The CNN Wire: Wednesday, Nov. 28

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.

Musharraff sworn in to serve third term

ISLAMABAD (CNN) -- President Pervez Musharraf took the oath of office for a third time Thursday, his first time as a civilian.

Musharraf stepped down as the country's military leader on Wednesday, capping a 46-year career in the nation's armed forces and ending eight years of military rule.

"I'm sure Pakistan will grow stronger with me as a civilian president," Musharraf said after he was sworn in. "This is a milestone in the transition of Pakistan to the complete essence of democracy."

He will also speak to the nation Thursday evening in a nationally televised address, a presidential spokesman told CNN. (Posted 3:15 a.m.)

Musharraff sworn in

ISLAMABAD (CNN) -- Pervez Musharraf takes oath for third term as president -- his first as a civilian. (Posted 1:25 a.m.)

FBI finds 2 million computers victimized by remote command and control

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The FBI says one million additional computers have become victimized in the five months since the bureau announced an operation targeting people using remote command-and-control mechanisms to turn networks of personal computers into massive "botnets" from which they launch criminal campaigns, including identity theft and denial of service attacks.

FBI officials estimate this type of cybercrime, which they call a serious and growing problem, has caused more than $20 million in losses.

"Today, botnets are the weapon of choice of cyber criminals. They seek to conceal their criminal activities by using third party computers as vehicles for their crimes. In Bot Roast II, we see the diverse and complex nature of crimes that are being committed through the use of botnets," FBI Director Robert Mueller said in a statement.

Since the operation, called "Bot Roast," was announced in June, the FBI said eight persons have been charged with crimes related to botnet activity, and thirteen search warrants have been served either in the United States or overseas. (Posted 1:15 a.m.)

Musharraf to address the nation

ISLAMABAD (CNN) -- Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will speak to the county Thursday evening in a nationally televised address, a presidential spokesman told CNN.

Musharraf will be sworn in for a third term in office earlier in the day. (Posted 12:45 a.m.)

Stagehands, producers reach tentative agreement after 19-day strike

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The lights of Broadway will shine brightly again after stagehands and producers reached a tentative agreement Wednesday evening, ending a 19-day strike.

"The contract is a good compromise that serves our industry," said League of American Theaters and Producers Executive Director Charlotte St. Martin. "We look forward to celebrating the season and welcoming our talented stagehands, and the theatergoing public, back to Broadway."

Shuttered Broadway performances were scheduled to resume Thursday night. The settlement followed marathon talks on Sunday, Monday, and again on Wednesday.

"The people of Broadway are looking forward to returning to work, giving the theatre-going public the joy of Broadway, the greatest entertainment in the world," said International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local One President James J. Claffey, Jr.

The stagehands walked off the job on Nov. 10, two days after talks ended, shuttering 26 of the 35 shows on Broadway. (Posted 12:15 a.m.)

Republican White House hopefuls spar over immigration, Iraq

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (CNN) -- With five weeks to go until the first contest of the 2008 nominating season, Republican candidates engaged in a full-fronted free-for-all Wednesday night, trying to differentiate their views on immigration, the Iraq war, abortion, gun control and even whether they believed every word in the Bible was true.

During the CNN/YouTube debate, the front-runner in the national polls, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, once again sparred on the immigration issue with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has been holding a lead in the key early state of Iowa.

When Romney charged Giuliani's record on apprehending illegal immigrants as mayor was too lenient, Giuliani countered that Romney had presided over a "sanctuary mansion" at his home in Boston, where illegal immigrants worked as landscapers.

But Romney said the workers were actually employed by a company he hired and that it was "offensive" to suggest he should have checked their immigration status. (Posted 11:40 p.m.)

Stagehands, producers reach tentative agreement after 19-day strike

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The lights of Broadway will shine brightly again after stagehands and producers reached a tentative agreement Wednesday, ending a 19-day strike.

"The contract is a good compromise that serves our industry," said League of American Theaters and Producers Executive Director Charlotte St. Martin. "We look forward to celebrating the season and welcoming our talented stagehands, and the theatergoing public, back to Broadway."

Shuttered Broadway performances were scheduled to resume Thursday night.

"The people of Broadway are looking forward to returning to work, giving the theatre-going public the joy of Broadway, the greatest entertainment in the world," said International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local One President James J. Claffey, Jr.

