Gates narrows who can OK discharges under 'don't ask, don't tell'

Washington (CNN) -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates has raised the level at which gay and lesbian troops can be discharged under the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, ordering that it only be done by the secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force, a senior Defense Department attorney said Thursday.

In addition, the senior defense attorney hinted that the Pentagon is preparing for the possibility that the policy banning openly homosexual soldiers could change through the U.S. courts.

"We are planning for multiple scenarios," said the attorney, who spoke on condition of not being identified by name.

The move comes a day after a federal appeals panel temporarily stopped a lower court injunction that prohibited the military from enforcing "don't ask, don't tell." The appellate panel indicated it would fully consider the case as soon as next week, but it was unclear when the legal proceedings involving a court challenge to the policy would be completed.

In a memo written to the heads of all the military services, Gates said his action was taken in direct response to the legal uncertainty that currently exists surrounding "don't ask, don't tell" law and policy, including last week's injunction and the subsequent temporary stay Wednesday by the 9th Circuit panel.

"Effective immediately and until further notice, no military member shall be separated ... without the personal approval of the secretary of the military department concerned, in coordination with the under secretary of Defense for personnel and readiness and the general counsel of the Defense Department. These functions may not be delegated," Gates wrote.

CNN

Jury awards $18.5 million to man cleared by DNA

New York (CNN) -- A man who spent nearly 22 years in prison for a crime he did not commit was awarded $18.5 million by a federal jury.

Alan Newton, 49, was cleared by DNA evidence and released in 2006 from prison, where he was serving time for the rape and assault of a woman at a Bronx convenience store in 1984.

Newton started petitioning New York courts in 1994 to test the evidence for his DNA, but it took about 11 years and four formal filings and requests before authorities were able to find the rape kit, Newton's attorney, John Schutty, told CNN Thursday.

Newton, who received a 40-year-sentence in 1985, told CNN affiliate NY1 that he feels vindicated by Tuesday's decision.

"This says from a jury of my peers that we felt the system was wrong and we want to compensate you and we're also sending a message to the city," Newton said Wednesday.

"If you have DNA, you have the magic ability to prove right and wrong," Schutty said.

New York City's Law Department said it was "disappointed" in the Manhattan verdict and plans an appeal.

The Innocent Project took on Newton's case. Its website says Newton had an alibi and the actual perpetrator has not been apprehended.

CNN

Two U.S. air marshals flee Brazil after being charged with assault

Washington (CNN) -- Two U.S. air marshals who arrested the wife of a Brazilian judge on a flight to Rio de Janeiro -- and were themselves arrested and had their passports confiscated by Brazilian authorities -- fled the country using alternate travel documents rather than face what they believed to be trumped-up charges, sources said.

The incident has impacted air marshal operations on flights to Brazil, officials said, and air marshals contacted by CNN said the case raises questions about Brazil's willingness to support future law enforcement actions by U.S. officials on international flights.

The incident occurred on October 1 on Continental Flight 128 from Houston, Texas, to Rio de Janeiro. During the flight, a female passenger who appeared to be intoxicated tried to serve herself drinks by going to the plane's galley, one source said. The plane's crew asked air marshals to intervene, and two marshals approached the woman, who began struggling with them.

Two sources said the woman bit one of the air marshals, and she was handcuffed and placed under arrest.

At the Rio airport, the air marshals went to turn over the woman to local authorities but were themselves brought before a federal judge and charged with misdemeanor counts of assault, sources said. Brazilian authorities took the air marshals' passports, so they could not leave the country and set a court hearing for the following week, sources said.

"They (Brazilian officials) did not want them to leave. They were not free to go," one U.S. law enforcement source said.

But the air marshals used alternate travel documents and quietly departed the country on a commercial flight that same day without the knowledge of the Brazilian court officials who had sought their detention.

One source said the air marshals believed the charges against them were retaliatory because the passenger they arrested is the wife of a prominent Brazilian judge. The air marshals believed it was to their benefit to leave the country and let the U.S. and Brazilian governments resolve the dispute, the source said.

