The CNN Wire: Wednesday, Oct. 24

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.

Volcano erupts in central Indonesia, sends ash 5,000 feet into the sky

JAKARTA (CNN) -- Mount Soputan erupted in central Indonesia Thursday morning spewing clouds of ash up to 5,000 feet in the air, authorities said.

The nearly 6,000-foot-high volcano is located in North Sulawesi province and is more than 1,300 miles northeast of the capital, Jakarta.

Hendrasto, who uses a single name, with Indonesia's Vulcanology and Meteorology Agency said he was "not overly concerned" about the eruption that took place around 9:15 a.m. local time, because the closest village is about 5 miles (8 km) from the volcano. (Posted 1:53 a.m.)

At least 18 killed, 7 missing in Gulf of Mexico oil rig accident

(CNN) -- At least 18 oil workers were killed and seven more were missing after a portable drilling rig crashed into an oil platform during stormy seas in the Gulf of Mexico, the country's state-owned oil company said Wednesday.

According to a statement from Petroleos Mexicanos, or Pemex, 61 workers were rescued from the Gulf after Tuesday's accident, which also created a gas and oil leak at the site that was not expected to be capped for three to five days.

The drill rig was knocked into the platform during a storm in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, with 80 mph (130 km/hr) winds and waves reaching 26 feet (8 meters). (Posted 1:53 a.m.)

Outlook improves as firefighters make headway in wildfires

SAN DIEGO (CNN) -- Shrieking Santa Ana winds calmed to a howl Wednesday, a break in the weather that gave firefighters in Southern California the chance to make headway against more than a dozen wildfires and allowed some evacuated residents to return home to see what nature's fury had wrought.

Winds that blew as hard as 100 mph on Sunday decreased to 75 mph on Monday and 50 mph on Tuesday, reaching a peak Wednesday evening of 30 mph.

The change also meant that firefighting aircraft, grounded for most of the week by the winds, could finally fly. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Capt. Scott McLean called the droning sound of aircraft the "sound of joy."

The dry Santa Ana winds that have fanned the flames for four days changed direction Wednesday, blowing inland from the Pacific Ocean in many areas and bringing an increase in humidity to aid the nearly 8,900 firefighters.

All of those factors led to a significantly lowered burn rate in Southern California. Scorched areas covered 14,000 acres Sunday night, increased to 98,000 acres on Monday night and ballooned to 405,000 acres Tuesday night. But on Wednesday, a combination of intense firefighting efforts and shifting weather fortunes held the increase to less than 30,000 acres (Posted 10:02 p.m.)

Arson suspected in Orange, Riverside county fires; $70,000 reward posted

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNN) -- Local and federal officials are conducting an arson investigation into the cause of one of the large California wildfires, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department said Wednesday.

Spokesman Jim Amornino said the sheriff's department, the FBI and the Orange County Fire Authority are probing the 19,200-acre Santiago fire and that all three points of origin for the fire had been declared crime scenes.

A $70,000 reward has been posted for any information leading to the arrest of those responsible for setting the fire, said sheriff's department spokesman Damon Micalizzi.

Earlier, a law enforcement source told CNN that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives planned to contribute $50,000 to the reward fund. (Posted 9:59 p.m.)

Bush reaffirms Cuba embargo, offers conditional ties

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush on Wednesday proposed easing some U.S. restrictions on contacts with Cuba if it allows greater freedoms for its people, but ruled out any easing of the decades-old U.S. trade embargo on the island's communist government.

Easing the embargo would only be "giving oxygen to a criminal regime," Bush said, denouncing the Caribbean country as a "tropical gulag." But he said Cuba is on the cusp of "fundamental change," with 81-year-old leader Fidel Castro sidelined for more than a year after abdominal surgery.

Bush said his administration would ease limits on aid agencies and church groups to let them provide computers to Cubans "if Cuba's rulers will end their restrictions on Internet access for all the people." And he said the United States would let Cuban students take part in Latin American scholarship programs "if the Cuban rulers will allow them to freely participate."

Cuba responded to Bush's remarks by accusing the American leader of inciting violence and issuing a call to arms. Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque told reporters in Havana that Bush's comments were "an appeal to use force to defeat the Cuban revolution" and an attempt to "re-conquer Cuba by force." (Posted 8:10 p.m.)

Terror 'watch list' balloons in size, GAO finds

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A new government report says there are now more than three quarters of a million names on the U.S. government's terrorist "watch list," raising concerns the list may be becoming too large.

