The CNN Wire: Thursday, Sep. 27

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.

NHC: Lorenzo makes landfall along Gulf coast of Mexico

MIAMI (CNN) -- Hurricane Lorenzo made landfall along the east-central Gulf coast of Mexico early Friday, the National Hurricane Center reported.

The storm came ashore with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h).

At 2 a.m. ET, the center of Lorenzo was just inland about 40 miles (65 km) south-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico. The storm was moving west at near 8 mph (13 km/h) and that motion was expected to continue.

The storm made landfall about 12 hours after it was dubbed Tropical Storm Lorenzo at 2 p.m. ET Thursday, when forecasters said a tropical depression they had been watching for several days had strengthened.

A hurricane warning remained in effect for the Mexican Gulf coast from Palma Sola to Cabo Rojo, the NHC said. A tropical storm warning was in effect for an area south of Palma Sola to Veracruz. A tropical storm watch was issued for an area north of Cabo Rojo to La Cruz. (Posted 2:15 a.m.)

NHC: Lorenzo intensifies off Gulf coast of Mexico

MIAMI (CNN) -- Hurricane Lorenzo strengthened as it churned off the Mexican Gulf coast late Thursday, the National Hurricane Center reported.

The storm was expected to come ashore in Mexico early Friday, with additional strengthening possible prior to landfall, forecasters said, with rapid weakening thereafter.

As of 11 p.m. ET, the center of Lorenzo was about 70 miles (110 km) east-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico. Its maximum sustained winds were near 80 mph (130 km/h) with stronger gusts. The storm was moving west at near 6 mph (9 km/h) and was expected to continue until landfall.

Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Karen, churning in the Atlantic, was losing organization and weakening, the NHC said.

As of 11 p.m. ET, Karen's center was about 780 miles (1255 km) east of the Windward Islands. It was moving west-northwest at near 14 mph (22 k/hr). Karen's maximum sustained winds were near 60 mph (95 km/h), but it was expected to weaken some over the next 24 hours, forecasters said. (Posted 12:30 a.m.)

DNI declassifies timeline on Iraq kidnapping

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The deputy to the nation's intelligence chief late Thursday released previously classified details of the government's urgent effort to get a warrant granting authority to eavesdrop on Iraq insurgents who had just kidnapped U.S. soldiers in May.

The information was requested by the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas.

In a letter to Reyes, Acting Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Ronald Burgess disclosed a timeline showing the hours that elapsed during the kidnapping incident in May, saying it is an example of why the surveillance law passed by Congress must be preserved.

The timeline shows it took about six hours for officials to figure out legal complexities in the case and locate and brief then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in Texas after determining emergency authorization was needed. But once Gonzales gave the emergency authorization, surveillance of suspected insurgents began within 20 minutes.

At a Sept. 20 House hearing, Reyes pressed Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell to explain why he had briefly invoked the Iraqi kidnapping case two days earlier in testimony before a separate House panel.

In the letter to Reyes, McConnell's deputy says the DNI is now willing to reveal the difficulty intelligence executives faced in the wake of the kidnapping. (Posted 11:50 p.m.)

Officials: Airport screeners had 'advance notice' of covert testers

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Passenger screeners at the Jackson, Miss., airport were given advance notice that plainclothes investigators were testing security checkpoints in 2004, according to an officials who say they are expanding their cheating probe to include other airports.

At Jackson-Evers International Airport, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screeners were told that "red team" investigators were in the area, and spread word about their race and gender, the type of items they were attempting to sneak through checkpoints and the location of the items, according to Department of Homeland Security Inspector General Richard L. Skinner.

"We could not identify, with absolute certainty, where the advance information originated from, but this information was communicated to certain individuals at all levels of TSA personnel" at the airport, Skinner wrote in a letter to TSA Administrator Kip Hawley, dated Aug. 29 and released Thursday.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss. and chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told CNN last year he believed workers at his home airport had been tipped off before an inspection there. (Posted 10:23 p.m.)

DNI declassifies timeline on Iraq kidnapping to bolster case for FISA law

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The deputy to the nation's intelligence chief late Thursday released previously classified details of the government's urgent effort to get a warrant granting authority to eavesdrop on Iraq insurgents who had just kidnapped U.S. soldiers in May.

In a letter to the head of the House Intelligence Committee, Acting Principal Deputy Director of National Intelligence Ronald Burgess disclosed a timeline showing the hours that elapsed during the kidnapping incident in May, saying it is an example of why the surveillance law passed by Congress must be preserved.

The timeline shows it took about six hours for officials to figure out legal complexities in the case and locate and brief then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales in Texas after determining emergency authorization was needed. But once Gonzales gave the emergency authorization, surveillance of suspected insurgents began within 20 minutes.

At a Sept. 20 House hearing, Chairman Rep. Silvestre Reyes, D-Texas, pressed Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell to explain why he had briefly invoked the Iraqi kidnapping case two days earlier in testimony before a separate House panel. In the letter to Reyes, McConnell's deputy says the DNI is now willing to reveal the difficulty intelligence executives faced in the wake of the kidnapping. (Posted 10:20 p.m.)

