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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. U.S., Afghan forces kill suspected militant, confiscate 'martyr' videos(CNN) -- U.S. and Afghan forces killed a suspected militant and detained three others, during a raid early Thursday in eastern Afghanistan, a U.S. military statement said. According to the military, "credible intelligence" led the forces to a suspected Taliban safe house in Patika province's Mata Khan district believed to be used in housing local Taliban and foreign fighters. "The forces killed the adult male when he attempted to engage them during a search of the location," the statement said. "A search of the buildings revealed a video camera and various tapes of 'martyr' operations in addition to an AK-47, a shotgun and two pistols." Insurgent groups often videotape suicide attacks for propaganda purposes. The military said the detainees will be questioned about possible militant activities. (Posted 2:10 a.m.) FBI issues 'clearer guidance' in Patriot Act probesWASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI has issued "clearer guidance" to its agents to prevent "lapses" in a controversial program used to secretly gather private information under the Patriot Act, FBI Assistant Director John Miller said in a statement late Wednesday. A government audit released in March by the Justice Department's inspector general said the FBI was guilty of "serious misuse" of power in its use of national security letters (NSLs), which agents send to third parties demanding personal and business information about individuals -- such as financial, phone, and Internet records -- without court orders. "These were not new guidelines," Miller said. "They were, instead clearer guidance that more fully explain the rules and law. The improved guidance was in response to lapses in procedure identified by the Inspector General's report issued in March." (Posted 12:25 a.m.) Take from Bush fund-raising dinner down sharply from 2006WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Standing in front of a sea of heavyweight Republican contributors Wednesday evening, President Bush called the annual President's Dinner to raise money to support GOP congressional candidates an "unqualified success" and predicted his party "will retake the House and retake the Senate and hold the White House in 2008." But the dinner's take -- $15.4 million -- was a stark illustration of the changed political circumstances for Bush, who broke all known fund-raising records in getting and keeping the White House. Last year, when Bush headlined the same dinner, the event raised $27 million, making this year's take less than 60 cents for every dollar raised in 2006. And it came on the day that a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed Bush's approval rating dipping below 30 percent overall and down to just 62 percent among his fellow Republicans. Despite the drop in contributions, the dinner's chairman, Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee, said he was "pleased with the success we've achieved through tonight's dinner." (Posted 10:33 p.m.) Thompson tied for second in GOP field, average of latest polls showsWASHINGTON (CNN) -- As Republican Fred Thompson's flirting with the 2008 presidential race has gotten more, well, flirtatious, the actor and former senator's support in national opinion polls has risen, putting him a tie for second place in the crowded GOP field. T he average of four national polls taken since the Republican candidates debated in New Hampshire on June 5 puts Thompson's support at 16 percent, tying him with Sen. John McCain of Arizona in the 2008 White House derby. Still leading the pack is former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani at 25 percent. An average of seven national polls conducted in May showed Giuliani at 30 percent, McCain at 22 percent and Thompson at 12 percent -- a sign that Thompson's increased support has come at the expense of both of his leading rivals. The June poll average showed former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney with the support of 10 percent of GOP voters, the same as his average in May. Thompson, who has strong name recognition from his recurring role on NBC's "Law and Order" TV shows, has not announced a run for president and did not participate in the June 5 debate. But last month, he took the first formal step toward a candidacy by setting up a fund-raising committee back home in Tennessee. (Posted 8:39 p.m.) Bush condemns Golden Mosque bombing, urges Iraqis to avoid reprisalsWASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush condemned Wednesday's bombing of a revered Shiite Muslim mosque in northern Iraq and urged Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to "turn this moment of tragedy into opportunity," the White House said Wednesday. National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe said Bush called al-Maliki in the aftermath of Wednesday's bombing of the Askariya Mosque in Samarra, which threatened to unleash a new wave of violence between the country's Sunni and Shiite Muslim communities. U.S. officials said the bombing bore the hallmarks of the al Qaeda terrorist network. "This barbarous act was clearly aimed at inflaming sectarian tensions among the peoples of Iraq and defeating their aspirations for a secure, democratic and prosperous country," Bush said in a statement released by the White House. "I join Iraq's leaders in calling on all Iraqis to refrain from acts of vengeance and reject al Qaeda's scheme to sow hatred among the Iraqi people, and to instead join together in fighting al Qaeda as the true enemy of a free and secure Iraq." The shrine, known as the Golden Mosque, was badly damaged by a February 2006 bombing that set off a wave of sectarian warfare that still wracks the country. Iraqi authorities appealed for calm in the aftermath of Wednesday's bombing, but at least three Sunni mosques were reported to have been bombed or set afire in reprisal. (Posted 8:32 p.m.) United States urges support for Abbas amid escalating Palestinian violence(CNN) -- The U.S. State Department on Wednesday criticized Hamas for attacking "legitimate security institutions" in a bid to undermine Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts and urged regional leaders to support Abbas as the bloody conflict between internal factions escalated. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Washington is concerned about Abbas' authority, but noted that the violence has not spread to the West Bank. The United States is providing about $60 million to the Palestinian Authority to beef up Abbas' forces in his struggle against Hamas, the Islamic party that won control of the Palestinian parliament and government in January 2006 elections. "We have called on others in the region to express their support for President Abbas and those Palestinian moderate political elements who have forsworn the use of violence and who have an interest in reaching a political settlement with Israel via the negotiating table," McCormack said. "We're going to continue to support those elements, and we're going to continue to support President Abbas." (Posted 7:13 p.m.) D.C. man presses pants suit over trousers he says were lostWASHINGTON (CNN) -- A multi-million dollar lawsuit against a dry cleaners has focused on the term "satisfaction guaranteed" and where to draw the line when a customer demands satisfaction over a pair of trousers he says were lost. The customer, and plaintiff, is District of Columbia administrative law judge Roy Pearson. Pearson is is demanding up to $54 million, citing the city's consumer law to bolster his case for taking literally a promise of superior service. A sign that hung for years at the countertop of Custom Cleaners in the nation's capital said "satisfaction guaranteed," and Pearson maintains that promise is unconditional. The defendant's attorney says Pearson's lawsuit is about revenge, financial desperation and distress over the customer's unrelated divorce. The shop's owners say the pants were found long ago, and that the customer has refused to accept the clothing as his. Final arguments in the case concluded Wednesday, and the judge plans to issue a written ruling next week. Judge Judith Bartnoff frequently chided Pearson for a presentation that at times was rambling, repetitive, and inaccurate when it came to case law. -- From CNN's Paul Courson (Posted 7:00 p.m.) Bush condemns assassination of anti-Syrian Lebanese lawmaker(CNN) -- President Bush on Wednesday condemned the assassination of anti-Syrian Lebanese lawmaker Walid Eido in a massive explosion in western Beirut and blamed Syria and its allies in Iran for instigating trouble in Lebanon. "There has been a clear pattern of assassinations and attempted assassinations in Lebanon since October 2004," Bush said in a statement issued by the White House. "Those working for a sovereign and democratic Lebanon have always been the ones targeted. The victims have always been those who sought an end to Syrian President Assad's interference in Lebanon's internal affairs." Bush called on the international community to support Lebanon's government as it investigates Eido's death. (Posted 6:59 p.m.) Violence in Iraq continues despite early operations to increase U.S. troops; Defense Department releases latest quarterly reportWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Violence in Iraq remains at about the same levels as it did toward the end of last year, but the location of that violence has generally moved because of the Bush administration's "surge" efforts, according to a Pentagon report released Wednesday. The latest quarterly and congressionally mandated "Measuring Stability and Security in Iraq" report covers the period from February to early May 2007, roughly from the beginning of the troop increase toward the time when the final U.S. troops were entering Iraq as part of the buildup. According to the report on the overall assessment of the security environment in Iraq during this time, the troop buildup, which the Bush administration calls a "surge," was decreasing the level of violence in and around Baghdad, but much of the violence moved outward, north of Baghdad and further west, away from the majority of the U.S. and Iraqi forces and security operations. Provinces like Diyala and Nineveh are seeing increased operations by insurgent and extremist fighters as they try to gain control of these regions, the report says. --From CNN Pentagon Producer Mike Mount (Posted 6:16 p.m.) Former White House aides subpoenaed in probe of prosecutors' firingsWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Congressional Democrats took a major step Wednesday toward a confrontation with the Bush administration over executive privilege by issuing subpoenas to two former White House aides, demanding their testimony in ongoing probes into the firings of eight U.S. attorneys last December. The Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenaed Sara Taylor, former White House political director and a key deputy to President Bush's top political adviser, Karl Rove. The panel also subpoenaed documents from both Taylor and the White House related to the firings. Meanwhile, the House Judiciary Committee, which is separately investigating the prosecutors' terminations, subpoenaed former White House Counsel Harriet Miers, a longtime Bush confidante who the president unsuccessfully tried to elevate to the Supreme Court in 2005. Bush has previously said he would not allow his aides to testify publicly before Congress, and White House spokesman Tony Fratto accused the Democratic chairmen of the two panels, Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont and Rep. John Conyers of Michigan, of being "more interested in drama than facts." (Posted 6:03 p.m.) Diet drug given thumbs down by FDA advisory panelNEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- FDA experts shot down Zimulti, a diet drug that Sanofi-Aventis is trying to get approved for the U.S. market, but the agency's final decision is yet to come. A panel of 14 advisors for the Food and Drug Administration voted unanimously against the approval of Sanofi's weight loss drug, also known as Acomplia and rimonabant, the agency said. The vote -- which specifically stated that the drug's risk does not outweigh its benefit -- is non-binding, but the agency's regulatory authorities usually take the advice of the panel. The FDA is expected to make a formal decision on the drug in July. Zimulti is already available in 10 European countries, as well as several other nations including Mexico. But the FDA published documents earlier this week acknowledging that the drug increased depression and suicidal thoughts in patients. --By CNNMoney.com's Aaron Smith (Posted 5:33 p.m.) No immediate reports of injuries after magnitude 6.8 earthquake near Guatemala(CNN) -- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck just off the Pacific coast of Guatemala Wednesday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of major damage, but telephone service in the area is spotty and authorities were using radios to communicate, Benedicto Giron, a spokesman for the nation's disaster coordination agency, told CNN en Espanol. Hugo Hernandez, the executive director of the National Coordination for Disaster, told CNN en Espanol there were no immediate reports of injuries, but citizens were fearful after the quake. All phone lines to the area were down, he said. The agency was evaluating the situation and was working to implement a disaster plan, and would have more information later, he said. Guatemalan President Oscar Berger was planning a news conference shortly to issue updates and urge citizens to remain calm, Hernandez said. (Posted 5:25 p.m.) Fired U.S. attorney: 'I may be dumb, but I'm not lazy'WASHINGTON (CNN) -- One of the federal prosecutors fired in a now-controversial shakeup dismissed a White House official's description of him as "lazy" Wednesday, saying those behind the firings don't have enough credibility left to bother him. "I may be dumb, but I'm not lazy," H.E. "Bud" Cummins told CNN. "We all worked hard there, in the U.S. attorney's office for the Eastern District of Arkansas. Nobody had ever brought an issue like that to our attention in the office." Cummins was asked to resign as the top federal prosecutor in Little Rock, Ark., in June 2006. Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty told a Senate committee in February that Harriet Miers, then White House counsel, had recommended replacing Cummins to give ex-Rove aide Tim Griffin a chance to serve as U.S. attorney. McNulty's account triggered a furious reaction from Rove deputy Sara Taylor, then director of the White House political office. "Why would McNulty say this?" Taylor asked in an e-mail to Kyle Sampson, then Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' chief of staff. "McNulty refuses to say Bud is lazy -- which is why we got rid of him in the first place." The e-mail exchange was among documents released Tuesday night. --From CNN Correspondent Brian Todd (Posted 5:17 p.m.) Police: 'Confident' killings of 6 people were murder-suicide(CNN) -- Agencies investigating the fatal shootings of six people, including two children, in Delavan, Wis., over the weekend believe the deaths were a murder-suicide, Delavan Police Chief Tim O'Neill said Wednesday. "All agencies involved in this investigation are confident that this was a murder-suicide," he said. The sole shooter is believed to be Ambrosio Analco, 23, he said. (Posted 4:53 p.m.) Lebanese political leader calls for peaceful public farewell to slain lawmakerBEIRUT (CNN) -- The leader of the political bloc that included the Anti-Syrian Lebanese lawmaker who was killed in a massive explosion Wednesday called for a public farewell for the man Thursday. Walid Eido, a distinguished lawmaker and constitutional expert in his 60s, was killed along with his son, Khalid, two of his bodyguards and six other people. Hariri's assassination two years ago sparked widespread protests that led to the ouster of Syrian forces from Lebanon. Saad Hariri -- whose father, former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, was assassinated two years ago -- called Eido "a strong voice in defending sovereignty and independence. He defended the truth, justice and freedom for the sake of Lebanon. ... He is added to the innocent martyrs who paved the way with their blood toward Lebanese sovereignty." On Thursday, he said, "we will say farewell to Walid and Khalid, just as we said farewell to Rafik Hariri: Calmly, responsibly and in a civilized way, and we will block the way for the ones that want to spread chaos. "Tomorrow will be a day for Lebanon, a day for the Lebanese government, a day for the martyrs, a day that matches up with our country that we will not leave for terrorists." (Posted 4:27 p.m.) Report lists lessons from Virginia Tech killingsWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Educators, doctors and police sometimes don't know enough about privacy laws to know when they can share information about potentially dangerous students "and the resulting confusion may chill legitimate information sharing," a federal report on the Virginia Tech shootings concluded Wednesday. "We repeatedly heard reports of 'information silos' within educational institutions and among educational staff, mental health providers, and public safety officials that impede appropriate information sharing," said the report, which was prepared for