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.
NTSB blames pilots' inattentiveness in Comair crash that killed 49
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Pilots' failure to notice signals that they were taking off from the wrong runway at a Kentucky airport was the probable cause of an August 2006 Comair crash that killed 49 people, the National Transportation Safety Board said Thursday.
As Comair Flight 5191, headed for Atlanta, readied for takeoff from Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky., the flight crew was instructed to take off from runway 22, which is 7,003 feet long, the NTSB said in a statement. Instead, the flight crew prepared to take off from runway 26, which is only 3,501 feet long -- short of the distance the plane needed for a proper takeoff.
In an earlier summary of its investigation, the NTSB had noted that the longer runway has lights, while the shorter one has no lights and was not approved for nighttime use. It was still dark when the plane attempted to take off at 6:07 a.m. on Aug. 27, 2006.
The plane, a Bombardier CRJ-100, accelerated to about 137 knots, then ran off the end of the runway, went through a fence and crashed into trees on an adjacent horse farm. (Posted 8:21 p.m.)
Gonzales' latest explanations add fuel to dispute over testimony
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- When embattled Attorney General Alberto Gonzales went to Capitol Hill Tuesday, he offered a new explanation for earlier testimony that some lawmakers found suspect. But far from quelling the controversy, his clarification has only heaped more fuel on the fire.
Thursday, four Democratic senators called for appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate whether Gonzales committed perjury. Then, the head of the FBI, Robert Mueller, appeared to publicly contradict statements the attorney general made under oath to the Senate Judiciary Committee about a controversial terrorist surveillance program.
Initiated after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, the program authorized the National Security Agency to intercept communications between people in the United States and suspected terrorists overseas without a warrant.
President Bush, who publicly acknowledged the program's existence in December 2005, has insisted the surveillance was both legal and a necessary tool in the war on terror, but critics have denounced it as an illegal and ill-advised assault on civil liberties. (Posted 7:31 p.m.)
2 dead, 4 hurt in blast at desert space port
LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- An explosion at a rocket test pad operated by a private company in the Mojave Desert killed two people and seriously injured four others Thursday afternoon, according to Roberto Figueroa of the Kern County Fire Department.
It was not immediately clear if it was a rocket or a fuel tank that exploded at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, California.
A spokeswoman for the space port, about 80 miles north of Los Angeles, said the blast was on a remote pad and the area had been contained.
Aerial video of the blast aftermath showed a charred and twisted flatbed trailer attached to a truck cab with a large silver tank next to it. Large pieces of debris appeared to be strewn for hundreds of yards from the center. (Posted 7:31 p.m.)
TSA acknowledges incident outlined in recent bulletin was unfounded
WASHINGTON -- The Transportation Security Administration on Thursday acknowledged that one of four suspicious incidents outlined in a bulletin warning of possible terrorist pre-attack probing was unfounded, and blamed a "systems error" for its inclusion in the warning.
The bulletin, sent to police throughout the country July 20, highlighted four "recent suspicious incidents" at airports -- among them the July 5 discovery of two icepacks in luggage at San Diego International Airport.
"The icepacks had clay inside them rather than the normal blue gel," the TSA said, saying that terrorists could be mimicking bomb components to test TSA's detection abilities.
But the chief of the San Diego Harbor Police Department, which investigated the incident, said investigators determined the day of the incident that the icepacks indeed contained normal blue gel, and definitely concluded that the incident was not a probe of the system.
Sanfilippo said TSA officials reached the same conclusion.
-- From CNN Producer Mike M. Ahlers (Posted 6:49 p.m.)
Taliban extends deadline on South Korean hostages
KABUL (CNN) -- South Korean and Afghan officials worked feverishly Thursday to secure the release of 22 South Koreans held hostage by Taliban militants in Afghanistan, as a purported Taliban spokesman extended the deadline for the release of Taliban prisoners in exchange for the South Koreans.
Qari Yousef Ahmadi, the purported Taliban spokesman, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that the Afghans had requested more time to consider the Taliban's demands.