Senate passes children's health insurance bill

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate voted 67-29 Thursday night to expand the State Children's Health Insurance program by up to 4 million children, a measure President Bush has vowed to veto as a step toward universal coverage.

Eighteen Republicans joined all the Democrats in voting for expanding the popular program from its current annual budget of $5 billion to $12 billion for the next five years. Four senators -- Republicans John McCain of Arizona and Sam Brownback of Kansas and Democrats Joseph Biden of Delaware and Barack Obama of Illinois -- did not vote.

The program would double -- from 4 million to 8 million -- the number of children covered.

The reauthorization bill "fails to focus on poor children, and instead creates a new entitlement program for higher-income households," said White House Press Secretary Dana Perino in a written statement. (Posted 10:03 p.m.)

St. John's gunman to be arraigned from psychiatric unit

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A college student accused of carrying a loaded rifle on St. John University's campus Wednesday, sparking a campus-wide lockdown, will be arraigned from his hospital bed in a psychiatric ward Friday, the Queens County District Attorney said in a written statement Thursday.

Omesh Hiraman, a Queens native, is charged with two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and several violations of the New York City Administrative Code, the statement said. If convicted, he faces up to a year in jail.

"We believe that this is a misunderstanding. Our son has always been a good boy, and has never been in any sort of trouble," said the boy's father, Pat Hiraman.

His 22-year-old son was transferred Thursday from Queens General Hospital in Jamaica to Bellevue Hospital Center's psychiatric unit, according to the DA's office. (Posted 9:39 p.m.)

Newt Gingrich edges closer to possible run

MARIETTA, Ga. (CNN) -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich edged closer Thursday to launching a possible run for the GOP presidential candidacy in 2008, telling supporters that if they pledge at least $30 million to his campaign over a three-week period starting Monday and ending Oct. 21, he will compete for the nomination.

Gingrich chose Thursday, the 13th anniversary of the signing of his "Contract With America," to launch his "Solutions Day" campaign, which he said is a search for bi-partisan answers to the country's major challenges. While never mentioning the 2008 race in his speech Thursday night, Gingrich outlined what sounded like a campaign message when he called for "real change, not the same old stuff."

He said "very bold" proposals are needed to bring the United States government into the 21st century. "I think, as a general rule, that levees should not break, that bridges should not fall, that students should actually learn," Gingrich said.

Gingrich was careful to make his Solutions Day launch a bi-partisan event by including well-known Democrats. Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin delivered a videotaped appearance and former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer spoke in person about the need for education reforms. (Posted 9:02 p.m.)

Sources: Cuban dissident taken into custody following protest

HAVANA (CNN) -- A prominent Cuban political dissident was taken into police custody Thursday following a protest at the nation's Justice Ministry, another activist told CNN.

Marta Beatriz Roque and about eight other people staged the protest Thursday, carrying a letter complaining about the conditions imprisoned dissidents face in the Communist nation. Roque told CNN dozens of people were supposed to show up at the protest, but didn't know why they hadn't.

Later, she said she understood about 13 people had been detained on their way. Roque and the other protesters sat on a curb outside the Justice Ministry and said they were refusing to leave until they received an answer from officials.

A dissident later said she and the others had been taken into custody following their refusal to leave upon the request of a Justice Ministry official. It was unclear whether the group was arrested or merely detained. (Posted 8:33 p.m.)

Coast Guard halts search for crew of Joe Cool

MIAMI (CNN) -- The Coast Guard suspended its search at dusk Thursday for four crewmembers of the fishing vessel Joe Cool, which was found abandoned on Sunday night, a day after it had departed Miami with its crew and two passengers for what was to have been a one-day fishing trip to Bimini, Bahamas.

The passengers -- Kirby Archer, 36, and Guillermo Zarabozo, 19 -- were found Sunday night aboard a lifeboat 12 miles from the fishing vessel, which was found 160 miles south of Bimini. Zarabozo told investigators that hijackers killed the crew, according to federal court papers, but investigators indicated that they don't believe his account.

According to an affidavit released Wednesday in court, Zarabozo gave this account of what happened: Hijackers wrested control of the vessel and fatally shot the captain, Jake Branam; killed Branam's wife Kelly when she became hysterical; killed the third crewmember when he refused to throw the bodies overboard; and killed the fourth crewmember when he too refused to do so. Zarabozo said he was spared when he agreed to throw the bodies of the other four overboard.

The affidavit indicates that federal authorities do not believe Zarabozo's account. He has been charged with lying to a federal agent, and Archer is suspected in the theft of more than $90,000 in cash from a Wal-Mart in Arkansas. He has been charged with unlawful interstate flight. (Posted 8:31 p.m.)

NHC: Lorenzo now a Category 1 hurricane

MIAMI (CNN) -- Just six hours after strengthening into a tropical storm, Lorenzo morphed into a Category 1 hurricane as it neared the Mexican Gulf coast, the National Hurricane Center reported Thursday evening.

The storm was expected to come ashore in Mexico early Friday, with additional strengthening possible prior to landfall, forecasters said.

As of 8 p.m. ET, the center of Lorenzo was about 75 miles (125 km) east-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico. Its maximum sustained winds were near 75 mph (120 km/h) with stronger gusts. The storm was moving west at near 6 mph (9 km/h) and was expected to continue until landfall.

