. President Bush has extended formal recognition to Kosovo, ignoring protests by Serbia and Russia. Kosovo's leaders have sent letters to 192 countries asking for recognition. Britain, France and Germany were among the countries that backed the request.

2. An explosion has rocked an oil refinery in a violent blast that shook buildings miles away. The Mayor says at least four people were injured. A company spokesman says all workers were accounted for about an hour after the explosion.

3. Undercover video showing crippled and sick animals being shoved with forklifts has led to the largest beef recall in the country. The US Department of Agriculture has ordered the recall of 143 million pounds of beef from a Southern California slaughterhouse that's the subject of an animal abuse investigation.

4. The family of television personality Steve Irwin is in New York for the annual International Toy Fair. Daughter Bindi Irwin posed for cameras with a new action figure she says 'looks exactly like her'. The doll is scheduled to hit shelves later this year.