The air marshals had not recovered their passports when they left, the sources said.

A Transportation Security Administration official, contacted by CNN on the day of the incident, confirmed that air marshals had confronted a "disruptive passenger" on Flight 128, and said that U.S. officials were working with their Brazilian counterparts to resolve "an issue," which the official declined to discuss.

CNN

Authorities go after 61 alleged drug suppliers in California

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Federal authorities boasted that they practically dismantled an entire drug trafficking network in the Los Angeles area after a three-year, multi-agency investigation that resulted in dozens of arrests Thursday.

More than 800 federal and local agents took part in the massive take-down, which came after a federal grand jury returned six indictments that name a total of 61 defendants.

The targets of the operation, known as "Red Rein," were major methamphetamine and cocaine suppliers to street gangs based in Los Angeles, Long Beach and La Puente, the United States Attorney's Office for the Central District of California said.

Of the targets, five were already in prison and 35 were arrested Thursday. The remaining 21 defendants are still being sought, the U.S. Attorney''s office said.

In addition to the arrests, the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office filed a lawsuit to shut down drug trafficking activities at a "notorious" hotel used by a gang.

The defendants are accused of trafficking large quantities of cocaine and meth that were resold by various area gangs, the office said.

The 61 face charges including conspiracy to distribute meth and cocaine, and firearms violations.

Officers and agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and LAPD were part of the investigative effort.

CNN

Canadian military commander gets life for killing two women

Ottawa, Ontario (CNN) -- Highly decorated Canadian military commander Col. Russell Williams was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences Thursday for the murders of two women, several sexual assaults and dozens of so-called fetish burglaries.

Williams, 47, will serve a minimum of 25 years before being eligible for parole. Justice Robert Scott called the crimes "depraved" and described Williams as a sick and dangerous man.

The double life of the colonel has shocked even his closest friends and family. A sobbing Williams addressed the court on Thursday to apologize.

"I have committed despicable crimes ... betraying my family, my friends and colleagues and the Canadian Forces. I shall spend the rest of my life regretting that I have ended two vibrant, innocent and cherished lives". Williams said in a slow speech as he sobbed.

Williams told the victims' families he pleaded guilty to spare them more pain and suffering.

For three days, the Ontario courtroom heard prosecutors present evidence that included the dying pleas of the two slain women. Williams methodically saved and catalogued hundreds of photos, videos and hundreds of pieces of lingerie as "trophies" of his crimes, prosecutors said.

In sentencing Williams, the judge said Williams may best be described as Canada's bright shining lie. The colonel held some of the most sensitive and powerful positions in Canada's air force, including piloting Queen Elizabeth II across Canada during one of her official visits.

His double life apparently shocked even his wife, Mary-Elizabeth Harriman, who stated in court documents that she has been devastated by his crimes. Williams was arrested in February after being pulled over at a police roadblock near the home of 27-year-old Jessica Lloyd, one of his victims. The other slain woman was Marie France Comeau, 37.

CNN

Tajik forces kill two Islamic militants

Dushanbe, Tajikistan (CNN) -- The first female member of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan was killed Thursday by Tajik security forces, authorities said.

Mukhtasar Miromonova and another militant, Naseem Akramov, were found in a house in a village in the Isfara district, the National Security Committee said.

"The aforesaid individuals resisted the police and were killed in a clash," the committee said, according to the Russian news agency Interfax.

Authorities said the pair have been involved in terrorism operations in the Central Asian country.

A search of the house yielded two Kalashnikov assault rifles, a Makarov pistol, a grenade and more than 200 rounds of ammunition and other ordnance, officials said. Other equipment was found in the home of Miromonova's father, officials said.

According to Interfax, Tajikistan, which borders Afghanistan, has blamed the Islamic movement for a September 3 explosion at a security office. Three police officers were killed in the blast and 28 others suffered injuries.