The storm was dubbed Tropical Storm Lorenzo at 2 p.m. ET Thursday, when forecasters said a tropical depression they had been watching for several days had strengthened. (Posted 8:12 p.m.)

NHC: Lorenzo now a Category 1 hurricane

MIAMI (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Lorenzo has strengthened into a Category 1 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center reported Thursday evening. (Posted 8:09 p.m.)

Mychal Bell, last of 'Jena 6' behind bars, released

JENA, La. (CNN) -- Mychal Bell, a black teen-ager accused of beating a white classmate and the last of the so-called "Jena 6" behind bars, was released from custody Thursday after a juvenile court judge reduced his bail from $90,000 to $45,000.

Wearing a blue striped golf shirt and jeans, Bell walked out of the LaSalle Parish courthouse a week after an estimated 15,000-plus demonstrators marched through Jena -- a town of about 3,000 -- to protest local authorities' handling of the teens' case.

His release followed LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters' decision not to challenge a state court ruling that moved Bell's case from adult to juvenile court.

"We do not condone violence of any kind, but we ask that people be given a fair and even chance at the bar of justice," civil rights leader Al Sharpton, one of the leaders of the march, said after Bell's release. (Posted 8:08 p.m.)

Jury begins deliberations in Knicks head coach harassment suit

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Jurors on Thursday began deliberating in the sexual harassment lawsuit against New York Knicks head coach Isiah Thomas and his employer Madison Square Garden.

After spending most of the day listening to closing arguments and lengthy instructions from the judge, the jury of four women and three men deliberated for just under an hour before ending for the day. Deliberations will resume Friday.

Lawyers for Madison Square Garden, Thomas and Anucha Browne Sanders, who alleges sexual harassment and wrongful termination in the $10 million suit lawsuit, gave jurors conflicting versions of events in the case.

Madison Square Garden attorney Ronald Green used a graphical timeline as he outlined what he called a "perfect storm" of events. Browne Sanders failed to acclimate to a new working environment under new management and was responsible for her own downfall, he claimed, and her lawsuit is about money. "It was about securing her financial future because she knows losing her job was the end," he said. (Posted 7:34 p.m.)

12 dead in Gaza attacks

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- Twelve Palestinians have died over the past two days in attacks in Gaza, officials said Thursday.

In the latest attack, a member of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades was killed and three were wounded Thursday when the house they occupied in Beit Hanoun was hit by a rocket, Hamas officials and members of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said. The same Palestinian sources said the members of the militant group, an offshoot of Fatah, had fired about two or three rockets into Israel when they were spotted by members of the Israel Defense Forces, who returned fire.

The IDF confirmed a strike Thursday in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, but said it was not an air strike. Last week, the Israeli government declared Gaza "hostile territory."

Thursday's casualties in Beit Hanoun were the latest of a spate of such attacks that killed 11 other Palestinians over the past two days. On Wednesday, four Palestinians were killed in an airstrike in Gaza City, four were killed by an Israeli artillery shell in Beit Hanoun and three were killed in an airstrike overnight in Beit Hanoun, Palestinian Hamas security sources said. (Posted 7:33 p.m.)

Newt Gingrich edges closer to possible run

MARIETTA, Ga. (CNN) -- Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich edged closer Thurday to launching a possible run for the GOP presidential candidacy in 2008, telling supporters that if they pledge at least $30 million to his campaign over a three-week period starting Monday and ending Oct. 21, he will compete for the nomination.

Gingrich chose Thursday, the 13th anniversary of the signing of his "Contract With America," to launch his "Solutions Day" campaign, which he said is a search for bi-partisan answers to the country's major challenges. It also serves as a vehicle for Gingrich to build support for a presidential candidacy, which he said he would be "perfectly happy" not to launch.

"I'm not going to be on the phone and I'm not begging," Gingrich told conservative talk show host Sean Hannity, who attended the event. Instead, Gingrich's lawyer, J. Randall Evans, will chair an Internet-based fund-raising effort set to go live Monday to raise the money.

Gingrich, 64, has hinted for months that he would join the GOP presidential race if he determined there was no other candidate who appeared able to take on the Democrats in 2008. His hinting has become louder in recent weeks, with Gingrich suggesting that Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York is destined to be the Democratic nominee and the he would be the best Republican to debate her. (Posted 7:06 p.m.)

California congressman says he'll fight subpoenas

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A California Republican congressman says he'll resist complying with subpoenas seeking more than 11 years of legislative records from his office and staff in connection with an ongoing federal probe.

Rep. John Doolittle on Thursday notified House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of the subpoenas, originally issued Sept. 17, his lawyer said. Five aides subpoenaed at the same time have been told to appear before a grand jury as witnesses, the attorney, David Barger, said in a written statement.

FBI agents searched Doolittle's suburban Washington home in April, looking for records of his wife's consulting business. Julie Doolittle's consulting firm, Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions, has worked for disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, as a lobbying firm and as a fund-raiser for the congressman.

