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.
Japanese PM Abe announces resignation
TOKYO (CNN) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced his resignation Wednesday at a news conference in Tokyo after serving one year in office.
"A short while ago I informed officials about my intentions to resign," Abe said, underscoring the need to "be careful not to create a void in the political leadership."
The prime minister said Japan should try to have a new leader "as soon as possible ... even today if possible."
The decision to step down as head of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) was made, Abe said, because he was "having an adverse effect on enabling Japan's efforts to contribute" to the "fight against terror." (Posted 1:55 a.m.)
Abe to resign as Japanese PM
TOKYO (CNN) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced his resignation at a Wednesday news conference.
There have been very few bright days for Abe and his Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since they lost control of the upper house of Japan's parliament to the opposition in July's elections.
Since reshuffling his cabinet two weeks ago, Abe has lost four party members to scandals: his new agricultural minister (the second in a month), a deputy foreign minister, a mid-ranking parliamentarian and a newly elected member of Japan's upper house have all resigned over allegations of financial or electoral misconduct. (Posted 1:10 a.m.)
Former President Estrada convicted of plunder, sentenced to life in prison
MANILA, Philippines (CNN) -- A Philippine court convicted deposed President Joseph Estrada of plunder and sentenced him to life in prison Wednesday, following a six-year trial in which the constitutionality of the law was challenged.
Estrada, 70. was found not guilty of perjury. Prosecutors alleged he falsely declared his financial assets.
In a phone interview with CNN, Estrada said the next step for his legal team would be to appeal his conviction in the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court to the country's Supreme Court.
"It's not yet the end of the road, we still have (an) option to appeal our case to the Supreme Court," the former president said.
Estrada's son Jose "Jinggoy" Estrada and Attorney Edward Serapio were co-defendants in the case, but were acquitted of the plunder charges.(Posted 1:10 a.m.)
Turkish police defuse minivan packed with explosives
ANKARA, Turkey (CNN) -- Turkish police Tuesday defused a vehicle loaded with about 300 kilograms, or 660 pounds, of TNT in a multi-level parking lot in Ankara, authorities said.
Police dogs sniffed out the explosives packed into a stolen minivan, police said, and the parking lot and surrounding buildings were evacuated while bomb squad officers worked to defuse the bomb. Inside the minivan, police also found at least one working cell phone, and promptly had all cell phone reception in the area blocked. Terrorists often use cell phones to remotely detonate bombs.
The explosives would have covered a 3-kilometer radius had they detonated. "We avoided a disaster," said Ankara province Gov. Kemal Onal.
The minivan had been reported stolen in Istanbul, police said, and the license plate it carried actually belonged to another vehicle that had been stolen in Ankara. Onal said it was the largest amount of explosives ever found in Turkey. (Posted 10:45 p.m.)
Chiquita agrees to $25 million fine for payments to Colombian terror groups
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Banana producer Chiquita, which acknowledged paying millions of dollars to Colombian paramilitary and guerrilla groups considered terrorist organizations by the United States, will pay a $25 million fine and serve five years' probation under terms of a plea agreement reached with the U.S. government, a Department of Justice spokesman said Tuesday.
If approved by the court, the $25 million fine would represent the largest criminal penalty ever imposed under federal global terrorism sanction regulations, said Justice spokesman Dean Boyd. The regulations prohibit transactions with people who commit, threaten to commit or support U.S.-designated terrorists and establish penalties for doing so.
Attorneys from the Justice Department's National Security Division and federal prosecutors for the District of Columbia filed a joint sentencing motion Tuesday asking the court to accept the plea agreement, which was reached March 19, Boyd said. A hearing on the matter is set for Monday. (Posted 9:48 p.m.)
Poll: Bin Laden more popular in Pakistan than Musharraf
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf -- a key U.S. ally -- is less popular in his own country than al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, according to a poll of Pakistanis conducted last month by an anti-terrorism organization -- one the group's head calls the "most disturbing" survey it has conducted.
In addition, nearly three-fourths of poll respondents said they oppose U.S. military action against al Qaeda and the Taliban inside Pakistan, says results from the poll conducted by the independent polling organization Terror Free Tomorrow.
The poll was conducted for Terror Free Tomorrow by D3 Systems of Vienna, Va., and the Pakistan Institute for Public Opinion. Interviews were conducted Aug. 18 to Aug. 29, face-to-face with 1,044 Pakistanis across 105 urban and rural sampling points in all four provinces across the nation. Households were randomly selected.
According to poll results, bin Laden has a 46 percent approval rating. Musharraf's support is 38 percent. U.S. President George W. Bush's approval: 9 percent. (Posted 8:06 p.m.)
Clinton maintains large lead over Obama, as her favorability improves
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York holds a 2-to-1 lead over her closest Democratic presidential rival, Sen. Barack Obama, and voters appear to be viewing the former first lady more favorably, according to the results of a poll released Tuesday.
Among registered Democrats queried in the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll, Clinton was the choice of 46 percent, compared to 23 percent for Obama and 16 percent for former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina. Those results were similar to what the same poll found back in August, showing the race has changed little over the past month.
The rest of the Democratic White House field trailed in single digits in Tuesday's poll, which had a sampling error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
When all registered voters were asked how they viewed Clinton, 53 percent said their opinion was favorable, while 39 percent rated her unfavorably. Those numbers were an improvement from the same poll in June, when 51 percent viewed her favorably and 44 percent unfavorably. (Posted 7:30 p.m.)