Miromonova was the widow of Rasul Okhunov, a leader in the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, who was killed during an operation in Kyrgyzstan in 2006.

The Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, set up in Afghanistan in 1996, wants all secular governments in Central Asia to be toppled in order to become Islamic states, according to Interfax.

CNN

Three California hikers found, but two more missing

(CNN) -- Three experienced hikers were rescued from California's Mount Whitney, but a father and son in a separate group are missing, the National Park Service said.

Battling heavy snow, rescue personnel and a California National Guard helicopter reached the three men around noon (3 p.m. ET) Thursday.

The men were part of a group of 10 hikers who set out on their journey up the mountain on Monday.

About 45 people looked for the three hikers -- Phillip Michael Abraham, 34; Dale Clymens, 45, and Stevan James Filips, 45 -- the National Park Service said in a statement.

All three were able to walk and move during a general health assessment.

Two other hikers on a 36-mile cross-country loop were supposed to return Tuesday.

They are Sinh Baghsohi, 27, and his father, whose first name is unknown, park officials said. Both men are originally from Iran, but their current residences are not known. The younger Baghsohi is 6 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs about 287 pounds. His father is 6 feet tall and weighs 180 pounds.

CNN

French unions call for more protests

Paris, France (CNN) -- French unions called Thursday for two more days of protests against government plans to raise the retirement age, as lawmakers cut through red tape to try to make the proposal law within days.

Six major unions called for nationwide demonstrations on October 28 and November 6, saying that protests so far show the people are ready to dig in for the long haul.

More than a million people have turned out to protest against the proposal to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62, a move the government says is necessary to save money.

The French Senate adopted new rules Thursday to speed up voting on the controversial pension reform bill. They now could pass their version as soon as Friday, meaning a final version could be sent to the president as soon as early next week.

Thousands of people demonstrated in central Paris on Thursday while the senators were voting.

Lawmakers, trying to wade through more than 1,000 amendments -- many put up by opposition senators to try to derail the bill -- will group them together rather than voting on each one, Labor Minister Eric Woerth announced.

He said debate on the bill had gone on longer than on any other bill since the Fifth Republic came into existence in 1958.

CNN

Driver says he did not see American activist

Jerusalem (CNN) -- From behind a wood and plastic partition, the Israeli soldier who drove a bulldozer that crushed an American peace activist to death testified publicly for the first time Thursday.

Rachel Corrie was killed seven years ago. But the driver's identity has never been revealed and he was not charged after a month-long Israeli investigation found that no Israeli soldier was to blame.

Her parents have searched for answers in their daughter's killing. Was it intentional? Who was accountable? On Thursday, they finally heard from the man who was responsible.

He acknowledged he was driving the bulldozer, according to Stacy Sullivan, spokeswoman for the Corrie family who was in the Haifa courtroom. He said he was aware there were protesters in the area -- he had been ordered to work carefully.

He said over and over again that he did not see Rachel Corrie before he struck her; that there was a pile of rubble impeding his vision.

He showed no remorse, Sullivan said.

The soldier, who was born in the Soviet Union and arrived in Israel in 1995, was testifying in a civil suit filed by Corrie's parents against the Israeli Ministry of Defense. Corrie's parents cannot take him to court because the Israeli Supreme Court has upheld a decision to shield him.

CNN

California mall ablaze after man sets fire, barricades self in store

(CNN) -- Thick black smoke and flames were shooting out of the roof of a California shopping mall Thursday afternoon, hours after a man started the fire and barricaded himself inside a video game store. He was later arrested.

The man entered the Westfield Galleria at Roseville "speaking incoherently" in the late morning, police said. He claimed he had a handgun and then set the fire.

Police and fire crews converged on the scene, and several police officers led a suspect out in handcuffs shortly after 1 p.m. Authorities believe he may have been involved in an arson the night before, Sacramento fire officials told CNN affiliate KXTV.

Roseville police identified the suspect as Alexander C. Pigee, 23. He was taken to Placer County Jail.

