The CNN Wire: Wednesday, Oct. 10

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.

Gunman wounds 4 in school shooting, commits suicide

(CNN) -- A teenage gunman Wednesday opened fire at a Cleveland high school, wounding four people before turning the gun on himself, authorities said.

Asa Coon, 14, was dead at the scene in a fourth-floor classroom following the shootings at Success Tech Academy, said Cleveland Police Chief Michael McGrath. Two handguns -- a .22-caliber and a .38-caliber revolver -- were found near his body, along with a box of ammunition and three knives.

Two male teachers, ages 42 and 57, were injured, said Ed Eckart, the city's emergency medical services coordinator. The 42-year-old, who was not identified, sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and underwent surgery, Eckart said, but was in stable condition Wednesday night. The 57-year-old -- identified as David Kachadourian by hospital officials -- was shot in the back, Eckart said. He was receiving follow-up treatment in a hospital emergency department, was in stable condition and could be released Wednesday night or Thursday.

Also injured were a 17-year-old male, Darnell Rodgers, who was treated and released after being shot in the elbow; a 15-year-old male shot in the left side, who may be released from a hospital Wednesday night; and a 15-year-old female who suffered a knee injury, and likely will be released Wednesday night, Eckart said. Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said earlier the teenage female hurt her knee in the chaos following the shootings. (Posted 9:02 p.m.)

Former mayor who dropped out of sight was in rehab, lawyer says

(CNN) -- Former Atlantic City Mayor Robert Levy, who resigned Wednesday after mysteriously dropping out of sight for two weeks, had checked into an inpatient rehabilitation facility to receive treatment for a dependence on prescription drugs, his attorney said.

"The medication overwhelmed him. I wouldn't call it an addiction," attorney Edwin Jacobs said at a news conference Wednesday. "It was more a detox situation."

Earlier, Jacobs released a statement saying that Levy, who is the target of a federal investigation into his military disability payments, was stepping down as mayor due to "multiple health problems" precipitated by the probe by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Levy "concluded that public confidence is so eroded by these circumstances that the only responsible action is to step down," Jacobs' statement said. (Posted 9:01 p.m.)

Defying Bush, House panel approves Armenian genocide resolution

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Top Bush administration officials are shifting into damage-control mode after the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved a resolution Wednesday evening labeling as "genocide" the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces during and after World War I.

Turkish officials had warned that approval of the resolution could jeopardize U.S. relations with their country, a NATO member that has been a key U.S. ally in the Middle East and a conduit for sending supplies into Iraq.

After the committee approved the resolution by a 27-21 vote, Undersecretary of State Nick Burns told reporters that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice would call the Turkish leadership Thursday to express "our deep disappointment, that we opposed this legislation and we worked very, very hard to try to produce a different kind of vote."

"We want to convey to the Turkish people and the Turkish government a message of respect and a message of support for them and the hope we can continue to work together with them," Burns said. (Posted 9:01 p.m.)

Comey: 'Not gonna comment on it. Didn't then, won't now'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Deputy ttorney General James Comey made a rare public appearance Wednesday, but declined comment on a Justice Department controversy in which he is said to have strongly opposed internal department memos which critics claim represented a rollback of government promises not to use torture in interrogations.

"Not gonna comment on it. Didn't then, won't now," Comey told CNN in a gathering at a Washington forum Wednesday.

Comey left his post following a series of private policy clashes with then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. The "torture memo" dispute focused on two 2005 opinions by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel, first reported by the New York Times, which were backed by Gonzales and which administration critics insist approved the use of harsh interrogation techniques -- only months after the Justice Department had renounced the use of torture as "abhorrent."

Comey Wednesday participated in a forum to debate prosecutorial misconduct in the wake of the failed prosecution of Duke Lacrosse players. (Posted 7:32 p.m.)

Former attorney general hires influential lawyer

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has hired influential Washington attorney George Terwilliger to represent him as a probe continues into allegations he misled lawmakers about a controversial surveillance program and illegally let politics influence hiring and firing decisions at the Justice Department.

Terwilliger tells CNN his firm is "assisting Judge Gonzales as we assist many companies and individuals when they are cooperating with investigations. It is always unfair for anyone to assume that hiring a lawyer represents anything other than common sense."

The Justice Department's inspector general and its Office of Professional Responsibility are investigating the firing of eight U.S. attorneys last year and other issues that subsequently arose from the congressional probe into them, including whether Gonzales intentionally misled Congress about the administration's warrantless surveillance program and internal opposition to it.