A Government Accountability Office study out Wednesday said the Terrorist Screening Center's watch list contained approximately 755,000 names. But because many potential suspects have multiple names or aliases on the list, investigators are not certain how many distinct individuals are actually represented.

Officials at the Terrorist Screening Center told CNN in September that the number of individuals on the list is about 300,000. But Sen. Joe Lieberman, the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, put the number at 860,000.

Timothy Sparapani, a lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, urged Lieberman's committee to tighten its oversight of the process "before we all become suspects in the eyes of the Terrorist Screening Center." (Posted 8:06 p.m.)

San Diego avoids massive power outage amid fires

SAN DIEGO (CNN) -- San Diego County came within moments of suffering a massive power outage Wednesday afternoon, according to San Diego Gas and Electric.

The power utility restored power to one of two major links connecting the area with the rest of the western power grid just minutes before power went down on the other link.

Power was restored to SDG&E'S east-west transmission corridor shortly before 3 p.m. PT after crews cleaned ash and fire retardant off lines strung across 70 towers running through southern San Diego County where the Harris Fire is raging, the utility's chief operating officer, Mike Niggli, told CNN. Minutes later, the utility said, its north-south transmission corridor went down as fires burned underneath and around power lines.

"We came pretty close to a very large one," Niggli said. "We're counting our blessings." (Posted 7:55 p.m.)

Quake rattles Sumatra; no injuries reported

JAKARTA, Indonesia (CNN) -- A strong earthquake struck off the Indonesian island of Sumatra early Thursday, but no damage or injuries were immediately reported in a region devastated by a 2004 quake and tsunami.

The magnitude 7.1 quake struck shortly after 4 a.m. Thursday (5 p.m. Wednesday ET), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its epicenter was about 135 km (84 miles) west of the coastal city of Bengkulu, and about 400 miles northwest of the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert for nearby coastal areas after the quake. But Indonesia's Meteorology and Geophysics Agency told CNN there were no reports of a tsunami hitting, and agency spokesman Ali Imran said no reports of damage or injuries had been received in the immediate aftermath.

The area is frequently rattled by seismic activity, including a massive earthquake struck northern Sumatra in December 2004. The magnitude 9.1 quake triggered a tsunami that killed more than 200,000 people in seven Indian Ocean countries. (Posted 7:33 p.m.)

Arson suspected in Orange, Riverside county fires

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNN) -- Local and federal officials are conducting an arson investigation into the cause of one of the large California wildfires, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department said Wednesday.

Spokesman Jim Amornino said the sheriff's department, the FBI and the Orange County Fire Authority are probing the 19,200-acre Santiago fire and that all three points of origin for the fire had been declared crime scenes. A $50,000 reward has been offered for information about the fire's cause, a law enforcement source told CNN.

The Santiago fire has destroyed 17 buildings, including nine homes, since it started Sunday. Earlier reports that authorities had searched a house in connection with the blaze were incorrect, FBI and Orange County officials said.

According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Rosa fire in Riverside County is also considered arson. That fire burned more than 400 acres and is 70 percent contained. (Posted 7:30 p.m.)

GOP angered by Dem's timing on SCHIP vote

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Republicans are fuming over Democrats' decision to hold the next vote on the State Children's Health Insurance Program on Thursday -- when so many Republican members will be in their California districts in connection with President Bush's trip to see areas hit by wildfires.

"Five to seven members are going, all of whom would be 'no' votes and they know it," House Republican Whip Roy Blunt told CNN. "This is clearly designed to minimize the Republican opposition to this bill."

At a closed-door meeting of Republican House members to discuss a Democratic revision of the SCHIP bill, Rep. Louis Gohmert of Texas said the Democrats are "taking advantage of a disaster to loot the American treasury."

But Democratic House aides defended the vote. "Democrats are affected, too," Stacey Bernards, spokeswoman for House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, told CNN. "The fires aren't partisan." --From Deirdre Walsh and Jessica Yellin (Posted 6:42 p.m.)

Orange County fire a suspected arson

SANTA ANA, Calif. (CNN) -- Local and federal officials are conducting an arson investigation into the cause of one of the large California wildfires, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff's Department said Wednesday.

Spokesman Jim Amornino said the sheriff's department, the FBI and the Orange County Fire Authority are probing the 19,200-acre Santiago fire and that all three points of origin for the fire had been declared crime scenes.

Earlier reports that authorities had searched a house in connection with the blaze were incorrect, FBI and Orange County officials said. Amornino said there are no suspects. (Posted 6:12 p.m.)