"At the request of the Kabul administration and the deputy interior minister's request, we have given them time until to tomorrow (Friday) 12 noon (3:30 a.m. ET) and they have promised they will resolve this issue," Ahmadi said. "One way for this issue to be resolved is by killing (the hostages)." (Posted 6:24 p.m.)
Gene therapy patient dies, trial shut down
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A patient enrolled in a gene therapy trial for inflammatory arthritis has died, the company conducting the trial announced Tuesday.
Targeted Genetics Corporation said it had stopped the Phase I/II study designed to determine the safety and efficacy of an investigation drug for treating inflammatory arthritis.
The age and gender of the patient and the cause of death have not been released.
It is unknown if the drug itself, the virus used to deliver the drug or an unrelated illness led to the death. The company said it is working with the Food and Drug Administration to determine the cause. (Posted 5:50 p.m.)
NASA investigates sabotage in shuttle's payload
(CNN) -- NASA said Thursday it had found a computer destined for the International Space Station that had been intentionally damaged.
Associate Administrator for Space Operations Bill Gerstenmaier said the subcontractor who supplied the computer notified the agency of a possible problem, and workers checked the computer that was to be loaded onto the shuttle Endeavour and found the sabotaged unit.
"It will be repaired and it will fly on this flight," he said.
An investigation was launched by the agency's inspector general, he said. (Posted 5:42 p.m.)
3 Villanova incoming freshman booted out, but woman who accused them of rape not pressing charges
(CNN) -- Investigation into an alleged rape by three Villanova University football recruits ended Thursday when the person who reported it decided not to file charges, even though investigators said it was clear that the young women believed she was sexually assaulted in her dorm room July 14.
While Radnor Township (Pa.) police believe that all accusations of sexual assault should be fully investigated, said police Superintendent John Rutty, they "respect the victim's right to make an informed, conscious decision as to (the police's) continued involvement."
Officials at the Philadelphia-area school had already announced that -- after their own investigation -- they decided to rescind the admission of the three young men accused in the case.
In a statement released Wednesday, the school announced "these young men will not be a part of the Villanova community moving forward." The three students had been asked to leave the campus the previous Friday. (Posted 5:04 p.m.)
Dow plunges more than 300 points
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A tidal wave of worry about housing and credit markets swept over Wall Street Thursday, sending the Dow industrials tumbling 311 points in its second-biggest point loss of the year.
The 30-share Dow Jones industrial average plunged as much as 449 points earlier in the session before moving off its lows and closing down about 2.3 percent, according to early tallies. The Dow sank 416 points on Feb. 27 on worries about slowing global growth.
The broader S&P 500 was down 35.42 to 1,482.67, a fall of 2.3 percent, while the tech-laden Nasdaq fell 1.8 percent, 75.01 points to 2,573.16.
Trading curbs, used to slow down the market in the event of a big move, were imposed by the New York Stock Exchange late Thursday morning. (Posted 4:36 p.m.)
Restricted flight zone over Washington, D.C. to be reduced in size
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A restricted flight zone over the District of Columbia area -- known by its Mickey Mouse shape -- is being reduced in size and simplified to cut confusion and inconvenience to general aviation pilots who fly in or near the nation's capital.
The zone was put in place after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Pilots who fly in the Air Defense Identification Zone, or ADIZ, must communicate with air traffic controllers and take other precautions to assure authorities they aren't a threat to the city.
As currently structured, the ADIZ has an irregular shape, reminiscent of Mickey Mouse's head and ears. But because it is based on four navigational points, pilots complained that it was difficult to determine the edges of the restricted airspace.
The new ADIZ, which will take effect August 30, is circular, extending about 30 nautical miles from a single point at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, although there is a notch to allow unimpeded operations at Leesburg Executive Airport in Virginia. The change will free up 33 small general aviation airports and 1,800 miles of airspace, the FAA says. (Posted 4:30 p.m.)