Gonzales has maintained he did nothing intentionally wrong in relation to those incidents. (Posted 7:14 p.m.)

Justice Dept: Global probe of multiple freight companies launched

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Justice Department Wednesday confirmed that governments in the United States, Europe and elsewhere have launched a major global investigation of multiple companies involved in transporting freight internationally.

The department refused to identify any firms involved, although other sources familiar with the case acknowledged one of the raids conducted Thursday in conjunction with the probe occurred in Houston at Eagle Global Logistics. The company confirmed that account in a statement, saying government authorities visited EGL offices in Houston and London "as part of an industry-wide transportation inquiry into surcharge activities.

"The officials did not reveal the scope or intent of their inquiry," the EGL statement said, "but the company has learned that a number of air transportation and freight forwarding companies in other parts of the world received similar visits."

"The Antitrust Division has opened an investigation into the possibility of anti-competitive practices in the international freight forwarding industry," said Gina Talamona, spokeswoman for DOJ's antitrust division. "We are working with European Union and other foreign competition authorities." (Posted 7:13 p.m.)

Turkish parliament may consider measure to approve cross-border raids against Kurdish rebels

(CNN) -- Turkey's parliament Thursday may consider a measure to approve cross-border raids into northern Iraq against Kurdish rebels, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told CNN Turk Wednesday.

However, Erdogan said, due to the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, lawmakers won't make any decision on the matter until next week.

The conflict between Turkey and Kurdish rebels, exacerbated by the recent killings of Turkish soldiers by rebels and emotional funerals for them across the country, has reached a boiling point. The Turkish military has been launching ongoing operations in the southeastern part of the nation against the rebels, members of the Kurdistan Workers Party, known as the PKK. The group is thought to be responsible for the recent killings of civilians as well as soldiers.

The United States has urged Ankara not to send troops into northern Iraq, citing concerns it would destabilize the Gulf nation even further. (Posted 6:54 p.m.)

Justice Dept: Global probe of multiple freight companies launched

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Justice Department Wednesday confirmed that governments in the United States, Europe and elsewhere have launched a major global investigation of multiple companies involved in transporting freight internationally.

The department refused to identify any firms involved, although other sources familiar with the case acknowledged one of the raids conducted Thursday in conjunction with the probe occurred in Houston at Eagle Global Logistics.

"The Antitrust Division has opened an investigation into the possibility of anti-competitive practices in the international freight forwarding industry," said Gina Talamona, spokeswoman for DOJ's antitrust division. "We are working with European Union and other foreign competition authorities."

An EU statement said authorities had conducted "unannounced inspections at the premises of various providers of international freight forwarding services," and that the companies investigated "may have violated EC treaty rules that outlaw restrictive business practices." (Posted 6:45 p.m.)

Rally to denounce noose hung on Columbia professor's door

NEW YORK (CNN) -- An incident in which a noose was hung on a Columbia University professor's office door is being investigated as a hate crime, police said, and a university rally took place Wednesday afternoon to denounce the act.

"The Teachers College community and I deplore this hateful act," said Susan Fuhrman, president of Columbia University's Teachers College. Columbia President Lee Bollinger added, "This is an assault on African-Americans and therefore it is an assault on every one of us."

A town hall meeting for professors, students and staff was held after the protest. It was closed to the public, but one student said there were more than 200 people at the meeting, which focused on the lack of diversity at Columbia. Some said during the meeting they felt physically threatened by the hanging of the noose.

The apparent target of the incident, Madonna Constantine, 44, is an African-American professor of psychology and education at the Teachers College. She co-authored the book "Addressing Racism: Facilitating Cultural Competence in Mental Health and Educational Settings." (Posted 6:42 p.m.)

UAW will 'recess' strike against Chrysler, return to work soon

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The United Auto Workers union and Chrysler announced a tentative contract agreement Wednesday, just hours after workers went out on strike.

"This agreement was made possible because UAW workers made it clear to Chrysler that we needed an agreement that rewards the contributions they have made to the success of this company," union President Ron Gettelfinger said in a written statement.

The agreement, covering about 45,000 workers, is subject to UAW member ratification.

The union went on strike against Chrysler at 11 a.m., following the expiration of the existing labor agreement. The strike will be recessed immediately, according to a statement from the union. UAW Chrysler workers will be instructed to report to work on the next available shift. (Posted 5:56 p.m.)

Cyclist Landis files appeal with Court of Arbitration for Sport

(CNN) -- Cyclist Floyd Landis on Wednesday filed an appeal with the international Court of Arbitration for Sport, contesting a California arbitration panel's decision to uphold a test result showing he used synthetic testosterone during the 2006 Tour de France competition.