Specter asks Mukasey to 'clarify' answers on waterboarding, wiretaps

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee is asking President Bush's nominee for attorney general, Michael Mukasey, to "clarify" remarks he made during confirmation hearings last week on presidential authority to order wiretaps and the legality of an interrogation technique known as "waterboarding."

In a letter to Mukasey, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said "it would be useful" for the nominee "to clarify your position on some key issues" in the wake of his testimony before the Judiciary Committee last week, which drew criticism from some senators.

Specter asked Mukasey to further explain his answer to a question on whether a president may legally authorize wiretaps that violate the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, to which Mukasey responded by saying it "would have to depend on whether what goes on outside the statute nonetheless lies within the authority of the president to defend the the country."

The senator also asked Mukasey to "respond in detail as to your views on the legality and propriety of waterboarding." During his confirmation hearings, Mukasey said he believes torture violates the Constitution, but he refused to be pinned down on whether he believes specific interrogation techniques, such as waterboarding, are constitutional. (Posted 6:04 p.m.)

Kerrey decides against Senate return in Nebraska

(CNN) -- Democratic prospects for gaining an open Senate seat next year in heavily Republican Nebraska took a hit Tuesday, when former Democratic Sen. Bob Kerrey announced he will not run.

Kerrey, who had been considering a bid for the seat since Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel announced in September that he wouldn't seek re-election, said he "nearly said yes" to running but eventually decided that "for my family and me, now is not the time for me to re-enter politics as a candidate."

"I am deeply troubled about the direction of our country," he said in a statement released by the Nebraska Democratic Party. "The idea of returning home to Nebraska to lead a political campaign based on a promise to do my part to change the direction was very appealing."

Since leaving the Senate in 2001 after serving two terms, Kerrey has been the president of The New School in New York City. He also served on the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. (Posted 5:33 p.m.)

Basra police chief escapes assassination attempt; Baghdad bombs kill 8

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The police chief in Iraq's second-largest city escaped injury in an assassination attempt Wednesday, while eight people died in near-simultaneous roadside bombings in southeastern Baghdad, Interior Ministry officials said.

Jalil Khalaf, the police chief in the southern city of Basra, was standing in the street with his bodyguards Wednesday afternoon when four gunmen fired on them, an Interior Ministry official told CNN. The chief got into his armored vehicle and escaped unharmed. Two of his guards were wounded and one of the gunmen was captured, the official said.

The identity of the attackers was not known. But southern Iraq has been wracked by fighting among Shiite Muslim factions for months.

Clashes have been particularly fierce between anti-American populist cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mehdi Army and police units drawn from the Badr Organization -- the armed wing of the Supreme Iraqi Islamic Council, the leading Shiite party in Iraq's parliament. (Posted 5:22 p.m.)

Senators say wildfire response shows federal government learned from Katrina

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Key senators Wednesday praised the federal government's emergency response to the Southern California fires -- in sharp contrast to their negative reaction to its slow response to Hurricane Katrina.

"To this stage, I am satisfied with the response," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who was a vocal critic of the White House's response to Katrina.

"I believe lessons were learned from Hurricane Katrina," said Sen. Trent Lott, the Senate's second-ranking Republican who lost his own Gulf Coast home to Katrina.

Even Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who in the past has raised concerns about having so many National Guard troops serving in Iraq and not available to respond to a natural disaster in California, said she is pleased.

"Because of the governor's swift action," Boxer said, "we have enough personnel at our disposal." (Posted 5:19 p.m.)

Microsoft gets a piece of Facebook

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Microsoft Corp. announced Wednesday that it is investing $240 million for a minority stake in Facebook, a price that values the social networking site at $15 billion.

Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will be the exclusive advertising platform for Facebook. Microsoft already had an agreement to sell ads in the United States and as part of the new deal now will also sell ads internationally.

The agreement comes after intense competition between Microsoft and Google for the stake in Facebook. (Posted 5:01 p.m.)

FBI aiding arson investigation of one California wildfire

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Law enforcement officials tell CNN an arson investigation is under way involving at least one of the California wildfires. A house was searched in Orange County, Calif., Wednesday as part of that investigation, the officials said.

The FBI would say only that it is aiding authorities in California in investigating the source of some of the fires.

"The FBI is assisting the Orange County, California, sheriff and fire officials in an ongoing investigation into the source of some of the fires," FBI spokesman Richard Kolko said. He referred all other questions to local authorities.