The stagehands walked off the job on Nov. 10, two days after talks ended, shuttering 26 of the 35 shows on Broadway. Talks resumed a few days later, but fell apart again on Nov. 18 before resuming once more Sunday. (Posted 11:40 p.m.)

Republican White House hopefuls spar over immigration

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (CNN) -- With a little over two months to go until the first contest of the 2008 nominating season, Republican candidates threw a few elbows Wednesday night on immigration, the Iraq war, abortion, gun control and federal spending during a CNN/YouTube debate.

As in past debates, the front-runner in the national polls, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, sparred on the immigration issue with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has been holding a lead in the key early state of Iowa.

But Romney, in his quest to appeal to the hard-line immigration wing of the party, also turned some of his fire on the same topic on former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who has been rising both in Iowa and nationally.

Romney criticized a proposal in Arkansas, which Huckabee supported, that would have allowed college-age illegal immigrants to compete for college scholarships, saying it amounted to giving taxpayer-funded benefits to people who had broken the law.

But Huckabee said the proposal "would have said that if you came here, not because you made the choice but because your parents did, that we're not going to punish a child because the parent committed a crime." (Posted 9:44 p.m.)

NY auditors questioned how Giuliani billed security, travel expenses

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani billed New York city offices for at least $34,000 in security and travel costs on trips to the Hamptons in his last year in office, with charges spread around departments under his control, city records show.

The New York city comptroller's office raised red flags about the expenses in 2002, after Giuliani -- now a Republican presidential candidate -- left office.

A Giuliani adviser told CNN the mayor was constantly accompanied by bodyguards, whether at work or on vacation.

But the comptroller's office questioned why the expenses were charged to offices such as the city's Loft Board, which regulates the conversion of industrial buildings into housing. During a 2002 audit, the agency's director denied the board incurred $34,000 in travel costs on its books, city Comptroller William Thompson wrote in a letter to Giuliani's successor, Michael Bloomberg.

Giuliani's office had refused to provide details of the expenses when questioned, the auditors said Wednesday. (Posted 8:43 p.m.)

U.S. protests Chinese refusal to let American ships dock

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States has filed a formal protest with China over Beijing's decision to deny port visits by a U.S. aircraft carrier and two other ships last week, an incident a Pentagon spokesman called "baffling" Wednesday.

China's military attache, Maj. Gen. Zhao Ning, received a message of "deep regret and concern" from David Sedney, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for east Asia, Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell said. Zhao "said nothing substantive in response, but promised to relay the message back to Beijing," Morrell told reporters.

President Bush also discussed the issue in a Wednesday meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, who described the incident as "a misunderstanding," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

Chinese authorities cancelled a scheduled Thanksgiving port call in Hong Kong for the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk just hours before it was supposed to dock. The cancellation was "a costly inconvenience to the families who had traveled there to spend Thanksgiving with their loved ones on board," Morrell said. (Posted 8:12 p.m.)

Broadway stagehands could reach agreement to end strike soon

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The lights may shine brightly again soon on Broadway if optimism from both sides in the stagehands' contract negotiations proves warranted.

After more than 10 hours of talking Wednesday, the two sides were still meeting at 7:15 p.m., and both the League of American Theatres and Producers and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees told CNN they were optimistic for a settlement.

Discussions resumed at 10 a.m. Wednesday, after marathon talks on Sunday and Monday.

The stagehands walked off the job on Nov. 10, two days after talks ended, shuttering 26 of the 35 shows on Broadway. Talks resumed a few days later, but fell apart again on Nov. 18 before resuming once more Sunday. (Posted 7:39 p.m.)

Katrina lawyer Scruggs indicted, accused of bribing judge

(CNN) -- Prominent plaintiffs' attorney Dickie Scruggs was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury on charges he and others in his law firm gave a Mississippi judge $40,000 to rule in their favor in a suit over attorneys' fees, according to court documents.

Indicted along with Scruggs was his son and law partner, Zach Scruggs, and three others, including two attorneys, according to the indictment. The five allegedly paid Third Circuit Court District Judge Henry L. Lackey $40,000 from March through November and planned to pay him an additional $10,000, prosecutors allege.

Lackey was presiding over a lawsuit in which some $26.5 million in attorneys' fees was in dispute. Scruggs, his Oxford, Miss.-based firm and others were named as defendants, the documents said.