"After much thought, I have decided to appeal my case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport," Landis said in a written statement. "I want to take this opportunity to say again that I am innocent of the doping allegations against me.

"I hope that the arbitrators of the case will fairly address the facts showing that the French laboratory made mistakes, which resulted in a false positive. Although the process of proving my innocence has been difficult for me and my family, I will not stop trying to prove my innocence."

The panel's 2-1 decision last month stripped Landis of his Tour de France victory and banned him from the sport for two years. At the time, Landis called it "a blow to athletes and cyclists everywhere." (Posted 5:46 p.m.)

Mukasey confirmation hearings to begin next week

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senate confirmation hearings for Michael Mukasey, President Bush's pick to replace departed Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, will begin Oct. 17, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., announced Wednesday.

Mukasey, 66, a retired U.S. district judge from New York, was nominated Sept. 17 to replace Gonzales, who resigned in August after months of congressional grilling over the firings of eight federal prosecutors and allegations that he misled Congress about a controversial terrorist surveillance program.

Leahy also said in a statement Wednesday he will meet with Mukasey on Tuesday, the day before the hearings begin.

In a letter sent to Mukasey requesting the meeting, Leahy wrote that in the hearings "we will need to explore with you how you would ensure the independence of federal law enforcement from political pressure, what steps you would take to restore morale at the department and the public's trust in the department, and whether you would uphold constitutional checks on executive power." (Posted 5:29 p.m.)

House committee approves Armenian genocide resolution

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The House Foreign Affairs Committee Wednesday evening narrowly approved a resolution labeling as "genocide" the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turkish forces during and after World War I, despite a full-court press against it by President Bush and top administration officials.

The vote was 27-21. (Posted 5:18 p.m.)

Courts blocks feds from moving ahead with immigration plan

(CNN) -- A federal court Wednesday granted a motion filed by a coalition of unions and business groups that temporarily blocks the federal government from moving ahead with plans to sanction companies that hire illegal immigrants.

Under the preliminary injunction written by U.S. District Judge Charles R. Breyer, the Social Security Administration and the Department of Homeland Security cannot carry out their plan to send businesses warnings that they could be penalized if their workers' names don't match the names linked to the Social Security records.

The government has said it is prepared to send "no-match" letters to 140,000 employers regarding 8 million employees and could penalize those businesses that fail to resolve the mismatch within 90 days of being informed of it -- either by correcting the records of legal residents or firing those believed to have supplied phony Social Security numbers.

But Breyer wrote that the rule, which some businesses have already begun to institute, would "result in the termination of employment to lawfully employed workers. This is so because, as the government recognizes, the no-match letters are based on SSA records that include numerous errors." (Posted 4:49 p.m.)

Ex-Ag Secretary Johanns declares Senate bid

(CNN) -- Former Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns officially announced his expected candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat in Nebraska that Republican maverick Chuck Hagel is giving up in 2008.

"It's time to restore the people's trust in a government that, in my judgment, has strayed too far from conservative values -- in principles that we hold dear," said Johanns, who resigned his Cabinet post in September.

Before joining the Bush administration in 2005, Johanns served as Nebraska's governor and as mayor of Lincoln, the state capital. He said he would put his "proven record" to work in Washington if elected to replace Hagel, one of several retiring GOP incumbents. (Posted 4:41 p.m.)

At least 4 wounded in school shooting; gunman dead

(CNN) -- A teenage gunman Wednesday fired on students and teachers at a Cleveland high school, wounding four people before committing suicide, according to the city's mayor.

The shooting victims include two adult men, 57 and 42 years old; and two teenage males, 18 and 14 years old, according to Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. Also. a 14-year-old female hurt her knee in the chaos, he added.

The children are in "stable" condition, according to Jackson, while he described the adults' conditions as "slightly elevated" compared with the students. The 57-year-old was shot in the back, while the 42-year-old was shot in the chest. (Posted 4:36 p.m.)

Army recruits fewer blacks and high school graduates, more people with legal troubles

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon says 180,000 recruits joined up in the past year, meaning the U.S. armed forces will have enough troops to meet their needs, but officials concede the numbers include fewer blacks and high school graduates -- and more people with legal problems.

The latest numbers from the Department of Defense show all four armed services made their goals in terms of numbers of raw recruits for the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.

Dr. David Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, noted Wednesday that the Army did not meet one of the department's "quality standards," with only 79 percent of its recruits being high school graduates; the goal is 90 percent.