Vick pleads not guilty to federal dogfighting charges
RICHMOND, Va. (CNN) -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick pleaded not guilty Thursday to dogfighting charges, and a trial date was set for November after his defense attorney asked a judge for a delay, citing the complexity of the case.
Attorney Lawrence Woodward, in making the request of U.S. District Judge Henry Hudson, noted that some of the charges against Vick involve activities outside the Eastern District of Virginia and that forensic evidence must be collected.
Under federal guidelines, prosecutors must be ready to go to trial within 70 days. A criminal defense attorney told CNN earlier Thursday that any attempt to delay the trial date by defense attorneys could signal the possibility of a plea deal.
Hudson set Vick's trial date for Nov. 26. (Posted 4:06 p.m.)
FBI director supports Comey version of events in Ashcroft's hospital room
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- FBI Director Robert Mueller told Congress on Thursday that the confrontation in 2004 between then-White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales and then-Attorney General John Ashcroft in Ashcroft's hospital room was over the controversial warrantless surveillance program -- in apparent contradiction of Senate testimony Tuesday by Gonzales.
Mueller said he spoke with Ashcroft shortly after Gonzales left the hospital, and he was told the meeting dealt with "an NSA (National Security Agency) program that has been much discussed, yes."
Mueller made the comment as he testified before the House Judiciary Committee.
In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, Gonzales insisted he had visited the ailing Ashcroft in the hospital to discuss "other intelligence activities," not the surveillance program. (Posted 3:34 p.m.)
Vick arrives at federal courthouse for arraignment on dogfighting charges
RICHMOND, Va. (CNN) -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick arrived at a federal courthouse Thursday to be arraigned on dogfighting charges.
Curious spectators, animal rights activists and Vick supporters, who crowded around the courthouse in anticipation of his arrival, erupted into boos and cheers as he approached, wearing a coat and tie and accompanied by U.S. marshals. Vick did not acknowledge the crowd as he entered the courthouse.
Fans and detractors -- waving signs saying "Prosecute all dogfighters" and "Let Vick play" -- staked out territory at the courthouse hours before the hearing was to begin, along with eager media crews.
One defense attorney, who has worked in the Virginia capital for over 20 years, told CNN's Brian Todd he had never seen such a spectacle. A line of people trying to get inside the courthouse wrapped around the building. (Posted 3:04 p.m.)
Noriega denied bond; next hearing on extradition set for late August
MIAMI (CNN) -- Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega appeared in a federal courtroom Thursday for his first appearance in his extradition hearing, the first time he's been seen in public in nearly 14 years.
Looking older and moving more slowly, the 72-year-old wore his Panamanian defense forces uniform under a suit jacket.
In the 35-minute proceedings, federal Magistrate William Turnoff denied bond for Noriega, and set a hearing for Aug. 28 to determine whether the United States can send him to France, where he was convicted in absentia in 1999 on money laundering charges and sentenced to 10 years in prison. French justice officials have agreed to grant him a new trial.
In arguing for bond, Noriega attorney Frank Rubino wryly noted that the Panamanian general "has wonderful ties to this community for 18 years." (Posted 3:02 p.m.)
26 dead, 75 wounded in Baghdad car bomb
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- At least 26 people were killed and at least 75 were wounded Thursday when a car bomb detonated in the main street of central Baghdad's Karrada district, Iraq's Interior Ministry told CNN. (Posted 2:03 p.m.)
TB-infected lawyer released from hospital
(CNN) -- The Atlanta lawyer whose intercontinental travel to attend his wedding in Greece set off international health alarms because he has a difficult-to-treat form of tuberculosis was released Thursday from the Denver hospital where he had undergone treatment.
National Jewish Medical and Research Center discharged Andrew Speaker, 31, at 6 a.m. (8 a.m. ET) after his in-patient treatment for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis was completed, the hospital said in a written statement.