According to the Orange County Fire Authority, officials suspect arson in the Santiago fire, which as burned more than 19,000 acres and destroyed 17 buildings, including nine homes. Thousands of other properties are threatened by the blaze, which is 50 percent contained. --From CNN Justice Correspondent Kelli Arena (Posted 4:40 p.m.)

Arraignment set for Kid Rock

ATLANTA (CNN) -- Entertainer Kid Rock is due back in court in DeKalb County for an arraignment on Jan. 7 after he and five members of his entourage were charged in connection with a fight in the parking lot of a Waffle House restaurant Sunday.

The DeKalb County Solicitor's Office said Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, and his five co-defendants will appear before Judge Alivin Wong at 2 p.m. The are charged with simple battery, a misdemeanor. (Posted 4:15 p.m.)

Escaped fugitive arrested after 28 years on the run

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A New Jersey fugitive was arrested by authorities Wednesday morning after being on the loose for 28 years.

Maximo Jurado, 75, was picked up by the New Jersey Department of Corrections Fugitive Unit along with the Philadelphia Police and New Jersey Police at his home in Philadelphia around 9:30 Wednesday morning, said Deirdre Fedkenheuer, public affairs spokeswoman of the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

Jurado had been convicted of manufacturing and distributing drugs and was facing a sentence of three to five years in prison when he escaped from Marlboro Camp in Monmouth County in September 1979. The camp has since closed. (Posted 4:14 p.m.)

CentCom asks Air Force to put huge new weapon on the B-2

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Air Force urgently wants its most advanced aircraft to be able to carry the military's most powerful conventional weapon, according to a budget request submitted this month.

An $88 million request from the Air Force is tucked away in the latest budget amendment for the "war on terrorism" to further develop and integrate a new 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb for the B-2 stealth bomber.

The urgent request for the Air Force to put this weapon onto the B-2, which can sneak past enemy radar virtually unseen, came from Central Command leadership, Pentagon officials said.

Officials would not discuss what the urgency is, saying only the weapon could be used in Afghanistan, where deep caves can hide insurgents and weapons stashes. Officials would not comment on speculation the weapon, when placed on the stealthy B-2, could be used on targets in Iran. --From CNN Pentagon producer Mike Mount (Posted 3:55 p.m.)

Governor: Nearly 8,900 firefighters battling wildfires

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Nearly 8,900 firefighters are battling Southern California's wildfires, which still threaten 25,000 structures, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Wednesday.

He said he will fly over the devastated counties Thursday with President Bush.

The blazes have destroyed 1,664 structures, including 1,436 homes, he said at a news conference that also was attended by other key officials.

Lt. Gov. John Garamendi called the firefighting an "unprecedented effort."

Officials say the fire damage now covers 434,543 acres (679 square miles) (Posted 2:40 p.m.)

State Department security chief resigns

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The State Department's chief of diplomatic security has resigned amid scrutiny of the use of private military contractors to guard the department's staff in Iraq, a spokesman said Wednesday.

Richard Griffin, a 36-year career official, gave no explanation for his decision in his resignation letter to President Bush.

"I am grateful that I had the opportunity to serve as the assistant secretary for the Bureau of Diplomatic Security, whose brave men and women serve on the front lines of the Global War on Terror," he wrote in his resignation letter, a copy of which was obtained by CNN. "Without their courage and commitment, the State Department could not possibly carry out its foreign policy mission."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice accepted Griffin's resignation, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. --From CNN's Elise Labott (Posted 2:31 p.m.)

Independent nuclear experts say satellite imagery might support reports that Syrian facilities were nuclear-related

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Independent nuclear experts have reviewed satellite imagery that they say might support media reports that Syrian facilities recently destroyed by Israel were connected to a secret nuclear program.

David Albright and Paul Brannan from the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) obtained commercial satellite imagery taken before the bombing in northeast Syria that shows structures that have similarities to a nuclear facility in North Korea.

Published reports indicated the Israeli government decided to strike the building in September after obtaining evidence the Syrians were constructing a nuclear-related facility with the help of North Korea. CNN has not independently verified reports that the target was a nascent nuclear facility.

Israeli and U.S. officials have refused to comment about the details of the bombing run. Syrians have acknowledged only that there was an Israeli raid on a building that they say was merely an empty military warehouse. --From National Security Producer Pam Benson (Posted 1:53 p.m.)