The Army also said that the number of recruits who needed a waiver because of past criminal infractions climbed slightly to 18 percent. Last year 15 percent of Army recruits needed a waiver. In a vast majority of the cases the waivers were for past misdemeanor crimes.

And the drop in the number of African-American recruits -- to 15 percent of the total, down from 23 percent in 2000 -- is a troubling sign, indicating that military service is no longer has the appeal it once did. --From CNN Producer Larry Shaughnessy (Posted 4:15 p.m.)

Company involved in shooting said team feared suicide attack

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- An Australian security company, members of which fired on a car in Baghdad Tuesday, killing two Iraqi women, released additional details about the incident Wednesday, saying its team feared a suicide bombing attack when it was approached by a car that failed to stop despite signals to do so.

"A stationary Unity Resources Group security team of four vehicles in Karrada, Baghdad, was approached at speed by a white car," about 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, the Wednesday statement said. "The area of Karrada had been subject to vehicle suicide bomber attacks in recent weeks.

"The security team used graduated and escalated responses which included non-lethal means such as signage, strobe lights, hand signals and a signal flare fired in front of the vehicle to get it to stop. The vehicle did not heed these warnings. ... Fearing a suicide attack, only then did the team use their weapons in a final attempt to stop the vehicle."

Iraqi Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Abdul Kareem Khalaf told CNN on Tuesday the two women, ages 30 and 32, were struck by 19 bullets. He said URG has apologized to the ministry and said it will compensate the women's families, and would take action against its employees if an investigation determined it was warranted. (Posted 4:04 p.m.)

Atrium collapses at Maryland hotel; no injuries

(CNN) -- An atrium at an Embassy Suites Hotel collapsed Wednesday, prompting an evacuation of the building, but officials said no one was injured in the incident.

The Embassy Suites is in Hunt Valley, Md., said Dona Welsh, spokeswoman for the Baltimore County Fire Department.

The cause of the collapse is under investigation. (Posted 3:40 p.m.)

Turkish parliament may consider measure to approve cross-border raids against Kurdish rebels

(CNN) -- Turkey's parliament Thursday may consider a measure to approve cross-border raids into northern Iraq against Kurdish rebels, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told CNN Turk Wednesday.

However, Erdogan said, due to the holiday marking the end of Ramadan, lawmakers won't make any decision on the matter until next week.

The conflict between Turkey and Kurdish rebels, exacerbated by the recent killings of Turkish soldiers by rebels and emotional funerals for them across the country, has reached a boiling point.

The United States has urged Ankara not to send troops into northern Iraq, citing concerns it would destabilize the Gulf nation even further. (Posted 3:29 p.m.)

Boot camps for troubled youths blasted as abusive, with little oversight

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A new federal report on boot camps for troubled youths blasts them as often resulting in abuse, some of it fatal, to their clients.

"We found thousands of allegations of abuse, some of which involved death, at residential treatment programs across the country and in American-owned and American-operated facilities abroad between the years 1990 and 2007," said the report, issued Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office.

The problem are not isolated: in 2005 alone, 33 states reported that 1,619 staff members were involved in abuse incidents at the programs, the report says.

But the true number could be higher, since no single agency collects nationwide data on abuse. In fact, it is not even clear how many such programs exist, said Gregory Kutz, who helped compile the report for GAO, where he is the managing director of forensic audits and special investigations. (Posted 3:23 p.m.)

At least 4 wounded in school shooting; TV stations report gunman dead

(CNN) -- A teenage gunman Wednesday fired on students and teachers at a Cleveland high school, wounding four, the mayor said. CNN affiliates WOIO and WKYC are reporting that the 14-year-old gunman then killed himself..

The shooting victims include two adult men, 57 and 42 years old; and two teenage males, 17 and 14 years old, according to Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson. A 14-year-old female hurt her knee in the chaos, he added.

The children are in "stable" condition, according to Jackson, while he described the adults' conditions as "slightly elevated" above that of the students.

Witnesses told WKYC that the 14-year old gunman was upset about being suspended for fighting earlier this week. He came to the school Wednesday with a gun in each hand and began firing. (Posted 3:08 p.m.)

Jimmy Carter: U.S. uses torture

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former President Jimmy Carter said Wednesday he is convinced the United States engages in torture that breaches international law, and accused President Bush of creating his own definition of human rights.

"I don't think it, I know it," Carter told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on "The Situation Room," when asked if he believes the United States commits torture.