FAA to airlines: improve scheduling or feds will
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- If airlines don't improve record flight delays, the federal government will impose its own solutions, the outgoing Federal Aviation Administration administrator told a group of aviation executives Tuesday.
Blakey, whose five-year term ends Thursday, cited air space over the East Coast as among the most congested. She called for airlines and the government to make the transition from 1960s radar-based technology to satellite-based technology, "a solution that will cut delays by 20 percent and reduces noise for 600,000 people."
She added that corporate aviators should also be prepared to chip in. (Posted 7:18 p.m.)
Portuguese judge to review files in case of missing girl
PRAIA DA LUZ, Portugal (CNN) -- The Portuguese prosecutor Tuesday gave a judge the files on the case of Madeleine McCann, the missing British girl who vanished in Portugal more than four months ago, a spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office said.
Luisa Duarte would not say why the files were being handed to the judge. The options could include authorizing further search warrants or changing the status of the girl's parents, who last week were questioned and named "arguidos" -- suspects -- in the case.
The prosecutor handed the case to the judge hours after it was given to him to review by Portuguese police in Portimao, police Chief Inspector Olegario de Sousa told CNN.
The McCanns have maintained their innocence, most recently in a blog entry posted by Gerry McCann late Monday. (Posted 7:13 p.m.)
Thompson closes on Giuliani after entering race
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the wake of his formal entry into the 2008 Republican presidential sweepstakes, former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee has pulled nearly even with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, according to poll results released Tuesday.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll showed Giuliani was the choice of 28 percent of registered Republicans, compared to 27 percent for Thompson, who officially entered the race last week. Sen. John McCain of Arizona came in with 15 percent support, ahead of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney at 11 percent.
The rest of the GOP field was in single digits in the poll, which had a sampling error of plus or minus 5 percentage points.
In the same poll back in August, before Thompson was formally in the race, Giuliani led at 29 percent, compared to 22 percent for Thompson, indicating that the actor and former Tennessee senator has closed the gap with the former mayor of the Big Apple, who has led the GOP field throughout the year. (Posted 6:58 p.m.)
Bush to make televised speech Thursday
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House has requested air time on U.S. television networks at 9:01 p.m. Thursday for a speech by President Bush.
It said the president's address was expected to last 10 to 15 minutes.
The speech could touch on troop levels in Iraq. Senior administration officials said Tuesday that the president is prepared to embrace the recommendation of his top commander in Iraq and withdraw as many as 30,000 U.S. troops by next summer.
That would return U.S. troop levels to about 130,000, where they were before Bush ordered additional troops to Iraq earlier this year in an effort to pacify Baghdad and its surrounding provinces amid rampant sectarian and insurgent warfare. (Posted 6:25 p.m.)
International flight diverted after passenger becomes disruptive
(CNN) -- An Istanbul-to-New York flight was diverted Tuesday to Shannon, Ireland, after a passenger became disruptive, officials said.
Transportation Security Administration spokesman Christopher White said a federal air marshal aboard Delta Air Lines Flight 73 restrained the disruptive man and the pilot then decided to divert the plane.
The plane landed in Shannon at 6:15 p.m. (1:15 p.m. ET) and the man was taken to a hospital, said White, who did not know what injuries the man may have suffered or his nationality.
Because the crew members had exceeded their allowable work hours, they and the passengers were to remain overnight in Shannon and resume the flight to JFK International Airport on Wednesday, a spokesman for Delta Air Lines said. (Posted 5:19 p.m.)
Official: Bush to endorse withdrawal of 'surge' troops this week
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush is prepared to embrace the recommendation of his top commander in Iraq and withdraw as many as 30,000 U.S. troops by next summer, senior administration officials said Tuesday.
Bush ordered nearly 30,000 additional troops to Iraq in January in an effort to pacify Baghdad and its surrounding provinces amid rampant sectarian and insurgent warfare. Gen. David Petraeus, the chief of U.S. and allied forces in Iraq, told Congress this week that the first of those units could be sent home in late September, with the rest returning by mid-July 2008.
Bush could make the announcement during a report to the American people he is expected to give later this week. Administration officials did not specifically say the president would use the 30,000 figure -- but one said he would "make clear there are challenges ahead in Iraq, but also enough progress" to reduce troop levels.
But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Bush is ignoring the majority of Americans who want to bring the war to an end. "The president added 30,000 troops, and now he's saying a year and a half later -- nearly two years later -- we'll be back to where we started from," she said. "Please. It's an insult to the intelligence of the American people that that is a new direction in Iraq." --From CNN Chief National Correspondent John King (Posted 4:40 p.m.)
Hearing set on Craig's motion to withdraw guilty plea
(CNN) -- A hearing is set for later this month on Sen. Larry Craig's motion to withdraw his guilty plea to a disorderly conduct charge stemming from an allegation that he made sexual advances to an undercover police officer in an airport men's room.
The hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Sept. 26 before Judge Charles Porter, according to a Hennepin County court Web site.
Billy Martin, an attorney for Craig, filed papers Monday seeking to withdraw the guilty plea, saying the Idaho Republican suffered a "manifest injustice" at the hands of the police officer who arrested him at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in June.