Rep. Doolittle represents California's 4th Congressional District, which traces the Sierra Nevadas north of Sacramento. The day after the search of his home, he announced he was giving up his post on the House Appropriations Committee while the investigation continued. (Posted 6:36 p.m.)

Last of 'Jena 6' behind bars released

JENA, La. (CNN) -- Mychal Bell, a black teen-ager accused of beating a white classmate and the last of the so-called "Jena 6" behind bars, was released from custody Thursday after a juvenile court judge set his bail at $45,000.

Bell's release followed an announcement from LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters, who said he would not appeal a higher court's decision moving Bell's case to juvenile court. Bell's attorney said he was moved from jail to a juvenile facility earlier Thursday. (Posted 6:32 p.m.)

Officials begin returning religious books removed from prison chapels

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal prison officials late Thursday began returning thousands upon thousands of religious books and tapes to the shelves of libraries in the nation's prison chapels, after authorities reversed course on an issue that had stirred widespread controversy.

Prison officials had upset many religious organizations and civil rights groups by removing most books, audiotapes and videotapes in June when, under the Standardized Library Prison Project, they began the laborious process of sifting through them to eliminate materials that could incite prisoner violence or contribute to radicalization.

That drew complaints from critics who noted that the project is not scheduled to be completed until January, and in the meantime prisoners would be deprived of the variety of religious materials they need.

Bowing to the criticism, the Bureau of Prisons said officials will continue to scrutinize all the material and compile their approved list, but as they do so, all the books removed in June will be returned immediately to the shelves except for those that have already been determined to present potential incitement or radicalization. --From Justice Producer Terry Frieden (Posted 6:30 p.m.)

Edwards says he'll take public funds for White House bid

DURHAM, N.H. (CNN) -- Former Sen. John Edwards said Thursday he will accept public financing for his presidential campaign, and challenged his chief rivals for the Democratic nomination, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, to follow his lead.

"This is not about a money calculation," Edwards said. "This is about taking a stand, a principled stand, and I believe in public financing."

Under federal law, accepting public funding places candidates under spending limits in the primary election campaign and prohibits them from using outside money in the general election campaign. Edwards said his decision covers both campaign cycles.

He is the first top-tier Democratic candidate to agree to take public funding. --From CNN Senior Political Correspondent Candy Crowley (Posted 5:32 p.m.)

Tropical Storm Lorenzo could hit Mexico as hurricane

MIAMI (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Lorenzo formed Thursday off the Gulf coast of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said, and might strengthen into a hurricane before reaching the Mexican coast.

The storm acquired its name when Tropical Depression 13, which forecasters had been eyeing for several days, strengthened and its maximum sustained winds reached 39 mph (63 k/hr). The forecast path shows Lorenzo coming ashore in Mexico Friday morning.

As of 5 p.m. ET, the center of Lorenzo was about 105 miles (170 km) east-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico. The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 70 mph (110 km/h), with higher gusts. "Some additional strengthening is forecast and Lorenzo could reach the coast as a hurricane," forecasters said.

The storm was moving toward the west at near 5 mph (8 km/h), and was expected to continue until its center reaches the coast of Mexico. (Posted 5:31 p.m.)

1 dead in latest Gaza rocket attack

GAZA CITY (CNN) -- A member of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades was killed and three were wounded Thursday when the house they occupied in Beit Hanoun was hit by a rocket, Hamas officials and members of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said.

The same Palestinian sources said the members of the militant group, an offshoot of Fatah, had fired about two or three rockets into Israel when they were spotted by members of the Israel Defense Forces, who returned fire.

The IDF confirmed a strike Thursday in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanoun, but said it was not an air strike. (Posted 5:10 p.m.)

Appeal deadline Saturday after reinstatement of terrorism charges against Guantanamo detainee

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Defense lawyers for suspected terrorist Omar Khadr have until Saturday to appeal a decision by a special military panel that would put the case against the Canadian, who allegedly killed a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan, back before a military tribunal.

A judge had thrown out the case, but Monday a U.S. military appeals court reinstated the terrorism charges against Khadr.

Last June, the judge, Army Col. Peter Brownback, said the military commissions set up by the Bush administration and approved by Congress did not have the authority to try detainees held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, unless they were listed as "unlawful enemy combatants." The military lists the detainees set to go on trial as "enemy combatants."

The stumbling block was sent to the U.S. Court of Military Commission Review for a ruling, and the five-member panel overturned Brownback's decision, allowing the case against Khadr to move forward. --From CNN Pentagon Producer Mike Mount (Posted 4:51 p.m.)

Nations call for Myanmar to back off, release Suu Kyi

(CNN) -- Diplomatic pressure on Myanmar was building Thursday as the United States imposed new sanctions on the ruling junta and Myanmar's Southeast Asian neighbors urged it to seek a peaceful resolution to its political problems.

Myanmar state media said nine people have been killed in a crackdown on anti-government demonstrations, during which soldiers reportedly fired into crowds and beat Buddhist monks. A Japanese journalist was among the dead, Japan's Foreign Ministry confirmed.

