A group of top scientists from around the world will review the research and management practices of the U.N. climate change panel so that it can try to avoid the kinds of errors that have brought its work into question in recent months, officials said Wednesday.

Ban Ki-moon, the secretary-general of the United Nations, said that a consortium of the world's most prestigious scientific societies would name scientists to take a thorough look at the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The panel has come under sharp attack after revelations of several mistakes in its most recent report, published in 2007, including a poorly sourced and exaggerated account of how quickly the Himalayan glaciers are melting. Scientists and officials say that the panel's finding that the earth is warming remains indisputable. But critics have used the errors to raise doubts about the credibility of the entire 3,000-page study.

Study: Invasive heart tests are overused

New York » A troublingly high number of U.S. patients who are given angiograms to check for heart disease turn out not to have a significant problem, according to the latest study to suggest Americans get an excess of medical tests. The researchers said the findings suggest doctors must do better in determining which patients should be subjected to the cost and risks of an angiogram. The test carries a small but real risk -- less than 1 percent -- of causing a stroke or heart attack, and brings radiation exposure.

Math, English classes could be standardized

Seattle » Governors and education leaders on Wednesday proposed sweeping new school standards that could lead to students across the country using the same math and English textbooks and taking the same tests, replacing a patchwork of state and local systems in an attempt to raise student achievement nationwide. But states must first adopt the new rigorous standards, and implementing the standards on such a large scale won't be easy. Two states -- Texas and Alaska -- have already refused to join the project, and everyone from state legislatures to the nation's 10,000 local school boards and 3 million teachers can chime in with their opinions. The public is invited to comment on the proposed new standards at www.corestandards.org until April 2 , and the developers hope to publish final education goals for K-12 math and English in May.

Attack on U.S. aid group leaves 6 dead

Islamabad » Suspected militants armed with assault rifles and a homemade bomb attacked the offices of a U.S.-based Christian aid group helping earthquake survivors Wednesday in northwestern Pakistan, killing six Pakistani employees, police and the organization said. The attack prompted World Vision, a major international humanitarian group, to suspend its operations in Pakistan. Other aid organizations condemned the violence but said it would not lead them to curtail their own activities. The assault took place in a district that was badly hit by the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which killed about 80,000 people and left 3 million people homeless.

Report: Somali food aid goes to militants

United Nations » Up to half the food aid intended for the millions of hungry people in Somalia is being diverted to corrupt contractors, radical Islamic militants and local U.N. workers, according to a U.N. Security Council report. The report blames the problem on improper food distribution by the U.N. World Food Program in the African nation, which has been plagued by fighting and humanitarian suffering for nearly two decades, according to a U.N. diplomat.

School prom off after lesbian's date request

Jackson, Miss. » The prom's off at a northern Mississippi school after a lesbian student demanded she be allowed to bring her girlfriend. The American Civil Liberties Union had demanded that the Itawamba County school district allow Constance McMillen, 18, to attend with her date. A school board statement Wednesday said the district wouldn't host the April 2 prom at Itawamba County Agricultural High School. A school district policy requires that dates be of the opposite sex. The district's statement never mentioned McMillen's request. But officials said the change was made due to recent distractions. District officials say they hope private citizens will host a prom.

Osteoporosis drugs may be bad for bones

Los Angeles » Medications called bisphosphonates are standard tools for the treatment of osteoporosis. They include Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel and Reclast. But new data released Wednesday raise some concern about whether the drugs are safe for long-term use. Although the medications help increase bone quantity in the short term, two studies suggest that they may impair bone quality if used for four years or more.

'10 Atlantic hurricane season may be active

New York » The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season will be more active than last year's and poses an "above-normal" threat to the Gulf and East coasts, AccuWeather Inc. forecasters said Wednesday. AccuWeather foresees 16 to 18 named storms forming in the Atlantic Ocean, with five becoming hurricanes and two or three of them going ashore in the U.S. as major systems.