Attempts by CNN Wednesday to reach Scruggs, his attorney Joey Langston and Jim Greenlee, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Mississippi, were not immediately successful. (Posted 7:32 p.m.)

Florida deputies killed by fellow deputy in high-speed chase

(CNN) -- Investigators combed sugar cane fields near Florida's Lake Okechobee without result Wednesday in search of a suspect in the high-speed chase that killed two sheriff's deputies, one of whom was to be the other's best man.

Sheriff's deputies had arrested one man in connection with the car theft that launched the fatal chase, while another man held earlier Wednesday was released, said J.P. Sasser, the mayor of Pahokee, Fla. Deputies using 4-wheel all-terrain vehicles, dogs and pickup trucks hunted for a second man for five hours but came up empty.

Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies Donta Manuel, 33, and 23-year-old Jonathan Wallace were killed about 1:45 a.m. after placing "stop sticks" -- devices designed to puncture tires -- on a roadway to stop a fleeing car believed to be stolen. When the deputies ran out into the road to retrieve the devices once the fleeing car passed, they were hit by police car that was taking part in the pursuit, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told reporters.

Investigators have charged 19-year-old Ernie Kirk Daley Jr. with one count of grand theft, one count of fleeing and eluding causing death and two counts of aggravated murder of a law enforcement officer, the sheriff's department reported. They were still trying to determine the identity of the second man in the car. (Posted 7:18 p.m.)

Writers strike scuttles CBS Democratic debate

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Democratic presidential debate scheduled for Dec. 10 on CBS has been canceled because of the strike by members of the Writers Guild of America, the Democratic National Committee said Wednesday.

The debate was to have been broadcast from CBS' Television City in Los Angeles, where striking Writers Guild of America entertainment writers have held daily pickets since walking off the job earlier this month.

In a statement, the DNC said there were no plans to reschedule the debate. CBS News said in a separate statement that it "regrets not being able to offer" the debate.

Several of the Democratic candidates, including frontrunners Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards, have said they would not cross any picket lines set up by striking writers. (Posted 6:39 p.m.)

GAO concerned with safety at nuclear weapon labs

From CNN's Eric Fiegel and Kathy Benz

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The nation's three nuclear weapons laboratories have had almost 60 serious accidents or near misses over the past seven years -- some of them resulting in serious injury to workers or damage to facilities -- according to a report released Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office.

The GAO reviewed nearly 100 reports from Los Alamos in New Mexico, Lawrence Livermore in California and Sandia with campuses in both California and New Mexico, all nuclear weapons laboratories who handle extremely dangerous materials like plutonium. These three facilities are overseen by the National Nuclear Security Administration.

One accident of concern took place at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico in 2000 when seven workers were exposed to "significant doses of radiation" when a piece of equipment failed. Four of the seven required immediate medical aide, according to the report. The report said that poor worker communication and training contributed to the accident, which, it said, took place because the laboratory did not take corrective action after other similar accidents.

That accident, the GAO report said, "ranked among the top 10 worst radiological intake accidents in 41 years of data gathering by DOE (Department of Energy) and its predecessor agencies." (Posted 6:11 p.m.)

Chavez cutting all ties with Colombia

(CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Wednesday he is cutting all ties with Colombia as long as Alvaro Uribe remains its president.

Chavez noted that Uribe had asked him to help secure the release of hundreds of hostages held by the leftist rebel group Armed Revolutionary Front of Colombia (FARC) and the National Liberation Army (ELN).

But last Thursday, Uribe ended Chavez's participation, citing his direct communication with his top general, a move he said broke protocol.

Without being specific, Chavez accused Uribe of having lied. Chavez accused Uribe of having bowed to pressure from Washington, directing him "to get rid of Chavez."

But the firebrand Venezuelan president, who has called President Bush "the devil," said his arms are open to the Colombian people. (Posted 6:09 p.m.)

Carson Daly taking his show back to air despite writers' strike

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The NBC talk show "Last Call With Carson Daly" will resume production Wednesday, in Burbank, Calif., an NBC spokeswoman said, becoming the first late night program to produce original episodes since the Writers Guild of America went on strike three weeks ago.

Daly made the decision to begin taping new episodes, the spokeswoman said. The new episodes begin airing on Monday.

The spokeswoman, who asked not to be named, had no further comment "out of respect for the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) membership agreement for a press black out pertaining to the WGA strike."