Martin told CNN Craig wishes that he had sought legal counsel in the two months between his arrest and entering his guilty plea, and said he pleaded guilty because he was under tremendous pressure and not of sound mind. (Posted 4:31 p.m.)
1 dead in attack on Camp Victory
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- An indirect-fire attack on Camp Victory, on the grounds of Baghdad International Airport, killed "one third-party national" and wounded 11 soldiers, according to a statement from the U.S. military.
The military did not make clear from what country the third-party national or the soldiers hailed.
Officials said such indirect attacks on the base are not unusual. (Posted 3:47 p.m.)
Six accused of kidnapping, assaulting woman for a week
(CNN) -- Six West Virginians charged with kidnapping, torturing and sexually assaulting a Charleston, W. Va., woman for at least a week may also face hate-crime charges, Logan County Sheriff's officials said Tuesday. The suspects include a mother and son, a mother and daughter and two men.
According to criminal complaints filed in the county, 20-year-old Megan Williams was sexually assaulted, stabbed in the left leg, choked and beaten. She also allegedly was forced to eat rat and dog feces, lick up blood and drink from the toilet.
The criminal complaints say the suspects threatened to kill the victim if she left the house where she was being held.
County Prosecutor Brian Abraham told CNN he plans to meet with local police, FBI and a federal attorney at 4 p.m. to determine whether hate-crime charges should be filed. The victim is African-American; those charged are white. --From CNN's Jennifer Dorr (Posted 3:41 p.m.)
Jazz pianist, fusion pioneer Zawinul dead at 75
(CNN) -- Pianist Joe Zawinul, whose work with jazz legends Miles Davis, Julian "Cannonball" Adderley and Wayne Shorter set the stage for the genre's "fusion" movement of the 1970s, has died at age 75 in his native Austria, his Web site announced Tuesday.
"Joe Zawinul was born in Earth time on 7 July, 1932, and was born in Eternity time on 11 September, 2007. He, and his music, will continue to inspire," a statement on the Web site read.
Zawinul played with Adderley throughout the mid-1960s and wrote the funk-jazz standard "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" for the alto saxophonist -- a tune that topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart in April 1967.
His collaborations with Davis on the late-1960s albums "In a Silent Way" and "Bitches Brew" helped bring electronic keyboards into the jazz mainstream and led to his forming the fusion group Weather Report with Davis' then-sideman, tenor saxophonist Wayne Shorter. (Posted 3:39 p.m.)
Syrians complain to U.N. about Israeli airstrike
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- Syria accused Israel of a "flagrant violation" of its obligations when it carried out an airstrike inside Syria last week, according to a copy of a letter released Tuesday by the Syrians.
In the letter, to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Syria called the incursion a "breach of airspace of the Syrian Arab Republic" and said "it is not the first time Israel has violated" Syrian airspace. The letter also accuses the international community of ignoring Israeli actions.
Earlier, a U.N. spokeswoman said Syria had not requested a meeting of the Security Council, and France, the current president of the Security Council, said it had received no letter from Syria.
Last week, Syria reported that its aircraft fired on Israeli "enemy aircraft" that flew into northern Syria early Thursday. Sources in the region and in the United States said the airstrike may have targeted weapons that were destined for Hezbollah militants. (Posted 3:36 p.m.)
Uzbek terror group claims responsibility for Germany plot
BERLIN (CNN) -- A little-known Uzbek militant group has claimed responsibility for a recent plot to attack American military installations and other Western targets in Germany, a spokesman for Germany's Interior Ministry said Tuesday.
Germany had previously announced that three men arrested in the plot trained at Islamic Jihad Union camps in northern Pakistan. A Web site announcement from the group said it intended to target both U.S. and Uzbek targets, said Christian Sachs of the Interior Ministry.
Sachs said government computer experts believe the message is authentic.
The group said they wanted to target the United States' Ramstein Air Base and other U.S. and Uzbek military and diplomatic installations in Germany, Sachs said. (Posted 3:20 p.m.)
On 9/11 anniversary, renewed vows of resolve amid public doubts
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Americans marked the sixth anniversary of the al Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington with moments of silence and renewed vows to destroy the terrorist network behind them.
"The enemies of America -- the enemies of our values and our liberty -- will never again rest easy, for we will hunt them down relentlessly and without reservation," Defense Secretary Robert Gates told participants in a ceremony at the Pentagon.
In New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg led a moment of silence and the tolling of a bell ushered in the annual reading of the names of the 2,603 who died in the destruction of the World Trade Center. Rain rippled the surface of a reflecting pool at the Ground Zero memorial, where people placed flowers along the edges.
"It doesn't get easier," said Virginia McDermott, whose father, Philip Hayes, was one of the 343 firefighters who died in the towers' collapse. "You think it does, (but) it doesn't. Hard to believe. We still -- every time we come down here and see these buildings, it's hard to believe that those two buildings aren't here." (Posted 2:53 p.m.)
Elevated dioxin levels detected at fire-damaged NYC bank building
NEW YORK (CNN) -- While the revitalization of Lower Manhattan has been steadily progressing following the Sept. 11 attacks six years ago, the damaged Deutsch Bank building looks much the same as it did on that fateful day -- and there are ongoing concerns over safety and maintenance issues.
On Monday, the federal Environmental Protection Agency revealed it had found slightly elevated levels of the chemical compound dioxin in the structure, which was damaged in a fire Aug. 18, killing two firefighters. At high doses, dioxin can cause a number of illnesses, including cancer.