"The world is watching the people of Burma take to the streets to demand their freedom, and the American people stand in solidarity with these brave individuals," President Bush said in a statement read by press secretary Dana Perino.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon dispatched envoy Ibrahim Gambari to Myanmar, where government said Thursday that he will be welcomed. And after an informal meeting Thursday at the United Nations, the foreign ministers who make up the Association of Southeast Asian Nations urged Myanmar to stop the suppression, and they called for the release of all political prisoners, including iconic activist Aung San Suu Kyi. (Posted 3:49 p.m.)

District attorney will not contest Jena 6 ruling

JENA, La. (CNN) -- LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters announced Thursday that he will not appeal a higher court's decision to move the case against Mychal Bell, a black teen-ager accused of beating a white classmate, to juvenile court.

Walters said his decision not to appeal was based on what he believed is best for the victim in the case.

"While I believe that a review would have merit ... I believe it is in the best interest of the victim and his family not to delay this matter any further and move it to its conclusion," Walters told reporters.

He said that a march by 15,000 people last week in the small town of 3,000 led by civil rights leaders Martin Luther King III and Al Sharpton did not influence his decision. (Posted 3:01 p.m.)

Tropical Storm Lorenzo forms off coast of Mexico in Gulf

MIAMI (CNN) -- Tropical Storm Lorenzo formed Thursday off the Gulf coast of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said.

The storm acquired its name when Tropical Depression 13, which forecasters had been eyeing for several days, strengthened and its maximum sustained winds reached 39 mph. The forecast path shows Lorenzo coming ashore in Mexico Friday morning.

As of 2 p.m. ET, the center of Lorenzo was about 130 miles (210 km) east-southeast of Tuxpan, Mexico, with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h), with higher gusts. It was moving toward the west-southwest at near 3 mph (5 km/h).

A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Mexican coast, from Palma Sola to Cabo Rojo, meaning tropical storm conditions are expected within 24 hours. A tropical storm watch, meaning tropical storm conditions are possible within 36 hours, is posted from north of Cabo Rojo to La Cruz.

Lorenzo is expected to bring between 5 and 10 inches of rain to the Mexican state of Veracruz, with maximum isolated amounts of up to 15 inches, forecasters said. (Posted 2:51 p.m.)

Anti-corruption efforts in Iraq poor, according to working draft

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. Embassy in Baghdad document studying how Iraq fights corruption says the Iraqi government "is not capable of even rudimentary enforcement of anti-corruption laws" and the prime minister's office is openly hostile to the idea of an independent anti-corruption agency.

The 82-page study, in an early working draft form, is a review of the cases handled by Iraq's Commission on Public Integrity (CPI), which has the duty of investigating corruption in government agencies. It also looks into the roles of inspectors general in the various governmental ministries, and other entities. Research for the report was based on events that occurred up through the end of 2006.

The draft, obtained by CNN on Wednesday, is a "far-from-final version" and the data in the draft is still being reviewed, an embassy source said. Another embassy source said the draft is a "leaked, draft, staff-level report that was to form part of the internal deliberation process. It was far from a final version and the data and information it contains was still under review."

Iraqis asked about the draft have declined to respond to it. (Posted 2:30 p.m.)

Report: Blackwater tried to stall House probe into Falluja killings

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Private military contractor Blackwater "delayed and impeded" a congressional probe into the 2004 killings of four of its employees in the Iraqi city of Falluja, according to a House committee report released Thursday.

"The company consistently delayed and erected impediments to the committee's investigation, using tactics such as erroneously claiming that documents relating to the Falluja incident were classified, seeking to have the Defense Department retroactively classify previously unclassified documents and asserting questionable legal privileges," a report from the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee's Democratic staff concluded.

Blackwater's own reports on the killings found the men slaughtered in Falluja had been sent into the insurgent-riddled city without proper crew, equipment or even maps, the report states. One company document found a "complete lack of support" for its Baghdad office from executives at the company's headquarters in North Carolina, the committee report states.

"According to these documents, Blackwater took on the Falluja mission before its contract officially began, and after being warned by its predecessor that it was too dangerous. It sent its team on the mission without properly armored vehicles and machine guns. And it cut the standard mission team by two members, thus depriving them of rear gunners," the report states.

In a written response to the report, Blackwater called it "a one-sided version of this tragic incident." (Posted 2:14 p.m.)

District attorney will not contest Jena 6 ruling

JENA, La. (CNN) -- District Attorney Reed Walters announced Thursday that he will not appeal a higher court's decision to move the case against Mychal Bell, a black teen-ager accused of beating a white classmate in Jena, La., to juvenile court.

Walters said his decision not to appeal was based on what he believed is best for the victim in the case. (Posted 2:05 p.m.)

Victim in bizarre bank heist gets lawyer, misses police interview

MIAMI (CNN) -- The man who said he was forced to wear a bomb and rob the same bank where he works missed a scheduled interview with police Wednesday night after he retained a lawyer, Hollywood, Fla., police said Thursday.

Police spokesman Tony Rode said the man, 23, did not come to the interview on the advice of counsel; but in all other respects he has fully cooperated with their investigation into the bizarre robbery.

The man was questioned by authorities until 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, as police tried to clear up "a lot of holes, a lot of loose ends," Rode said.

