SEOUL (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton arrived in North Korea on Tuesday to try to win the release of two jailed U.S. journalists, a move some analysts said could mark the isolated state's return to dialogue over nuclear weapons.

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban militants fired at least nine rockets at the Afghan capital in a pre-dawn attack on Tuesday, police said, injuring a child and causing some damage in the biggest such attack in years.

AP - The Taliban are claiming they fired the rockets that have hit various Kabul neighborhoods, including near the American Embassy.

Reuters - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton arrived in North Korea on Tuesday to try to win the release of two jailed U.S. journalists, a move some analysts said could mark the isolated state's return to dialogue over nuclear weapons.

Reuters - Taliban militants fired at least nine rockets at the Afghan capital in a pre-dawn attack on Tuesday, police said, injuring a child and causing some damage in the biggest such attack in years.

AFP - Former US president Bill Clinton arrived in North Korea Tuesday on a surprise trip apparently aimed at negotiating the release of two American journalists sentenced to 12 years of hard labour.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to North Korea on Tuesday to try to win the release of two jailed U.S. journalists, a move some analysts said could mark the isolated state's return to dialogue over nuclear weapons.

KABUL (Reuters) - Taliban militants fired at least nine rockets at the Afghan capital before dawn on Tuesday in the biggest attack of its kind for several years, some landing near major Western embassies, police and witnesses said.

TOKYO/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Leading global automakers reported forecast-beating quarterly results on Tuesday, but continued to give cautious outlooks for the industry, which remains hard hit by weak demand and a lack of consumer credit.

YANGON (Reuters) - The American at the center of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's trial on security charges was admitted to hospital overnight after collapsing in prison, a U.S. Embassy official said Tuesday.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australian police arrested four men linked to a Somali militant group on Tuesday, accusing them of planning a suicide attack on an army base and raising concerns al Qaeda-linked militants were seeking targets outside Africa.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction opened its first conference in 20 years on Tuesday, set to endorse a two-state solution but keep an option of 'armed struggle' with Israel.

AP - North Korea welcomed former President Bill Clinton to Pyongyang with flowers and hearty handshakes Tuesday as he arrived in the communist nation on a surprise mission to bring home two jailed American journalists.

AP - A string of rockets slammed into Kabul at daybreak Tuesday in the first major attack on the relatively calm Afghan capital in the run-up to this month's presidential election, police and residents said.

AP - The Senate is starting a historic debate on Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor, who's on track to be confirmed this week to be the first Hispanic and third female justice.

AP - The local post office long has been the center of many American communities, but with people turning increasingly to the Internet to send messages and pay bills, financial losses are forcing the Postal Service to consider consolidating or closing hundreds of local facilities.

AP - Facing a White House deadline, Senate Democrats are struggling to win over enough reluctant Republicans to pass a $2 billion extension of a popular rebate program that gives consumers up to $4,500 to trade in their old gas guzzlers for more fuel-efficient vehicles.

AP - The status of three Americans believed held by Iranian authorities after they apparently illegally crossed the border from Iraq remained unknown Tuesday, despite efforts by Swiss diplomats to obtain details from the Iranian Foreign Minister.

AP - President Barack Obama is struggling to find a way to pay for an overhaul of the nation's health care system without violating his campaign promise not to raise taxes on the middle class.

AP - Ryan Braun had a three-run homer among his four hits, and Milwaukee closer Trevor Hoffman got Manny Ramirez on a bases-loaded fly to right to finish the Brewers' 6-5 victory over the road-weary Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night.

Reuters - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to North Korea on Tuesday to try to win the release of two jailed U.S. journalists, a move some analysts said could mark the isolated state's return to dialogue over nuclear weapons.

Reuters - Taliban militants fired at least nine rockets at the Afghan capital before dawn on Tuesday in the biggest attack of its kind for several years, some landing near major Western embassies, police and witnesses said.

Reuters - Leading global automakers reported forecast-beating quarterly results on Tuesday, but continued to give cautious outlooks for the industry, which remains hard hit by weak demand and a lack of consumer credit.

Reuters - The American at the center of Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's trial on security charges was admitted to hospital overnight after collapsing in prison, a U.S. Embassy official said Tuesday.

Reuters - Australian police arrested four men linked to a Somali militant group on Tuesday, accusing them of planning a suicide attack on an army base and raising concerns al Qaeda-linked militants were seeking targets outside Africa.