As a result of the discovery, the EPA wants the building's owner, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation, to reseal it as soon as possible, said EPA spokeswoman Mary Mears.
The building was being demolished when the fire broke out. It had been sealed to prevent any toxins like asbestos from escaping while the work was being done. --From CNN's Sarah B. Boxer (Posted 2:51 p.m.)
Arctic sea-ice cover at record low
BOULDER, Colo. (CNN) -- Ice cover in the Arctic Ocean, long held to be an early warning of a changing climate, has shattered the all-time low record this summer, according to scientists from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder.
Using satellite data and imagery, NSIDC now estimates the Arctic ice pack to cover 4.24 million square kilometers (1.63 million square miles) -- equal to just less than half the size of the United States. This figure is about 20 percent less than the previous all-time low of 5.32 million square kilometers (2.05 million square miles) set in September 2005
Mark Serreze, senior research scientist at NSIDC, termed the decline "astounding."
"It's almost an exclamation point on the pronounced ice loss we've seen in the past 30 years," he said.
Most researchers had anticipated the complete disappearance of the Arctic ice pack during summer months would happen after the year 2070, he said, but now, "losing summer sea ice cover by 2030 is not unreasonable." (Posted 1:48 p.m.)
Congress lacking alacrity on MoveOn ad condemnation
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republicans' moves to pass resolutions in the Senate and the House condemning a newspaper ad accusing Gen. David Petraeus of "cooking the books for the White House" appeared Tuesday to be going nowhere slowly.
A "sense of the Senate resolution" from Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas praised Petraeus and condemned the "unwarranted personal attack on General Petraeus by the liberal activist group Moveon.org," which paid for the advertisement that ran in Monday editions of The New York Times.
Cornyn offered the resolution as a non-binding amendment to the appropriations bill that was on the floor.
But the chair ruled the amendment "not germane" to the bill and would not allow it to be included. (Posted 1:13 p.m.)
Iranian-American says he expects to be released from Tehran prison 'soon'
(CNN) -- Speaking publicly for the first time in months, Iranian-American Kian Tajbakhsh told reporters Tuesday that he expects to be released from Tehran's Evin Prison "soon."
"I do expect to be released soon. Exactly when I don't know," said Tajbakhsh, an independent consultant and urban planner who works for George Soros' Open Society Institute.
Tajbakhsh's comments come weeks after the release of Iranian-American Haleh Esfandiari from the same prison. Both were accused of endangering national security.
Tajbakhsh was picked up in mid-May along with his pregnant wife, who is due with the couple's first child at any time. She was released the next day. (Posted 12:56 p.m.)
Nearly a dozen Taliban reported killed in southern Afghan fighting
(CNN) -- Nearly a dozen Taliban fighters were killed Tuesday in southern Afghanistan fighting, the U.S.-led coalition said.
The incident occurred near Wetob village in the Arghandab District of Zabul province.
An Afghan army-led force "was on a combat patrol when they spotted and encountered a group of more than 20 insurgents." a coalition news release said.
"According to the ground force commander, the extremist Taliban force was preparing fighting positions where they planned to conduct an ambush on the combined force." The Afghans called in air support and the insurgents were hit before they could embark on their action. (Posted 12:42 p.m.)
Bill would set federal limits on lead in toys, jewelry
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democratic U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota on Tuesday introduced a bill to ban the use of lead in the manufacturing of children's toys, jewelry and other products.
Current voluntary guidelines set forth by the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommend additional testing of potentially unsafe products rather than an immediate recall of products found to contain lead.
"After a summer of recalls, it's time we make it crystal clear that lead has no place in our children's products. We must keep these unsafe toys off our shores and out of our stores," Klobuchar said in a news release.
The bill provides that lead in any children's product shall be treated as a "banned hazardous substance." It would set a ceiling for a trace level of lead at .04 percent per part for children's products, and .02 percent for jewelry. (Posted 12:37 p.m.)
Six accused of kidnapping, assaulting woman for a week
(CNN) -- Six West Virginians charged with kidnapping, torturing and sexually assaulting a Charleston, W. Va., woman for at least a week may also face hate-crime charges, Logan County Sheriff's officials said Tuesday.
According to criminal complaints filed in the county, the 20-year-old woman was sexually assaulted, stabbed in the left leg, choked and beaten. She also allegedly was forced to eat rat and dog feces, lick up blood and drink from the toilet. The criminal complaints say the suspects threatened to kill the victim if she left the house where she was being held.
County Prosecutor Brian Abraham told CNN he plans to meet with local police, FBI and a federal attorney at 4 p.m. to determine whether hate-crime charges should be filed.
The victim is African-American; those charged are white. --From CNN's Jennifer Dorr (Posted 12:17 p.m.)
Senator frustrated by 'myopia of Iraq'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., seemed frustrated Tuesday when neither Gen. David Petraeus nor U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker would say whether Pakistan or Iraq is more important to the fight against al Qaeda.
Feingold said their inability to provide an answer was indicative of the "myopia of Iraq."
Crocker responded to Feingold by saying, "In my view, fighting al Qaeda is what's important, whatever front they're on."
Crocker and Petraeus were addressing Iraq in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. (Posted 12:04 p.m.)