"Our country for the first time in my lifetime has abandoned the basic principle of human rights," Carter continued. "We've said that the Geneva Convention does not apply to those people in Abu Ghraib prison and Guantanamo, and we've said we can torture prisoners, and deprive them of an accusation of a crime to which they are accused."

The White House took umbrage with Carter's comments, after reading the CNN transcript. (Posted 2:35 p.m.)

At least 3 people shot at school; TV stations report gunman dead

(CNN) -- At least three people were injured Wednesday in a shooting at SuccessTech Academy, a high school in downtown Cleveland, a city official said.

CNN affiliates WOIO and WKYC are reporting the gunman is dead.

Two students were taken to hospitals, said Andrea Jackson, the mayor's press secretary. Two victims were seen on local television video being rolled out of the school on stretchers.

In all, five people may have been hurt, according to CNN affiliate WKYC, and one may be a teacher. (Posted 2:32 p.m.)

At least 3 people shot at Cleveland high school

(CNN) -- At least three people were injured Wednesday in a shooting at SuccessTech Academy, a high school in downtown Cleveland, a city official said.

Two students were taken to hospitals, said Andrea Jackson, the mayor's press secretary. Two victims were seen on local television video being rolled out of the school on stretchers.

In all, five people may have been hurt, according to CNN affiliate WKYC, and one may be a teacher.

Police are searching the building for a 14-year-old male thought to be the shooter, according to reports. Witnesses told WKYC that the teen was upset about being suspended for fighting earlier this week. He returned Wednesday with a gun in each hand and began firing. (Posted 2:23 p.m.)

Prosecutors to file murder charges against men suspected of killing boat crew

MIAMI (CNN) -- Federal prosecutors plan to file murder charges against two men suspected of killing the four-member crew of a charter boat, a law enforcement official told CNN Wednesday.

The announcement could come from the U.S. attorney's office in Miami during a 3 p.m. news conference.

Kirby Archer, 34, and Guillermo Zarabozo, 19, are being held without bail on suspicion of killing the four-member crew of the Joe Cool fishing boat last month. Officials said in court last week that they believed four homicides had been committed at sea.

Wednesday's announcement by federal prosecutors comes one day before the two men are to be arraigned on other charges in federal District Court in Miami. The U.S. Coast Guard found the abandoned vessel about 160 miles south of the island of Bimini on Sept. 23. It was unmanned, and its contents were in disarray. Zarabozo and Archer were found a few hours later on a life raft 10 miles away. --From CNN's Susan Candiotti (Posted 1:53 p.m.)

President won't sign terror surveillance bill that doesn't meet specific criteria

(CNN) -- President Bush said Wednesday he will not sign a government surveillance bill unless it meets certain criteria he says are designed to protect America.

"It must give our intelligence professionals the tools and flexibility they need to protect our country," the president said. "It must keep the intelligence gap firmly closed and ensure that protections intended for the American people are not extended to terrorists overseas who are plotting to harm us."

The president also said the bill must include retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies that cooperated with electronic surveillance after the terror attacks of September 2001.

"It must grant liability protection to companies who are facing multibillion-dollar lawsuits only because they are believed to have assisted in the efforts to defend our nation following the 9/11 attacks," he said. (Posted 12:16 p.m.)

FBI warns Aryan Brotherhood trying to get names of law officers

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI has warned law enforcement officers working in the Dallas area that the Aryan Brotherhood, a prison gang, is believed to be trying to get names and addresses of local cops, state officers or federal agents working undercover or on cases against the group, law enforcement officials confirmed to CNN Wednesday.

The FBI sent an intelligence bulletin to Dallas-area law enforcement entities in June warning them of the threat after receiving a tip, law enforcement officials said. Dallas television station KTVT first reported on the advisory Tuesday.

The advisory read, in part, "a member of ABT (Aryan Brotherhood Texas) ordered members to obtain names of law enforcement officials that were investigating the ABT," officials said. --From CNN Justice Correspondent Kelli Arena and Senior Producer Kevin Bohn (Posted 12:02 p.m.)

Coalition reports weekend successes against terrorists in Diyala

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Coalition forces battling insurgents in the Diyala province north of Baghdad killed an estimated 37 suspected terrorists and detained 25 over the past weekend, according to the U.S. military.

In one incident Sunday, coalition troops found a wire leading to an improvised bomb inside a mosque that people who live in the area said was sometimes used by al Qaeda in Iraq for meetings. The troops entered the mosque and removed the bomb, the military said.

Five safe houses used by al Qaeda in Iraq were destroyed by air strikes Sunday, including one building believed to be a terrorists command center for spying on coalition forces' locations, the military said.

