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CNN Wire Overnight Outlook [St. Joseph News-Press (MO)](St. Joseph News-Press (MO) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) (CNN) -- Supervising News Editor Lateef Mungin - 404-827-1401 . UPCOMING Mexico-Independence 12:30 am Although the brutal drug related violence in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico continues, the three levels of government said they were prepared to celebrate the 101st anniversary of the Independence of Mexico. In 2010 the usually large celebration in Juarez was canceled due to insecurity. . POL-Marine-Medal-of-Honor 1:00 a.m. Cuba on Wednesday accused former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson of [superset of]3;blackmail[superset of]2; and denied the government had invited him here to negotiate the release of an American contractor sentenced to 15 years in prison. Thursday afternoon, President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Honor to the first living Marine to receive the recognition for actions in Afghanistan or Iraq. Dakota Meyer was in Afghanistan's Kunar province in September 2009 when he repeatedly ran through enemy fire to recover the bodies of fellow American troops. . Iran-Hikers (monitoring) The Iranian Judiciary said Wednesday it is considering a request for setting bail in the case of two American hikers convicted of spying and sentenced to eight years in prison. . Libya-Price-of-Revolution (will publish at 6 a.m.) At Libya's largest hospital, the Tripoli Medical Center, the State Department's point man on Libya, Assistant Secretary of State for New Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman, saw the price of revolution up close. Feltman, the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Libya since the rebels captured Tripoli, met privately with the leadership of the National Transitional Council, including NTC head Mustafa Abdel Jalil and Mahmoud Jibril, chairman and head of international affairs of the NTC. . POL-GOP-House-Wins (will publish at 5 a.m.) Two days after Democrats suffered losses in special House elections, Republican campaign officials are calling the pair of defeats a reflection of President Barack Obama's failed economic record, and predicting similar losses for Democrats running on Obama's ticket in 2012. . Israel-Jordan-Embassy (monitoring) The Israeli Embassy in Amman sent home Thursday all but a skeleton staff due to security considerations, an Israeli Foreign Ministry official told CNN. . Cuba-Bill-Richardson By Shasta Darlington 2:00 a.m. Cuba on Wednesday accused former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson of blackmail and denied the government had invited him here to negotiate the release of an American contractor sentenced to 15 years in prison. . . PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED STORIES . TOP STORIES . U.S.-Gulf-Oil-Spill BP, Transocean and Halliburton all share responsibility for the deadly explosion that resulted in the April 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill, according to the final federal report on the matter released Wednesday. . POL-Obama-Jobs-Bill President Barack Obama took the push for his $447 billion jobs plan to the politically pivotal state of North Carolina Wednesday, telling an enthusiastic college crowd that it's time to "finally get Washington to act." , UK-Phone-Hacking Hugh Grant and J.K. Rowling are among dozens of celebrities given permission to participate in a top-level inquiry into phone hacking by British journalists, the judge leading the investigation said Wednesday. . Libya-UN-Resolution The Security Council is on the verge of authorizing the U.N. to set up operations in Libya to assist the National Transitional Council in post- Gadhafi planning. It is also likely to loosen sanctions that were imposed on that country in the spring, according to a resolution obtained by CNN. . CNN SHOWCASE . Mississippi-Hate-Crimes By Drew Griffin and Scott Bronstein The family of an African-American man who died after allegedly being beaten by a group of white teens and run over by a truck is asking state and federal officials not to seek the death penalty in the case. Relatives of James Craig Anderson, who died shortly after receiving his injuries on June 26, sent a letter with their request to the prosecutor in the case, Hinds County District Attorney Robert Shuler Smith. . Super-Earths-Planet It's not like aliens put up a welcome banner or anything, but scientists now have newly identified at least one planet that could potentially sustain life. The European