China will eliminate lead paint in toy exports
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced Tuesday an agreement with Chinese officials aimed at stopping the use of lead paint on Chinese-made toys that are exported to the United States.
At a Consumer Product Safety Summit under way in Washington, the CPSC said that China's General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine had agreed "to take immediate action to eliminate the use of lead paint on Chinese manufactured toys exported to the United States."
Although the United States has banned the sale of toys made with lead paint since 1978, those products continue to seep into the domestic market. --By CNNMoney.com's Parija B. Kavilanz (Posted 11:39 a.m.)
Crocker: U.S. must be flexible in reconciliation efforts
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that the United States must have the "strategic and tactical flexibility" to identify and encourage efforts toward national reconciliation that fall outside the parameters of established reconciliation "benchmarks." (Posted 11:34 a.m.)
Skeptical senators hear Petraeus, Crocker testimony
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Facing tough questions and stark skepticism from both Republican and Democratic senators, the top two U.S. officials in Iraq underscored Tuesday what they asserted on Monday -- that progress is unfolding in Iraq.
"A secure, stable, democratic Iraq at peace with its neighbors is attainable," said U.S. ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker.
He and Gen. David Petraeus, the top general in Iraq, emphasized to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that they acknowledge perils and setbacks but see light at the end of the tunnel.
The committee chairman, Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., was one of many who had problem questions for Crocker and Petraeus. Sens. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., and Richard Lugar, R-Ind., also posed tough questions.
"Though improvements have been uneven across Iraq, the overall number of security incidents in Iraq, for example, has declined in eight of the past 12 weeks," Petraeus said. (Posted 112:28 a.m.)
Crocker: Iraqis making strides after recognizing 'dysfunctionality'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker told the Senate Foreign Relations committee Tuesday that while the Iraqi government is dysfunctional, Iraqis are starting to recognize the dysfunctionality, which is "good news."
There is "an enormous amount of dysfunctionality in Iraq. That is beyond question," Crocker said, but those Iraqis who formerly espoused sectarian divisions are now saying, "This isn't working."
The sectarian violence that threatened to destroy Iraq and made "effective governance and national reconciliation impossible" is now waning, paving the way for political progress, he said. (Posted 11:22 a.m.)
Sources: Israel carried out airstrike inside Syria
LONDON (CNN) -- Israeli aircraft carried out an airstrike inside Syria last week, possibly targeting weapons that were destined for Hezbollah militants, according to sources in the region and in the United States.
Syria reported that its aircraft fired on Israeli "enemy aircraft" that flew into northern Syria early Thursday. The Israel Defense Forces had no comment on the report, and have refused to comment further on the new revelations.
But the sources told CNN the military operation, which happened Wednesday into Thursday, may have also involved Israeli ground forces who directed the airstrike which "left a big hole in the desert" in Syria.
The strike may have targeted Hezbollah weapons coming into Syria or transiting through the country from Iran -- a pattern over the past three or four years which has occurred without any retaliation or action taken against it -- the sources said. --From CNN Chief International Correspondent Christiane Amanpour (Posted 11:17 a.m.)
Petraeus: Reconciliation strides 'just happening' without legislation
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that Iraqis are moving toward reconciliation even though a lack of legislation to that effect suggests otherwise.
Iraqis are sharing oil without an oil-sharing law in place, and the Shiite-led national government recently increased the budget for Anbar province, which has a Sunni-dominated government, he said.
"National reconciliation has not taken place, but there are steps just happening, actions being taken that give you hope they can indeed reconcile with one another," Petraeus said. (Posted 11:04 a.m.)
Petraeus: Iraqi leaders want sovereignty, U.S. troop presence
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that though Iraqi leaders "want to assume greater sovereignty" over their war-ravaged nation, they desire a U.S. troop presence to help establish and maintain security in 2008.
He also noted that there have been improvements in sectarian relations in the Iraqi capital, but not to the point that the different factions can completely commingle. Outside the ethnically and religiously mixed enclaves of southeastern Baghdad it is "still hazardous" for a Sunni to travel into Shiite neighborhoods, Petraeus said. (Posted 10:46 a.m.)
Skeptical senators hear Petraeus, Crocker testimony
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The second day of Capitol Hill hearings on progress in Iraq unfolded as a more efficient and collegial affair than the fractious joint House committee hearing Monday.
Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee listened politely as the top diplomat and top general in Iraq set down upbeat conclusions about the necessity for continuing the U.S. troop escalation called the "surge."
But the Senate committee's two top senators, who have been critical of the Bush administration policy in Iraq, questioned in their opening remarks the assertions that the surge is working.
They made the remarks in a businesslike session that was marked, like Monday, by outbursts from a couple of anti-war spectators, who were taken from the chamber. (Posted 10:44 a.m.)
Realtors report: Home sales outlook grows darker
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Home values and housing sales will take an even bigger hit than previously forecast and stay weak through next year, according to the latest economic outlook from the National Association of Realtors, released Tuesday.
While the trade group sees gains in prices in 2008 from the current weak levels, it projects that the median existing home price will be $224,600 in the fourth quarter of next year. That would still put the price slightly below the price reading of $225,000 in the third quarter of last year.
The trade group now says it expects a 3.7 percent decline in existing home prices in the third quarter of 2007 compared with a year earlier, which is worse than the previous forecast of a 2.2 percent decline. And the fourth quarter should see prices down 1.3 percent from a year ago, rather than the 1 percent drop that was previously forecast.