Report: Airstrikes, ground operations target Kurdish rebels on both sides of Iraq-Turkish border

(CNN) -- Turkish troops and aircraft have been taking on Kurdish rebel positions on both sides of the rugged Iraqi-Turkish border this week, a semi-official news agency said, as diplomats in Baghdad, Ankara and Washington work furiously to avoid a full-blown cross-border strike into Iraq.

Anadolu news agency reported that "counter-terrorism operations" backed by warplanes and helicopter gunships have been "under way" along the border of southeastern Turkey and northern Iraq and that Turkish ground forces have found and destroyed numerous PKK hideouts in northern Iraq, where PKK kept food and other supplies.

One ex-army general labeled these kinds of activities as "hot pursuit" operations that are similar to the kinds of measures Turkey troops have used in the past.

CNN Turk, citing Turkish government and military sources, reported air activity on the Turkish side of the border and said it had been taking place since Sunday, when a dozen Turkish troops were killed in fighting with PKK rebels. The Dogan News Agency also told CNN that activity on the Turkish side has been going on for days, with several F-16 warplanes loaded with bombs taking off from an air base in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. (Posted 12:52 p.m.)

Senate OKs controversial judicial nominee

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate Wednesday confirmed President Bush's controversial nominee Judge Leslie Southwick to the 5th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals by a vote of 59-38.

Some Democrats, including the Congressional Black Caucus, had opposed Southwick's nomination, raising questions over the racial sensitivity of some of his rulings. The debate over his nomination had become a test over the compromise in the Senate under which judicial nominates would be rejected only in extraordinary circumstances.

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, and GOP contender Sen. John McCain all canceled campaign appearances to be present for Wednesday's vote. (Posted 12:08 p.m.)

Winds shift focus of firefight in San Diego

SAN DIEGO (CNN) -- Changing Santa Ana winds gave help Wednesday to the 7,000 firefighters who have been struggling against wildfires from Los Angeles south to San Diego.

Three major wildfires in Los Angeles County were nearly contained by Wednesday morning.

The westward movement of the Witch and Harris fires in San Diego County was stopped after winds began blowing inland from the Pacific Ocean, and some evacuated neighborhoods in San Diego were reopened, officials said.

The wind change, however, also meant firefighters had to quickly shift their resources and focus in the battle against three major fires, including a "very precarious" threat to power lines that connect San Diego to the nation's electrical grid. (Posted 12:02 p.m.)

Existing home sales sink 8% in U.S.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Existing home sales sank 8 percent last month, to the lowest pace on record, according to the latest reading on the state of the battered real estate market released Wednesday.

Sales of existing homes slowed to an annual pace of 5.04 million in September, according to the National Association of Realtors, compared with the revised 5.48 million sales pace in August.

Last month's decline marks the largest since the current measure of existing home sales -- which includes multiple-family dwellings -- began being tracked in 1999.

Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast that sales would slow to a 5.25 million pace. (Posted 11:45 a.m.)

Bush signs disaster declaration

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush signed a federal disaster declaration Wednesday, freeing up federal funds for families affected by the wildfires in southern California.

"I will continue to make sure that our efforts are coordinated, that we are responding to the needs of people, but most importantly I want the people in Southern California to know that Americans all across this land care deeply about them," he said.

Bush issued an emergency declaration Tuesday morning for seven Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.

He said he's "looking forward" to his visit to the region on Thursday. (Posted 11:18 a.m.)

Hunt for 2nd most-wanted FBI fugitive moves to Britain

LONDON (CNN) -- FBI agents hunting America's second most-wanted fugitive have flown to London to meet with Scotland Yard detectives as the search for underworld crime boss James J. "Whitey" Bulger focuses on Europe, London's Metropolitan Police said Wednesday.

Bulger, alleged former leader of the Winter Hill gang in Boston, has been on the run since January of 1995 after he was indicted on 21 counts of murder under the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO, a law that targets organized crime groups.

Earlier this year, a man meeting his description was spotted in Sicily.

The FBI Web site, which lists Bulger just below al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, says the Irish-American gangster is also wanted on extortion, drug and money laundering charges linked to organized crime in the Boston area. (Posted 11:03 a.m.)

Interstate 5 lanes reopen near Camp Pendleton

SAN DIEGO (CNN) -- The southbound lanes of Interstate 5, which was closed early Wednesday near Camp Pendleton because of heavy smoke from wildfires, has reopened, San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts said.

He told reporters that officials hope to reopen northbound lanes soon. (Posted 10:52 a.m.)