With their writers on the picket lines, "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," "The Late Show with David Letterman," "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "The Daily Show," "The Colbert Report," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien" and other late night programs reverted to repeats on Nov. 5 when the writers walked out.

Unlike many of the late night hosts, Daly is not a member of the Writers Guild. (Posted 4:54 p.m.)

U.S. protests Chinese refusal to let American ships dock

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States has filed a formal protest with China over Beijing's decision to cancel a port call by a U.S. aircraft carrier last week, an incident a Pentagon spokesman called "baffling" Wednesday.

Defense Department spokesman Geoff Morrell said China's military attache in Washington would hear the American complaint about the cancellation of a scheduled Thanksgiving port call in Hong Kong by the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk.

President Bush also discussed the issue in a Wednesday meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yag Jiechi, who described the incident as "a misunderstanding," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said.

But two days before the Japan-based carrier's scheduled arrival, Chinese authorities also denied permission for the minesweepers USS Patriot and USS Guardian to ride out a storm in Hong Kong's harbor -- a decision the Navy's Pacific Fleet commander, Adm. Timothy Keating, called "more disturbing" Tuesday.

China recently has expressed concerns about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and President Bush's October presentation of a congressional gold medal to the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. But Morrell said he was unaware of any "hiccups" in U.S.-Chinese military ties. (Posted 3:52 p.m.)

Former NATO commander named Mideast peace adviser

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former NATO commander, retired Marine Gen. James Jones, was named by President Bush on Wednesday to an advisory role in the Middle East peace process.

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice announced that Jones will assume the role of special envoy for Mideast security, advising Rice and the president as the White House seeks to play an active role in advancing the peace process in the region.

Jones will focus on security issues that come into play during the negotiations, Rice said.

Jones agreed to accept the job Wednesday. He had twice declined an offer by Rice to be Deputy Secretary of State after the resignation of Robert Zoellick. (Posted 3:47 p.m.)

Police: Taylor killing believed to be random burglary

MIAMI (CNN) -- Authorities believe the death of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor occurred during a random burglary, Miami-Dade Police Director Robert Parker told reporters Wednesday.

He called the Monday incident "a random occurrence" and said, "We have no reason to think this was anything other than a burglary or robbery involving an intruder."

Parker said police were following "a number of leads," but asked that anyone with information about the crime notify authorities.

Taylor died early Tuesday from a gunshot wound he suffered in the incident the day before. (Posted 3:41 p.m.)

Facing ouster, judge apologizes for jailing 46 over ringing phone

From CNN's Janine Brady

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Faced with removal from the bench, a judge in Niagara Falls, N.Y., has apologized for jailing nearly four dozen people over a ringing mobile phone in his courtroom, his attorney said Wednesday.

The state Commission on Judicial Conduct called City Court Judge Robert Restaino's decision to lock up 46 people after no one claimed ownership of the phone "a gross deviation from the proper role of a judge." But Restaino's lawyer, Terrence Connors, said Wednesday that the judge "profoundly apologizes for his actions" during the March 2005 hearing and will appeal the panel's Tuesday ruling.

Restaino was presiding over a domestic-violence case when a ringing cellular phone interrupted proceedings, the Judicial Conduct Commission found. When no one took responsibility for the ringing phone, Restaino ordered that court security officers search for the device.

According to the commission, about 70 defendants were in the courtroom that day to take part in a court-ordered monitoring program for domestic violence offenders. When no one admitted to owning the phone, Restaino heard the remaining cases and then recalled the cases of defendants who had already been released to question them about the phone, the commission report read.

After all the defendants denied having the phone or knowing who it belonged to, Restaino sent 46 people to jail -- and 14 who were unable to make bail were handcuffed and jailed for several hours. The report states Restaino decided to release defendants only after learning reporters were inquiring about their incarceration. (Posted 3:18 p.m.)

TSA: Pilots, mechanics, others to face more thorough background checks

From CNN Homeland Security Producer Mike Ahlers

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Pilots, mechanics and other aviation workers who now undergo background screening by the Federal Aviation Administration will face more thorough checks early next year when the Transportation Security Administration assumes responsibility for the background reviews.