A variety of weapons were destroyed when coalition troops found two caches on Friday and Saturday, including ammunition, sniper-rifle parts, grenades, mines, blasting caps, mortar systems, anti-tank weapons, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and improvised explosive device-making materials, the military said. (Posted 11:48 a.m.)

UAW strikes Chrysler

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- More than 45,000 members of the United Auto Workers union went on strike against Chrysler LLC Wednesday morning, after marathon labor talks between the union and the money-losing automaker failed to avert the industry's second strike in the last two weeks.

CNN affiliate WXYZ in the Detroit area showed picket signs going up at the Sterling Heights Assembly Plant in Michigan, while cars started streaming out of the gate just after the 11 a.m. ET strike deadline. About 2,700 workers build the Chrysler Sebring at that plant.

The strike affects at 24 manufacturing plants and 22 other facilities, spread across 14 states. A company spokesman did not have any immediate comment on the strike.

While this is the first strike at Chrysler since 1985, the union waged a two-day strike against Chrysler rival General Motors starting on Sept. 24, a brief walkout that concluded with a groundbreaking tentative labor agreement there. That deal will shift the responsibility for an estimated $51 billion in retiree health-care costs from the company to a union-controlled pension fund, but which gave the union job guarantees in the form of promises to build future GM vehicles at U.S. plants. (Posted 11:23 a.m.)

Rice, Gates say House resolution on Armenian 'genocide' would hurt strategic relations with Turkey

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Wednesday spoke out against a proposed House resolution on the Armenian "genocide" that they say would hurt strategic relations with Turkey.

The nonbinding proposal, which is to be considered by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, labels as "genocide" the killing of Armenians in the early 20th century during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded the creation of modern Turkey in 1923. (Posted 10:31 a.m.)

Mayor of Atlantic City, under federal investigation, resigns

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The mayor of Atlantic City, N.J. -- the target of a federal investigation into his military disability payments -- has officially resigned, his attorney, Edwin Jacobs, said Wednesday.

Jacobs released a statement saying that Mayor Robert Levy was stepping down due to "multiple health problems" that were "precipitated by a pending federal Department of Veterans Affairs investigation."

A source familiar with the investigation told CNN Monday that Levy was under investigation for allegedly misrepresenting his military service record.

"The pending investigation has called into question two of those awards, neither of which appear to be supported by an appropriate military order," Jacobs' statement said. "This, in turn, creates a question as to a portion of Mr. Levy's veteran's disability benefits." (Posted 10:24 a.m.)

14 killed, 12 detained as coalition troops target terror houses

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A group of 13 terrorists suspected of being tied to al Qaeda in Iraq's Karkh car-bombing network were killed by a coalition airstrike Wednesday west of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.

Another al Qaeda in Iraq terrorist was killed and 12 were detained in Baquba on Tuesday and Wednesday in two related coalition operations, the military said.

The airstrike west of Baghdad followed a terrorist attack on a residence. After surveillance identified the attackers gathered in a field, aircraft were called in to engage them, the military said. Ten terrorists were killed in an initial air strike and three others died in a second engagement, it said. One of them was found to be wearing a suicide vest, it said. (Posted 10:23 a.m.)

Turkey upset over proposed House resolution on Armenians

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Turkish authorities are dismayed over a proposed resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives that labels the killings of Armenians during World War I as "genocide."

They say its passage could harm Turkey's relations with the United States -- which has been using its influence with Turkey to keep it from invading Iraq to fight separatist Kurdish guerrillas.

The nonbinding proposal, which is to be considered by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, acknowledges the "genocide" of Armenians in the early 20th century during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, which preceded the creation of modern Turkey in 1923.

"In the case that Armenian allegations are accepted, there will be serious problems in the relations between the two countries," said President Abdullah Gul in a letter to President Bush, who staunchly opposes the resolution. (Posted 10:17 a.m.)

Mayor of Atlantic City, under federal investigation, resigns

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The mayor of Atlantic City, N.J., who's been absent from his job since Sept. 26, has officially resigned, his attorney Edwin Jacobs said Wednesday.

Mayor Robert Levy was under federal investigation for allegedly misrepresenting aspects of his military career, a source familiar with the investigation told CNN Monday. Levy, who was elected by an overwhelming majority in November 2005, is suspected of receiving military benefits to which he was not entitled, the source said. (Posted 9:48 a.m.)

