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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 Time. Roadside bomb kills U.S. soldier, wounds 2 othersBAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. soldier was killed and two more were wounded when their patrol was hit by a roadside bomb south of Baghdad Friday, a U.S. military statement said. The soldiers were members of Task Force Marne. Since the start of the war, the U.S. military has suffered 3,356 fatalities in Iraq. (Posted 1 a.m.) GOP presidential candidates debate in Reagan's shadowSIMI VALLEY, Calif. (CNN) -- Ten Republicans who want to be elected president in 2008 stood side-by-side Thursday evening in the first debate of the nascent campaign season in California, a state that will loom large in next year's wide-open White House derby. While the candidates are vying to follow one of their own, President Bush, into the Oval Office, another Republican loomed much larger over the event -- Ronald Reagan. During the debate, which was held at the late president's library in Simi Valley, with his widow, Nancy, looking on, the GOP hopefuls were not shy about hitching themselves to the Reagan mantle, invoking his name 19 times. "What we can borrow from Ronald Reagan ... is that great sense of optimism," said former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. "He led by building on the strengths of America, not running America down." "Ronald Reagan was a president of strength," said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. "His philosophy was a philosophy of strength -- a strong military, a strong economy and strong families." Joining Romney and Giuliani on the stage for the 90-minute debate were Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Sam Brownback of Kansas; Reps. Duncan Hunter of California, Ron Paul of Texas and Tom Tancredo of Colorado; and three former governors, Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, Tommy Thompson of Wisconsin and Jim Gilmore of Virginia. (Posted 11:05 p.m.) House Dems look over short term funding for Iraq warWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democratic leadership sources said that House Democrats are considering short term war funding bill -- through July or August -- that would require Iraqis to meet certain benchmarks. Congress would assess whether those benchmarks were met, perhaps through a report from the president, and then take up another funding bill, the sources said. The sources stressed that a number of variations of a short term funding bill tied to benchmarks for Iraqis were brought up at a Democratic leadership meeting Thursday afternoon, but nothing was agreed to. "The dynamics and ideas at this point are changing every few hours," said one Democratic source. Leading Democrats in the Senate have made clear they oppose any short term funding bill, but in the spirit of compromise, a Senate Democratic aide was careful to say "everything is on the table." The challenge for House Democrats is finding a proposal that the president will sign, which appeals to fellow Democrats by tying strings to funding for the war. (Posted 8:54 p.m.) Oliver Stone brings his passion to anti-war adLOS ANGELES (CNN) -- From "JFK" to "Natural Born Killers," director Oliver Stone's films have made him a lightning rod for controversy -- and his latest project is unlikely to change that. He's directed a new television ad that takes direct aim at the Bush administration's policy in Iraq. Asked about the ad's message, Stone said it's a simple one. "Support the troops. Listen to them. Bring them home," he told CNN. "Give them a life, not death." Stone's ad, created for the political action group MoveOn.org, features John Bruhns, an Iraq war veteran whose tour ended in 2004. -- From CNN's Sibila Vargas (Posted 7:47 p.m.) California earmarks $20 million to fund repair work on collapsed freewaySACRAMENTO (CNN) -- California has set aside $20 million to fund repair work on damage done to a Bay Area freeway near Oakland that went down in a fiery blaze earlier this week, the state's transportation department director said Thursday. Will Kempton estimated "based on looking at the work" the "very fast-track" project could be completed by late June, which may offer relief to motorists who, according to transportation experts, are paying $400,000 a day in delays alone. The damage occurred early Sunday morning when a tanker truck crashed and burst into flames at MacArthur Maze -- a freeway interchange near Oakland, Calif. -- where Interstates 80, 580 and 880 come together just east of the Bay Bridge. Compromised by the intense heat, a section of I-580 collapsed onto a ramp that carries traffic from I-80 to I-880. Transportation officials had initially feared that the ramp was so badly damaged that it might have to be scrapped and rebuilt, but engineers have since determined it can be repaired instead. (Posted 7:44 p.m.) Officials downplay human health threat posed by contaminated pet food(CNN) -- Federal officials reiterated Thursday their contention that the risk to humans from contaminated pet food that was fed to poultry and pigs subsequently eaten by people is minimal. "Our current belief is that the threat to humans from contaminated poultry or pork is extremely low," Dr. David Acheson, FDA's assistant commissioner for food protection, told reporters in a conference call. He said there is no evidence that any of the tainted wheat gluten or rice protein imported from China and used in pet food wound up as a "direct ingredient" in the human food chain. Though Acheson acknowledged that a portion of the contaminated pet food "was