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Tuesday, October 3

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Editor's Note: The CNN Wire is a running log of the latest news from CNN World Headquarters, reported by CNN's correspondents and producers, and The CNN Wire editors. "Posted" times are Eastern Daylight.

China urges calm and restraint on North Korea nuclear test plans

BEIJING (CNN) -- A day after North Korea said it will conduct a nuclear test in the future, ally China weighed in, calling on all sides to exercise calm and restraint, China's Xinhua news agency reported Wednesday.

"We hope that the DPRK (North Korea's official name) will keep calm and restrained on the nuclear test issue," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said in a statement.

Japan's new Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, took a tougher stand.

"The statement announced by North Korea yesterday is extremely regrettable," Abe said Wednesday, while speaking to parliament. "If North Korea will conduct the nuclear test, it would be absolutely unacceptable."

"Japan strongly urges North Korea to abide by the UNSC (U.N. Security Council) resolution and we will coordinate with the United States and other related countries, such as China and South Korea, to take appropriate measures," he said. (Posted 1:09 a.m.)

Attorney: Foley was molested, is gay

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CNN) -- Former Rep. Mark Foley was molested by a clergyman between the ages of 13 and 15, and is gay, his attorney told reporters Tuesday.

But Foley denies he ever had sexual contact with a minor, David Roth said, blaming "the combination of alcohol and mental illness" for his behavior, which includes exchanging sexually explicit e-mails and instant messages with teenage male House pages.

Foley entered treatment for alcoholism on Sunday, Roth said, and will be there for at least a month. "People close to Mark knew he was a closet drinker," he said, but said Foley never drank in public or on the House floor.

Roth previously has said Foley was under the influence of alcohol when the messages were exchanged. Asked about instant messages released Tuesday by ABC News, in which a person alleged to be Foley tells a teenager, "we are still voting" and appears to be on the House floor, Roth said he would not conclude that Foley was drinking at the time. (Posted 7:04 p.m.)

Poll: Likely voters frown on congressional GOP

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republicans trail Democrats by double digits when likely voters are asked which party they prefer in November's congressional elections, and just 38 percent of all Americans say most GOP incumbents should be re-elected, according to a CNN poll released Tuesday.

The poll, conducted Friday through Monday by Opinion Research Corporation, gave Democrats a 53-42 percent edge over Republicans in the so-called generic ballot, which does not survey individual congressional districts. The Democratic figure is down slightly from a poll conducted last week, which showed the party at 55 percent, while the GOP 's support remained static.

The survey of 1,014 American adults, including 548 likely voters, was conducted for CNN from Friday through Sunday. It has a sampling error of 3 percentage points for all respondents and 4.5 percentage points for likely voters. (Posted 5:54 p.m.)

Turkish plane hijacking ends in Italy; passengers, crew unharmed

BRINDISI, Italy (CNN) -- Italian officials are questioning a Turkish man who hijacked a Turkish jetliner with 113 people aboard Tuesday and forced it to fly to Italy, where the passengers and crew were released unharmed.

The man, identified by Turkish authorities as Hasan Ekinci, has reportedly requested political asylum. Turkish authorities said Ekinci wrote a letter to Pope Benedict XVI in August asking for help in avoiding service in the Turkish army.

Earlier reports that there were two hijackers and they were protesting Benedict's planned visit to Turkey next month were apparently incorrect. The Vatican said the pope's visit will go on as scheduled.

According to passenger, the hijacker sneaked into the cockpit when the rest of the crew was busy and told the pilot he had an accomplice on board, Italian police said. But passengers have reported seeing only one. (Posted 5:01 p.m.)

Orleans Parish coroner: Hospital deaths to be put to Grand Jury

NEW ORLEANS (CNN) -- The question of whether a doctor and two nurses intentionally killed patients in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina will be put to a New Orleans Grand Jury, Orleans Parish coroner Frank Minyard told CNN Tuesday.

But Minyard offered no details and refused to say if he has completed his review of four patients who died at New Orleans's Memorial Medical Center last September before the hospital was evacuated.