General: Iraqi detainees leave U.S. detention as better citizens

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- None of the more than 1,000 Iraqis released from U.S. detention in recent weeks have broken their pledge to shun the anti-Coalition insurgency, according to the general who oversees the U.S.-run detention centers in Iraq.

Maj. Gen. Doug Stone, a U.S. Marine who is fluent in Arabic, used that language in a news conference Wednesday to help reassure Iraqis about how the 25,000 detainees -- mostly Sunnis -- are treated after they are taken into custody for suspicion of involvement in the insurgency.

Stone described a detention system that he said was "open and transparent" and makes the detainees better Iraqi citizens, helping to break the cycle of violence and poverty in the country.

Stone said detainees get free medical care equal to what he gets as a general, food and water made to Islamic standards, educational opportunities, jobs skills and contact with families. (Posted 9:39 a.m.)

German hostage freed in Afghanistan

BERLIN (CNN) -- A German man who was taken hostage by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan in July was freed Wednesday, Germany's foreign minister announced.

The Afghans captured with the man were also released, according to a statement from German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

"(Rudolf) Blechschmid is currently in the hands of the Afghan security forces," Steinmeier's statement said. "The German embassy has made telephone contact with him."

Prince William to serve in Royal Navy and Royal Air Force in 2008

(CNN) -- Prince William will serve brief tours of duty with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force next year, according to Prince Charles' Clarence House office.

The service will begin after William completes his duty as an armored reconnaissance troop leader with the Household Cavalry Regiment. The attachments are primarily designed to help Prince William learn the structures and capabilities of the RAF and the Royal Navy.

During his time with the RAF, the 25-year old prince will follow in his father's footsteps by learning to pilot helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The four-month assignment with the RAF starts in January. In the summer of 2008, William will be attached to the Royal Navy. (Posted 9:03 a.m.)

1 police officer killed, 3 wounded in Tikrit

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- At least one policeman was killed and three were wounded on Wednesday when a parked car bomb detonated near Rafidain Bank in central Tikrit in northern Iraq, police told CNN.

The Tikrit bomb exploded around noon as a police patrol was stopping near the bank to collect payrolls for officers.

This marks the the third straight day of bombings in Salaheddin province cities. On Tuesday in Baiji, authorities said 22 people were killed and 30 were wounded in coordinated suicide bombings. (Posted 7:05 a.m.)

Shiite leader returns to Baghdad after cancer treatment in Iran

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Abdul Aziz al-Hakim, the leader of Iraq's largest parliamentary bloc, returned to Iraq Wednesday after completing a phase of cancer treatment in Iran.

Al-Hakim is the head of the Supreme Islamic Iraqi Council (SIIC) -- one of Iraq's most powerful Shiite parties -- and the ruling Shiite alliance known as the United Iraqi Alliance.

Vice President Adel Abdul Mehdi and hundreds of supporters greeted al-Hakim's arrival in Baghdad, an event carried live on Iraqi television.

The Shiite leader left Iraq in May for cancer treatment in the United States and later in Iran. An aide told CNN last week that if doctors approved, al-Hakim intended to return to Iraq for Eid al-Fitr, the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan. (Posted 5:41 a.m.)

U.S. military gives account of dual Baiji suicide bomb attacks

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military on Wednesday offered its account of Tuesday's dual suicide vehicle bombings in Baiji that Iraqi police said killed at least 22 people and wounded 30.

According to the military, at least 14 people died in the attacks and 42 were wounded.

Iraqi police said the two suicide truck bombs detonated minutes apart on Tuesday morning, targeting anti-insurgent Sunni tribal leaders. (Posted 4:28 a.m.)

Hospital employees suspended for peeking at Clooney's records From

NEW YORK (CNN) -- More than two dozen employees at Palisades Medical Center have been suspended after accessing the personal medical records of actor George Clooney, who was taken to the North Bergen, N.J., hospital last month after a motorcycle accident.

Clooney was injured, along with his companion Sarah Larson, when the motorcycle they were riding collided with a car in Weehawken, N.J. Clooney suffered a broken rib and skin abrasions and Larson broke her foot.

Hospital spokesman Eurice Rojas said late Tuesday that 27 employees were suspended for a month without pay, after an internal investigation. Accessing a person's medical records without authorization is a violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) -- a federal law that protects the privacy of patients. (Posted 4:03 a.m.)

First lady calls on Myanmar's ruling junta to 'step aside'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a commentary published in Wednesday's Wall Street Journal, U.S. first lady Laura Bush -- in a rare foray into foreign policy -- called on Myanmar's military junta to "step aside," give up the "terror campaigns" against its people and allow for a democratic Myanmar.

