Reuters - A tornado killed 10 people and injured more than 80 when it slammed into towns on Texas-Mexico border overnight, officials said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Faced with questions about his age and all-out support for the Iraq war, Republican Sen. John McCain pitched his experience in seeking to breathe fresh life into his presidential campaign on Wednesday in New Hampshire.

Reuters - Federal agents charged a 42-year-old Iowa machinist on Monday with being "The Bishop," a shadowy figure who sent threats and unarmed bombs to U.S. investment houses in an effort to influence stock prices.

Reuters - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates dismissed on Wednesday comments by Russia's foreign minister, who accused Washington of presenting its plans for a missile shield in central Europe as a fait accompli.

AFP - EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana met Wednesday with Iran's nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani in a new attempt to find a way through the crisis over the Islamic republic's nuclear programme.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic lawmakers voted on Wednesday to subpoena Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to testify about administration justifications for the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Boris Yeltsin's sobbing widow stooped over his open coffin to kiss his face on Wednesday before the first president of independent Russia was lowered into the ground to the boom of a six-gun salute.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United Nations accused Iraq on Wednesday of withholding sensitive civilian casualty figures because the government fears the data would be used to paint a 'very grim' picture of a worsening humanitarian crisis.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks rallied on Wednesday, pushing the Dow average above 13,000 for the first time and the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 to multi-year highs, buoyed by solid profits and Alcoa Inc.'s plan to sell a business unit.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A mathematical formula can now predict how the frothy head on a beer changes over time, a finding that may have a wide range of commercial uses beyond pulling the perfect pint, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Federal agents charged a 42-year-old Iowa machinist on Wednesday with being 'The Bishop,' a shadowy figure who sent threats and unarmed bombs to U.S. investment houses in an effort to influence stock prices.

AP - The massacre inside a chained-shut Norris Hall went on for nine minutes as Seung-Hui Cho fired off 170 rounds, killing 30 people before shooting himself in the head, police revealed Wednesday. But they said investigators still don't know why Cho launched the bloody attack on his fellow students at Virginia Tech.

AP - In rapid succession, congressional committees Wednesday ramped up their investigations of the Bush administration by approving a subpoena for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and granting immunity to a former key aide to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

AP - Rick Carlisle was fired Wednesday after four tumultuous years as Indiana Pacers coach, following a season in which the team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

Reuters - U.S. Democratic lawmakers voted on Wednesday to subpoena Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to testify about administration justifications for the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Reuters - Boris Yeltsin's sobbing widow stooped over his open coffin to kiss his face on Wednesday before the first president of independent Russia was lowered into the ground to the boom of a six-gun salute.

Reuters - The United Nations accused Iraq on Wednesday of withholding sensitive civilian casualty figures because the government fears the data would be used to paint a "very grim" picture of a worsening humanitarian crisis.

Reuters - U.S. stocks rallied on Wednesday, pushing the Dow average above 13,000 for the first time and the Nasdaq and the S&P 500 to multi-year highs, buoyed by solid profits and Alcoa Inc.'s plan to sell a business unit.

Reuters - A mathematical formula can now predict how the frothy head on a beer changes over time, a finding that may have a wide range of commercial uses beyond pulling the perfect pint, U.S. researchers said on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Democrats predicted on Wednesday they would win passage of a hotly contested bill that aims to bring U.S. combat troops out of Iraq early next year and which President George W. Bush has said he will veto.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Dow powered to a close above 13,000 for the first time and the broader market rose to its highest level in more than six years on Wednesday, buoyed by a steady parade of strong profit reports and reassuring news on the economy.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Seung-Hui Cho took just nine minutes to fire more than 170 rounds of ammunition as he gunned down dozens of his fellow students and staff at Virginia Tech last week, police said on Wednesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Wednesday said it continued to support World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, despite calls for his resignation from the European Parliament.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A Florida doctor accused of swearing allegiance to al Qaeda and agreeing to treat wounded militants has been unfairly ensnared in the scheme of a longtime friend, a defense lawyer argued on Wednesday.

AP - It wasn't supposed to be this way.

AP - President Bush hopes someone is held responsible for the U.S. military's mishandling of information about the death of former football star Pat Tillman in Afghanistan, the White House said Wednesday.

AP - Dozens of search and rescue crews scoured the mangled remains of houses and trailer homes Wednesday for more victims of tornadoes that killed at least 10 people in this border community and its Mexican neighbor. An 11th victim died in Louisiana.

AP - Swiss scientist Michel Mayor, who heads the European team that announced the discovery of a new potentially habitable planet, has his sights set on an even bigger target, detecting signs of extraterrestrial life.

AP - Her tenure short but hardly sweet, Rosie O'Donnell said Wednesday she will leave 'The View' in June after less than a year of feuds, headlines and higher ratings for ABC.

Reuters - House Democrats predicted on Wednesday they would win passage of a hotly contested bill that aims to bring U.S. combat troops out of Iraq early next year and which President George W. Bush has said he will veto.

Reuters - The Dow powered to a close above 13,000 for the first time and the broader market rose to its highest level in more than six years on Wednesday, buoyed by a steady parade of strong profit reports and reassuring news on the economy.

Reuters - Seung-Hui Cho took just nine minutes to fire more than 170 rounds of ammunition as he gunned down dozens of his fellow students and staff at Virginia Tech last week, police said on Wednesday.

Reuters - The White House on Wednesday said it continued to support World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, despite calls for his resignation from the European Parliament.

Reuters - A Florida doctor accused of swearing allegiance to al Qaeda and agreeing to treat wounded militants has been unfairly ensnared in the scheme of a longtime friend, a defense lawyer argued on Wednesday.