The alleged victim told police that that three armed men had come to his house in nearby Dania Beach early Tuesday, strapped what they said was a bomb to him and forced him to rob the Wachovia bank where he works, Rode said. (Posted 1:23 p.m.)

Consumer group says dangerous toys still on store shelves

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Tests conducted on some toys and other children's products sold at Wal-Mart, Target and Toys "R" Us stores in recent weeks showed some of them contain excessive levels of lead, despite heightened awareness of the lead problem in the wake of recalls of such products, a consumer interest group said Thursday.

The Clean Water Action, a Washington-based non-profit firm, said it recently tested 50 children's toys sold at those retailers and at Walgreens stores in Massachusetts, and found 11 of those toys -- some of which were made out of vinyl -- contained lead, including two that contained "extremely high levels of lead."

Toys "R" Us and Wal-Mart did not immediately comment on the report. Target could not reached for a response. (Posted 12:25 p.m.)

Witness reports brutal scene in Myanmar

(CNN) -- As soldiers reportedly fired into crowds and beat Buddhist monks Thursday during a brutal crackdown by Myanmar's military regime on anti-government demonstrations in Yangon, a Myanmar citizen made a risky phone call to CNN from the heart of the protests, describing a deteriorating scene in the streets.

The person asked not to be named for security reasons

"People are shot and they are running. The soldiers shoot the people ... some people are walking on the street and shouting," she said, adding she witnessed government troops shooting a man," she said over a bad connection.

"No one can help us. We have no weapons." The military junta "have weapons and they are doing what they want. We have no rights."

She appealed to the international community for help. "We don't want that kind of government. Who can help us? Who can help us? I want (United Nations) or many nations to help us," she said before the line cut out. (Posted 11:03 a.m.)

Pace of new U.S. home sales falls to 7 year low in August, report shows

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The pace of new home sales fell to a seven-year low in August, according to a government report Thursday that showed the battered housing and home building markets even worse than forecasts.

New homes sold at an annual pace of 795,000 in August, according to the Census Bureau, down 8 percent from the revised 867,000 sales pace in July.

It was the slowest pace of sales since June 2000, as buyers had trouble finding mortgages or selling their existing homes. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast that sales would fall to a pace of 840,000.

The report also showed the median price of a new home fell 7.4 percent from year earlier levels to $225,700 in the month, as prices were pressured by both the problems in mortgage finance and the glut of homes on the market. --From CNNMoney.com's Chris Isidore (Posted 10:43 a.m.)

Rice calls for cooperation to work for climate change

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Thursday told delegates to the Global Change Conference that countries around the world must work together to combat climate change, much as they now cooperate against terror and the spread of disease.

"No one nation, no matter how much power or political will it possesses, can succeed alone," she said. "We all need partners and we all need to work in concert."

Rice said the United States takes climate change seriously, "for we are both a major economy and a major emitter. ... Therefore, we are prepared to expand our leadership to address the challenge."

An integrated response including "environmental stewardship, economic growth, energy supply and security and development and the development and deployment of new clean energy technology" is the key to moving forward on the issue, she said. (Posted 10:42 a.m.)

Congressional investigators detail vulnerabilities at U.S. borders

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A terrorist wanting to smuggle radioactive material from Canada into the United States would probably find it very easy to do, a new report from congressional investigators concludes based on an examination of several unmanned border crossings.

Government investigators were able to cross from Canada into the United States carrying a red duffle bag with contents that looked like radioactive material and never encountered a law enforcement official, according to a report released Thursday investigators from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The investigators made the crossing three times in the fall of 2006, the report says. In one of those instances, the GAO says, the Customs and Border Protection agency (CBP), which is responsible for enforcing the border, reported an alert citizen notified authorities of the suspicious activity of the undercover investigators and described their vehicle. However, the report says the Border Patrol was not able to locate the rental vehicle. --From CNN Senior Producer Kevin Bohn (Posted 10:40 a.m.)

American witness describes beating of demonstrators

(CNN) -- Soldiers waded into a crowd of protesters in Myanmar and beat several of them mercilessly, at least one of them to death, an American witness told CNN Thursday.

"All of a sudden, the police and military guys started coming toward the crowd, and all of a sudden started beating them and running after them," said the woman, who witnessed the incident from atop a nearby building. "And in one corner they got around, maybe, five or seven people, and they started beating them so bad for almost five minutes, and then they took them and put them in trucks.

"And there was this one guy, laying down on the floor, and he was dead. And then these same police came a few minutes later and picked him up and took him to the police station."

Red-robed Buddhist monks who had led several days of marches were largely absent from the streets Thursday after soldiers raided monasteries the night before. Monks reportedly were beaten and taken into custody or confined to the monasteries.

Streets that had been jammed with as many as 100,000 protesters were deserted by 6 p.m. after the violent crackdown, the witness said. "Right now it's a ghost town. I mean, nobody's outside. Everybody is so afraid," she said. "Please, these people need help. It's inhumane what's happening here." (Posted 9:43 a.m.)

Wal-Mart expands $4 generic drugs program

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Wal-Mart announced Thursday that it has extended its year-long $4 generic prescription drugs program to include 24 new prescriptions.