A spokesman for the Orleans Parish district attorney's office said, "Our official reaction is that we're still investigating."

Orleans Parish District Attorney Eddie Jordan has previously said he has been waiting for Minyard's review before deciding whether to take the case to a grand jury. In July, following a 10-month investigation, Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti arrested and charged Dr. Anna Pou (prono: POE) and Nurses Cheryl Landry and Lori Budo on charges of second degree murder in the deaths of four patients, ranging in age from 61 to 90. (Posted 4:38 p.m.)

Poll: Bush speeches fail to rouse support for Iraq war

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush has been unable to reassure Americans about the war in Iraq, with nearly 60 percent of those surveyed in a new CNN poll saying his administration has "deliberately misled" the public about the progress of the war.

Despite a recent speaking tour aimed at bolstering support for the conflict, only 32 percent told pollsters they approve of Bush's management of the war. And support for the war itself slipped to 38 percent, down from 40 percent in a CNN poll last week.

The survey, conducted for CNN by Opinion Research Corporation, questioned 1,014 adults from Friday through Monday. It had a sampling error of 3 percentage points.

Bush's own approval rating sank back to 39 percent in the latest poll, down from 42 percent in a poll taken a week earlier. His disapproval rose from 55 percent in last week's poll to 59 percent. (Posted 4:14 p.m.)

Lawsuit against U.S. government filed on behalf of Afghan detainees

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The first direct court challenge to recent congressional legislation on trying suspected terrorists held in U.S. military custody was filed by a detainee rights group on behalf of 25 men imprisoned in Afghanistan.

The Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR), a New York-based human rights group, filed the lawsuit in federal court in Washington. The habeas corpus petition demands the immediate release of detainees held at the U.S.-controlled Bagram Air Force Base. An estimated 500 men are being held there, some for years, without charges filed or access to courts.

The lawsuit came in the wake of the Military Commissions Act (MCA), passed last week by Congress and awaiting President Bush's signature. The law addresses how suspected terrorists and fighters can be tried and sentenced under U.S. military law. (Posted 4:11 p.m.)

Americans win Nobel in physics

(CNN) -- Two Americans have picked up the Nobel Prize in physics for their work peering into the far distant past at the infancy of the universe, the Nobel committee in Sweden announced Tuesday.

John C. Mather of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., and George F. Smoot of the University of California in Berkeley, Calif., used measurements made by the COBE satellite launched by NASA in 1989 for their prize-winning work., which "provided increased support for the Big Bang scenario for the origin of the universe."

The satellite measured background radiation in a spectral form known as "blackbody radiation" along with small variations of temperature in different directions, known as anisotropy -- differences that offer clues to the beginning of the universe. (Posted 4:04 p.m.)

House report: North Korea nuclear test would pose setback to diplomacy

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A North Korean nuclear test would significantly set back diplomatic efforts with North Korea and would have serious implications for regional security, according to a House Intelligence Committee report released on Tuesday.

The congressional report indicated a nuclear test would further alienate regional states, coming on the heels of North Korea's test firing of seven missiles including a long-range ballistic missile this past July. Pyongyang's relationship with its neighbors would probably "sink to a new low," and according to the study, a test could have serious repercussions as it "might spur Japan, Taiwan, and possibly South Korea to begin their own nuclear weapons programs."

The staff committee report, entitled "Recognizing North Korea as a Strategic Threat," was completed before North Korea announced its plans to test a nuclear weapon. But the paper does refer to recent press reports that North Korea might soon conduct an underground test of a nuclear device. (Posted 4:02 p.m.)

Turkish plane hijacking ends in Italy

BRINDISI, Italy (CNN) -- A hijacking episode that began over Greek airspace ended Tuesday evening in Italy with all 113 people aboard released and an unarmed Turkish hijacker in the custody of Italian aviation authorities, Italian officials said.

Earlier reports that there were two hijackers and they were protesting Pope Benedict XVI's planned visit to Turkey were apparently incorrect; Italian police now say that a single hijacker has requested political asylum.