Scores of illegal immigrants arrested near San Diego since Sunday

SAN DIEGO (CNN) -- Some 200 illegal immigrants trying to cross into the United States from Mexico east of San Diego have been arrested in the mountains as they come up against the flames and smoke of the raging wildfires there, a U.S Customs and Border Protection spokesman told CNN Wednesday.

Spokesman Matthew Johnson said those detained were basically giving up when they realized they were in danger as they approached San Miguel Mountain and the region where the Harris fire was scorching tens of thousands of acres.

Agents have made about 200 arrests since the fires began Sunday, Johnson said.

Two firefighters told CNN that several of the 24 injured in the Harris fire were what they called "international hikers," or illegals crossing the mountains. (Posted 10:51 a.m.)

Memorial service for reggae legend killed in carjacking

JOHANNESBURG (CNN) -- Reggae legend Lucky Dube (DOO-bay) was remembered Wednesday as a music icon whose death last week in a carjacking robbed South Africa of one of its brightest stars.

About a thousand people packed a memorial service for Dube held at Johannesburg's Bassline Jazz Club. Another thousand watched the service on large screens outside.

"It's a sad moment in my life," said one fan outside the music venue. "To many people, he inspired and uplifted their lives."

Dube, 43, was killed during a carjacking last Thursday as he dropped his children off at a relative's house. (Posted 10:33 a.m.)

Reports: Airstrikes target Kurdish rebels on Turkey's side of Iraqi border

(CNN) -- Turkish warplanes and helicopter gunships have been bombing Kurdish rebel positions in Turkey along the Iraqi-Turkish border as diplomats in Baghdad, Ankara and Washington work furiously to avoid a cross-border strike into Iraq, according to reports Wednesday.

CNN Turk, citing Turkish government and military sources, reported the activity and said it had been taking place since Sunday. The Dogan News Agency also told CNN that it has been going on for days, with several F-16 warplanes loaded with bombs taking off from an air base in the southeastern city of Diyarbakir. Anadolu news agency reported that "counter-terrorism operations" backed by the aircraft have been "under way" in southeastern Turkey.

The Turkish parliament last week gave the government authorization to launch a large-scale offensive into Iraq to chase down Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, rebels -- who are based in Iraq, as well as southeastern Turkey.

But U.S. and Iraqi diplomats have been urging Turkey to hold back and let diplomats and the Iraqi government find an alternative to a cross-border operation. (Posted 10:24 a.m.)

Day of protest for pro-democracy leader in Myanmar

LONDON (CNN) -- Campaigners held a day of protests around the world Wednesday to highlight the plight of Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and mark another year of her house arrest in Myanmar.

The protests were taking place outside Chinese embassies in London and 11 other cities -- one city for each year of Suu Kyi's detention. The pro-democracy leader has been held for 12 of the past 18 years.

About 100 people turned out for the London protest, some wearing white robes and masks of Suu Kyi's face. Others had their hands bound with rope and others held chains they say are used to torture political prisoners in Myanmar. (Posted 9:34 a.m.)

Merrill Lynch takes $7.9 billion mortgage hit

LONDON (CNNMoney.com) -- Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. took a $7.9 billion writedown in the third quarter due to bad mortgage bets, well exceeding its initial estimates and raising questions about the bank's future leadership.

The Wall Street firm said Wednesday heavy losses on home loans given to borrowers with poor credit, and collateralized debt obligations -- pools of bonds sold off in slices of varying credit risk -- hurt performance and resulted in the company's quarterly net loss.

The mortgage hit is well above the $5 billion writedown Merrill estimated it would take earlier this month. The blow is likely to renew credit fears and turn up the heat on Merrill Lynch chief executive Stanley O'Neal.

As a result of the mortgage-related losses, the bank posted a net loss from continuing operations of $2.3 billion, or $2.85 a share, for the quarter ended in September. In the year-ago period, Merrill Lynch reported a net profit of $3 billion, or $3.47 a share, on the same basis. --From CNNMoney.com's Grace Wong (Posted 9:34 a.m.)

California wind shift forecast raises hopes

SAN DIEGO (CNN) -- With an army of 7,000 firefighters deployed from the Mexico border to north of Los Angeles, forecasters predicted some relief Wednesday from dry Santa Ana winds that have fueled more than a dozen wildfires in southern California.

The fast-moving blazes -- now in their fourth day -- burned at least 625 square miles (412,519 acres) and destroyed about 1,100 homes, officials said. Scenes of "utter devastation" are common, one San Diego fire official said.