The company said the program will now cover more categories to include glaucoma, attention deficit disorder/attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD), fungal infections and acne.

Fertility and prescription birth control will also be included at $9. The retailer said that its prices for these medications will save women an estimated $15 to $21 a month, or $180 to $250 annually. (Posted 9:33 a.m.)

Baghdad woman dies of cholera; 12th such death in Iraq outbreak

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A 40-year-old woman who lives in the southern Baghdad outskirts has died of cholera -- the 12th death in Iraq from a recent outbreak of the disease, an Iraqi Health Ministry spokesman said Thursday.

This death comes amid growing concern in war-torn Iraq about the deteriorating infrastructure, and cholera is prevalent in areas where the water quality is poor.

The World Health Organization -- which issued an update Tuesday on cholera -- blames the outbreak on poor water quality and sewage treatment and cited a shortage of chlorine, which the agency said is "urgently needed" for water treatment. (Posted 9:32 a.m.)

Japanese among those fatally shot in Myanmar protests, Foreign Ministry says

(CNN) -- A Japanese national was among those shot and killed Thursday on the streets of Yangon by Myanmar's ruling military junta during city-wide protests Thursday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry told CNN.

The ministry said a state consular official was headed to a Yangon hospital to confirm the identity of the individual that Myanmar's foreign ministry said was a Japanese citizen.

Voicing strong concern over the military's crackdown on unarmed protesters, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said "something deplorable is happening" and "we have to think about what we should do to resolve the situation," according to a report issued by the Kyodo news agency. (Posted 8:16 a.m.)

Report: Myanmar troops fire on protesters

(CNN) -- An opposition Web site reported troops opened fire upon thousands of anti-government protesters who had snaked their way through the streets of downtown Yangon (Rangoon) in Myanmar.

At least 10 people were shot throughout Yangon, including a "foreign journalist," at the Sule Pagoda, Irrawaddy editor in chief Aung Zaw said.

The Japanese Embassy said a japanese national had been fatally shot, according to the Kyodo news agency. (Posted 7:22 a.m.)

Baby death sparks recall of 425,000 playpens

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Kolcraft Enterprises, which makes a variety of products for babies and toddlers, is recalling about 425,000 infant playpens following the death of a 10-month-old child, the Consumer Producer Safety Commission said Thursday.

The recall involves 12 models of playpens that pose a strangulation risk because of the changing table restraint strap.

The playpens were sold at retailers nationwide from January 2001 through September 2007.

Consumers are urged to stop using the changing tables and rocking cradle and to call the company at (888) 655-8484 or visit its Web site, www.kolcraft.com, and click on "Safety Notifications." (Posted 6:46 a.m.)

Pakistan Supreme Court ordered to release all the political activists

LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- The chief justice of Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the government to immediately release recently detained political opposition members.

Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry made the ruling when he queried officials about an order to close roads into Islamabad to stop a lawyer-led protest against the filing of President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's nomination papers for another five-year presidential term.

Chaudhry ordered the reopening of the roads.

Police said hundreds of people had been arrested in advance of next month's election for president. The arrests focused on opposition workers and activists opposed to Musharraf's effort to gain re-election.

After Musharraf signaled his plan to resign as army chief if re-elected president, the Election Commission announced that the presidential ballot by federal and provincial lawmakers would be held on Oct. 6. (Posted 6:23 a.m.)

2 Danish soldiers killed, 1 wounded in southern Afghanistan

(CNN) -- Two Danish soldiers were killed and another was wounded on Wednesday in southern Afghanistan, the Danish Defense Ministry said on Thursday.

The Danish soldiers are part of NATO's International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan. The number of those killed during the Afghan conflict now stands at six.

NATO earlier reported two soldier deaths in the south on Wednesday but did not release their nationalities. (Posted 5:10 a.m.)

Military message to demonstrators: Disperse now

(CNN) -- Myanmar's ruling military junta cleared thousands of anti-government protesters who had snaked their way through the streets of downtown Yangon Thursday, Johan Hallenborg, a Swedish embassy official in Yangon told CNN Thursday.

Media reports said demonstrators were told to disperse or face extreme action.

Speaking from a hotel 19 floors above the face-off, Hallenborg told CNN the protesters in the country's biggest city were dispersing as military trucks filled with soldiers rolled through the streets shouting through megaphones.

"From what we've seen the main avenue is now empty," he said.

Meanwhile, witnesses told CNN's Dan Rivers that security forces were firing warning shots and tear gas near two major pagodas in Yangon's city center.

The military sweep through the heart of the city came after overnight raids on Buddhist monasteries in which hundreds of monks were reportedly arrested. And a day after security forces forcefully cracked down on thousands of demonstrators gathered in the streets. (Posted 4:40 a.m.)

1 dead, 2 detained in northern Baghdad raid

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A coalition raid in Baghdad targeting a militant with ties to Iran and Shiite insurgents on Thursday led to the killing of one insurgent and the detention of two others, the U.S. military said.

Troops targeted a weapons facilitator "believed to have direct communication with senior Special Groups members" and links to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps -- Quds Force.

The forces shot and killed a "suspect terrorist" during the raid when he refused to comply with orders to stop "threatening movements."