The group now sees a 1.7 percent drop in existing home prices throughout all of 2007, compared to its previous forecast of a 1.2 percent decline. (Posted 10:31 a.m.)
Petraeus: Violence not down everywhere in Iraq
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in Iraq, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday that in the effort to quell violence in that country, "trends have not been uniformly positive." However, he added, while there are troubling developments in Nineveh and Salaheddin provinces, progress in Baghdad and Anbar province is encouraging.
He also said that Iraqi security forces are improving and are able to "shoulder more of the load, albeit slowly" amid continuing concerns about "sectarian elements" within their ranks.
Although "innumerable challenges lie ahead" for Iraqi security forces, he said, the progress already made indicates "the U.S. will be in position to reduce its forces in Iraq in the months ahead." (Posted 10:30 a.m.)
Ambassador: Onus on Iraqis for reconciliation
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker told the Senate Foreign Relations committee Tuesday that progress on Iraq's reconciliation front will take many forms and "must ultimately come from Iraqis themselves."
But, he said, the troop surge launched earlier this year has "helped change the dynamics in Iraq for the better," and "dramatic" security improvements in north and west Iraq "have opened the door for meaningful politics."
Nonetheless, he said, "Iraq is and will remain for some time a traumatized society." (Posted 10:12 a.m.)
GOP senator: It is not enough for White House 'to counsel patience'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., warned the White House not "to counsel patience until the next milestone or report," when it comes to progress in Iraq.
"We need to see a strategy for how our troops and other resources in Iraq might be employed to fundamentally change the equation," said the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is holding a hearing on reports on Iraq from Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker. (Posted 10:05 a.m.)
Lugar: Failing to plan ahead could be 'disastrous'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., said Tuesday "the surge must not be an excuse" for failing to prepare for the next phase of U.S. involvement in Iraq -- whether that is a "partial withdrawal, a gradual redeployment or some other option."
Lugar, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, added, "We saw in 2003 after the initial invasion of Iraq the disastrous results of failing to plan adequately for contingencies." (Posted 1003)
Biden: Troop buildup a 'stopgap,' at best
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Tuesday -- on the sixth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks -- that the Bush administration's troop "surge" is at best a "stopgap" measure.
Sen. Joe Biden, D-Delaware, told Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker at the start of a hearing on their reports that the time to start troop drawdowns is now, and that a "diplomatic surge" is imperative.
He said a federally decentralized Iraq with a limited central government is the "last best hope" for Iraq. (Posted 9:50 a.m.)
Suicide attack kills 18 in northwestern Pakistan
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- A teenage boy strapped with explosives blew himself up near a minivan in northwestern Pakistan on Tuesday as police chased him, killing 18 people and wounding 20, police said.
Those killed included passengers on the minivan and police officers who had closed in on the bomber as he detonated his explosives, police said. The bomber was about 14 or 15 years old, police said.
The attack happened in Dera Ismail Khan, a town near the Afghan border in Pakistan's North West Frontier Province, part of Pakistan's tribal regions where the military has stepped up its campaign against Taliban and al Qaeda militants. In turn, the militants have increased their suicide bombing campaign. (Posted 9:40 a.m.)
Ceremonies honor 9/11 victims
Across the country, cities held ceremonies or moments of silence to mark what President Bush has called the day that changed America forever.
The president and first lady Laura Bush, as well as Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, participated in a moment of silence on the White House South Lawn at 8:46 a.m., the moment the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
Other dignitaries also assembled there, most of wore black or other dark colors. Earlier, the president attended a service at St. John's Episcopal Church.
In New York, bells began ringing at St. Patrick's cathedral at 8:46 a.m. to honor victims of the attacks. A slow parade of police, firefighters and members of the Port Authority marched to Ground Zero.
The New York Fire Department lost 343 members, the NYPD lost 23 officers and the Port Authority lost 37 people in the attacks.
The New York Stock Exchange will hold a moment of silence before the opening bell at 9:29 a.m. (Posted 9:13 a.m.)
U.S. trade gap narrows slightly despite jump in Chinese imports
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The gap between U.S. imports and exports narrowed slightly in July despite a jump in imports from China, an increase that made that nation the No. 1 source of U.S. imports.
The gap was $59.2 billion in July, down from the revised $59.4 billion gap in June, according to the Commerce Department. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast a $59 billion trade deficit.
The trade gap with China rose 12.5 percent from June levels and 21.6 percent from the year-earlier period to $23.8 billion. Chinese imports moved ahead of those from Canada with this report.
The trade gap is drawing greater attention due to concerns about the safety of Chinese imports. Toymaker Mattel has had three major recalls of Chinese made toys since Aug. 1, and Congress is holding hearings Wednesday on the issue. (Posted 9:10 a.m.)
Islamic Jihad claims joint responsibility for attack on Israeli base
GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Islamic Jihad said it fired a longer-distance, shrapnel-packed missile into an Israeli military base early Tuesday -- wounding dozens of soldiers -- as part of its mission to hit targets deeper into Israel, a spokesman for the militant group told CNN.
The spokesman, who identified himself as "Abu Hamza," pledged that Islamic Jihad would intensify its rocket attacks against Israeli targets -- both civilian and military.