Reuters - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction opened its first conference in 20 years on Tuesday, set to endorse a two-state solution but keep an option of 'armed struggle' with Israel.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to North Korea on Tuesday to try to win the release of two jailed U.S. journalists, a move some analysts said could mark the isolated state's return to dialogue over nuclear weapons.

MADRID (Reuters) - Defeated Iranian presidential candidates Mehdi Karoubi and Mirhossein Mousavi will keep up protests against the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Karoubi was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran said on Tuesday three Americans detained in the country on Friday were being questioned by Iranian authorities, al-Alam television reported.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Abbas opened his Fatah movement's first conference in 20 years on Tuesday, saying Palestinians sought peace with Israel but 'resistance' would stay an option.

AP - Iran said Tuesday the three Americans who strayed across the border from Iraq are under arrest for illegal entry and claimed their case is being used by the West for propaganda. State media cast doubt on whether they were really hikers who lost their way, saying Western reports identified some as journalists.

Reuters - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to North Korea on Tuesday to try to win the release of two jailed U.S. journalists, a move some analysts said could mark the isolated state's return to dialogue over nuclear weapons.

Reuters - Defeated Iranian presidential candidates Mehdi Karoubi and Mirhossein Mousavi will keep up protests against the government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Karoubi was quoted as saying on Tuesday.

Reuters - Iran said on Tuesday three Americans detained in the country on Friday were being questioned by Iranian authorities, al-Alam television reported.

Reuters - President Mahmoud Abbas opened his Fatah movement's first conference in 20 years on Tuesday, saying Palestinians sought peace with Israel but 'resistance' would stay an option.

AFP - Former US president Bill Clinton arrived in North Korea on Tuesday on a surprise mission to free two jailed US journalists, in what was the highest-profile visit by an American to Pyongyang for nearly a decade.

AFP - Australian police said on Tuesday they had arrested four people after foiling a Somali-linked suicide plot to storm a military base in what would have been the country's worst extremist attack.

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australian police arrested four men they said were linked to a Somali militant group on Tuesday, accusing them of planning a suicide attack on an army base and raising fears the al Qaeda-linked rebels were seeking targets outside Africa.

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (Reuters) - President Mahmoud Abbas opened his Fatah movement's first congress in 20 years on Tuesday, saying Palestinians sought peace with Israel but 'resistance' would remain an option.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan should ease restraints on the military, partly to boost its alliance with Washington, a government panel proposed on Tuesday, but the opposition Democrats said they would re-think such plans if they took power.

AP - The Obama administration will convene a summit of experts to figure out what to do about the problem of texting while driving, a practice studies and a growing number of accidents show can be deadly.

AP - U.S. stock futures are pointing to a lower opening Tuesday as investors around the world pause after a recent runup, hoping for more confirmation that an economic recovery is underway.

AP - PayPal suffered periodic breakdowns that crimped Internet sales for more than four hours Monday.

AP - Clete Thomas didn't know how to react after hitting his first game-winning homer. Thomas homered with two outs in the ninth inning to lift the Detroit Tigers to a 6-5 victory over the Baltimore Orioles on Monday night.

Reuters - Australian police arrested four men they said were linked to a Somali militant group on Tuesday, accusing them of planning a suicide attack on an army base and raising fears the al Qaeda-linked rebels were seeking targets outside Africa.

Reuters - Chinese police have detained 718 people suspected of involvement in deadly ethnic rioting in northwestern Xinjiang region last month, the official Xinhua agency said on Tuesday.

AFP - An Iranian security official confirmed on Tuesday the arrest of three Americans for 'illegal entry' into Iran near the border with Iraq and said they are being interrogated.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to North Korea on Tuesday to try to win the release of two jailed American journalists, and met the country's reclusive leader Kim Jong-il.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumer spending rose slightly more than expected in June, a government report showed on Tuesday, likely pushed up by higher gasoline prices, and incomes saw their biggest drop in four-and-a-half years.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Tuesday the United States would present a Middle East peace plan within weeks and Israel should accept it.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese police have detained 718 people suspected of involvement in deadly ethnic rioting in northwestern Xinjiang region last month, the official Xinhua agency said on Tuesday.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Prominent defeated presidential candidate Mehdi Karoubi on Tuesday vowed to keep up pressure on President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad whose re-election sparked off Iran's worst unrest since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

AP - Former President Bill Clinton met Tuesday with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il on the first day of a surprise visit to Pyongyang, with the 'exhaustive' talks covering a wide range of topics, state-run media said.

AP - Consumers opened their wallets and pocketbooks a bit more in June, increasing their spending for the second straight month while saving a bit less, even as incomes fell sharply.