incorporated, at some level, into feed for hogs and poultry" that were eaten by people, he said the "dilution effect" probably protected any people who ate it. (Posted 6:19 p.m.) Cuba: Hostage killed in attempted hijackingHAVANA (CNN) -- Cuban authorities arrested two soldiers at the Havana airport early Thursday, according to Cuban Interior Ministry, which said the soldiers intended to hijack an airplane to the United States. A hostage was killed during the incident, it said. According to a statement from the Interior Ministry, the two soldiers commandeered an urban transport bus, taking passengers as hostages, and broke into Jose Marti Airport's Terminal One. Once in the terminal, the soldiers entered a plane parked there, the statement said, and once inside the plane, they killed a hostage. The ministry identified the hostage as Army Lt. Col. Victor Ibo Acuna Velazquez, "who, despite being unarmed, tried heroically to stop the terrorist act." (Posted 6:06 p.m.) House passes hate crimes bill that includes sexual orientation, genderWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Just two days after the second veto of George W. Bush's presidency, the White House has threatened a third. This time it involves a bill that expands hate crime laws to include violent attacks against people because of their sexual orientation or gender, passed by the House Thursday on a 237-180 vote. Current law applies to acts of violence on the basis of race, religion, color or national origin. The White house says state and local laws already cover such crimes and there is no need to federalize enforcement. A similar bill has been introduced in the Senate, but no date has been set for a vote. --From Correspondent Carol Costello (Posted 5:57 p.m.) Goodling's lawyers say investigation announcement 'smacks of retribution and intimidation'WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a stinging attack, the lawyers representing former Counsel to the Attorney General Monica Goodling criticized a public announcement that their client is the focus of an internal investigation. "The timing of your release smacks of retribution and intimidation," attorneys John Dowd and Jeffrey King wrote Thursday to the Justice Department's inspector general and the counsel for the Office of Professional Responsibility. The two government officials are heading this investigation as well as a broad inquiry to see if anything was done improperly in the firing last year of eight former U.S. attorneys. The new investigation, announced Wednesday in a press release, centers on whether Goodling illegally used political affiliation as a factor in making hiring decisions for some entry-level federal prosecutor positions. --From Senior Producer Kevin Bohn (Posted 5:49 p.m.) Clinton, Byrd want Iraq war authorization revokedWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton joined longtime Iraq war opponent Robert Byrd on Thursday in calling for Congress to revoke the 2002 resolution authorizing the Iraq war, which they said is now outdated. "The American people have called for change. The facts on the ground demand change. The Congress has passed legislation to require change," said Clinton, a Democratic presidential hopeful who supported the 2002 resolution. "It is time to sunset the authorization for the war in Iraq. If the president will not bring himself to accept reality, it is time for Congress to bring reality to him." Under a proposal Byrd put forth Thursday, the authorization would expire on Oct. 11 -- the fifth anniversary of its passage -- and Bush would have to seek new authorization from Congress to continue the now-unpopular war. (Posted 5:26 p.m.) Sudan, Chad sign pact to protect lands from militant crossings(CNN) -- African neighbors Sudan and Chad signed a Saudi-brokered deal Thursday pledging to crack down on armed militant border-crossings, according to the state-run Saudi Press Agency. Under the bilateral pact both will strive to prevent "the use of the lands of the two countries to harbor, mobilize, train, pass or supply armed movements opposed to the other party," SPA reported, quoting a Saudi official. In addition, the agreement stipulates that, once militants are identified, the country will "work to expel them immediately." Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Sudan President Omar Bashir and Chad's president, Idris Deby, met near the Saudi capital of Riyadh, where the deal was signed, the SPA reported. Thursday's pact could lend more stability to eastern Chad and Sudan's Darfur region -- a troubled area beset by raging violence and widespread population displacement caused by the hostilities. (Posted 5:09 p.m.) Secret Service: Obama placed under protection(CNN) -- Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, a U.S senator from Illinois, has been placed under the protection of the Secret Service, the agency said Thursday. The government is not aware of any specific, credible threat against Obama, according to a law enforcement source familiar with the decision. But the campaign has received hate mail and calls and other "threatening materials" in the past and during his campaign, the source said. Three Obama campaign officials who discussed the issue on condition of anonymity also said there was no specific threat against the candidate. They said the request stemmed from what one called the "cumulative effect" of a heavier campaign schedule, larger crowds and "just the growing perception internally" it was time to take additional security precautions that are best suited for the Secret Service. The Secret Service said in a written statement that DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, "after consultation with the congressional advisory committee, authorized the United States Secret Service to protect presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama. "As a matter of procedure, we will not release any details of the deliberations of assessments that led to protection being initiated," the statement said. (Posted 4:48 p.m.) Dow hits sixth record in seven sessionsNEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Stocks rallied Thursday, with the Standard & Poor's 500 closing above 1,500 for the first time in more than six years and the Dow Jones industrial average ending at a record high for the third time in a row and sixth time in seven sessions. The Dow gained 0.2 percent, missing out on a broader advance due to the impact from General Motors, which reported a surprisingly weak earnings report in the morning. But the broader S&P 500 index -- the market gauge most widely watched by professional investors -- climbed 0.4 percent and ended above 1,500 for the first time since the third quarter of 2000. The tech-heavy Nasdaq composite rose 0.3 percent and closed at a 6-year high. --From CNNMoney.com's Alexandra Twin (Posted 4:26 p.m.) Netanyahu calls for new Israeli electionsJERUSALEM (CNN) -- Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the opposition Likud Party, called Thursday for new elections amid more demands for the resignation of current Prime Minister Ehud Olmert over his handling of last summer's war against Hezbollah in Lebanon. In Tel Aviv, tens of thousands of people filled Rabin Square to demand Olmert's resignation -- but so far, the successor to Ariel Sharon has stood firm in refusing to step down. Netanyahu, speaking at a special session of the Knesset, Israel's parliament,s aid, "In a democracy the people are the sovereign. We need to go to the people and allow them to speak their minds. "What do the people want? What do they ask for today? They want a leadership that will protect our children, a leadership that will secure our future, a leadership that will bring the faith back to all of us. So, let's go to the people and bring back hope." (Posted 4:01 p.m.) Soldiers in Iraq find school under construction rigged with explosivesBAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military on Thursday said American soldiers a few days ago discovered that a girl's school under construction north of Baghdad was an explosives-rigged "death trap." Soldiers were able to clear the scene, but Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, U.S. military spokesman, said the "sophisticated" and "premeditated" effort to place munitions at the Huda Girls' School in Tarmiya was chilling. The location is north of Baghdad in Salaheddin province. The building was found on Saturday. If the explosives had been detonated, Caldwell said in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer taped for the "Situation Room," it would have been "an incredibly ugly, dirty kind of vicious killing." (Posted 2:36 p.m.) Former deputy attorney general praises fired prosecutorsWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Deputy Attorney General James Comey, who was second in command at the Justice Department under Alberto Gonzales, testified Thursday he had no knowledge of any plan to fire several U.S. attorneys, and pointedly praised nearly all of the ousted prosecutors for their superb performances. Comey also expressed deep concern about potential damage to the Justice Department if there proves to be truth to an allegation that Justice official Monica Goodling considered political affiliation in hiring career prosecutors. "That's the most serious thing that's come up in this whole thing," Comey told lawmakers. "I hope that didn't happen." Comey, a career prosecutor before voluntarily leaving in 2005 to accept a lucrative corporate job, was praised by members of both parties as a "respected public servant" and a "straight shooter." --From CNN Justice Producer Terry Frieden (Posted 2:10 p.m.) Rice urges 'wait and see' with Syria after 1st meeting with foreign ministerSHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (CNN) -- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she delivered a "strong message" Thursday to Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moualem about foreign fighters who are crossing Syria's borders into Iraq. Rice met with her Syrian counterpart on the sidelines of a two-day conference on Iraq in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh -- the first high-level meeting between the two countries in two and a half years. Rice said she emphasized to the Syrian delegation "that everyone needs to do everything possible to stabilize this young democracy," referring to Iraq. Asked if Syria agreed to halt the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq, Rice said she would take a "wait-and-see" approach. "I'm not convinced by words; I'm convinced by actions," Rice said. At a U.S. military briefing in Baghdad, Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said Syria has made some progress in halting the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq. Rice said she had not seen Caldwell's statement, but cautioned against reading too much into it. "We don't want to assume this is a trend," she said. "Let's wait and see if it continues." (Posted 1:50 p.m.) Despite lack of data, feds issue guidance on facemask use in flu pandemicATLANTA (CNN) -- The federal government on Thursday issued "interim guidance" governing the use of facemasks and respirators in the event of a flu pandemic, despite acknowledging that much is not known about whether they would help. "We wish we had better science," Dr. Julie Gerberding, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told reporters in a conference call. Though studies are under way, results may not be available for "a couple of years," she said. As a result, she said, the disease agency has opted to base its guidance on "common sense ... not the kind of scientific evidence CDC typically uses for its guidelines." No mask or facial protection will suffice to eliminate the risk of a pandemic, Gerberding said. (Posted 1:45 p.m.) 