President Bush by the departments of Health and Human Services, Education and Justice. "These concerns are heightened by confusion about the laws that govern the sharing of information," it added. "We need to do a much better job educating educators, mental health community and law enforcement that they can, in fact, share information when a person's safety or a community's safety is in fact potentially endangered," Health and Human Services Secretary Michael O. Leavitt told reporters after delivering the report. "When a person is in danger themselves, or when a community is in danger, the existing law does provide the capacity for law enforcement to work with school communities, and school communities to work with the mental health community to get people help," he said. (Posted 4:19 p.m.) Magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes just off Guatemala shore(CNN) -- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck just off the Pacific coast of Guatemala Wednesday afternoon, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There were no immediate reports of major damage, but telephone service in the area is spotty and authorities were using radios to communicate, Benedicto Giron, a spokesman for the nation's disaster coordination agency, told CNN en Espanol. However, as a precaution, authorities were evacuating high-rise buildings and homes that might be vulnerable to damage in an aftershock until it is deemed safe to return, he said. The disaster coordination team is trying to contact local municipalities, Giron said, but is confident that systems put in place since the last earthquake struck Guatemala will work efficiently. The disaster coordination system will meet on the issue. (Posted 4:14 p.m.) Magnitude 6.8 earthquake strikes just off Guatemala shore(CNN) -- A magnitude 6.8 earthquake has struck just off the Pacific coast of Guatemala, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said a Pacific-wide tsunami was not expected. The quake was centered about 70 miles from Guatemala City, Guatemala, the USGS said. (Posted 3:53 p.m.) Justice Alito warns lagging judicial pay nearing a 'tipping point'WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sounding an alarm on congressional inaction over giving federal judges more money, Justice Samuel Alito said the nation's courts are near a "tipping point" over maintaining quality on the bench. The newest member of the Supreme Court said the salary issue is increasingly keeping qualified lawyers from becoming federal judges. "I am concerned that in 25 years we will not be the federal judiciary we treasure today," said Alito, in remarks Wednesday to lawmakers and other guests at a National Italian American Foundation forum. Alito admitted the issue is a tough sell with politicians and the public. Most federal judges serve on U.S. District courts, making $165,200, the same as members of Congress. Some lawmakers have resisted delinking their pay with judges and giving them more money, saying that would imply members of Congress are less important than those in the judiciary. --From CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears (Posted 3:23 p.m.) Another whale shark dies at Georgia AquariumATLANTA (CNN) -- Norton, one of the Georgia Aquarium's original whale sharks, was humanely euthanized early Wednesday morning after severe and protracted health complications, the aquarium's president said. "During the last few months, Norton stopped eating and started showing erratic swimming behavior. In response, exhaustive diagnostic tests were conducted by husbandry and veterinary staff." said Jeff Swanagan, president and executive director of the Georgia Aquarium. Norton's swimming behavior showed a significant decline on Tuesday, and on Wednesday morning he had stopped swimming altogether and sank to the bottom of his tank. The aquarium's other original whale shark, Ralph, died in January from an abdominal inflammation. The aquarium team is not sure if the deaths are linked. The Georgia Aquarium is the largest in the world, with more than 8 million gallons of water and the most expansive collection of marine animals. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the world. (Posted 2:28 p.m.) Bush tells Baptists he won't sign any bill that destroys embryosWASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush reaffirmed his vow Wednesday to veto any bill that leads to the destruction of human embryos, including a stem cell bill recently passed by Congress. "I used my first veto on a bill that would compel American taxpayers to support the deliberate destruction of human embryos, and I will veto any bill Congress sends me that violates the sanctity of human life," the president said at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention. He gave his talk from the White House via satellite to the audience in San Antonio, Texas. Last Thursday, Democratic congressional leaders pushed through a new bill to roll back the Bush administration's restrictions on embryonic stem-cell research. Bush immediately promised to veto it. (Posted 12:57 p.m.) Soldier found dead at Fort Hood after routine training exercise(CNN) -- The body of a soldier who had been missing since he got lost Friday evening while on a training exercise has been found at Fort Hood in central Texas. Sgt. Lawrence G. Sprader Jr. was found Tuesday evening in "an extremely rough area covered in brush typical of Central Texas," said Eddy Howton, Fort Hood's director of emergency services. The body was sent to the Southwest Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas for an autopsy, and until further information is gathered, "the cause of death is still under investigation," said Chief Game Warden and Incident Commander Robert Volk. Volk, Howton and others spoke in a news conference Wednesday morning. (Posted 12:48 p.m.) Anti-Syrian Lebanese