AP - The White House is turning to the Internet to hit back at a Web posting that claims to show President Barack Obama explaining how his health care reform plans eventually would eliminate private insurance.

AP - The Marine Corps is banning its troops from going onto Facebook, MySpace and other social network sites, citing a possible security risk.

Reuters - Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to North Korea on Tuesday to try to win the release of two jailed American journalists, and met the country's reclusive leader Kim Jong-il.

Reuters - U.S. consumer spending rose slightly more than expected in June, a government report showed on Tuesday, likely pushed up by higher gasoline prices, and incomes saw their biggest drop in four-and-a-half years.

Reuters - Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Tuesday the United States would present a Middle East peace plan within weeks and Israel should accept it.

Reuters - Chinese police have detained 718 people suspected of involvement in deadly ethnic rioting in northwestern Xinjiang region last month, the official Xinhua agency said on Tuesday.

AP - The Pentagon is reviewing the use of Facebook and other social networking sites on its computers with an eye toward setting rules on how to protect against possible security risks.

AP - New York Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce says he has no regrets about his actions in helping Plaxico Burress after his former teammate accidentally shot himself in the leg last November.

Reuters - President Mahmoud Abbas told his Fatah movement's first congress in 20 years on Tuesday that Palestinians sought peace with Israel but 'resistance' would remain an option.

AFP - Former US president Bill Clinton on Tuesday met North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il during a surprise visit to Pyongyang to try to negotiate the release of two jailed female US journalists.

AFP - Georgia warned of the risk of a new war with Russia on Tuesday as Moscow raised the battle-readiness of its forces ahead of the first anniversary of their war over the rebel South Ossetia region.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. consumers spent more in June and there was positive news for the housing market, but a big drop in incomes pointed to a slow recovery from the worst recession in decades.

GENEVA (Reuters) - The World Health Organization stuck on Tuesday to its statement that about two billion people could catch H1N1 influenza by the time the flu pandemic ends.

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Two prominent defeated Iranian presidential candidates said they would maintain their campaign against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election, which has sparked Iran's worst unrest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

AP - Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says his party's caucus has 'absolute unity' on the need to pass health care reform this year.

AP - Sudanese police fired tear gas and beat women protesting outside a Sudanese court Tuesday during the trial of a female journalist accused of violating the Islamic dress code by wearing trousers in public.

AP - Federal regulators on Tuesday added stronger warnings to a group of best-selling drugs used to treat arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, saying they can increase the risk of cancer in children and adolescents.

AP - It's the biggest movie of the summer that practically no one has seen.

AP - The Arena Football League is on the brink of folding and declaring bankruptcy, an inglorious end for the 22-year-old indoor league that has suffered through a year of turmoil.

Reuters - U.S. consumers spent more in June and there was positive news for the housing market, but a big drop in incomes pointed to a slow recovery from the worst recession in decades.

Reuters - The World Health Organization stuck on Tuesday to its statement that about two billion people could catch H1N1 influenza by the time the flu pandemic ends.

AFP - Former US president Bill Clinton, in North Korea to secure the freedom of imprisoned American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee, met with the pair on Tuesday, ABC News reported.

AFP - Georgia warned of the risk of a new war with Russia on Tuesday as Moscow raised the battle-readiness of its forces ahead of the first anniversary of their conflict over the rebel South Ossetia region.

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea released two jailed American journalists on Tuesday after a visit from former U.S. President Bill Clinton in the highest-level U.S. contact with Pyongyang since Clinton was president nearly a decade ago.

WASHINGTON Aug 4 (Reuters) - Democrats in the U.S. Senate said they were united in their desire for healthcare reform and vowed on Tuesday that they would push a bill through, with Republican support if at all possible.

RALEIGH, North Carolina (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors played FBI recordings in court on Tuesday as evidence that seven North Carolina terrorism suspects discussed waging 'jihad,' which can mean 'holy war,' as part of a conspiracy to conduct attacks overseas.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel is encouraged by recent U.S. vows to curb Iran's nuclear program, but still questions whether the Obama administration is willing to make good on the pledge 'no matter what,' an Israeli official said on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor appeared headed toward U.S. Senate approval as debate began on Tuesday, but it was unclear how the first Hispanic on the high court would ultimately rule during a lifetime appointment.

AP - North Korean leader Kim Jong Il issued a 'special pardon' for two jailed American journalists and ordered their release at former U.S. President Bill Clinton's request, North Korean media reported Wednesday.