Southern Observatory has just announced the discovery of more than 50 new exoplanets (planets outside our solar system), including 16 super-Earths (planets whose mass is between one and 10 times that of our own planet). INTERNATIONAL. . Afghanistan-Kabul-Impact By Laura Smith-Spark After a 20-hour battle, a Taliban assault on the U.S. Embassy and NATO command center in central Kabul was brought to a bloody end Wednesday with the deaths of half a dozen militants.But while the targets were high profile and media coverage was extensive, the casualties inflicted on the Taliban's stated targets were relatively small, with four policemen and two civilians killed and 27 injured in that assault and a handful of other incidents across Kabul, according to Afghan government figures. . Pakistan-Al-Qaeda By Pam Benson Al Qaeda's ability to carry out operations from its Pakistan base could be eliminated within the next two years, according to Michael Vickers, the U.S. undersecretary of defense for intelligence. . Libya-Terrorist-Groups Terrorist groups are looking to set up for a long term presence in Libya, a senior defense official said Wednesday, but American intelligence is not showing a mass movement into the country. . Israel-Jordan-Embassy From Kevin Flower The Israeli Embassy in Amman sent home Thursday all but a skeleton staff due to security considerations, an Israeli Foreign Ministry official told CNN. . Colombia-Spy-Chief-Sentenced Colombia's Supreme Court of Justice sentenced the former chief of the country's intelligence agency to 25 years in prison Wednesday for his connections with paramilitary groups. It was the stiffest punishment handed out so far to a member of former President Alvaro Uribe's government. . POL-Obama-International-Approval While a new CNN poll has his disapproval at the highest point of his presidency, President Barack Obama's woes at home do not appear to have tainted the president in the eyes of Europeans even three years after his election was watched around the world. . Angola-Crash A plane crash at an airport in Huambo, Angola, on Wednesday has killed three generals from the nation's armed forces, state-run news agency Angop said. . Iran-Hikers-Release The Iranian Judiciary said Wednesday it is considering a request for setting bail in the case of two American hikers convicted of spying and sentenced to eight years in prison. . Mexico-Violence By Mariano Castillo It was a chilling message: two bodies with signs of torture found hanging from a pedestrian bridge in the border town of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Two posters left near the bodies declared that the pair -- a young man and woman -- were killed for denouncing drug cartel activity on a social network. Bloggers who specialize in sharing news about trafficking have been threatened in the past, but this could be the first time that users of such social networks have been targeted. . Syria-Unrest Syrian security forces kept up an offensive against anti- government protesters Wednesday, six months since the popular uprising started against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. . Libya-War Libya's interim leadership gave residents in the pro-Gadhafi stronghold of Bani Walid a 48-hour notice to leave the city, as it sent reinforcements there and to the former regime's other remaining strongholds at Sirte and Sabha. . MONEY-Europe-Debt-Crisis It's been about 18 months since the sovereign debt crisis in Europe began attracting attention in global financial circles. In that time, the crisis has grown into the biggest challenge the European Union has faced since the adoption of the euro as its single currency 12 years ago. Greece, Portugal and Ireland are on life support. Italy and Spain are exhibiting worrying symptoms. Germany and France, the healthy ones, are suffering from a global economic malaise. . POLITICS . POL-House-Spending A short-term spending proposal to keep the government funded after the current fiscal year ends on September 30 includes extra money for disaster relief efforts, the House Appropriations Committee said Wednesday. . POL-House-Solyndra Federal analysts looking at a proposed loan to a solar energy company in 2009 warned then of possible problems, as well as pressure from the White House to speed up a decision, according to a memorandum released Wednesday by a House committee. . POL-Deficit-Commission. Calls for a special congressional committee to work out a comprehensive deficit reduction deal increased Wednesday, with a group of fiscally conservative House Democrats sending the panel a letter that encouraged its members to "go big." POL-U.N.