MP killed in apparent assassination; 9 others deadBEIRUT (CNN) -- Anti-Syrian Lebanese lawmaker Walid Eido (prono: wah-LEED EE-doh) was killed Wednesday in a massive explosion that struck western Beirut, an attack believed to have been aimed at assassinating him, hospital sources told CNN. Lebanese media reported Eido's son, Khalid, and two of his bodyguards were also were killed in the blast, which happened as they traveled in a car along the main seaside road in Beirut's Manara neighborhood. A total of 10 people were killed in the blast, and 11 were wounded, Lebanese internal security forces told CNN. Eido, a distinguished lawmaker and constitutional expert in his 60s, was a member of a political bloc led by Saad Hariri, the son of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. (Posted 12:28 p.m.) Anti-Syrian Lebanese MP killed in apparent assassination; 7 others deadBEIRUT (CNN) -- Anti-Syrian Lebanese lawmaker Walid Eido was killed Wednesday in a massive explosion that struck western Beirut, an attack believed to have been aimed at assassinating him, hospital sources told CNN. Lebanese media reported Eido's son, Khalid, and two of his bodyguards also were killed in the blast. The explosion in the seaside Manara neighborhood killed at least eight people, Lebanese internal security forces told CNN. Eido, a distinguished lawmaker and constitutional expert, was a member of a political bloc led by Saad Hariri, the son of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, whose assassination two years ago sparked widespread protests that led to the ouster of Syrian forces from Lebanon. Eido was a vocal supporter of the United Nations tribunal investigating Hariri's killing, approved earlier this month by U.N. Security Council. (Posted 12:01 p.m.) Authorities urge calm in wake of strike on Shiite mosque amid reports of retaliation against SunnisBAGHDAD (CNN) -- Authorities are appealing for calm in the wake of another bombing at Al-Askariya Mosque -- a major Shiite shrine in Samarra -- but reports of apparent retaliatory attacks against Sunnis are emerging. Police have reported the torching of a Sunni mosque in a Shiite neighborhood in Baghdad, gunfire in Shiite neighborhoods in the capital, and the bombings of two Sunni mosques in Iskandariya in Babil province. This has alarmed Iraqi and U.S. authorities, who are imploring the populace, wracked by Sunni-Shiite violence, to shun retaliation. "We share in the outrage of the Iraqi people against this crime, and we call on all Iraqis to reject this call to violence. We can not allow these terrorists to work against the interests of the Iraqi people who are seeking peace and prosperity for all," said U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan C. Crocker and Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq -- who issued a joint condemnation. Police in Hilla said militia members have stormed the Iskandariya Grand Mosque, a Sunni mosque south of Baghdad, and blew it up with explosives. Around the same time another Sunni mosque in Iskandariya -- Abdullah al-Jabouri mosque -- was attacked by militiamen, who used explosives to destroy its minarets. (Posted noon) Lebanese MP killed in blast, apparent assassinationBEIRUT (CNN) -- Anti-Syrian Lebanese lawmaker Walid Eido was killed in Wednesday's explosion in Beirut that now is believed to have been aimed at assassinating him, hospital sources told CNN. Lebanese media reported Eido's son, Khalid, and two of his bodyguards also were killed in the blast. (Posted 11:33 p.m.) Explosion rocks western Beirut; 4 deadBEIRUT (CNN) -- An explosion shook the seaside Beirut neighborhood of Manara on Wednesday, killing four people and wounding 10, according to Lebanese security sources. The impact of the blast shattered the windows of nearby buildings while bystanders sustained injuries from the shrapnel. CNN's Brent Sadler witnessed wounded people being carried out of one building. The blast happened near a military sports club and a side street that leads to several restaurants. Sadler said two vehicles were engulfed in flames, and the explosion had all the hallmarks of a bombing attack. Many of the off-duty soldiers, still wearing their work-out clothes, rushed to the scene trying to calm people down. Video of the scene also showed Lebanese forces trying to control the crowds. (Posted 11:20 a.m.) Judiciary committees to issue two subpoenas in U.S. attorneys firings probeWASHINGTON (CNN) -- Both Judiciary Committees were issuing subpoenas Wednesday for former White House employees as the congressional probe into last year's firings of eight U.S. attorneys were ratcheted to a new level, multiple congressional sources told CNN Wednesday. They are the first subpoenas issued since the U.S. Justice Department dismissed the lawyers -- all but one in December. More Justice documents also were being subpoenaed Wednesday. The Senate panel, chaired by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., was issuing a subpoena to Sara Taylor, former White House political director and a key deputy to Karl Rove, the top political adviser to President Bush. She resigned a few weeks ago. The House Judiciary Committee, chaired by Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich., was subpoenaing former White House Counsel Harriet Miers. (Posted 10:48 a.m.) Shimon Peres wins ballot to become president of IsraelJERUSALEM (CNN) -- Veteran Israeli political figure Shimon Peres won election as president of Israel Wednesday after two other candidates pulled out of the race. In the first round of voting, Peres, 83, received 58 votes -- shy of the 61 needed to win. But the two other candidates in the race pulled out before the second round, which Peres then won with 86 votes. In a speech to the Knesset, Peres said he believes the role of the president is to unify the nation. "The president's role is not