AP - The Senate will vote to extend the popular 'cash-for-clunkers' program before going home on Friday, Majority Leader Harry Reid declared Tuesday in a strong signal the government won't let the trade-in rebates die under the surging demand that has almost exhausted federal backing.

AP - Iran has arrested three Americans who strayed across the border from Iraq on allegations they illegally entered the country, and a lawmaker said Tuesday that authorities are deciding whether they will be accused of spying.

AP - The Pentagon is reviewing the use of Facebook and other social networking sites on its computers with an eye toward setting rules on how to protect against possible security risks.

AP - As gasoline prices rose, Americans spent more in June than the previous month — despite falling incomes. For the rest of the year, economists expect falling wages and rising unemployment to act as a drag on spending.

AP - Bracing for an August showdown over health care reform, Senate Democrats and President Barack Obama declared themselves united Tuesday on their determination to enact an historic overhaul this year — ideally with Republican cooperation but without if necessary.

Reuters - North Korea released two jailed American journalists on Tuesday after a visit from former U.S. President Bill Clinton in the highest-level U.S. contact with Pyongyang since Clinton was president nearly a decade ago.

Reuters - Democrats in the U.S. Senate said they were united in their desire for healthcare reform and vowed on Tuesday that they would push a bill through, with Republican support if at all possible.

Reuters - U.S. prosecutors played FBI recordings in court on Tuesday as evidence that seven North Carolina terrorism suspects discussed waging 'jihad,' which can mean 'holy war,' as part of a conspiracy to conduct attacks overseas.

Reuters - Israel is encouraged by recent U.S. vows to curb Iran's nuclear program, but still questions whether the Obama administration is willing to make good on the pledge 'no matter what,' an Israeli official said on Tuesday.

Reuters - Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor appeared headed toward U.S. Senate approval as debate began on Tuesday, but it was unclear how the first Hispanic on the high court would ultimately rule during a lifetime appointment.

AFP - Former president Bill Clinton Wednesday secured the release of two female US journalists jailed in North Korea after a surprise mercy dash to meet veteran communist leader Kim Jong-Il in Pyongyang.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate will approve a $2 billion extension of the 'cash for clunkers' auto sales incentive by week's end, Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Tuesday, giving new life to a successful program that has boosted industry sales to a 2009 high.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A new U.S. government study on Tuesday adds to a growing list of experts concluding that climate legislation moving through Congress would have only a modest impact on consumers, adding a bit more than $100 to household costs in 2020.

AP - Roadblocks disappearing, the Senate cleared the way Tuesday for a vote giving eager car buyers until Labor Day to cash in on rebates up to $4,500 for trading in their gas-guzzlers for new, higher-mileage models.

AP - The Senate's top Republican said Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor fails the test of impartiality despite her impressive background while the leading Democrat defended her as a mainstream moderate Tuesday.

AP - Iran has arrested three Americans for illegally entering the country from neighboring Iraq and a prominent Iranian lawmaker said Tuesday that authorities were investigating whether to charge them with spying.

AP - A Long Island mother was very drunk, with an extra-large bottle of vodka in her car, and was smoking marijuana before she caused a wrong-way crash on a New York highway that killed her, her young daughter and six others, police said Tuesday.

AP - Buick ended more than 50 years of PGA Tour sponsorship Tuesday when it announced that it no longer will sponsor golf tournaments in Michigan and California because of the court-ordered restructuring of parent General Motors.

Reuters - North Korea ordered the release of two jailed American journalists on Tuesday after former U.S. President Bill Clinton held talks with Kim Jong-il and the reclusive and ailing leader issued what North Korea's KCNA news agency said was a 'special pardon' for the pair.

Reuters - The U.S. Senate will approve a $2 billion extension of the 'cash for clunkers' auto sales incentive by week's end, Majority Leader Harry Reid said on Tuesday, giving new life to a successful program that has boosted industry sales to a 2009 high.

Reuters - A new U.S. government study on Tuesday adds to a growing list of experts concluding that climate legislation moving through Congress would have only a modest impact on consumers, adding a bit more than $100 to household costs in 2020.

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Wednesday it had pardoned two jailed American journalists after former U.S. President Bill Clinton met the reclusive state's leader Kim Jong-il, a move some analysts said could pave the way to direct nuclear disarmament talks.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama rallied fellow Democrats on Tuesday for healthcare reform, and agreed they should give Republicans only until mid-September to get behind the plan.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Senate opened a spirited debate on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor -- with history indicating it is impossible to know how she may ultimately rule on the highest U.S. court.