Despite the scope of the wildfires, only one fire death and 50 injuries have been reported.

Although several major fires rage in Los Angeles County threatening large and expensive neighborhoods, the greatest disruption and destruction is in and around San Diego County.

The number of people forced from their homes by wildfires edged close to 1 million -- mostly around San Diego -- but some were allowed to go home Wednesday morning. (Posted 8:39 a.m.)

Community north of Camp Pendleton evacuated as wildfires spread

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (CNN) -- Residents of a community north of Camp Pendleton have been told to leave due to the approaching wildfires, the San Diego Office of Emergency Services told CNN Wednesday.

The office said residents of the unincorporated community of De Luz are now under mandatory evacuation orders, and an unknown number of residents have already left as the Rice Canyon fire spread near the area. (Posted 8:40 a.m.)

Report: One Tibetan monastery still sealed off after celebrations supporting the Dalai Lama

BEIJING (CNN) -- A human rights group that opposes Chinese rule in Tibet is reporting that at least one Tibetan monastery remained sealed off by armed troops days after last week's celebrations marking a rare U.S. award for the Dalai Lama.

When asked about the report from the International Campaign for Tibet -- which cited local sources -- a staff member at the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson's office told CNN that he was unaware of the reported incident and had no further information.

There has been no reaction from the Chinese government in its state-run Xinhua news agency. (Posted 8:16 a.m.)

Evacuees return to two neighborhoods as Witch fire threat recedes

SAN DIEGO (CNN) -- Residents of two San Diego neighborhoods have been told they can return home Wednesday morning as the threat from the Witch fire recedes, according to emergency officials.

People who evacuated earlier this week from Scripps Ranch and Del Mar Heights can go home immediately, said San Diego emergency spokeswoman Lynda Pfieffer.

She said an earlier statement that Rancho Bernardo was being repopulated was incorrect. (Posted 8:15 a.m.)

Odierno: 'Large portions' of Baghdad could be under Iraqi control by next year

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The Iraqi army commander in charge of the eight-month-old crackdown in Baghdad said Wednesday that effort has been "successful" and has reduced terrorist operations.

The No. 2 U.S. commander in Iraq believes "large portions" of Baghdad will be under Iraqi security control over the next 12 months and that over the last several months, sectarian violence has come "under control."

Iraqi Lt. Gen. Abud Qanbar, commander of the Baghdad Operational Command, briefed reporters about Operating Enforcing the Law and listed statistics to prove his point, citing drops in terror operations against Iraqis and security forces, sectarian-related assassination attempts, car bombings and casualties from terror activities.

U.S. Lt. Gen. Raymond Odierno, commander of Multi-National Corps-Iraq who also appeared at the press conference, underscored the decline of attack levels and the improvement of security, noting that Iraqis celebrated Eid al-Fitr last week in public places, such as parks, restaurants, and the streets -- which was not the case last year.

"Attack levels continue their steady downward trend that began in June and are now at the lowest levels since January of 2006. IED attacks, the extremists' preferred method of terror, have also has been reduced, down well over 60 percent in the past four months with notably reduced lethality," Odierno said. (Posted 8:03 a.m.)

Heavy smoke forces I-5 closure at Camp Pendleton

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (CNN) -- Interstate 5 was closed early Wednesday along a stretch of the freeway north of Oceanside at Camp Pendleton because of heavy smoke produced by a back burning operation aimed at containing a wildfire on the Marine base, a base spokesman said.

The back burn was set as a "protective measure and is intended to stop wildfires from threatening Interstate 5 as well as to protect other base assets," the spokesman said.

"The back burn will stretch along the length of the ridge line adjacent to I-5, which has been closed between San Onofre and Highway 76 until further notice."

The spokesman said that while although flames are visible from I-5, the interstate itself is not threatened. (Posted 6:33 a.m.)

Spanish police nab six suspected terrorists

MADRID (CNN) -- Spanish police arrested six suspected Islamic terrorists Wednesday in northern Spain, on suspicion of recruiting potential terrorists on secretive Internet sites and in clandestine meetings, and raising funds for terrorism, a Ministry of Interior statement said.

The arrests came in northern Burgos province, a few hours' drive north of Madrid, where there previously has been relatively little reported activity of Islamic terrorists.

The six arrested on Wednesday are allegedly linked to Islamic terrorist activity in various countries, and Spain had the collaboration of police or intelligence services from the United States, Denmark and Sweden as it swooped in for the arrests, the statement said. (Posted 6:18 a.m.)

