North Korea test-fires 7 missiles, says Seoul
North Korea fired seven short-range missiles in less than seven hours today, South Korea's Foreign Ministry said today. The recent firings come amid heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula. The missiles were apparently Scud-type, estimated to have a range of about 310 miles, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

Palin: 'I know when it's time to pass the ball'
Sarah Palin said Friday that she will step down as Alaska's governor by the end of the month. She will not seek election to a second gubernatorial term in 2010. As the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, Palin had been considered one of the front-runners for the GOP nomination in 2012.

Jackson fans face long odds for tickets
Fans continued to register by the thousands early Saturday, hoping to be among the 8,750 people who will be randomly picked to attend the memorial service for singer Michael Jackson next week.

Diprivan risk well-known to doctors
While authorities do not yet know what killed Michael Jackson, the possibility that anesthetics -- particularly the drug Diprivan -- might be involved continues to swell. Sources close to Jackson told CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta that the singer traveled with an anesthesiologist who would "take him down" at night and "bring him back up" during a tour in the mid-'90s.

'Serial killer' sought in South Carolina
The Cherokee County Sheriff's Office on Friday released a second sketch of a man believed to have fatally shot four people in less than a week near Gaffney, South Carolina. "Let me say that, under the FBI's definition of a serial killer, yes, we have a serial killer," Sheriff Bill Blanton said. In addition, Blanton said he did not know whether the shooter knew his victims or whether he may have chosen them at random.

New Honduras leaders reject Zelaya's return
The head of the Organization of American States said Friday he has found no willingness among leaders of Honduras' interim government to return President Jose Manuel Zelaya to power.

Navy: Sailor slain on sentry duty in California
A sailor found dead earlier this week at California's Camp Pendleton was shot while standing sentry, and a fire was set in an attempt to cover up evidence, the U.S. Navy said. Although at least one of Seaman August Provost's relatives said she believes he was killed because of his sexual orientation and his race, Navy officials said there was no indication the killing was a hate crime.

2 U.S. troops killed in eastern Afghanistan
Two U.S. servicemembers were killed and four were wounded by an explosion in eastern Afghanistan, a U.S. military spokesman said Saturday.

Ex-Iran president seeks to free detainees
Iranians worried about their loved ones detained in the protests that followed the presidential election got the ear of a former president, who wants the detainees released, an Iranian reformist party newspaper reported on Thursday.

Mexican elections are referendum on Calderon
Mexican President Felipe Calderon will wake up a lame duck Monday. How lame will depend largely on nationwide midterm elections Sunday.