to deal with politics and partisanship, but to represent what unites us in a strong voice," he said. "A president must represent the people's desire to be a united nation." (Posted 10:31 a.m.) Judiciary committees to issue two subpoenas in U.S. attorneys firings probeWASHINGTON (CNN) -- The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee will issue a subpoena to Sara Taylor, former White House political director, in the probe into the 2006 firings of eight U.S. attorneys by the U.S. Justice Department, several congressional sources told CNN Wednesday. About the same time, it was announced that the House Judiciary Committee will issue a subpoena in the same case to former White House Counsel Harriet Miers. (Posted 10:20 a.m.) Human Rights Watch accuses Palestinian militants of war crimesGAZA CITY (CNN) -- Human Rights Watch issued a statement Wednesday accusing Palestinian armed groups in Gaza of "serious violations of international humanitarian law, in some cases amounting to war crimes." While Gaza has been the scene of frequent clashes between Fatah and Hamas militants, the latest round of internal Palestinian fighting has been particularly bloody. Over the weekend, a Fatah supporter was kidnapped and later tossed off a high-rise building to his death. Hours later, in an apparent reprisal attack, a Hamas supporter was killed in the same manner. HRW also referenced Monday's killing of three family members with links to Fatah who were shot while being treated in a hospital in Beit Hanoun. One was reportedly shot at close range, HRW said. Sarah Leah Whitson, HRW's Middle East director, also expressed concern about Palestinian militants disguising themselves as journalists in order to launch an attack on Israeli soldiers on Saturday. (Posted 9:45 a.m.) White House: 'No evidence of wrongdoing' in Justice e-mailsWASHINGTON (CNN) -- There is "no evidence of any wrongdoing" in a newly released batch of Justice Department e-mails provided to Congress, which has been investigating the agency's firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year, a White House spokesman said Wednesday. The Judiciary Committees in the House and Senate have been trying to determine the extent, if any, of White House involvement in the controversial dismissals. Referring to the correspondence, White House spokesman Tony Fratto told CNN, "It shows again that there was no wrongdoing in the replacement of U.S. attorneys." Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee, is considering whether to issue subpoenas for White House officials to testify and produce confidential documents. (Posted, 9:45 a.m.) Reports: 8 insurgents, 2 U.S. soldiers, 3 Iraqi police, 1 prison detainee killed in IraqBAGHDAD (CNN) -- U.S. and Iraqi authorities on Wednesday reported the deaths of two U.S. soldiers in roadside bomb attacks, eight insurgents during fighting, three Iraqi police in a bombing, and one detainee at a prison facility in southern Iraq. Also, the Interior Ministry reported the kidnapping of a journalist, and the U.S. military reported the arrest of an alleged sniper thought to be responsible for killing a U.S. soldier. The military said a Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldier died and two were wounded in southern Baghdad early Tuesday when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. Another Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldier was killed when a roadside bomb detonated during combat operations in eastern Baghdad on Monday. With the deaths, the U.S. military has suffered 3,512 deaths in Iraq since the war started and 33 this month alone. (Posted 9:08 a.m.) Shimon Peres wins ballot to become president of IsraelJERUSALEM (CNN) -- Veteran Israeli political figure Shimon Peres won election as president of Israel Wednesday after two other candidates pulled out of the race. In the first round of voting for a new president, Peres, 83, received 58 votes -- shy of the 61 needed to win. But shortly after the vote, Collete Avital and Reuven Rivlin, the two other candidates in the race, pulled out. Both Avital and Rivlin called on their fellow members of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, to vote for Peres in the second round. On the second ballot, Peres won with 86 votes. Israel has a parliamentary system. The president is the head of state but the presidency is largely a ceremonial post. (Posted 9:08 a.m.) Sources: Hamas blast Fatah-linked security compound; 11 Fatah forces deadGAZA CITY (CNN) -- Hamas militants Wednesday detonated explosives in a tunnel underneath a Fatah-aligned security compound in the southern Gaza town of Khan Younis, killing at least 11 Fatah forces, Palestinian security sources told CNN. The Preventive Security headquarters compound is now under the complete control of Hamas militants, the sources said. (Posted 8:18 a.m) U.S. general: Samarra mosque bombing an inside job; 15 security force members arrestedBAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. military official on Wednesday said authorities have evidence that the bombing of the Askariya Mosque in Samarra on Wednesday was an inside job, and 15 members of the Iraqi security forces have been arrested. Maj. Gen. Benjamin Mixon, commander of the Multi-National Division-North, told CNN's Karl Penhaul that he believes members of the Iraqi security forces who were guarding the site either assisted al Qaeda insurgents or directly took part in placing and detonating explosives at the mosque's minarets. "He told me there was no evidence at all that this was an attack using mortars or anything of the like and said, in his words, that this was an inside job," Penhaul said on CNN's "American Morning." (Posted 8:12 a.m.) U.S. military reports deaths in Iraq; journalist kidnappedBAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military on Wednesday reported the deaths of