Big names at small club to celebrate soccer milestone

LONDON (CNN) -- Wednesday marked a milestone in soccer history as the world's oldest football club celebrated its 150th birthday.

Sheffield FC, a club which doesn't even play in a professional league, planned a string of events including a special visit by FIFA President Sepp Blatter and a church service dedicated to the team.

It was in May 1857 that two cricket fans in Sheffield talked late into the night about the need for a new sport to keep them active during winter. They settled on soccer, which had been around since the 14th century but had evolved into only a loosely organized activity by the 19th century.

Five months later, on Oct. 24, 1857, they formed the world's first soccer team and called it Sheffield Club.

Roadside bombings kill at least 8, wound 25

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Nearly simultaneous roadside bombs exploded in southeastern Baghdad Wednesday morning, killing at least eight civilians and wounding 25, an Interior Ministry official said.

According to the official, the attack took place around 7:30 a.m. (12:30 a.m. ET) in the Jisr Diyala section of the capital, a predominantly Shiite area. (Posted 4:45 a.m.)

Israel: Qassam launches could cut power to Gaza

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel is considering cutting off electricity to parts of Gaza if rocket attacks by Palestinian militants into southern Israel continue, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said Wednesday.

"The recommendation is to begin gradually cutting the electricity supply without harming humanitarian sources like hospitals," he told Israel Army Radio.

Any such move would have to be approved by Israeli Defense Minster Ehud Barak.

This recommendation is part of a plan put together by security officials in response to the ongoing rocket attacks into southern Israel and comes only a few weeks after the Israeli cabinet declared Gaza a "hostile territory." (Posted 4:30 a.m.)

Report: Declining oil production leading to crisis

LONDON (CNN) -- The world has reached the point of maximum oil output and production levels will halve by 2030 -- a situation that will eventually lead to war and disaster, a report claims.

The German-based Energy Watch Group released a report Tuesday saying the world's oil production peaked in 2006 and from now on will drop by around 3 percent a year. It says that by as early as 2030, the global availability of oil will be half of what it was at its peak.

"It's a very serious result," said Hans-Josef Fell, a German lawmaker from the environmentalist Green Party who commissioned the report. "I fear the world will come into a big economic crisis in the coming years."

The report warns that coal, uranium, and other key fossil fuels are also in declining supply. It predicts the fall in fossil fuel production will bring with it the threat of war, humanitarian disaster, and general social unrest.

But Leo Drollas, who leads oil and gas market analysis and forecasting at the Center for Global Energy Studies in London, said there are plenty of supplies and no looming crisis. He said the report sounds like "scaremongering." (Posted 4:25 a.m.)

Student dies from wounds suffered in DSU campus shooting

(CNN) -- A Delaware State University student shot twice during last month's campus shooting died of her wounds on Tuesday, a statement from her family said.

"At approximately 3:30 p.m. today, Shalita K. Middleton passed from this world into God's arms," the family said. "She struggled valiantly. ... Ultimately, however, the internal injuries that she suffered were in the end too critical to overcome."

Middleton, who was 17, was hit twice in the abdomen and Nathaniel Pugh, also a 17-year-old freshman, was hit once in the ankle in the shootings that took place on the Dover, Del., campus early on the morning of Sept. 21. Pugh has recovered enough from his injuries to be released from the hospital.

Loyer Braden, 18, a fellow DSU freshman from East Orange, N.J., was arrested a few days later on Sept. 24 and was charged with one count of attempted murder in the first degree, assault in the first degree, possession of a firearm during commission of a felony and reckless endangerment.

There was no immediate word on whether Middleton's death would result in a filing of new charges against Braden. (Posted 2:40 a.m.)

Fidel Castro says Bush sparking famine, war in world

HAVANA (CNN) -- Ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro accused U.S. President George Bush of pushing the world to the brink of World War III and widespread famine in an essay that appeared in Cuban state media Tuesday.

"The danger of a massive world famine is aggravated by Mr. Bush's recent initiative to transform foods into fuel," referring to his support for biofuel projects that convert foodstuffs like corn into fuel.

Castro said Bush was simultaneously "threatening humanity with a World War III, this time with atomic weapons," but did not give any details.

The essay titled "Bush, Hunger and Death" was published a day before Bush was due to announce new initiatives on Cuba.

Last week, the White House said Bush would announce new strategies on Wednesday to promote free speech and multi-party elections on the communist island. (Posted 12:35 a.m.) E-mail to a friend