• Judge: Let Chinese Muslims from Guantanamo into US 10/7/2008, 2:49 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ordered the Bush administration Tuesday to immediately free 17 Chinese Muslims from Guantanamo Bay into the United States, rebuking the government in a landmark decision that could set the stage for the release of dozens other prisoners in Cuba.

• Judge orders release of Chinese Muslims into US 10/7/2008, 2:49 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal judge ordered the Bush administration Tuesday to immediately free 17 Chinese Muslims from Guantanamo Bay into the United States, rebuking the government in a landmark decision that could set the stage for the release of dozens other prisoners in Cuba.

• Trailing Obama, McCain hopes to gain in debate 10/7/2008, 2:48 p.m. EDT
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Leading in the polls, Barack Obama hopes to cement his standing while John McCain is trying to turn his fortunes around in their second presidential debate — with economic turmoil bordering on chaos suddenly serving as the backdrop.

• Bush talks with European leaders on crisis 10/7/2008, 2:41 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Bush sought to assure Americans on Tuesday that the economy will eventually recover from the global financial crisis but he cautioned that it's going to take time and won't be easy. "Right now we're in tough, tough times. No question about it," he said.

• Iraq's FM: 'Bold' decisions needed on bases deal 10/7/2008, 2:38 p.m. EDT
BAGHDAD (AP) — The Iraqi foreign minister said Tuesday it will require "bold political decisions" to resolve the major issue standing in the way of a deal allowing American troops to remain here next year — who would try U.S. troops accused of crimes.

• Tropical Storm Marco hits Mexico's Gulf coast 10/7/2008, 2:37 p.m. EDT
VERACRUZ, Mexico (AP) — Tropical Storm Marco roared ashore on Mexico's Gulf coast with near-hurricane force winds on Tuesday, prompting a shutdown of some oil platforms.

• McCain linked to group in Iran-Contra affair 10/7/2008, 2:30 p.m. EDT
WASHINGTON (AP) — Barack Obama has his William Ayers connection. Now John McCain may have an Iran-Contra connection. In the 1980s, McCain served on the advisory board to the U.S. chapter of an international group linked to ultra-right-wing death squads in Central America.

• Ill. governor: Convicted pal Rezko must tell truth 10/7/2008, 2:25 p.m. EDT
CHICAGO (AP) — Governor Rod Blagojevich is calling on Tony Rezko to tell the truth, the day after federal prosecutors indicated that the convicted fundraiser might be cooperating with them.

• Palin pledges of Alaska sunshine marred by secrets 10/7/2008, 2:19 p.m. EDT
(AP) — Sarah Palin's promise for a new era of government openness as the reform governor of Alaska started to crack even before Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign built a wall of protectiveness around her.

• Pa. widow sues US over Iraq vet-husband's suicide 10/7/2008, 2:17 p.m. EDT
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The widow of a 23-year-old Iraq war veteran from Pennsylvania is suing the U.S. government over her husband's suicide.

• Protesters clash with police in Thailand, 1 dead 10/7/2008, 2:15 p.m. EDT
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — Thai protesters demanding the government resign set fire to cars and threw bottles and metal barricades at police, who used tear gas to break through their blockade around Parliament Tuesday. At least one person was killed and more 350 were injured.

• Austria: Asylum seekers' facility under scrutiny 10/7/2008, 2:15 p.m. EDT
VIENNA, Austria (AP) — Human rights experts on Tuesday expressed concern about a special facility holding suspected criminal asylum seekers in the mountains of southern Austria.

• Kenya deports US author of anti-Obama book 10/7/2008, 2:15 p.m. EDT
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — The American author of a controversial book accusing Barack Obama of seething with "black rage" and of being unfit for the U.S. presidency was kicked out of Kenya on Tuesday.

• Romanian minister fired after wedding copter ride 10/7/2008, 2:15 p.m. EDT
BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — A Romanian Cabinet minister was fired Tuesday after he used a government helicopter to make it to his wedding on time.

• Slain girl's mom testifies at husband's trial 10/7/2008, 1:59 p.m. EDT
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The mother of a 3-year-old girl whose headless body was unidentified for nearly four years testified Tuesday that she watched her then-boyfriend kick her daughter in the head and helped him dump her body.

• China suggests Nobel should not go to activist 10/7/2008, 1:54 p.m. EDT
BEIJING (AP) — China's foreign ministry suggested Tuesday that it hopes Chinese human rights activists will not win this year's Nobel Peace Prize, saying the award should go to the "right people."

• Police: Pa. teen plotted to bomb sleeping family 10/7/2008, 1:50 p.m. EDT
PITTSBURGH (AP) — A suburban Pittsburgh teenager is accused of trying to kill his sleeping family by placing homemade chlorine bombs in their beds.

• Turkish jets bomb Kurdish targets in Iraq, Turkey 10/7/2008, 1:46 p.m. EDT
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish warplanes bombed suspected Kurdish rebel positions in northern Iraq and southeast Turkey early Tuesday in retaliation for an attack that killed 17 soldiers, the Turkish military said.

• Israeli PM gets no promises on Russian arms sales 10/7/2008, 1:45 p.m. EDT
MOSCOW (AP) — Israel's prime minister said Tuesday he received assurances that Russia would not allow Israel's security to be threatened, but offered no indication he won the concrete promises he sought on Russian arms sales or sanctions on Iran.

• Official links Mexican drug gangs, Colombia rebels 10/7/2008, 1:45 p.m. EDT
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's powerful drug cartels are buying drugs directly from Colombia's main rebel group, a senior Colombian defense official said Tuesday at a hemispheric meeting on crime.

• Hummus war looms between Lebanon and Israel 10/7/2008, 1:42 p.m. EDT
BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) — The latest conflict simmering between Lebanon and Israel is all about food: Lebanese businessmen accusing Israel of stealing traditional Middle Eastern dishes like hummus.

• Chinese lawyers face pressure to drop milk cases 10/7/2008, 1:41 p.m. EDT
BEIJING (AP) — Lawyers advising the families of children sickened in China's tainted milk scandal said Tuesday they are facing growing official pressure to withdraw from the cases.

• Bus driver in fatal California crash investigated 10/7/2008, 1:41 p.m. EDT
WILLIAMS, Calif. (AP) — Quintin Watts had a lengthy criminal record, a history of substance abuse and a string of motor vehicle offenses. Even his mother says he wasn't a good driver.

• ACORN office in Vegas raided in voter-fraud probe 10/7/2008, 1:30 p.m. EDT
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Nevada state authorities are raiding the Las Vegas headquarters of an organization that works to get low-income people to vote.

• Iran says it forced down Western plane 10/7/2008, 1:26 p.m. EDT
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian news reports claimed Tuesday that Iran forced down a Western aircraft that accidentally entered its airspace, then allowed the plane to continue to Afghanistan after questioning its passengers.