"Speaker's physicians do not consider him completely cured yet, but his surgery and antibiotic treatment have eliminated any detectable evidence of infection, and he is non-contagious," the statement said. "He will continue antibiotic treatment for approximately two years."
Dr. Gwen Huitt, director of the hospital's adult infectious disease care unit, added, "Although we believe there are still a few tuberculosis bacteria in his lungs, ongoing antibiotic therapy should kill those. We expect him to return to a full and active life." (Posted 1:37 p.m.)
Dow plunges more than 300 points
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Dow Jones industrial average plunged more than 300 points by midsession Thursday on nervousness about credit markets, higher oil prices and more troubling news from the housing sector.
The Dow Jones industrial average was more than 2 percent lower about three hours into the session.
The broader S&P 500 plunged 2.2 percent while the tech-laden Nasdaq fell about 2.3 percent. (Posted 1:30 p.m.)
Hinchey joins Feingold in censure motions against Bush
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-N.Y., is joining forces with Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., to introduce censure resolutions against President Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney and other members of their administration over the Iraq war and other issues.
Hinchey will offer two censure resolutions in the House: one to formally condemn the Bush administration for falsifying its justifications to attack Iraq and its subsequent mismanagement, and a second to admonish the administration for its handling of the National Security Agency surveillance program, detainees at Guantanamo Bay and the firing of U.S. attorneys.
"The American people have reached a breaking point," Hinchey said in a statement issued Thursday. "If Congress does not act to formally admonish this White House then the future of our democracy will be placed on a slippery slope in which other presidents may point to the actions of this administration as justification for further abuses of the Constitution."
Feingold announced Sunday his intention to introduce censure resolutions in the Senate. The two men are still working on the measures' language. (Posted 1:25 p.m.)
Indictments target drug ring that once boasted its power on billboards
ATLANTA (CNN) -- Federal prosecutors say that with indictments issued this week they're "one step closer" to shutting down a major drug empire that was centered in Atlanta, where it once boasted its dominance on billboards.
Sixteen people were charged with involvement in a cocaine distribution conspiracy that operated under the name "Black Mafia Family," but only the names of the seven now in custody have been made public.
"The Black Mafia Family once had billboards towering over Atlanta boldly proclaiming the world was theirs," said U.S. Attorney David Nahmias. "This indictment is a rejection of that claim."
Previous raids and arrests by federal drug agents in Detroit and Orlando over the past two years have netted dozens of other suspects charged with involvement in the Black Family Mafia. (Posted 1:19 p.m.)
Gates says Pentagon won't share contingency plans to withdraw troops
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon will not share its contingency plans to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, despite repeated requests from Sen. Hillary Clinton that congressional committees be briefed on the plans, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in a letter to Clinton.
"(T)he department's policy is to share appropriate information regarding policies, posture, and administrative plans with appropriate congressional oversight committees," Gates said in his letter, dated Wednesday.
"But as ... officials from many previous administrations have stated, it is also the department's long-standing practice and policy spanning decades and multiple administrations that operational military plans, including contingency plans, are not routinely shared with the Congress (or with other departments of the executive branch)," the defense secretary said.
Clinton and Sen. John Kerry announced last week that they would introduce legislation to force the Pentagon to share its plans, after Clinton's initial request in May was rebuffed in a letter from Defense Undersecretary Eric Edelman. (Posted 1:05 p.m.)
Media circus outside federal courthouse where QB Vick to be charged in dogfighting probe
RICHMOND, Va. (CNN) -- Eager media crews and curious spectators have crowded around Richmond's federal courthouse hours before Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick is to arrive for an arraignment on dogfighting charges.
One defense attorney, who has worked in the Virginia capital for over 20 years, told CNN's Brian Todd he had never seen such a spectacle.
Animal rights activists, Vick supporters and protesters were among the throngs outside the courthouse. A line of people trying to get inside the courthouse wrapped around the building.
Vick, 27, is expected to arrive around 3 p.m. (Posted 1 p.m.)
