Reuters - Five Lebanese freed from captivity in Israel were flown to a heroes' welcome in Beirut on Wednesday after Hezbollah returned the bodies of two Israeli soldiers seized in a cross-border raid in 2006.

Reuters - The United States is looking to send more troops to Afghanistan soon in the face of rising insurgent violence there, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Wednesday.

Reuters - Iran signaled on Wednesday it did not plan to make major concessions on its nuclear program at talks this week to be attended by world powers including the United States.

AP - Frosty baseball games have long been a fixture at Wrigley Field, where a stiff wind off Lake Michigan can chill fans, players and managers alike.

AP - Andy Dick was arrested early Wednesday for investigation of drug use and sexual battery after the comedian allegedly pulled down a teenager's top, police said.

AP - Five Lebanese militants freed from prisons in Israel in exchange for the bodies of two captured Israeli soldiers returned home Wednesday to a boisterous welcome from hundreds of cheering spectators.

AP - Wall Street turned higher Wednesday as another drop in oil prices helped offset concerns about a jump in inflation last month. The Dow Jones industrial average rose more than 150 points.

AP - The Associated Press has learned that now-defunct IndyMac Bancorp Inc. is under investigation for possible fraud in connection with home loans made to risky borrowers.

AP - The Pentagon's top military officer said Wednesday that he is likely to recommend further troop reductions in Iraq this fall. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said that on his recent trip to Iraq, he found conditions had improved more than he expected.

AP - Consumer prices shot up in June at the second fastest pace in 26 years with two-thirds of the surge blamed on soaring energy prices.