'Road map' for Iraqi progress launched at Egyptian summitSHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (CNN) -- A five-year "road map" to help bring security and prosperity to Iraq was launched here Thursday at an international conference attended by representatives from dozens of countries and groups, including some at the foreign-minister level. The International Compact with Iraq, a blueprint with benchmarks and goals that involve Iraqi reforms and international lending efforts, was approved at the meeting, held in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was among those who attended the meeting, which was the fruit of an effort "co-chaired by the government of Iraq and the United Nations," a U.N. statement said. Her meeting with the Syrian foreign minister on the sidelines of the conference attracted much attention and overshadowed the compact initiative. "Essentially, the compact represents a road map for the next five years aimed at helping Iraq to achieve its long-term goals of economic prosperity, political stability and lasting security," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. "Much work will be needed to keep Iraq on track, but I am confident that the people and government are up to the challenge." (Posted 12:51 p.m.) Wolfowitz continues to defend his actions in salary controversyWASHINGTON (CNN) -- The war of words continues to swirl around World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz as he fights to hold on to his job. Thursday, Wolfowitz released a letter sent to the special committee of World Bank directors that is investigating the controversy about the pay and promotion package Wolfowitz approved for his girlfriend, Shaha Riza. Riza was transferred to a State Department foundation after Wolfowitz took over at the bank. She receives a salary of almost $194,000 a year, tax free. In the new letter, Wolfowitz rebuts statements from former World Bank officials who claimed that he ignored Bank ethics committee directions on the Riza case and that he acted improperly. --From CNN State Department Producer Charley Keyes (Posted 12:29 p.m.) British soldier killed in Afghan fighting(CNN) -- A British NATO soldier was killed in southern Afghanistan on Thursday, the Ministry of Defense confirmed. The soldier, from the 1st Battalion of The Grenadier Guards, "was killed by small arms fire while manning a checkpoint near the town of Garmsir" in southern Helmand province, the ministry said. NATO's International Security Assistance Force earlier reported a soldier's death in fighting but didn't list the nationality. The soldier was part of a unit at a checkpoint attacked by "a force of between eight and 10 lightly-armed Taliban fighters.," the ministry said. "The Grenadiers returned fire with small arms and during the ensuing gun battle, the soldier, who was manning a general purpose machine gun, sustained a gunshot wound" and died later. (Posted 11:38 a.m.) Al-Maliki called for foreign debt forgivenessSHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt (CNN) -- Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki on Thursday called for Iraq's foreign debts to be forgiven, saying that would be a crucial factor in helping the war-wracked country get off the ground. Al-Maliki spoke at the start of the international conference in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh that is focused on developing ways to support Iraq. "We are aware that security and economic growth are two interconnected issues. Therefore we cannot talk about stability without economic progress that all social demographics can benefit from, which can ultimately ensure fair distribution of wealth among the people. It also improves job opportunities among the unemployed," al-Maliki said. More than 50 countries were in Sharm el-Sheikh to formally launch the International Compact with Iraq, which the United Nations characterizes as a "five-year peace and development plan." (Posted 10:45 a.m.) LAPD chief: 'Something went wrong' at immigration rallyLOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said Thursday that two investigations have been mounted after police fired more than 200 rounds of rubber bullets or bean bags at demonstrators at a May 1 immigration rally. "Our great concern is that there are almost 240 rounds fired by our officers during that event but there were no arrests," Bratton told CNN's "American Morning." "And that's a question that I have serious concerns about." The chief said he has ordered an after-action report into the incident, as well as a separate inquiry by the department's internal affairs division. Video from Tuesday's rallies showed a row of police clad in riot gear pushing demonstrators in MacArthur Park. Members of the media were also seen being shoved by police. Some protesters grabbed their children and tried to move out of the way as police swung their batons. (Posted 9:43 a.m.) 4 dead in Wednesday's Green Zone attack; 4 dead in Thursday's attacksBAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy Thursday said a rocket attack on Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone a day earlier killed four U.S. government contract workers. "It is with a profound sense of sadness and regret that we announce the loss," said Embassy Charge D'Affaires Daniel Speckhard. An embassy statement identified the contractors as a Philippine citizen, one person from Nepal, and two people from India. Initially, all four were identified by Speckhard as Filipinos. Meanwhile, Baghdad's Shiite enclave of Abu Dsheer was hit for a third day in a row by mortar attacks. Thursday's attack, which happened around 3 p.m., killing one civilian and wounding six others, an interior ministry official said. In central Baghdad, an imam was shot and killed by gunmen near the al-Karkh hospital, an interior ministry official said, citing a police report. North of the Iraqi capital, gunmen killed two civilians in Qaton in northern Baquba, a Diyala police official said. (Posted 9:20 a.m.) U.S. military arrests 2 with suspected Iran linksBAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military said two people with suspected links to Iran were seized on Thursday in Baghdad's Sadr City in a coalition raid. "The individuals targeted during the raid are suspected members of a secret cell terrorist network known for facilitating the transport of weapons and explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, from Iran to Iraq, as well as bringing militants from Iraq to Iran for terrorist training," according to a military statement. Eleven other suspected insurgents were arrested overnight in northern Iraq raids "targeting a foreign fighter facilitation network and improvised explosive device networks." The arrests were made north of Karma and in Mosul. (Posted 9:20 a.m.) U.S. military says top militant involved in high-profile kidnapping is killedBAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. military commander Thursday announced the death of an al Qaeda militant believed to be involved in the kidnapping of two Americans, journalist Jill Carroll and Christian activist Tom Fox. Fox was later killed; Carroll was released. Maj. Gen. William Caldwell identified the militant as Muharib Abdul Latif al-Jubouri, the senior minister of information for al Qaeda in Iraq. He was killed on Tuesday west of Taji in a U.S. and Iraqi operation against the insurgent group. Taji is north of Baghdad. He was also involved in the kidnapping of two German engineers in January 2006, who were later released unharmed. Caldwell said the man's identity has caused confusion in reports. The Iraqi Interior Ministry said earlier that Abu Omar al-Baghdadi, who has been identified as the head of the Islamic State of Iraq, was killed. It said al-Baghdadi's real name is Muharib Abdullah al-Jibouri, and it has custody of his body, according to ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Abdul Karim Khalaf. (Posted 8:35 a.m.) Rapper Busta Rhymes arrested for DWINEW YORK (CNN) -- In his latest brush with police, rapper and actor Busta Rhymes was arrested early Thursday for driving while intoxicated in New York City. According to a New York police spokesman, officers spotted an SUV being driven erratically around 12:30 a.m. They stopped the vehicle at 51st and 11th Avenue in Manhattan. The rapper, whose real name is Trevor Smith, was arrested and taken to the mid-town north precinct. Police say he will be moved to central bookings later Thursday morning and charged with a DWI. This is not the rapper's first run-in with police. He is awaiting trial on two assault charges for allegedly beating up a fan that spat on his car and attacking an employee outside his recording studio over a money dispute. Rhymes has also angered the NYPD for refusing to cooperate in the murder investigation of his bodyguard, Israel Ramirez, who was shot while standing next to Rhymes during a shoot for a music video. -- From CNN's Cheryl Robinson (Posted 7 a.m.) Imus hires attorney in breach of contract suit against CBSNEW YORK (CNN) -- Former radio talk show host Don Imus has hired one of the country's top trial lawyers to sue CBS Radio over his dismissal last month for making racial and sexual on-air comments about members of the Rutgers University women's basketball team. Attorney Martin Garbus told CNN Wednesday that he has agreed to represent Imus in a wrongful breach of contract suit against his former employer. Garbus would not disclose when he was retained by Imus, but said he plans to file an action against CBS in the near future. Calls made to Imus by CNN were not returned. A CBS spokesman declined comment. (Posted 2:40 a.m.) Damaged Bay Area freeway ramp to reopen within 10 days(CNN) -- The damage done to a freeway interchange near Oakland, Calif., from a tanker-truck accident Sunday was not as serious as initially feared, and a ramp closed by the mishap should reopen within 10 days, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday. The announcement was good news for tens of thousands of Bay Area commuters, who had braced for the possibility of months of gridlock on a key traffic artery between Oakland and San Francisco. Early Sunday morning, a tanker truck crashed and burst into flames at the interchange, known as MacArthur Maze, where Interstates 80, 580 and 880 come together just east of the Bay Bridge. Compromised by the intense heat, a section of I-580 collapsed onto a ramp that carries traffic from I-80 to I-880. Transportation officials had initially feared that the ramp was so badly damaged that it might have to be scrapped and rebuilt. But engineers have determined that it can be repaired instead, Schwarzenegger said in a written statement. (Posted 10:27 p.m.) |