Sources: Israeli airstrike kills 3 Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza
GAZA CITY (CNN) -- An Israeli airstrike Thursday killed three Islamic Jihad militants, including a field commander, in central Gaza, sources from the militant group told CNN.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed it carried out an airstrike against a vehicle carrying what it called "three senior Palestinian terrorists belonging to the Islamic Jihad that were recently involved in attacks against Israel." It did not say if the three were killed.
In a written statement, the IDF identified the three as Omar Khatib, 37, who was involved a June 9 attack against IDF forces and numerous rocket and mortar attacks; Khalil Daifi, 49, who was Khatib's deputy; and Ahmed Abar Al'al, no age given, "an Islamic Jihad terror operative." (Posted 12:50 p.m.)
Senators asking solicitor general to look into Gonzales testimony
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Four Democratic senators called Thursday for an independent special counsel to determine whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales perjured himself or misled Congress in testimony on the warrantless surveillance program and the firings last year of eight U.S. attorneys.
The special prosecutor would be appointed by the solicitor general at the Department of Justice, which Gonzales heads. Both Gonzales and Deputy Attorney General Paul McNulty have recused themselves, putting the matter in the hands of Solicitor General Paul Clement.
"The attorney general took an oath to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Instead he tells the half truth, the partial truth and everything but the truth -- and he does it not once, not twice, but over and over and over again," said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. at a news conference
"We do not make this request lightly," the senators write in a letter to Clement. "We believe a special counsel is needed because it has become apparent that the attorney general has provided -- at a minimum -- half-truths and misleading statements." (Posted 12:42 p.m.)
Leahy says he will subpoena Rove and an aide in probe of U.S. attorney firings
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy said Thursday he will subpoena White House political adviser Karl Rove to testify about the firings of federal prosecutors.
"We've now reached a point where the accumulated evidence shows that political considerations factored into the unprecedented firing of at least nine U.S. attorneys last year. Testimony and documents showed that the list was compiled based on input from the highest political ranks in the White House, including Mr. Rove and Mr. (Scott) Jennings, and today I will subpoena Mr. Rove and Mr. Jennings."
Jennings is deputy director of political affairs at the White House. (Posted 12:38 p.m.)
14 insurgents killed in Diyala
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Coalition air teams killed 14 insurgents this week during fighting in Iraq's Diyala province, where U.S. and Iraqi troops have been cranking up the heat against militants, the U.S. military said Thursday.
"Scout weapons helicopters" backing up ground troops killed the insurgents in two incidents on Tuesday, the military said. Diyala province is the sprawling territory north and east of Baghdad and bordering Iran.
Diyala is the site of the U.S. military's Operation Arrowhead Ripper, a campaign begun last month to fight insurgents. It is part of the military's efforts to take on insurgents in provinces bordering Baghdad. It is not known whether the Tuesday battles were part of Arrowhead Ripper, which started in and near Baquba, the provincial capital. (Posted 12:33 p.m.)
Border police in Afghanistan detain person bringing Afghan military uniforms, equipment to Pakistan
(CNN) -- The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan said border police detained a person intent on selling Afghan military uniforms and equipment to insurgents in Pakistan.
The male, who was not identified, was trying "to cross into Pakistan at the Torkham Gate crossing in eastern Nangarhar Province" on Wednesday when he was seized, the coalition said Thursday.
The person "admitted he was planning to sell the uniforms and equipment to insurgents in Pakistan" when he was interrogated by the Afghan border police.
Army Maj. Nick Sternberg, a coalition spokesman, said the "arrest is just another example of the expanding capabilities and capacity" of Afghan security forces. (Posted 12:01 p.m.)
Seven troop deaths reported
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military in Iraq on Thursday reported seven recent troop deaths.
A U.S. soldier was killed Wednesday "during a small arms fire engagement" in southern Baghdad, the military said Thursday. The soldier was from Multi-National-Division-Baghdad.
Three Marines and one sailor assigned to Multi National Force-West died Tuesday during combat in Diyala province. Also, a soldier in the Diyala capital of Baquba died Tuesday of wounds from an improvised explosive device.
