Israel-U.S. relations tense up as Biden visits (AP)

AP - An open diplomatic row during the visit of Vice President Joe Biden has shined a spotlight on the U.S. failure to rein in Israeli settlement ambitions and deepened Palestinian suspicions that the United States is too weak to broker a deal.

Church abuse scandal reaches pope's brother (AP)

AP - Church abuse scandals in Germany have reached the older brother of Pope Benedict XVI and are creeping ever closer to the pontiff himself.

Law bars Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi from elections (AP)

AP - Myanmar's military regime took yet another step to expunge Aung San Suu Kyi from the political scene Wednesday by effectively barring her from the first elections in 20 years and pressuring her opposition party to expel her from its ranks.

Lost in the ruins: Haiti's best and brightest (AP)

AP - They kept the books, had the training and fixed the computers. They were the educated few of Haiti, an up-and-coming generation of nurses, technicians, office managers and college students.

Brazil leader blasted for stance on Cuba prisoners (AP)

AP - Brazil's president is coming under criticism for his deference to the Cuban government regarding the island's political prisoners and hunger strikes over human rights.

Gates keeps up pressure on Iran with Gulf visit (AP)

AP - U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates told Saudi leaders Wednesday that the U.S. effort for diplomatic engagement with Iran had come to naught and he asked for the influential kingdom's help to win wide backing for biting economic penalties against Tehran.

Pope denounces 'atrocious' Nigeria bloodshed (AFP)

AFP - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday denounced the "atrocious" bloodshed in Nigeria after a massacre of Christian villagers, as police said 49 people would be charged over the killings.

E.Timor president insists does not want warcrimes tribunal (AFP)

AFP - East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta on Wednesday denied claims by Amnesty International that he would support a tribunal for abuses committed during Indonesia's occupation.

Report: NKorea has medium-range missile division (AP)

AP - North Korea has recently created an army division in charge of newly developed intermediate-range missiles capable of striking U.S. forces in Japan and Guam, a South Korean news agency said Tuesday.