He said the attackers struck the military base with a Quds missile, which has a 15-km (9-mile) range. That is longer than the cruder Qassam rockets usually launched into Israel by Gaza militants. The Quds, or Jerusalem, missile was also packed with shrapnel to inflict maximum casualties, the spokesman said.
Islamic Jihad jointly claimed responsibility for Tuesday's attack with the Popular Resistance Committee, an umbrella group of Palestinian militants.
The rocket hit a tent in the Zikim military base in the northwestern Negev desert in southern Israel, wounding 69 soldiers. (Posted 9 a.m.)
Six years after 9/11 attacks, few believe U.S. is winning war on terror
(CNN) -- Six years after the worst terror attacks on U.S. soil, only three in 10 Americans believe the United States and its allies are winning the global war on terror -- one of the main justifications cited by the Bush administration for the war in Iraq.
According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll conducted Sept. Friday through Sunday, about half of the 1,017 adult Americans questioned said they believe neither side is winning the war on terror, while 19 percent said the terrorists are winning.
The poll has a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
A separate poll conducted Aug. Thursday through Saturday found that 61 percent of the 1,029 adult Americans questioned said they were not satisfied with the way things were going in the war on terror, and only 38 percent felt safer from terrorism than before the 9/11 attacks. (Posted 8:51 a.m.)
Nine 'armed terrorists' killed in Baghdad; six killed south of the capital
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military said it killed 15 insurgents Tuesday in two separate operations, one raid in eastern Baghdad and the other in the region south of Baghdad.
And, a roadside bombing in the capital killed at least one person, Iraqi authorities said.
Nine "armed terrorists" were killed and eight people were "captured" during a coalition raid in eastern Baghdad targeting hard-line followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, a military statement said.
According to the military, the raid targeted a network involved in murder, kidnapping, improvised explosive devices, mortar attacks and weapons smuggling. (Posted 8:47 a.m.)
Petraeus, Crocker take their case to the Senate
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The two top Americans in war-torn Iraq are geared to spend another day of grinding give-and-take with U.S. lawmakers in war-obsessed Washington, this time before two key Senate committees loaded with presidential candidates and Republicans skeptical of the Bush administration's Iraq policy.
Gen. David Petraeus, the top general in Iraq, and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker will be explaining their reports on the status of Iraq to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in the morning and the Senate Armed Services Committee in the afternoon.
Presidential candidates on the Foreign Relations committee are Democrats Joe Biden of Delaware, the committee chairman; Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, and Barack Obama of Illinois.
Hillary Clinton, Democrat of New York and John McCain, Republican of Arizona are on the Senate Armed Services Committee, where McCain is the ranking member. (Posted 8:40 a.m.)
Chile to receive Palestinian refugees from Iraq
(CNN) -- Chile has decided to take in 100 Palestinian refugees who had been living Iraq and "have been forced to live in destitute conditions" on the war-torn country's borders "over the past few years," the U.N. refugee agency said on Tuesday.
The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees called the offer "generous."
This follows a decision in July by Brazil, which decided to resettle 117 of the Palestinian refugees, an effort that is starting at the end of this month and into September.
The UNHCR has said there were about 15,000 Palestinians remaining in Iraq, according to U.N. statistics on displaced Iraqis issued in April. (Posted 7:20 a.m.)
Iraq: We want 'complete security reliance as soon as possible'
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraq's government, anxious to let its supporters know it is working as diligently as possible to become self-sustaining, says its "aim is to achieve complete Iraqi security reliance as soon as possible."
"We know that for some time we will continue to need the support of the coalition," said Mowaffaq al-Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser. But the nascent government "anticipates" fewer "direct combat operations" for U.S.-led coalition forces "in the near term."
Al-Rubaie, reacting to the assessment on Iraq's progress from U.S. Gen. David Petraeus and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker, delivered Iraq's perspective on its military, political and economic situation.
His remarks come a day after the two top-ranking Americans in Iraq detailed their ideas before joint session of the House Armed Services and Foreign Relations committees. (Posted 6:29 a.m.)
9 'armed terrorists' killed in eastern Baghdad raid
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Nine "armed terrorists" were killed and eight people were "captured" early Tuesday during a coalition raid in eastern Baghdad targeting hard-line followers of radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, the U.S. military said.
According to the military, the raid was made on a network involved in murder, kidnapping, improvised explosive devices, mortar attacks and weapons smuggling.
"Coalition forces continue to respect Muqtada al Sadr's declaration to stop attacks and the restraint shown by his faithful followers, who are honoring this directive," said Maj. Winfield Danielson, Multi-National Forces-Iraq spokesman.
"Those who do not honor Sadr's pledge and continue attacks are criminals, and we will take the actions necessary to stop them and protect the Iraqi people."
The military was referring to Al-Sadr's recent order to freeze the activities of his Mehdi Army militia for six months. (Posted 4:50 a.m.)
McCann parents say they're confident they can prove innocence
LONDON (CNN) -- The father of a missing British girl who vanished in Portugal more than four months ago said he's confident the evidence will show he and his wife played no role in her disappearance.
"We have absolute confidence that, when all of the facts are presented together, we will be able to demonstrate that we played absolutely no part in Madeleine's abduction," Gerry McCann said in a blog entry posted late Monday.
"We could never possibly have imagined being put in this unbearable situation."