This brings the number of military deaths in the Iraq war to 3,643 and the number this month to 64. (Posted 11:49 a.m.)
Senators asking solicitor general to look into Gonzales testimony
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democratic senators will ask the soliciter general at the Department of Justice to appoint a special counsel to investigate whether Attorney General Alberto Gonzales committeed perjury in testimony about a 2004 meeting, Sen. Chuck Schumer said Thursday.
The Office of the Solicitor General conducts all litigation on behalf of the United States in the Supreme Court, and determines the cases in which Supreme Court review will be sought. (Posted 11:47 a.m.)
Many insurgents, Afghan, soldier, British soldier killed in Afghan fighting
(CNN) -- Fighting in two volatile southern Afghan provinces over the past 24 hours left dozens of insurgents, an Afghan soldier, and a British soldier dead, according to NATO and the U.S.-led coalition.
More than 50 insurgents were killed in a 12-hour battle pitting Taliban militants against Afghan security forces and coalition troops overnight near the northern Helmand province village of Qal'eh-ye Gaz, the coalition said.
The soldier, from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, was shot and killed when troops "came under fire from Taliban fighters," NATO's International Security Assistance Force said. The operation is codenamed "Hammer."
In bordering Uruzgan province, where there is a strong Dutch NATO presence, Taliban militants ambushed Afghan security forces backed up by coalition troops, the coalition said. "Several insurgents were killed and two were captured" when troops returned fire. An Afghan soldier was killed as well. (Posted 11:40 a.m.)
18 dead, 54 wounded in Baghdad car bomb
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- At least 18 people were killed and at least 54 were wounded Thursday when a car bomb detonated in the main street of central Baghdad's Karrada district, Iraq's Interior Ministry told CNN. (Posted 11:32 a.m.)
Bush chides Democrats in Congress for 'dragging feet' on spending bills
PHILADELPHIA (CNN) -- President Bush on Thursday accused congressional Democrats of "dragging their feet" by failing to ensure that spending bills are passed to keep government running.
"In a time of war, one spending bill should take precedent over all the rest," Bush said. "So at the very least, members of Congress ought to finish the spending bill for the Department of Defense so I can sign it into law. We've got troops in harm's way. They need to exercise their responsibility."
The Defense Department spending bill for the 2008 budget year includes money for the war in Iraq, which is costing Americans about $10 billion a month.
If no measures are passed before the congressional recess begins Aug. 6, Democratic leaders will be to blame, Bush said, because they control the flow of legislation. "There's time to do it. I'll hang around if they want me to. Get the bill passed." (Posted 11:31 a.m.)
Federal judge sets hearing to consider Noriega's attempt to block extradition to France
MIAMI (CNN) -- A federal judge Thursday ordered a hearing on a petition filed by Gen. Manuel Noriega to block the U.S. government from extraditing him to France when his prison sentence ends in September.
Noriega is scheduled to make a court appearance Thursday afternoon in U.S. District Court in Miami on that extradition request.
In his order, Judge William Hoeveler, who presided over the trial, set a hearing for Aug. 10, and said he has determined that Noriega is indeed a "prisoner of war."
Noriega's attorneys argue that as a POW, according to the Geneva Convention, Noriega must be returned to his home country, Panama, upon completion of his prison sentence on Sept. 9. (Posted 11:22 a.m.)
Sources: Israeli airstrike kills 3 Islamic Jihad militants in Gaza
GAZA CITY (CNN) -- An Israeli airstrike Thursday killed three Islamic Jihad militants, including a field commander, in central Gaza, sources from the militant group told CNN.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed it carried out an airstrike in Gaza, but offered no other details. (Posted 9:58 a.m.)
Bush to meet with new British PM
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush will meet with newly installed British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on Sunday and Monday at Camp David, Md., the White House said Thursday.
It will be Brown's first visit to the United States as prime minister. Following his visit with Bush, Brown will also meet with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday.