AFP - The Iranian and EU nuclear negotiators said after meeting Wednesday that they would continue with their new attempt to resolve the crisis over Tehran's atomic ambitions with a new session in about two weeks.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - House Democrats predicted on Wednesday they would win passage of a hotly contested war funding bill with a timetable to pull American troops out of Iraq, saying information from the top U.S. commander there had only reinforced their position.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Dow powered to a close above 13,000 for the first time and the broader market rose to its highest level in more than six years on Wednesday, buoyed by a steady parade of strong profit reports and reassuring news on the economy.

OSLO (Reuters) - The United States will make a fresh pitch to Russia at a NATO meeting in Oslo on Thursday over its planned missile defence shield in Eastern Europe despite new criticism from Moscow.

STRASBOURG, France (Reuters) - The European Parliament on Wednesday called for the resignation of World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, adding to the pressure on the head of the poverty-fighting institution to step down.

AP - Democrats brushed off a White House veto threat and pleas for patience from the top U.S. commander in Iraq Wednesday and pushed toward a vote demanding that troops begin coming home this fall.

AP - BLACKSBURG, Va. — The bloodbath lasted nine minutes — enough time for Seung-Hui Cho to unleash 170 rounds from his two pistols, or about one shot every three seconds.

AP - It looks like cause for celebration: The Dow Jones industrial average surged from 12,000 to 13,000 in just six months. But appearances can be deceiving, and there may be more reason to worry than rejoice about Wall Street's latest accomplishment.

Reuters - House Democrats predicted on Wednesday they would win passage of a hotly contested war funding bill with a timetable to pull American troops out of Iraq, saying information from the top U.S. commander there had only reinforced their position.

Reuters - The Dow powered to a close above 13,000 for the first time and the broader market rose to its highest level in more than six years on Wednesday, buoyed by a steady parade of strong profit reports and reassuring news on the economy.

Reuters - The United States will make a fresh pitch to Russia at a NATO meeting in Oslo on Thursday over its planned missile defence shield in Eastern Europe despite new criticism from Moscow.

Reuters - The European Parliament on Wednesday called for the resignation of World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz, adding to the pressure on the head of the poverty-fighting institution to step down.

AFP - The Iranian and EU nuclear negotiators reported progress in a new effort to resolve the crisis over Tehran's atomic ambitions and said they would meet again in two weeks.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defying President George W. Bush's veto threat, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill providing about $100 billion in new war funds while setting a non-binding March 31 goal for withdrawing all American combat troops from Iraq.

AP - Democratic presidential candidates on Wednesday rebuked Republican rival Rudy Giuliani for suggesting that the United States could face another major terrorist attack if a Democrat is elected in 2008. The former New York mayor did not back down.

AP - Authorities recovered a body Wednesday night from the shell of a house destroyed by fire after police raided it in search of a man suspected of shooting three New York state troopers, one fatally.

AP - Sister Suzanne Vandenheede likes tomato soup. The 76-year-old nun from Omaha's Servants of Mary likes it so much she's been known to eat it for lunch every day for a week or more. And when she has, she's practically licked the bowl clean.

AP - Divorced dad Alec Baldwin, caught yelling at his daughter on a voicemail message, said Wednesday he asked NBC to let him out of his '30 Rock' contract so he can devote his time to the issue of 'parental alienation.'

AP - Wendy's International Inc. announced Wednesday that it has created a special committee of directors to consider a possible sale of the company, among other options. Wendy's shares surged more than 12 percent in after-hours trading.

AP - Now that Rick Carlisle is out as the coach of the Indiana Pacers, the team needs to figure out what is next. Carlisle was fired Wednesday after a season in which the team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

Reuters - House Democrats predicted on Wednesday they would win passage of a hotly contested war funding bill with a timetable to pull American troops out of Iraq, saying information from the top U.S. commander there had only reinforced their position.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The United Nations accused Iraq on Wednesday of withholding sensitive civilian casualty figures because the government fears the data would be used to paint a 'very grim' picture of a worsening humanitarian crisis.

AP - A sharply divided House brushed aside a veto threat Wednesday and passed legislation that would order President Bush to begin withdrawing troops from Iraq by Oct. 1.

AP - Authorities recovered a body Wednesday night from the shell of a house destroyed by fire after police raided it in search of a man suspected of shooting three New York state troopers, one fatally.

AP - A federal prisoner who fled after being released from custody to determine whether he could donate a kidney to his ailing son was located with his girlfriend Wednesday in Mexico.

AP - Charity was the 'American Idol' theme Wednesday night, and the generosity flowed to the contestants, too — no one was voted off the show. After a parade of pop stars, including Kelly Clarkson and Celine Dion, Ryan Seacrest announced the non-result: 'All your favorites are still in the competition. How could we let anyone go on a charity night?'

AP - A man was held Wednesday on charges that he performed dental work on customers without a license in his 'filthy' garage, authorities said. Roger Bean, 60, was arrested Tuesday and held on $6,000 bond.

AP - Usually a member of Cleveland's supporting cast, Drew Gooden stepped into a co-starring role in Game 2. With LeBron James playing cautiously on a sprained left ankle, Gooden scored 19 of his 24 points before halftime Wednesday night, powering the Cavaliers to a 109-102 victory over the Washington Wizards and a 2-0 lead in their first-round series.

Reuters - Defying President George W. Bush's veto threat, the House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a bill providing new war funds while setting a timeline for the withdrawal of all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by March 31 next year.

AFP - Ignoring the promise of a veto by President George W. Bush, the US House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a war funding bill that includes a timetable for pulling US troops out of Iraq.