The hijacker, who according to passengers sneaked into the cockpit when the rest of the crew was busy, told the pilot there were two hijackers, Italian police said. But passengers have reported seeing only one.

Turkish officials said the hijacker, identified as Hasan Ekinci, wrote a letter to the pope in August asking for help in avoiding service in the Turkish army. (Posted 3:06 p.m.)

New transcripts of instant messages show Foley interrupted a vote on House floor to send sexually suggestive messages

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Rep. Mark Foley allegedly interrupted a vote on the House floor in 2003 to engage in cyber-sex with a former page, according to ABC News.

The network published a partial transcript on its Web site but did not quote the exchanges in which it said the congressman and the high school student apparently had orgasms.

ABC said the transcripts were provided to the network by former pages.

The messages were dated April of 2003, the network said. (Posted 3:05 p.m.)

Israeli airstrike wounds 5 Palestinians

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- The Israel Defense Forces carried out an airstrike Tuesday in the northern Gaza strip, striking vehicles it said were carrying Qassam rockets.

According to Palestinian medical sources, five Palestinians were injured in an airstrike that hit one car and also damaged a second one. (Posted 2:52 p.m.)

Bush says he's 'shocked and dismayed' at Foley scandal

STOCKTON, Calif. (CNN) -- President Bush on Tuesday declared that he was "shocked and dismayed" by suggestive electronic communications allegedly sent by former Rep. Mark Foley to underage male pages.

Speaking to reporters after a fundraising appearance in California, Bush called Foley's alleged behavior "unacceptable."

The president also said he supports House Speaker Dennis Hastert's call for an investigation into the matter.

He also gave House Speaker Dennis Hastert a boost, saying that the Illinois congressman "cares about all the children of this country." (Posted 2:27 p.m.)

Turkish plane hijacked by men angered over pope's upcoming visit

BRINDISI, Italy (CNN) -- A hijacking episode that began over Greek airspace ended Tuesday evening in Italy with all 113 people aboard released and both unarmed Turkish hijackers in the custody of Italian aviation authorities, Italian officials said.

Earlier reports that the hijackers were protesting Pope Benedict XVI's planned visit to Turkey were apparently incorrect; authorities now say that the hijackers have requested political asylum.

The Turkish airliner departed Tirana, Albania and was headed to Istanbul, Turkey, when the hijackers entered the plane's cockpit over Greek airspace, officials said.

The plane sent out an SOS signal and Greek defense ministry planes escorted the aircraft out of Greek airspace. Greek officials alerted their Italian counterparts, the airline spokesman said. (Posted 2:15 p.m.)

Police: Shooter said he molested relatives, dreamed of doing so again

QUARRYVILLE, Pa. (CNN) -- The man who killed five Amish schoolgirls and himself told his wife shortly before Monday's rampage that he had molested two young relatives when he was 12 years old, and was "having dreams of molesting again," Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Jeffrey Miller said Tuesday.

From the range of materials found at the shooting site -- which included chains, clamps, and KY jelly -- it is "possible" that Charles Carl Roberts IV, 32, planned to sexually victimize the 10 girls before executing them, Miller said.

There were initially 11 girls inside the schoolhouse after Roberts allowed the male students and the teachers to leave, but one girl managed to escape.

Miller added that "there is no evidence that the victims were sexually assaulted in any way."

However, the police commissioner said "he became disorganized when we arrived" and "shot himself in the head as (police) were coming in through the window." (Posted 1:56 p.m.)

Turkish plane hijacked by men angered over pope's upcoming visit

BRINDISI, Italy (CNN) -- Passengers from a hijacked Turkish plane carrying 113 people were disembarking from the aircraft Tuesday after the two unarmed Turks who hijacked the plane, protesting Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to Turkey, agreed to release them.

Italy's transport minister announced the release on NTV, and the network reported that the passengers were leaving the plane.

Authorities have also said the two hijackers have indicated they were ready to surrender to authorities, but one of their demands was that a message be delivered to the pope. (Posted 1:46 a.m.)