According to the White House, the two leaders are expected to discuss "progress in Iraq and Afghanistan, preventing Iran from obtaining the means to build nuclear weapons, ending the genocide in Darfur, and protecting our homelands from the threat posed by terrorists."
Brown, 56, took office on June 27, days before the failed terror attacks in London and Glasgow, the prime minister's hometown. (Posted 9:24 a.m.)
French police nab suspected logistics chief of ETA
MADRID (CNN) - French police arrested the suspected logistics chief of the Basque separatist group ETA and two of his accomplices Thursday, raising to 22 the number of ETA suspects detained in France and Spain since last month, when ETA ended its cease-fire, Spain's Interior Ministry said in a statement.
The latest three ETA suspects - two men and a woman - were arrested in Rodhes, near Toulouse in southern France, the traditional rear-guard area of ETA, which is fighting for Basque independence.
The suspected logistics chief was identified as Juan Cruz Maiza Artola, 56, considerably older than most ETA operatives detained by police.
The other two suspects arrested were Iker Iparraguirre Galarraga, 29, and the woman, Galder Bihotz Cornago Arnaez, 31, the ministry statement said.
Spanish media reports said Maiza is suspected of playing a key logistics role in ETA since 2002. (Posted 9:16 a.m.)
British soldier killed in Afghan fighting
LONDON (CNN) -- A British soldier was killed on Thursday in southern Afghanistan combat, the Defense Ministry confirmed.
The soldier, from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards, died in an "operation aimed at disrupting Taliban forces in the Upper Gereshk Valley of Helmand province."
British forces in NATO's International Security Assistance Force have a large presence in that province, and the soldier had been taking part in an operation "against the Taliban in the area between Heyderabad and Mirmandab, northeast of Gereshk."
The soldier was shot and killed when troops "came under fire from Taliban fighters." (Posted 9:14 a.m.)
Bush to challenge Congress to pass appropriations bills
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. (CNN) -- In a speech to conservative state legislators Thursday, President Bush plans to again remind Congress about "the need to get appropriations bills on time and within spending limits," a White House official told CNN.
Since members of Congress control the schedule "there should be no reason not to get these bills on time," the official said, referring to the Democratic majority, which dictates the flow of legislation.
Bush was invited to address the American Legislative Exchange Council, which describes itself as a bipartisan membership association for conservative advocates who share "a common belief in limited government, free markets, federalism, and individual liberty."
The president is expected to note that "in this time of war," lawmakers should at least complete the Department of Defense appropriations bill before they leave for their next break on Aug. 6, the official said. Lawmakers return Aug. 4. (Posted 8:49 a.m.)
U.S. troop casualty downturn attributed to stabilizing once-dangerous areas
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. troop casualties in Iraq that jumped this spring have been gradually dropping in recent weeks because American and Iraqi forces are stabilizing once volatile and dangerous areas, a U.S. commander said Thursday.
"My initial thought is this is what we thought would happen once we get control of the real key areas that are controlled by these terrorists," Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, commanding general of the Multi-National Corps-Iraq, was asked at a press conference about an evident downturn in U.S. troop casualties.
He called the development "an initial positive sign" in remarks describing "significant success in the security arena over the past month." At the same time, he said, "I need a bit more time to make an assessment of whether it's a true trend or not."
There are 62 military deaths so far in July, according to Pentagon figures compiled by CNN. (Posted 8:41 a.m.)
2 killed trying to pump out flooded basement in western England
TEWKESBURY, England (CNN) -- Two people were killed as they used a gas-powered pump to drain a flooded basement in Tewkesbury, the first reported deaths from England's worst flooding in 60 years, according to Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service.
The two were "possibly overcome by fumes from the pump," the service said, warning residents of flooded areas to use petrol-powered pumps outside.
"It is a real tragedy that we have suffered two fatalities in the past 24 hours which were most likely due to people attempting to remove flood water," Gloucestershire Chief Fire Officer Terry Standing said.