two U.S. soldiers in roadside bomb attacks, six insurgents during fighting, and one detainee at a prison facility in southern Iraq. Also, the Interior Ministry reported the kidnapping of a journalist, and the U.S. military reported the arrest of an alleged sniper thought to be responsible for killing a U.S. soldier. Baquba police said three Iraqi police were killed and five were wounded Wednesday when a bomb exploded in the chief's office at Mandali police station. Mandali is a predominantly Shiite Kurdish town in Diyala province near the Iranian border. A "civilian internee" died Sunday from "severe head trauma sustained from an insurgent rocket attack" on Camp Bucca in southern Iraq on Saturday, the military said. It is the "seventh detainee death" that resulted from the attack. Fifty-six detainees and one Iraqi correctional officer were wounded. (Posted 8:15 a.m.) U.N. agency to scale back operations after 2 workers killed in Gaza violenceGAZA CITY (CNN) -- The U.N. agency that provides humanitarian relief to nearly a million Palestinians in Gaza announced Wednesday it will scale back operations after two staff members were killed and two others were wounded in the recent escalation of Fatah-Hamas fighting. All four were Palestinian employees of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency in Gaza, the agency's director of operations John Ging told CNN. An UNRWA sanitation worker collecting refuse Wednesday morning was fatally shot in the head outside the UNRWA office in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Ging said. Another UNRWA staff member was struck by a stray bullet on Tuesday afternoon in Beach or "Shati" camp in Gaza City, and later died of his wounds, Ging said. As a result of "these tragedies," Ging said UNRWA's Commissioner-General Karen Koning AbuZayd decided on Wednesday "to scale back our whole operation," focusing only on medical assistance and food distribution, "wherever it is safe to do that." (Posted 7:53 a.m.) Shimon Peres set to win ballot to become president of IsraelJERUSALEM (CNN) -- Veteran Israeli political figure Shimon Peres was poised Wednesday to win election as president of Israel after two other candidates pulled out of the race following the first round of voting. In the first round of voting for a new president, Peres, 84, received 58 votes, shy of the 61 needed to win. But shortly after the vote, Collete Avital and Reuven Rivlin, the two other candidates in the race, pulled out. Both Avital and Rivlin called on their fellow members of Israel's parliament, the Knesset, to vote for Peres in the second round, where he is expected to get an overwhelming majority. Israel has a parliamentary system and the presidency is largely a ceremonial post. (Posted 7:53 a.m.) Hamas declares northern Gaza a 'closed military area,' calls on residents to disarmGAZA CITY (CNN) -- Asserting its apparent control over northern Gaza, Hamas' military wing Wednesday announced the region is now a "closed military area" and demanded residents hand over their weapons to Hamas by Friday. Hamas' militant wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, delivered the announcement over loudspeakers from mosques across northern Gaza. Hamas called on residents to disarm by 7 p.m. Friday (noon ET/1600 GMT). The "closed military area" includes all villages and towns north of Gaza City, including Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya, and the Jabaliya refugee camp. Hamas claimed to have control over all of northern Gaza late Tuesday. Palestinian security sources said Wednesday that Hamas succeeded in taking over several Fatah strongholds in northern Gaza and the group's gunmen could be seen perched on buildings, forcing residents to cower in their homes. (Posted 7 a.m.) Gunfire erupts at Gaza peace rally; 1 deadGAZA CITY (CNN) -- Palestinian gunmen Wednesday opened fire on a peaceful demonstration calling for a cease-fire in Gaza, killing one person and sending dozens of other demonstrators running for cover Wednesday, according to Gaza hospital officials and video of the scene. The head of the Egyptian delegation to Gaza that is trying to broker a truce between Hamas and Fatah fighters was at the demonstration, but was not injured in the melee. Video showed unarmed residents -- men, women and children -- waving Palestinian flags and chanting for an end to the violence. Heavy gunfire echoed in the streets, prompting the demonstrators to run. -- From CNN's Avivit Dalgoshen in Jerusalem (Posted 6:20 a.m.) Explosion destroys minarets at Samarra Shiite shrineBAGHDAD (CNN) -- Insurgents blew up the remaining two minarets of the Askariya Mosque, a holy Shiite Muslim shrine in Samarra that was badly damaged in a similar attack in early 2006, a Samarra Police official told CNN. There was no immediate word on casualties. Within hours of the attacks, Iraqi state television announced that Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki had imposed a curfew for Baghdad until further notice. The blast followed early Wednesday morning clashes between gunmen and Iraqi National Police, who were guarding the site. During the firefight, the insurgents entered the mosque, also known as the Golden Dome, planted explosives around the minarets and detonated them. According to the police official, residents of Samarra are furious over the latest attack on the mosque. In response, radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr called for three days of mourning to mark the destruction of the minarets, according to a statement. The anti-American cleric also said no rival Sunni Arab could have been responsible for the bombing, adding he was holding U.S.