Pilot groups have long opposed the change, fearing that pilots who are wrongly tagged as being suspicious would have difficulty clearing their name. But the TSA, which already screens airport workers, hazardous material trucks, registered travelers and transportation workers, says the change is in keeping with their mission to protect transportation modes from threats both internal and external.

Currently, the FAA checks airmen against "no-fly" lists and "selectees," said TSA spokeswoman Ellen Howe. The airmen designation includes commercial and private pilots, mechanics and others. When the TSA assumes responsibility for checks, names of the nation's 1.2 million airmen will be checked against the more comprehensive Terrorist Screening Center database, Howe said. (Posted 3:15 p.m.)

Air Force again grounds most of F-15 fleet

From CNN Pentagon Producer Mike Mount

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A week after lifting a flight ban on more than 400 F-15 fighters, the U.S. Air Force again grounded the planes because of potential structural problems that could lead to the plane falling apart in mid-air.

All 442 F-15 A through D models in the Air Force inventory were re-grounded this week after inspectors looking at the Nov. 2 crash of an F-15C found "possible fleet-wide airworthiness problems," a statement from the Air Force said.

Tests on the plane appear to have found problems with strips of metal, called longerons, which hold the fuselage together, Air Force officials said.

The planes must all go through additional inspections and repairs if needed. (Posted 3:06 p.m.)

Illinois man pleads guilty to plotting grenade attack on mall

From CNN's Karin Matz

CHICAGO (CNN) -- A 23-year-old man faces a prison term of 30 years to life after pleading guilty Wednesday to planning a grenade attack on a shopping mall in northern Illinois.

Derrick Shareef admitted to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction in what federal agents called a plot to set off grenades in several garbage cans at the CherryVale Shopping Mall in his hometown of Rockford, about 75 miles west of Chicago.

Prosecutors said Shareef met with an undercover agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to trade stereo speakers for bogus weapons. In court, assistant U.S. Attorney Sergio Acosta read transcripts of conversations between Shareef, the ATF agent and a goverment informant in which the plot was detailed.

Shareef's attorney, Michael Mann, would not comment after the hearing. (Posted 2:50 p.m.)

Bumps in the road for intel fusion centers

From CNN's Jeanne Meserve and Jim Spellman

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A new government report shows mixed results in implementing state and local intelligence-sharing operations.

The Government Accountability Office report, obtained by CNN and expected to be released Thursday, shows most states and many cities have functioning facilities, known as fusion centers, staffed with local and federal personnel, but many are still struggling with funding and federal coordination.

The fusion centers aim to be central points for intelligence regarding terrorism and other major crimes.

Funding is the most common problem reported, according to the GAO. Officials in 54 of 58 centers surveyed by GAO complained of not enough money or confusion over the federal grant process that is designed to help offset local expenses. The Department of Homeland Security has made changes to the grant process in response, but the report recommends that the federal government more clearly articulate "the long term role it expects to play in sustaining fusion centers." (Posted 2:48 p.m.)

Syrian official: Moscow to hold Annapolis-style summit

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Russia is planning to host an Annapolis-style Mideast peace conference in Moscow in the coming months, a Syrian official told CNN Wednesday.

"Our preliminary discussions with our Russian friends are encouraging, and Syria will definitely attend if we find it very useful to be there, " said Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad.

Mekdad said he was informed of the proposed Moscow conference by the Russian delegation while in Annapolis, Md., for Tuesday's Mideast peace conference.

He said it is scheduled to take place sometime in the first three months of 2008. (Posted 1:24 p.m.)

Saudi Arabia arrests 208 for alleged terrorist plots

(CNN) -- Saudi Arabia's Ministry of the Interior said Wednesday it has arrested 208 Saudi and foreign militants who allegedly were involved in six terrorist cells plotting to attack an oil support facility, and to assassinate clerics and security forces.

The arrests took place a few months ago but were kept secret so as not to jeopardize ongoing investigations, a spokesman for the Saudi Interior Ministry, Maj. Gen. Mansour Turki, told CNN.

An eight-person cell was planning to attack an oil support facility in the Eastern Province, he said. The attack was imminent, he said. (Posted 12:55 p.m.)

Prosecutors say they can link two suspects held in British student killing to crime scene

PERUGIA, Italy (CNN) -- A prosecutor's report in to the death of Meredith Kercher, a British student killed in Italy this month, says investigators have evidence that places two of the suspects -- Amanda Knox, 20, Kercher's roommate, and Knox's boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, 23 -- at the crime scene.