"Gen. Than Shwe and his deputies are a friendless regime," Bush said. "They should step aside to make way for a unified Burma (Myanmar) governed by legitimate leaders.

"The rest of the armed forces should not fear this transition -- there is room for a professional military in a democratic Burma," Bush said.

The humanitarian rights situation in Myanmar has been a cause for the first lady in the past few months as the crisis there has worsened. (Posted 3:26 a.m.)

Coalition, Afghan forces confiscate 'major ammunition cache'

(CNN) -- U.S.-led coalition and Afghan forces confiscated "a major ammunition cache" while operating in southern Afghanistan's Zabul Province on Monday, the coalition command said in a statement released Wednesday.

Among the weapons uncovered were 100 rocket-propelled grenades and more than 150,000 machine gun rounds that -- according to the Afghan National Security Forces -- were in "brand new condition."

The joint patrol discovered the cache hidden in a compound outside the city limits of a village called Jarollah, the coalition said. (Posted 2:21 a.m.)

Source: Investigation into woman's airport death included re-enactment

(CNN) -- The investigation into a New York woman's death in police custody at the Phoenix airport has included a re-enactment of how authorities believe she died, a source with knowledge of the case told CNN.

Carol Anne Gotbaum died Sept. 28 in a holding cell at Phoenix's Sky Harbor Airport. She apparently became angry after not being allowed to board a flight to Tucson and was arrested. Authorities believe she was able to strangle herself as she tried to maneuver her way out of handcuffs secured behind her back and attached to a bench.

The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Carol Anne Gotbaum went into the same holding cell where Gotbaum died and had officers handcuff and shackle her -- even placed herself in the same position as Gotbaum, the source said. She was able to accomplish this because she is about the same size as Gotbaum, who according to the police report was about 5 feet 7 inches tall. There is only a five-pound difference in Gotbaum's weight and the medical examiner's. (Posted 12:33 a.m.)

Michelle Obama unhurt after campaign van involved in accident

(CNN) -- Michelle Obama, the wife of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, escaped injury Tuesday when her campaign van was involved in an accident in Hampton, Iowa. A motorcyclist who struck the van was injured.

The accident happened as she was en route to a campaign stop. A motorcycle collided with the van on U.S. Highway 65 in the central part of the state.

The Obama campaign said in a statement, "The motorcyclist was transported to a nearby hospital, and Barack and Michelle's thoughts and prayers are with him and his family at this time. Neither Mrs. Obama nor any members of the campaign staff were injured in the accident."

Police identified the motorcyclist as Timothy Scott Emerson, 41, of Iowa Falls, Iowa. He was taken by medical helicopter to Mercy Medical North Hospital, where a nursing supervisor said he was treated and released. (Posted 10:41 p.m.)

Robertses deny lawsuit's allegations against ORU

(CNN) -- Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts, his wife, Lindsay, and his father, university founder Oral Roberts, Tuesday denied allegations in a lawsuit charging that family members treated university funds like their own bank account, using them to pay for home renovations, expensive vacations and clothes.

"I'm not exactly sure what to make of it," Richard Roberts said on CNN's "Larry King Live." "It's the most unusual thing I've ever witnessed in my life. It's a shot out of the blue, and I'm very concerned over it ... I can't say how much this has hurt my family." Asked whether someone is out to get him, he said, "It sure seems that way."

The university's Board of Regents said earlier Tuesday it will hire an auditor to look into allegations of misconduct in the suit.

Speaking on Larry King Live by telephone, Oral Roberts, 89, said he supported that probe. "If there is anything out of line, we will bring it into order, like we have always done," the well-known televangelist said. (Posted 10:40 p.m.)

Noose discovered at Columbia University

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A noose was discovered Tuesday morning on the office door of a 44-year-old black graduate school professor at Columbia University, school officials and the New York Police Department said.

The school would not identify the campus building in which the noose was found, but Joe Levine, executive director for external affairs at Columbia University's Teacher's College, said that it was a building specific to Teacher's College. Levine said the building, which is open 24 hours, is only accessible to those with a Teacher's College ID card or proof that they are affiliated with someone within Teacher's College. He said it appears the noose was placed on the door sometime before 9 a.m.

Levine said that although the entrance to the building is covered by security cameras, the hallway where the noose was found is not.

He said he did not know if the professor planned to take time off as a result of the incident, which is currently being investigated by the NYPD's Hate Crime Task Force. (Posted 10:40 p.m.) E-mail to a friend