— From wire reports

Zimmerman trial — Trayvon Martin’s DNA was not found on the grip of George Zimmerman’s gun, and Zimmerman’s DNA was not found under the unarmed teen’s fingernails, a law enforcement expert said Wednesday in testimony that prosecutors hope will refute the neighborhood watch volunteer’s self-defense claim. Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and says he shot the 17-year-old in the chest to protect himself as Martin reached for his firearm during a fight.

Snowden stuck — The European rerouting of the Bolivian presidential plane over suspicions that National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden was aboard ignited outrage Wednesday among Latin American leaders who called it a stunning violation of national sovereignty and disrespect for the region. But as President Evo Morales headed home, there was no immediate sign that Latin America anger would translate into a rush to bring Snowden to the region. Snowden was still believed to be in the transit area of Moscow’s international airport.

Firefighter deaths — About 550 firefighters took advantage of better weather, including overnight rain and less wind, to battle the deadly Yarnell Hill fire, which has consumed more than 8,400 acres and was 45 percent contained as of Wednesday, officials said. Later in the day, officials said they had reached more burned areas, assessed structure damage and removed the buggy used by the Granite Mountain Hotshots, 19 of whom were killed Sunday when the wildfire overran their position.

Korea tension — South Korea’s government said early today that it has reached out to North Korea to discuss restarting a jointly run factory park after weeks of testy silence between the two sides. The industrial complex in the North Korean city of Kaesong, just north of the Demilitarized Zone dividing the two Koreas, has been shut since a political showdown in April.

Winter Olympic threats — Russia’s most-wanted terrorist, Doku Umarov, uttered his most direct threat to date that he plans to attack the Winter Olympic Games that Russia will host next year. In a video, posted Wednesday on a website used by North Caucasus militants, Umarov laid out his rationale for targeting the 2014 Winter Olympics, which will draw spectators and athletes from around the world to Sochi, a Black Sea resort town.

North Carolina abortions — The North Carolina Senate approved new limits on abortions Wednesday, defying opponents who complained that the Republican majority breached protocol by passing the restrictions less than 24 hours after their surprise introduction. The proposed package of rules, which has yet to be considered by the House of Representatives, would force abortion clinics to abide by regulations akin to those required of ambulatory surgical centers.

Iranian leader — Iran’s president-elect, Hasan Rouhani, repeated in a speech Wednesday his promises of more freedoms for Iranians, saying the government should not interfere in people’s private lives. “We need a strong society,” Rouhani told a group of Shiite Muslim clerics during the speech in Tehran, which was broadcast live.

Turkey park — An Istanbul court Wednesday halted a government-backed plan to rebuild Taksim Square, a development project that incited nearly a month of anti-government protests in June. Professional groups representing Turkish architects, city planners and landscape architects filed a lawsuit last year challenging the government’s plan, which included the creation of a large pedestrian plaza at Taksim Square and eliminating Gezi Park for a mall.