"We would strongly urge everyone involved in this task to ensure they think about safety first."
So far this month England has had nearly two-and-a-half times its normal rainfall, affecting two major rivers -- the Thames and the Severn. Power substations and water treatment plants have been flooded, as well as many homes. (Posted 7:11 a.m.)
Retired three-star general could lose star in wake of Tillman probe
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A retired three-star general criticized for misleading investigators probing the controversial death of Cpl. Pat Tillman could be stripped of a star and face a decrease in retirement pension, three Pentagon officials speaking on condition of anonymity told CNN.
According to the officials, Army Secretary Pete Geren may recommend bumping down the rank of recently retired Lt. Gen. Philip Kensinger to major general.
That shift in rank would decrease Kensinger's monthly pension by about $1,000, according to army officials.
The Pentagon officials, who spoke anonymously to CNN because no final decision has been made, said Geren has consulted Army attorneys about the best way to take the punitive action. (Posted 7:03 a.m.)
Explosion kills at least 15 at military academy in Syria
(CNN) -- The Syrian military said an explosion caused by a blistering summer heat wave ripped through a weapons depot at a military academy in northwestern Syria Thursday morning, killing at least 15 military personnel and wounding 50, according to the state-run SANA news agency.
SANA reported that the explosion occurred around 7:30 a.m. at the academy near the city of Aleppo. (Posted 5:05 a.m.)
Indian security forces gun down militants in Kashmir
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir (CNN) -- Indian security forces shot and killed two Islamic militants Thursday during an attack on a central reserve police force camp in Indian-controlled Kashmir, a top police official told CNN.
The attack took place in Zakura, located just outside of Srinagar, the disputed region's summer capital. Five paramilitary troopers were wounded in the fighting.
The incident began when the two armed militants stormed a battalion headquarters for the Central Reserve Police Force in Zakura after first spraying the building with machine-guns fire and grenades, police said. (Posted 3:55 a.m.)
Strong earthquake rattles eastern Indonesia
(CNN) -- A magnitude-6.7 earthquake shook the Molucca Sea in eastern Indonesia Thursday afternoon, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries, and no tsunami warning was issued.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck about 1:40 p.m. (1:40 a.m. EDT). Its epicenter was about 1,560 miles east-northeast of Jakarta, the Indonesian capital. The quake was centered about 28 miles below the Earth's surface. (Posted 2:35 a.m.)
Insurgents killed in Afghan fighting
(CNN) -- More than 50 insurgents were killed in a 12-hour battle pitting Taliban militants against Afghan security forces and coalition troops in restive southern Afghanistan, the coalition statement released Thursday said.
The fighting took place just north of the village of Qal'eh-ye Gaz, in northern Helmand province, where NATO and Afghan forces have been squaring off with Taliban militants.
The coalition said militants based in 16 compounds fired at an Afghan patrol, using rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns and small-arms weapons.
Afghan and coalition forces returned fire and summoned warplanes, which dropped two bombs on the compounds that had "the greatest concentration of insurgents." (Posted 2:15 a.m.)
Gonzales testimony about 2004 meeting under scrutiny
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Attorney General Alberto Gonzales' Senate testimony Tuesday about a 2004 meeting with congressional leaders over a disputed intelligence program is under increasing scrutiny because of a memo that appears to contradict what he said under oath about what prompted the meeting.
Under questioning from the Senate Judiciary Committee, Gonzales said that on March 10, 2004 -- when he was White House counsel -- he and other officials met at the White House with eight top congressional leaders after Deputy Attorney General James Comey refused to approve "continuation of a very important intelligence activity."
In his testimony, Gonzales refused to discuss what that the intelligence activity was, but he testified the dispute with Comey that prompted the meeting -- and a subsequent visit to then-Attorney General John Ashcroft in his hospital bed -- was not over a controversial program to monitor communications with terror suspects overseas without warrants. (Posted 10:40 p.m.) E-mail to a friend