Federal Prisons fail to monitor mail, communications of terrorist inmates

From CNN Justice Producer Terry Frieden

WASHINGTON (CNN) --The Federal Bureau of Prisons is failing to effectively monitor the mail and other communications of convicted terrorists, according to a stinging new report by the Justice Department Inspector General.

"The threat remains that terrorist and other high-risk inmates can use mail and verbal communications to conduct terrorist or criminal activities while incarcerated," the investigation concluded.

In a 122-page report Inspector General Glenn Fine said his investigators determined that prison staff at seven of ten federal prisons visited acknowledged they were not reading all the mail of inmates on lists of those whose communication is to be closely monitored.

Eight of the 10 prisons were not monitoring all inmates' telephone conversations. Less than half of the prisoners' calls at the Florence Colorado penitentiary--which houses the most dangerous high-risk inmates--were monitored the report found.

The report also said the Bureau of Prisons does not have enough proficient translators to translate inmate mail written in foreign languages and does not have staff trained in intelligence who can analyze whether terrorists' communications contain suspicious content. (Posted 1:17 p.m.)

Turkish plane hijacked by men angered over pope's upcoming visit

BRINDISI, Italy (CNN) -- A Turkish plane carrying 113 people was hijacked Tuesday by two unarmed Turks protesting Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to Turkey, and landed safely in Italy, according to a Turkish national airline official.

Authorities said the two have indicated they were ready to surrender to authorities, but one of their demands was that a message be delivered to the pope.

The plane departed Tirana, Albania and was headed to Istanbul, Turkey, when the hijackers entered the plane's cockpit over Greek airspace, officials said.

The plane sent out an SOS signal and Greek defense ministry planes escorted the aircraft out of Greek airspace. Greek officials alerted their Italian counterparts, the airline spokesman said.

The plane, carrying 107 passengers and six crew, landed at a military airport in Brindisi, on the heel of Italy's boot.

The airline spokesman said the men commandeered the plane to protest Pope Benedict XVI's upcoming visit to Turkey, and because they were angered over the pope's recent comments quoting a 14th century scholar about Islam.

-- CNN's Talia Kayali and Anthee Carassava contributed to this report (Posted 12:38 p.m.)

URGENT: Turkish plane hijacked

BRINDISI, Italy (CNN) -- A Turkish plane was hijacked on Tuesday as it traveled from Tirana, Albania to Istanbul, Turkey, according to a Turkish Airlines spokesman on Turkish television.

Turkish television NTV reported the plane had landed in Brindisi, Italy. (Posted 11:59 a.m.)

U.N. agency says fighting in southern Afghanistan has sparked population displacement

GENEVA, Switzerland (CNN) -- The upsurge in fighting in turbulent southern Afghanistan this year is causing serious dislocation in that country's region, where NATO and government troops are battling insurgents, the U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday.

The office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees issued a statement saying "an estimated 15,000 families" have been displaced in Kandahar, Helmand and Uruzgan provinces since July.

The UNHCR, which says it is "concerned about the increasing number" of displaced people.

"This fresh displacement adds new hardship to a population already hosting 116,400 people earlier uprooted by conflict and drought," said the UNHCR.

"We expect further displacement may take place until conditions are safe for the population to return to their homes."

It said Afghanistan's government has formed "a Disaster Management Committee in Kandahar to coordinate relief efforts. It is working with U.N. agencies, such as the World Food Program, and has distributed blankets, clothes and sheeting to families. (Posted 11:38 a.m.)

Bolton raising N. Korea test issue before Security Council

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton said on Tuesday he plans to raise the issue before the U.N. Security Council of the "threat" made by North Korea to conduct a nuclear weapon test.

"It is a test of the Security Council. It is a test of how the council responds," said Bolton, who told reporters that this would require thinking through "what approach" should be taken to "exercise preventive diplomacy" to stop the North Koreans from testing a nuclear device.