CNN has obtained a copy of the report that Perugia's chief prosecutor Giuliano Mignini will present at a hearing Friday to decide whether Knox and Sollecito can continue to be detained by police investigating the British student's death.

In the document, Mignini says Knox's DNA matches a blood stain on the sink in the bathroom next to the victim's bedroom. The report also says a footprint found by forensic police near Kercher's body that it says belongs to Sollecito.

Kercher, an exchange student at Perugia's university, was killed Nov. 1 in the villa where she lived. Investigators found her the next day, with a stab wound to her neck. (Posted 12:39 p.m.)

2 deputies killed by fellow deputy during high-speed chase

(CNN) -- Two Palm Beach County sheriff's deputies -- one who was to serve as best man in the upcoming wedding of the other -- were killed early Wednesday by another deputy in a high-speed chase of a suspected stolen car near Pahokee, the sheriff's department said.

Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw told reporters that as law enforcement vehicles pursued an alleged stolen vehicle on state route 715 around 1:45 a.m., the two deputies placed tire deflation devices -- "stop sticks" -- on the roadway to slow the fleeing car.

The suspect car ran over the devices, and the two deputies ran out into road to retrieve them when they were hit by a canine officer vehicle that was chasing the possible stolen car.

The stop sticks were not equipped with lanyards, which would have allowed the deputies to pull them off the road from the side, the sheriff said. (Posted 12:34 p.m.)

Aided by Baghdad, Iraqi refugees begin dangerous journey home

DAMASCUS, Syria (CNN) -- Convoys of buses carrying Iraqi refugees are making the arduous eastward journey from Damascus to Baghdad, marking the first time that some of the 1.5 million Iraqi refugees who fled to Syria are returning home as part of an organized plan.

The repatriation effort, sponsored by the Iraqi government, began Tuesday. The convoys will travel nearly 500 miles (750 km).

Iraqi forces will protect the convoys once they cross into Anbar province, and will accompany the buses all the way to the capital.

The refugees are being repatriated this week because security in Baghdad has improved in recent months, according to the Iraqi government. (12:30 p.m.)

Poll: Giuliani a GOP standout on terrorism issue

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rudy Giuliani, the front-runner in the Republican presidential race in Florida, is viewed by his party's primary voters there as the best candidate to lead the fight against terrorism, a survey released Wednesday says.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted Sunday and Monday.

Giuliani, who is often introduced as "America's mayor" for his role after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, was viewed by 53 percent of poll respondents as the best candidate to address terrorism.

The poll found that Giuliani would finish first if the Florida Republican primary were held today. (Posted 12:29 p.m.)

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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- About 10,000 formerly classified documents stashed in dozens of boxes were released Wednesday by the Nixon Presidential Library, showing that terrorism and Middle East peace were topics of concern nearly 30 years ago.

"We are declassifying the records today that laid the basis for Richard Nixon's decision in 1969 to accept the fact, a fact of life, that Israel had a bomb, a nuclear device. That, of course, is very important with what's going on in Annapolis," said Tim Nuftali, library director.

Nuftali was referring to an agreement between the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian territories to push ahead with a peace process. They are meeting Wednesday with President Bush at the White House.

Nixon was president from Jan. 20 , 1969, to Aug. 9, 1974, when he resigned over the Watergate cover-up -- the first president to resign from office. (Posted 12:06 p.m.)

Oprah visits family of alleged abuse victim from her school

JOHANNESBURG (CNN) -- The father of a girl who complained about the conduct of a dormitory matron at Oprah Winfrey's school for girls said Wednesday he fully supports the talk show host and her vision for the school.

The man, who was not named to protect his daughter's identity, said Winfrey is not to blame for the alleged actions of the matron, who has been charged with 13 counts of abuse and assault.

"Oprah has never done anything wrong," he said. "Can't blame her. I will stand for her."

He said he and his family met Sunday with Winfrey at the school. (Posted 11:34 a.m.)

Former NATO commander to be Mideast peace adviser

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former NATO commander, retired Marine Gen. James Jones will be named by President Bush to an advisory role in the Middle East peace process, according to diplomatic sources and a source close to Jones.

Two senior diplomats say Jones will be an adviser on security issues for the peace negotations. A formal announcement is to made at 3:15 p.m. ET.

