USA

US Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware on Wednesday became the eighth Democrat to join the 2008 presidential race. The six-term senator said he believes his foreign-policy experience gives him an advantage.

A federal judge in the trial of former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby restricted defense attorneys Wednesday in their questioning of journalist Judith Miller, who took the stand for a second day. The attorneys want to show that she may have learned the identity of an outed CIA operative from someone other than Libby, who is accused of perjury and obstructing an investigation of the incident.

The White House proposed Wednesday hiking a variety of immigration fees by an average of 66 percent. If approved, citizenship applications would rise from $330 to $595 and the fee for becoming a permanent resident from $325 to $905.

Millions of dollars in Iraq reconstruction aid continue to be wasted through poor management and fraud, according to the latest US audit of rebuilding efforts released Wednesday. Deteriorating security is hindering progress in all reconstruction sectors, the report states.

The Federal Aviation Administration said Tuesday it proposes raising the mandatory retirement age for commercial pilots from 60 to 65.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson told Congress Wednesday that the Bush administration is doing all it can to get China to move more quickly on currency reform in the face of a soaring US trade deficit.

The first of three scheduled spacewalks in nine days by astronauts Michael Lopez-Alegria and Sunita Williams took place outside the international space station Wednesday. It marks the first time US astronauts have attempted the feat in such a short period without being docked to a space shuttle.