"It seems to me if there were a possible test case for the council to engage in preventative diplomacy, considering this threat by North Korea would be an excellent example," said Bolton, who was on his way into the Security Council when he spoke to reporters.

"This has all just happened in the past few hours. It's important if we embark on something here, we do it seriously," said Bolton, who emphasized that diplomats should "think through a coherent strategy."

He said he spoke to other diplomats about the matter and expects support to deal with the issue seriously.

Earlier Tuesday, North Korea, citing American belligerence and pressure, said it will conduct a nuclear test. (Posted 10:23 a.m.)

Dujail verdict not to be rendered during week of Oct. 16, as expected

From CNN's Jomana Karadsheh

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The chief prosecutor in the Dujail case -- the first proceeding against former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein -- said a verdict will not be rendered around Oct. 16.

The verdict had been anticipated sometime during the week of Oct. 16, but Jaafar Moussawi on Tuesday told CNN that judges will hold a normal session on that day that will not involve a verdict.

He said they will explore the possible need for more testimony and evidence in the case.

Moussawi said it's possible that sentencing will be made on Oct. 30, but it could even be later than that. The trial, which started last October, adjourned in July.

Hussein and seven co-defendants face charges of crimes against humanity for a bloody crackdown against Shiites in Dujail after a 1982 assassination attempt against Hussein in that town, which is north of the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.

Those accused face possible execution if they are found guilty.

Hussein and six co-defendants are now on trial in connection with the Anfal campaign, a military operation in the Kurdish region that occurred during 1988. (Posted 8:49 a.m.)

7 U.S. soldiers die in Baghdad

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Seven American soldiers were killed in Baghdad on Monday, the U.S. military said Tuesday in its latest reports, underlying the volatility in an Iraqi capital enduring constant sectarian and insurgent violence.

The military said a roadside bomb killed four Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldiers around approximately 6 p.m.

The improvised explosive device struck a patrol northwest of Baghdad, the military said.

Three others were killed in separate incidents.

Since the start of the war, the U.S. military has suffered 2,725 fatalities in Iraq. (Posted 7:08 a.m.)

URGENT: North Korea says it will conduct nuclear test

PYONGYANG, N. Korea (CNN) -- North Korea, citing American belligerence and pressure, said Tuesday it will conduct a nuclear test.

The North Korean Foreign Ministry issued the comment in a statement published by the Korean Central News Agency, or KCNA -- the communist country's official news agency.

"The field of scientific research of the DPRK will in the future conduct a nuclear test under the condition where safety is firmly guaranteed," the statement said.

DPRK is the acronym for North Korea's official name.

"The U.S. extreme threat of a nuclear war and sanctions and pressure compel the DPRK to conduct a nuclear test, an essential process for bolstering nuclear deterrent, as a corresponding measure for defense."

Six-party talks on the country's nuclear program have stalled, and North Korea test-fired missiles in July. (Posted 6:44 a.m.)

URGENT: 5 dead in Amish school shooting

PARADISE, Pa. (CNN) -- A 7-year-old girl, wounded in the shooting at an Amish schoolhouse, died early Tuesday, a Hershey Medical Center representative told CNN.

Pennsylvania state troopers confirmed the death toll from Monday's shooting stands at five, plus the shooter. (Posted 6:25 a.m.)

Plan to end sectarian violence announced

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki announced a four-point plan Tuesday that aims "to stop the bloodshed" in the midst of widespread sectarian violence.

This pact was signed by leading Sunni and Shiite politicians representing the country's main political parties and was immediately dubbed the "Ramadan Agreement" by Iraqi media, since it was reached during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Few details of the plan were immediately available. (Posted 5:45 a.m.)

3 U.S. soldiers die in Baghdad

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Three U.S. soldiers were killed in separate incidents Monday across the Iraqi capital, military statements released Tuesday said.

A Multi-National Division - Baghdad soldier died at approximately 5:30 p.m. when gunmen attacked his patrol in southwest Baghdad.