-Funding A key U.S. congresswoman wants to change how the United States funds the United Nations, which she accuses of becoming a "bully pulpit for third-rate dictators and pariah states." . POL-Special-Election Republican victories in both special congressional elections Tuesday night either signal a major shift in the national electorate or are really no big deal. It all depends on who you talk to. . POL-Perry-Faith-Students Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry used his own religious path to issue a charge to the freshman class at Liberty University, asking them to put their trust in God. . POL-Ron-Paul-Healthcare Rep. Ron Paul was at the center of one of the most memorable moments of Monday night's "CNN-Tea Party Republican Debate" when a member of the audience shouted "Yeah!" in response to a question asking whether a critically ill person without health insurance should be left to die. . POL-New-York-Election-Jews Republicans jumped on the Democrats' Tuesday loss of the congressional seat given up by scandalized U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner as a sign of eroding Jewish support for President Barack Obama and his party. . POL-Election-Response-Congress House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer Wednesday said the Republican upset in the special election in New York shows voters are anxious about the economy, but he downplayed any fallout for President Obama and Congressional Democrats. . POL-Defense-Budget-Cuts More than 350,000 jobs are at stake if the Pentagon suffers hundreds of billions of dollars more in budget cuts, a major defense industry trade association claimed Wednesday. . POL-Poll-Obama-California Fewer than half of California voters approve of President Barack Obama's performance as president, according to a survey released Wednesday. The Field Poll showed Obama with an approval rating below 50 percent for the first time since assuming office. Forty-six percent of Golden State voters said they supported the president, while 44 percent did not. . POL-Fundraising-RNC-DNC The Republican National Committee raised over $8 million in August, the highest amount the group has raised in an August of a non-election year and reportedly more than $2 million more than their Democratic counterparts. . UNITED STATES . Michigan-AbdulMutallab-Trial By Laura Dolan A Nigerian man accused of trying to detonate an explosive device in his underwear aboard a Christmas 2009 flight to Detroit said, "Osama's alive," according to a court official who was in the courtroom. Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab is representing himself in the trial in the U.S. District Court Eastern District of Michigan, expected to begin October 11. . Alabama-Holloway-Petition The father of long-missing Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway has asked a court to declare her dead, a move the girl's mother says came as a surprise. . Kentucky-Amish-Sentence By Kim Hutcherson A group of Kentucky Amish men say they would prefer to do jail time rather than violate their religious beliefs, which they say forbids the placement of bright orange safety triangles on the backs of their buggies. . Washington-Teachers-Strike By Patrick Oppmann A Washington state court judge Wednesday ordered striking teachers in Tacoma to halt the protest that has kept some 28,000 children from the classroom. Schools were scheduled to open Thursday. . TRAVEL-Virginia-Plane-Evacuated An engine problem forced passengers to evacuate a United Airlines flight on emergency slides at Dulles International Airport Wednesday, officials said. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was on the flight, a court spokeswoman said. . Anthony-Parents-Interview Casey Anthony's acquittal on murder charges was a sign from God that her daughter Caylee's death was an accident, Cindy Anthony said in a television interview aired Wednesday. . California-Father-Tour-Boat By Michael Martinez A southern California man who attracted widespread attention for allegedly throwing his 7-year-old son overboard in a busy harbor during a tourist cruise was charged Wednesday with felony child abuse and endangerment as well as misdemeanor resisting an officer, the Orange County District Attorney's office said. . Arizona-Sweat-Lodge-Deaths An Arizona judge on Wednesday refused to grant a new trial for self-help guru James Arthur Ray in the deaths of three participants in a 2009 sweat lodge ritual. . Georgia-McDonalds-Deaths An 80-year-old woman who died after being found unconscious in a restroom at an