Jones twice declined an offer by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to be her deputy after the resignation of Robert Zoelick.

McCormack said the new role would help sort out how the developing Palestinian security services would work with Israeli forces and security of other neighbors. (Posted 11:28 a.m.)

Home sales, prices show record weakness

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Sales of existing homes fell to a new low in October, according to the latest assessment of the battered housing market by an industry trade group.

The National Association of Realtors released its report Wednesday.

NAR said sales of homes fell to 4.97 million in October, down from the revised 5.03 reading in September, which was the previous record low since the trade group started tracking sales on that basis in 1999. (Posted 11:05 a.m.)

Palestinian adviser: Joint statement contains 'nothing new'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Israeli-Palestinian statement read by President Bush at the start of Tuesday's peace summit in Annapolis amounted to a "public relations gimmick," says a legal adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Ghaith al-Omari, who attended the conference, said the days following the conference "could change everything."

"The irony is the statement has a shelf life of two days," he said. "There's nothing new in it. Events will happen in the next two days that could change everything."

While al-Omari stressed the one-day conference gave him optimism about future negotiations, he said much of Tuesday was about stagecraft. (Posted 10:57 a.m.)

Vick to pay nearly $1 million for dog care

(CNN) -- Former Atlanta Falcons Quarterback Michael Vick has agreed to pay nearly $1 million for the care of about 54 pit bulls found on his property when a dogfighting operation was busted last April, according to a court document.

In a consent order filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Vick lawyer William R. Martin said his client "has agreed in his written plea agreement to pay restitution."

The lawyer said Vick will deposit $928,073.04 by Friday to an escrow account. Vick has agreed to fund long-term care of the dogs and euthanasia if needed.

The dogs were seized from Vick's property in Surry County, Va., where he and three other men ran a dogfighting ring.

Vick, 27, surrendered Nov. 19 to federal authorities to get a jump start on the sentence. (Posted 10:55 a.m.)

Israel, Palestinians kick off long-stalled peace talks

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush will meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders in the Oval Office on Wednesday, a day after the leaders hammered out a document to kick start the long-stalled peace negotiations.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will each meet separately with Bush, and later as a group. The three leaders will then appear at 2:05 p.m. in the Rose Garden, where Bush is to deliver remarks.

Tuesday's summit was held at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., with representatives attending from dozens of nations, many of them Arab.

Olmert and Abbas announced they will "immediately launch" talks aimed at creating a Palestinian state alongside Israel and they hope to conclude talks by 2009, Bush said. (Posted 9:20 a.m.)

Sources: Israeli airstrike in Gaza kills 2 Hamas militants

GAZA CITY, Gaza (CNN) -- An Israeli airstrike Wednesday targeted a Hamas post in southern Gaza, killing two Hamas security men in Khan Yunis, according to Hamas sources.

The Israeli army said the airstrike was in response to the firing of mortars into Israel. According to the Israeli military, 11 mortars and Qassam rockets were fired into Israel Wednesday.

Reacting to incessant rocket attacks from Gaza, Israel's government labeled the Hamas-controlled region a "hostile territory" in September. That set in motion a crackdown that includes military operations and limiting Gaza's power supply.

Gaza militants fire rockets into Israel every three hours, on average, according to the Israeli military. (Posted 9:05 a.m.)

Bush's top economic adviser to leave White House

WASHINGTON (CNN) --- President Bush's top economic adviser, Al Hubbard, is stepping down -- the latest in a growing list of White House senior staff who are exiting before the end of the president's second term.

Hubbard will leave by the end of the year, said three senior administration officials, who asked that their names be withheld because the official announcement has not been made.

White House press secretary Dana Perino said Hubbard's replacement will be Keith Hennessey, who is Hubbard's deputy.

Hubbard's departure follows other recent White House losses: Fran Townsend, homeland security adviser; Karl Rove, top political adviser; Dan Bartlett, communications director; Karen Hughes, State Department undersecretary for public diplomacy and public affairs; and Rob Portman, budget director. (Posted 8:15 a.m.)

Family attorney: Judge turns down request for second autopsy in death of British student in Italy

PERUGIA, Italy (CNN) -- A request for a second autopsy on the body of Meredith Kercher, a British student killed in Italy earlier this month, has been turned down, said Francesco Marasco, a lawyer for the student's family said Wednesday.