A Multi-National Corps - Iraq soldier died at approximately 1:51 p.m. after his patrol was hit with small-arms fire in northern Baghdad.

A Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldier died at approximately 11:05 a.m. after being attacked by small-arms fire in northern Baghdad.

The names of the soldiers are being withheld pending notification of next of kin, the military said.

Since the start of the war, the U.S. military has suffered 2,721 fatalities in Iraq. (Posted 3:45 a.m.)

Hastert ignores newspaper's call for his resignation

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert ignored a call by a conservative Washington newspaper for him to resign in the midst of a growing scandal and possible cover-up involving former Rep. Mark Foley and sexually explicit instant messages Foley allegedly exchanged with former underage male pages.

"The Speaker has and will lead the Republican conference to another majority in the 110th Congress," Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean said in a statement coming a little over a month ahead of mid-term elections.

The call for Hastert's resignation came in an editorial that appeared in Tuesday's edition of the Washington Times, which was available online late Monday.

"House Speaker Dennis Hastert must do the only right thing, and resign his speakership at once," the editorial says.

"Either he was grossly negligent for not taking the red flags fully into account and ordering a swift investigation, for not even remembering the order of events leading up to last week's revelations -- or he deliberately looked the other way in hopes that a brewing scandal would simply blow away."

The FBI, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the House Ethics Committee are now investigating Foley's conduct -- and whether there was any attempt to cover it up. (Posted 2:50 a.m.)

Thaksin resigns from ruling party 2 weeks after coup

BANGKOK (CNN) -- Thailand's ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra announced his resignation from his ruling party Tuesday, a full two weeks after military officers seized power from him in a bloodless coup d'etat.

According to Thaksin spokesman Jakrapob Penkair, the former prime minister's resignation came in a three page hand-written letter that was faxed from his London home to Thai Rak Thai party headquarters in Bangkok.

Thaksin was forced from office on September 19 while he was in New York to speak to the U.N. General Assembly. (Posted 1:30 a.m.)

2 U.S. soldiers, 1 Afghan soldier die in Afghanistan

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Two U.S. soldiers and and an Afghan soldier were killed in fighting Monday evening in eastern Afghanistan, a military statement said. Three U.S. soldiers were also wounded.

According to the Coalition Press Information Center, the casualties occurred when extremists attacked a combat patrol that was operating in the Pech district of Kunar province.

Over 7,000 Afghan and U.S. troops are operating in eastern Afghanistan as part of Operation Mountain Fury, an operation against a growing Taliban insurgency.

Since the start of the war in Afghanistan, the U.S. military has suffered 179 fatalities. (Posted 1:20 a.m.)

Day fire fully contained in Ventura County

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- The month-long Day fire in Ventura Country was declared fully contained Monday evening, a U.S. Forest Service spokesman said.

According to Curtis Vincent, the blaze near Oaji, Calif., that started Labor Day has scorched about 162,700 acres, or 254 square miles.

Vincent said it could take up to a week for firefighters to mop up all the hot spots and officially call the fire "out." (Posted 1:20 a.m.)

4th victim in Amish school shooting dies

PARADISE, Pa. (CNN) -- A fourth young girl, shot by a milk truck driver who stormed a school in Amish Pennsylvania Monday, has died, state police commissioner Jeffrey Miller said.

Three other girls -- two students and a teenage aide -- died on the scene before the gunman killed himself. (Posted 10:17 p.m.)

South Korean foreign minister moves closer to becoming new U.N. chief

UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- In a straw poll, 14 of 15 members of the U.N. Security Council Monday selected South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon as their choice to succeed Kofi Annan as secretary-general of the world body, the Chinese ambassador said.

One member of the council had no opinion, said Wang Guangya.

"It is quite clear from today's straw poll that Minister Ban Ki-Moon is the candidate that the Security Council will recommend to the General Assembly," Wang said.

The U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton -- who refused to discuss the straw poll -- said the "first and perhaps last formal vote" will be held next Monday. Official announcement of that vote will come Tuesday. (Posted 10:06 p.m.)

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