eastern Georgia McDonald's was killed by a lethal dose of carbon dioxide, authorities said Wednesday. . New-York-Meteorologist-Guilty-Plea A former on-air meteorologist for New York's WABC-TV has pleaded guilty to charges of filing a phony attempted sexual assault report, a story she later recanted. Heidi Jones pleaded guilty to two misdemeanor counts of false reporting in the third degree, her attorney, Paul Callan, said Wednesday. . ENT-Missing-Housewife By Alan Duke "Real Housewives of D.C." star Michaele Salahi hit the road with Journey guitarist Neal Schon and was not kidnapped as her husband suspected, according to a representative with Schon's management company. . US-Lucky-Turtle By John Zarrella She was named Sara, after the daughter of the man who found her, and she got to go home Wednesday. For her, home is the waters of the Florida Keys, a place no one expected she'd ever return to. Sara is a 115-pound federally protected loggerhead sea turtle who, if not for sheer luck, would be dead today. . BUSINESS . MONEY-Google-Motorola Almost immediately after Google lost the bidding for a package of Nortel patents that the search giant dearly wanted, it moved on to Plan B and contacted Motorola to see what it had for sale. Less than six weeks later, Google's blockbuster acquisition came together -- but only after Google raised its purchase price. Twice. . MONEY-Solyndra-Solar Until recently, few outside the solar power industry had even heard of Solyndra Inc. Now the company's bankruptcy has become a case study on an issue likely to gain increasing attention: Should the government be investing taxpayer dollars in promising -- but risky -- startup companies? The issue was on full display Wednesday at a congressional hearing. . MONEY-Verizon-Prepaid-Wireless Verizon Wireless is launching its first prepaid unlimited phone plan on Thursday, with voice calls, text messaging and Web access for $50 a month. . FEATURES, ANALYSIS and COMMENTARY . COMMENTARY-Muasher-Arab-Spring Moammar Gadhafi's exit from Libya is a reminder that the Arab awakening will not just fizzle out, despite what some observers are saying. Recently, commentators pointed to the public cheers heard in Egypt as the army pushed protesters out of Tahrir Square as a signal that the uprisings were petering out and the hope of the Arab Spring would soon be lost. The doomsayers were wrong. . COMMENTARY-My-Take-Job-Talk Rick Perry's Wednesday visit to Liberty University marks only the latest effort by the Texas governor to reach the White House by confessing his faith. Even in an election cycle dominated by economic concerns, Perry and several of his Republican presidential opponents have spent the last few months trying to out-God-talk one another in hopes of attaining salvation at the ballot box. . MED-Diana-Nyad-Xtreme-Dream For over a year, CNN producers Jennifer Hyde and Matt Sloane followed Nyad's tenacious pursuit of the XTREME DREAM. In the pre- dawn moments before Diana's boats arrived in Key West on August 9, Hyde had a special perspective on the scene, the emotions, the lessons learned and the meaning of the effort. . ENT-Michelle-Williams-Vogue Michelle Williams does her best Marilyn Monroe for the October issue of Vogue, and the 31-year-old actress says preparing to portray the Hollywood icon "felt like being reborn." But first, she had to get over her fears. . TECH-Google-Plus-Sign-Language A video-chat feature called Hangouts is one thing that sets Google+ apart from Facebook and Twitter. When lots of people are chatting together in a Hangout, only one person "has the floor" at a time -- and you can tell who this person is because their video feed is by far the largest on your computer screen. Until recently, Google's computers used microphone volume to determine who got to be in control of the conversation. So the person yelling the loudest got control of the virtual chat. . ENT-Franco-Yarn-Art James Franco is a man who loves his fans: The actor bought a yarn rendition of himself crafted by a 13-year-old girl with a blog called James Franco Forever, reports Canada's CTV News. Macy Armstrong showed up at the Toronto International Film Festival in a T-shirt featuring Franco's face. Armstrong arrived to see the actor with her homemade art, including the yarn portrait of Franco. . TRAVEL-Express-Security-Lane Call it a security version of the speedy supermarket checkout. Passengers traveling with one carry-on item now have the option of going through an express security lane at Pittsburgh International Airport. . (c) 2011 ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved. |