After questioning and naming Kate and Gerry McCann as suspects last week, Portuguese police in Portimao were to hand over the case of Madeleine McCann to the prosecutor's office Tuesday, police told CNN. (Posted 4:30 a.m.)
Unexploded bus bomb found in Ankara
ANKARA, Turkey (CNN) -- Turkish police were working to defuse a bomb found inside a small bus parked in Ankara Tuesday, according to Anatolia, Turkey's state-run news agency.
The bus, which had a fake license plate, was parked in a multi-level parking lot, according a statement from the governor's office in Ankara quoted by Anatolia. (Posted 4:15 a.m.)
In southern Afghanistan, 'several suspected militants' killed
(CNN) -- "Several suspected militants were killed and eight were detained" on Tuesday during a raid in southern Afghanistan by Afghan and coalition forces, the U.S.-led coalition said.
"The suspected militants were shot and killed after they threatened the force in the Sangin district, Helmand province. A small cache consisting of grenades and several AK-47s was found and destroyed in a safe place," the coalition said. (Posted 4:05 a.m.)
Bomb threat raises security at U.S. base in Germany
BERLIN (CNN) -- Military police are taking a closer look at cars and trucks entering the U.S. Air Force's Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany following a telephone call threatening to blow the base up, base officials said.
Someone speaking German -- with a non-German accent -- called the base Monday evening and issued the bomb threat, according to Iris Reiff, a spokeswoman with the public affairs office at the base.
The threat came a day before the 9/11 attack anniversary and a week after the unraveling of a terror plot aimed at U.S. military installations in Germany.
"We've sort of diverted traffic around the main gate area so each of the security forces can get a complete look at the vehicles from the front and side," said Capt. Kevin Koffman, a base spokesman.
Otherwise, he said, it's "business as usual" on the base, which is in western Germany. (Posted 3:50 a.m.)
Israel fires into Gaza after Palestinian rocket attack wounds 69 soldiers
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- The Israeli army fired into northern Gaza Tuesday morning, only hours after Palestinian militants hit an Israeli military base with a Qassam rocket, wounding 69 soldiers, an Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman said.
According to IDF, Israeli soldiers returned fire on the location from where the rocket was launched.
Palestinian medical sources said a shell landed in Beit Lahiya. wounding four Palestinian civilians in their home. They said the injuries were not serious.
The injuries were more extensive on the Israeli side. Four of the soldiers were seriously wounded and seven suffered moderate injuries, while the remaining 58 soldiers were lightly wounded, the IDF said.
The rocket hit a tent in the Zikim military base in the northwestern Negev desert in southern Israel on Monday. (Posted 3:50 a.m.)
New bin Laden video released
(CNN) -- A new video purportedly featuring an introduction from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was released Tuesday -- the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
The 47-minute videotape was obtained by terrorism expert Laura Mansfield before it was to appear on several Islamist Web sites known for carrying statements from al Qaeda and other radical groups.
In the 14-minute introduction to the video, a voice identified as bin Laden praises 9/11 hijacker Waleed al-Shehri, from Saudi Arabia, who sat in seat 2B on American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center. The voice speaking in Arabic is heard over a still picture of bin Laden and contains English subtitles.
The balance of the recording is a video will by al-Shehri. He is the seventh of the 19 hijackers to appear in such a will since the terrorist attacks. (Posted 2:20 a.m.)
Rocket attack wounds 69 soldiers at Israeli base
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Palestinian militants fired a rocket into a military base in the northwestern Negev desert in southern Israel Monday, wounding 69 soldiers, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Four of the soldiers were seriously wounded and seven suffered moderate injuries, while the remaining 58 soldiers were lightly wounded, the IDF said.
The rocket hit a tent in the Zikim base.
There was no immediate comment from Palestinian authorities in Gaza. (Posted 2:20 a.m.)
New bin Laden video appears on the Web
(CNN) -- A new video purportedly featuring an introduction from al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden appeared on the Internet Tuesday -- the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington.
In the introduction to the video, a voice identified as bin Laden praises 9/11 hijacker Waleed al-Shehri, from Saudi Arabia, who sat in seat 2B on American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the north tower of the World Trade Center.
The authenticity of the video was not immediately confirmed. (Posted 12:50 a.m.)
Rocket attack wounds 57 soldiers at Israeli base
JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Palestinian militants fired a rocket into a military base in the northwestern Negev desert in southern Israel Monday, wounding 57 soldiers, the Israel Defense Forces said.
One of the soldiers was critically wounded and three suffered severe injuries, while the remaining soldiers received light to moderate wounds, the IDF said.
The rocket hit a tent in the Zikim base.
There was no immediate comment from Palestinian authorities in Gaza.(Posted 11:40 p.m.)
Iraq militants demand German withdrawal to ensure hostage's safety
(CNN) -- Iraqi militants holding a German man hostage demanded Monday that Germany withdraw its troops from Afghanistan within 10 days to ensure his safety.
The video from the little-known Swords of Righteousness group appeared Monday on the Internet, threatening to kill Sinan Krause if Berlin doesn't comply. In the video, the group said it would slit his throat.
Sinan Krause and his mother Hannelore both appear in the video, although she was released by the group in July after 155 days in captivity. They disappeared in Iraq on Feb. 6.
In early March, the group made the same demand for Germany to remove its troops with the same 10-day time frame, but the deadline passed without incident. (Posted 11:40 p.m.) E-mail to a friend 