The request was submitted Monday by lawyers for Patrick Lumumba, one of four suspects in the investigation that have been identified by Italian police.

Carlo Pacelli, a lawyer for Lumumba -- a Congolese bar owner who was released last week by Italian police but remains a suspect -- said he wanted the time of death of the victim to be determined more closely. There was no immediate response from Pacelli, regarding the judge's reported decision.

Kercher's corpse is being held in a morgue in Britain as her family awaits permission to bury the 21-year-old, who bled to death after she was stabbed in her bed. (Posted 5:50 a.m.)

Sarkozy returns to France as rioting continues for a third night

PARIS (CNN) -- French president Nicolas Sarkozy was trying to restore order Wednesday after three consecutive nights of rioting caused widespread damage and injuries.

A French government spokeswoman said Sarkozy, fresh off a state visit to China, chaired a morning security meeting with Interior Minister Michele Alliot-Marie and Rachida Dati, the justice minister, which followed a meeting with the families of two teenagers killed in a collision with a police car -- an incident that started off this bout of violence.

Street disturbances spread from the Paris suburbs to the southern city of Toulouse Tuesday night as 20 cars were burned out and rioters set fire to two libraries, according to media reports.

In the northern Paris suburb of Villiers-le-Bel -- the scene of two nights of angry clashes between police and youths -- 22 arrests were made as the unrest continued Tuesday night, according to the French daily newspaper Liberation. (Posted 5:50 a.m.)

Suicide bomber wounds 12

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Seven U.S. soldiers and five Iraqi citizens were wounded Tuesday when a female suicide bomber wearing an explosives-laden vest detonated in Baquba, a statement released Wednesday by the U.S. military said.

The injured were taken by helicopter to a military hospital for treatment.

The military said the incident is under investigation. (Posted 2:45 a.m.)

U.S. military investigates checkpoint shooting in Baghdad

BAGDHAD (CNN) -- Two women were killed and four others -- two men and two women -- were wounded Tuesday when members of the U.S. military fired warning shots at a minibus as it approached a checkpoint in Baghdad, according to Maj. Bradford Leighton with Multi-National Force - Iraq.

During a briefing, Rear Adm. Gregory Smith told reporters that the bus had been traveling in a lane designated only for cars. As it approached a checkpoint, the warning shots were fired and then some shots ricocheted.

"Regrettably there were civilians killed and a few injured on that bus," Smith said.

The incident is under investigation, according to the U.S. military.

Earlier, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said Tuesday's incident claimed the lives of three women and a man, leaving two other people wounded.

The shooting took place in the Shaab neighborhood at 7:30 a.m. The dead and wounded were employed by the Rashid Bank, the official said. (Posted 2:05 a.m.)

Musharraf steps down as army chief, will take oath of office as civilian president on Thursday

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- In an emotional goodbye, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf stepped down as the country's military leader Wednesday, capping a 46-year career in the nation's armed forces and ending eight years of military rule.

"This army is my life," Musharraf said during ceremonies in Rawalpindi, near Islamabad. "This army is my passion."

Musharraf will take the oath of office to serve a third presidential term on Thursday, but this time as a civilian. The reflective general said it was sad for him to leave, but "this is the way of life and life has to go on."

The date was set after the federal government notified the president's office on Monday that it had approved Musharraf's October election results.

Musharraf handed over the military chief's post to Gen. Ashfaq Kiyani -- who recently stepped down as head of Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence agency. (Posted 1 a.m.)

1 killed, 2 injured in suicide bombing targeting Tamil politician

(CNN) -- One person was killed and two others injured Wednesday when a female suicide bomber detonated outside the office of a Tamil politician and government minister, police told CNN.

Minister Douglas Devananda was unharmed. The suicide bomber, a woman suspected to be aligned with the Tamil Tiger rebels, was also killed, police sources said.

Devananda, head of the Tamil political party, is seen as a traitor by the Tamil Tiger rebels because he is aligned with the Sri Lankan government. He has survived 12 previous assassination attempts.

The bombing occurred just 24 hours after the rebels' leader gave his annual address from rebel-held northern territory.

The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 for a separate homeland for the Tamil minority in the north and eastern parts of the island nation, citing decades of discrimination by the majority Sinhalese. The government has vowed to dislodge the rebels from their stronghold. (Posted 11:10 p.m.) E-mail to a friend