The two detained are described as members of Iraqi Specials Groups, the term used by the U.S. military to describe Shiite insurgent cells.

The operation took place in northern Baghdad.

"We will continue to target any group with followers who commit hostile actions and oppose security and stability in Iraq," said Maj. Winfield Danielson, Multi-National Forces-Iraq spokesman. (Posted 4:20 a.m.)

Demonstrators turn out in droves in Yangon, Buddhist monks scarce

(CNN) -- Thousands of people dotted the streets of Myanmar's largest city Thursday in peaceful protest against the ruling military junta, a day after security forces forcefully cracked down on the demonstrators, Johan Hallenborg, a Swedish embassy official in Yangon told CNN.

Standing along a main road leading to the Sule Pagoda -- a Buddhist monument and landmark in Yangon's city center -- Hallenborg told CNN by telephone that a huge crowd had gathered with protesters shouting and clapping their hands. But from his vantage point in the city's western section, Hallenborg said he could not see any of the Buddhist monks who were the focal point of the demonstrators on previous days.

"What we heard was that the police and the military have gone in and have contained monks in their temples," Hallenborg said. "A number have come in and arrested a number of monks. I can't confirm how many but it seems the monks are arrested or confined in the pagodas." (Posted 3:30 a.m.)

Spate of fighting between coalition, insurgents leave scores dead in Afghanistan's south

(CNN) -- Afghan and coalition troops have killed about 170 insurgents in three days of intense fighting concentrated in Afghanistan's restive south, according to NATO and U.S.-led coalition reports.

Violence in the south has also resulted in the deaths of two soldiers serving under NATO's International Security Assistance Force and a U.S. sailor.

Two NATO soldiers were killed Wednesday when their patrol base came under attack in southern Afghanistan, ISAF said, without providing the exact location. Separately, a coalition soldier was killed when Taliban militants clashed with soldiers in Helmand province Tuesday, the command said.

A joint Afghan-coalition operation targeting a compound suspected of providing sanctuary to militants was launched Thursday in Helmand province. Two militants were killed and four others were detained. The coalition reported no Afghan or coalition troops were injured. (Posted 2:35 a.m.)

Many prescription drugs slip through FDA's safety net

(CNN) -- Every year, doctors write an unknown number of prescriptions for drugs not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the federal agency that regulates prescription drugs.

"There's a regulatory black hole that makes it possible for the pharmaceutical companies to get these drugs to the stores that sell them without the FDA being able to monitor it," said Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., who is calling for tighter restrictions.

When a pharmaceutical company submits a drug for approval, the FDA gives it a 10-digit number called a National Drug Code in order to track it through the approval process.

But pharmacies use the same number as an order number, which works even when the drug has not been approved. (Posted 2:20 a.m.)

Report: 3 Gorges Dam project raises environmental concerns

BEIJING (CNN) -- China's massive and often-controversial Three Gorges Dam project has contributed to many of the types of problems it was designed to prevent, contributing to landslides and pollution around the reservoir, Chinese officials and experts said, China's Xinhau news agency reported Wednesday.

The observations came out of a two-day forum held this week in Wuhan.

According to Xinhua, participants in the forum agree that the project had exerted a "notably adverse" impact on the environment of the Three Gorges reservoir, which has a shoreline stretching about 375 miles (600 km) behind the dam in east-central China.

The Three Gorges Dam spans the Yangtze River and is one of the largest single construction projects ever attempted on the planet. Construction began in 1994 and structural work was finished in 2006, although it is not expected to become fully operational until about 2009. (Posted 1:45 a.m.)

UK Ambassador to Myanmar: monks will probably take to the streets again today

(CNN) -- International leaders were anxiously monitoring the secretive Asian nation of Myanmar on Thursday, a day after clashes broke out between government security forces and Buddhist monks marching in peaceful protests against the ruling military junta.

"It's always curiously quiet in the morning because nothing tends to happen for another one or two hours -- that's when the monks rally close the main pagodas. Then they disperse through the main cities in columns of main demonstrators," Mark Canning, the British ambassador to Myanmar told CNN by phone Thursday at about 11:30 a.m. local time (1 a.m. ET).

"I would guess, but can't quit confirm, that they are starting to gather," he said.

The ambassador expressed concern there may be a repeat of Wednesday's events, in which as many as five demonstrators were killed, according to unconfirmed reports that came from the chief editor of the Democratic Voice of Burma (Myanmar), Aye Chan Naing, through his office in Oslo, Norway.

Since last week, thousands of monks, barefoot and dressed in red robes, have taken to the streets of Yangon, the country's largest city, with few incidents. However, on Wednesday that changed. (Posted 1:25 a.m.)

2 NATO soldiers killed, 2 wounded in southern Afghanistan

(CNN) -- Two NATO soldiers were killed in an attack on their patrol base in southern Afghanistan on Wednesday, a statement from NATO's International Security Assistance Force issued Thursday said.

Two soldiers were also wounded in the attack.

The statement did not offer details of the soldiers' nationalities or their exact location, but Canadian, British, Dutch and American soldiers typically patrol in the south. (Posted 12:40 a.m.) E-mail to a friend