USA

President Bush met with European leaders in Austria Wednesday amid concerns about North Korea's plans to test a long-range ballistic missile believed capable of reaching the US. The US-European summit began with a morning meeting between Bush and Heinz Fischer, the president of Austria, which holds the European Union's 25-nation rotating presidency. Bush said that North Korea faces more isolation from the international community of it carries on with its plans. Meanwhile, in New York, the US Ambassador to the United Natios, John Bolton, rejected North Korea's offer for talks. At the summit, Bush also acknowledged European concerns about the detainees held by the US at the military base at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and said he wanted the prison camp shut down.

The Miami Heat won their first ever NBA championship in a 95-92 victory against the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday. Dwyane Wade, who earned the MVP title at the finals, led the team to a two game comeback and scored 36 points in the last game.

The Pentagon has notified about 21,000 Army soldiers and marines that they will be sent to Iraq late this year as part of the latest deployment rotation. The move comes as Pentagon officials and the Bush administration face scrutiny from Congress and the public over when to begin shrinking troop levels in Iraq.

House Republicans said they plan to take the immigration issue directly to voters with hearings across the nation on whether millions of illegal immigrants should have a path to citizenship. The details are still being worked out, but the hearings could be held as early as July or August, said Rep. Peter King of New York.

Newsman Dan Rather left CBS news, in a departure clouded by a reporting scandal over President's military record. Rather said he was leaving with a desire to return to "regular, meaningful reporting."

San Francisco unveiled a universal healthcare plan that would provide care to any adult resident, regardless of immigration or employment status. The plan, which still needs the approval of the city's Board of Supervisors, is aimed at 82,000 uninsured residents who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.