The mall, about 18 miles northwest of Sacramento, was evacuated during the incident, and it remained closed after the suspect was taken away. Law enforcement officers were checking for a backpack that authorities feared might contain an explosive device.

Officers were getting close to determining the bag's contents when the nearby fire got too big, forcing them to abandon their operation, CNN affiliate KMAX reported.

CNN

Strong earthquake hits Mexico

(CNN) -- A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck Mexico's Gulf of California on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The quake, which registered at a depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers), was centered between southern Baja California and the Mexican state of Sinaloa, about 65 miles from the city of Los Mochis in Sinaloa, the USGS said.

There were no immediate reports of major damage, though residents in the area were shaken up.

Frightened people streamed out of their buildings, local journalist Julio Cesar Martinez told CNN en Español.

Schools in the area let out for the day, he said.

"It was very strong," Los Mochis fire department Cmdr. Victor Manuel Ledezma said. Weaker earthquakes had been felt in the area in the past few days, he said.

The fire department had not received any calls for emergencies in the immediate aftermath of the quake, he said.

CNN

Stalemate at Manchester United after Rooney talks

(CNN) -- Wayne Rooney's future at Manchester United remained unclear Thursday after the English Premier League giants held a series of meetings to resolve the crisis.

Manager Alex Ferguson had talks with the club's chief executive David Gill and Rooney's representatives, a day after the England striker repeated his intention to leave United.

But after the discussion, United could only issue a holding statement, urging their fans to be patient.

The club said: "We are aware that there is intense public and media interest on the club at the moment, but there are no developments of note to report today.

"A number of meetings have taken place today, including with the player's representative. The outcome of those meetings will become clear in the near future.

CNN

Fatal U.S. teen vehicle crashes down

ATLANTA, Oct. 21 (UPI) -- The number of U.S. teen drivers killed in a fatal crash dropped by one-third from 2004 to 2008, due to graduated driver licensing, officials say.

A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, published in Thursday's CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, says the number of 16- and 17-year-old drivers involved in fatal crashes decreased by 36 percent -- from 2,230 in 2004 to 1,437 in 2008 with two-thirds of the fatalities involving male teens.

Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, director of the CDC, says vehicle crashes are still the leading cause of death for U.S. teens though most are preventable, but the graduated driver licensing programs -- which limit driving at night and while transporting other teen passengers -- are widely credited with contributing to the reduction in fatal teen vehicle crashes.

The rates of teen drivers involved in fatal crashes varied widely among states ranging from 9.7 per 100,000 in New York and New Jersey to 59.6 per 100,000 in Wyoming.

Of the 11,019 people who died in crashes involving 16- and 17-year-old drivers, 37 percent were the young drivers themselves, 31 percent were passengers of young drivers, 18 percent were drivers of other vehicles and 7 percent were passengers of the other drivers. An additional 7 percent involved bicyclists or pedestrians.

UPI

Amazon profits boosted by Kindle

The online retailer, Amazon, has reported a 16% rise in third-quarter profit, as its Kindle e-book reader continues to bolster sales.

Amazon made a net profit of $231m (£147m) in the three months to September, up from the $199m it made in the same period a year earlier.

Revenues rose 39% to $7.56bn.

But the firm also said that its total operating expenses rose more than 40% to $7.29bn, sending its shares down 5% in after-hours trading.

The Kindle launched in the US in 2007. Since going on sale in other countries, including the UK, in 2009, it has become Amazon's fastest-selling and best-selling item.

Revenue from Amazon's largest sales category - electronics and other general merchandise, which includes the Kindle - shot up 68% to $3.97bn.

Revenue from books, CDs, DVDs and other media grew by 14% to $3.35bn.

Looking ahead, Amazon said it expected sales in the last three months of the year to be between $12bn and $13.3bn, representing growth of between 26% and 40%.

Mike Koskuba, an analyst at Victory Capital Management, said he was confident the retailer would continue to perform well.

BBC News