-led coalition forces responsible. In February 2006, attackers dressed as Iraqi police commandos bombed and heavily damaged the shrine, collapsing the top half of the dome. The initial attack on the shrine spurred widespread sectarian fighting across Iraq that continues to this day. (Posted 5:25 a.m.) U.S. has 'irrefutable evidence' Iran is supplying Taliban in AfghanistanPARIS (CNN) -- The United States has "irrefutable evidence" that Tehran is transferring arms to Taliban fighters in Afghanistan, a top U.S. diplomat told CNN Wednesday, noting that NATO forces have intercepted some of the arms shipments. "There's irrefutable evidence the Iranians are now doing this and it's a pattern of activity" U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told CNN, "if you see the Iranians arming Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank and, of course, arming Shia militants inside Iraq itself. It's very violent and very unproductive activity by the Iranian government." In late May, U.S. and British officials simply said that weapons crossing the border from Iran to Afghanistan may be winding up in the hands of the Taliban, the hard-line Islamic militia that is battling U.S.- and NATO-led forces in Afghanistan. Wednesday's accusations took the case against Tehran to the next level. "It's certainly coming from the government of Iran. It's coming from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard corps command, which is a basic unit of the Iranian government," Burns said. (Posted 5:05 a.m.) Roadside bombs kill 2 U.S. soldiersBAGHDAD (CNN) -- A pair of U.S. soldiers died while on patrol this week in separate roadside bomb attacks, a U.S. military statement released Wednesday said. One Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldier died and two others were wounded in southern Baghdad early Tuesday when their vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device. Another Multi-National Division-Baghdad soldier was killed when a roadside bomb detonated during combat operations in eastern Baghdad on Monday. With the deaths, the U.S. military has suffered 3,512 casualties in Iraq since the war started. (Posted 4:45 a.m.) Factional fighting kills 6 in Gaza; Hamas expands power baseGAZA CITY (CNN) -- Gun battles between Palestinian factions killed six Fatah loyalists and militia members overnight as Hamas militants pushed to expand their power throughout Gaza, Palestinian security sources said Wednesday. The sources said Hamas had succeeded in taking over several Fatah strongholds in northern Gaza and the group's gunmen could be seen perched on buildings, forcing residents to cower in their homes. At the same time, Palestinian militants launched more rockets into Israel early Wednesday, an Israeli military source said. According to the source, two rockets landed in Israel -- one hitting a primary school, causing damage, but no casualties. The violence went on unabated even as Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas held emergency meetings Tuesday night, Palestinian officials said. Palestinian medical and security sources said 16 members of the Fatah-affilliated National Guard and 11 Hamas gunmen were killed on Tuesday and Wednesday. Among the dead was the commander of Hamas' militant wing, the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Palestinian security sources said. (Posted 4:20 a.m.) Explosion destroys minarets at Samarra Shiite shrineBAGHDAD (CNN) -- Insurgents blew up the remaining two minarets of the Askariya Mosque, a holy Shiite Muslim shrine in Samarra that was badly damaged in a similar attack in early 2006, a Samarra Police official told CNN. There was no immediate word on casualties. The blast followed early Wednesday morning clashes between gunmen and Iraqi National Police, who were guarding the site. During the firefight, the insurgents entered the mosque, also known as the Golden Dome, planted explosives around the minarets and detonated them. According to the police official, residents of Samarra are furious over the latest attack on the mosque. In February 2006, attackers dressed as Iraqi police commandos bombed and heavily damaged the shrine, collapsing the top half of the dome. The initial attack on the shrine spurred widespread sectarian fighting across Iraq that continues to this day. (Posted 3 a.m.) Newly released Justice documents reveal complaints about U.S. attorneyWASHINGTON (CNN) -- An e-mail in a newly released batch of Justice Department documents provided to Congress Tuesday raised new questions about the extent of White House involvement in the controversial firings of at least eight U.S. attorneys by the Justice Department last winter. One communication, from a White House political operative, described as "lazy" a U.S. attorney who was removed from his post in Arkansas to make room for a candidate with ties to Karl Rove. Then-White House Political Director Sara Taylor sent a Feb. 16 e-mail message to then-Attorney General Chief of Staff Kyle Sampson objecting to the testimony of Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty. McNulty had testified before a Senate panel that U.S. Attorney Bud Cummins in Little Rock, Ark., had been removed only because of political considerations, and not for any performance-related issues. McNulty said he understood Harriet Miers, then White House counsel, had recommended as a replacement for Cummins a candidate named Tim Griffin because the administration wanted to give another lawyer an opportunity to serve. "Why would McNulty say this?" Taylor inquired in the e-mail. "McNulty refuses to say Bud is lazy -- which is why we got rid of him in the first place." Sampson gave a noncommittal answer, saying he looked forward to discussing the matter further. -- From CNN Justice Producer Terry Frieden (Posted 10:42 p.m.) |
 | Obama toasts India at first state dinnerPresident Obama toasted a growing U.S. friendship with India at the first state dinner of his administration Tuesday, an evening of regal pageantry and symb ... |
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