AP - North Korean leader Kim Jong Il issued a 'special pardon' freeing two jailed American journalists after talks with former U.S. President Bill Clinton, North Korea's official news agency announced Wednesday.

AP - The Senate held a history-making debate Tuesday on confirming Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic justice, with Republican opponents asserting she would bring bias to the bench and Democratic supporters saying she was a mainstream moderate.

AP - Defense officials say two nuclear-powered Russian attack submarines have been patrolling in international waters off the East Coast for several days.

AP - Iran has arrested three Americans for illegally entering the country from neighboring Iraq and a prominent Iranian lawmaker said Tuesday that authorities were investigating whether to charge them with spying.

Reuters - North Korea said on Wednesday it had pardoned two jailed American journalists after former U.S. President Bill Clinton met the reclusive state's leader Kim Jong-il, a move some analysts said could pave the way to direct nuclear disarmament talks.

Reuters - President Barack Obama rallied fellow Democrats on Tuesday for healthcare reform, and agreed they should give Republicans only until mid-September to get behind the plan.

Reuters - The U.S. Senate opened a spirited debate on U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor -- with history indicating it is impossible to know how she may ultimately rule on the highest U.S. court.

AFP - Bill Clinton has safely left Pyongyang with two US journalists after they were pardoned by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, a spokesman for the former US president said Tuesday.

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea said on Wednesday it had pardoned two jailed American journalists after former U.S. President Bill Clinton met the reclusive state's leader Kim Jong-il, a move some analysts said could pave the way to direct nuclear disarmament talks.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - At least five people, including the gunman, were shot and killed during a shooting spree at a fitness center near Pittsburgh, according to media reports on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two nuclear-powered Russian attack submarines have been patrolling off the Eastern seaboard of the United States in recent days in a rare mission that has raised concerns inside the Pentagon, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - U.S. judges on Tuesday told California to prepare to release more than 40,000 of its 150,000 inmates to reduce overcrowding in state prisons, which suffer from massive healthcare problems.

AP - The Senate held a history-making debate Tuesday on confirming Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic justice, with Republican opponents asserting she would bring bias to the bench and Democratic supporters saying she was a mainstream moderate.

AP - Iran has arrested three Americans for illegally entering the country from neighboring Iraq and a prominent Iranian lawmaker said Tuesday that authorities were investigating whether to charge them with spying.

AP - As gasoline prices rose, Americans spent more in June than the previous month — despite falling incomes. For the rest of the year, economists expect falling wages and rising unemployment to act as a drag on spending.

AP - Bolstered by lucrative new uranium and oil projects, Niger's president plowed ahead Tuesday with a referendum likely to extend his rule for years past the constitutional limit and grant him what critics say are near-totalitarian powers.

AP - Hank Aaron wants the list of players who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003 to be released.

Reuters - North Korea said on Wednesday it had pardoned two jailed American journalists after former U.S. President Bill Clinton met the reclusive state's leader Kim Jong-il, a move some analysts said could pave the way to direct nuclear disarmament talks.

Reuters - At least five people, including the gunman, were shot and killed during a shooting spree at a fitness center near Pittsburgh, according to media reports on Tuesday.

Reuters - Two nuclear-powered Russian attack submarines have been patrolling off the Eastern seaboard of the United States in recent days in a rare mission that has raised concerns inside the Pentagon, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.

Reuters - U.S. judges on Tuesday told California to prepare to release more than 40,000 of its 150,000 inmates to reduce overcrowding in state prisons, which suffer from massive healthcare problems.

AFP - Former president Bill Clinton flew out of North Korea Wednesday with two US journalists sentenced to long jail terms after securing a pardon for them from leader Kim Jong-Il, Clinton's spokesman said.

AP - Fox says 'American Idol' judge Paula Abdul has decided to quit the hit talent show.

AP - The Obama administration said Tuesday that the families of two reporters imprisoned in North Korea had asked former President Bill Clinton to travel to Pyongyang to seek the women's release.

AP - An armed man strolled to the back of an exercise class at a health club in suburban Pittsburgh on Tuesday night and then pulled out two guns and started spraying bullets, leaving five people dead, including himself, and injuring at least 10 others, police and a hospital said.

Reuters - A man walked into a suburban Pittsburgh gym on Tuesday evening and opened fire in a Latin dance class, killing three women before turning his weapon on himself and taking his own life, police said.

AFP - Riot police and Islamic militiamen stood guard near Iran's parliament on Wednesday ahead of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's swearing-in ceremony which is likely to be snubbed by his rivals who claim he was fraudulently re-elected.