The Obama administration is in the process of establishing new procedures that could allow prisoners to challenge their detentions at a U.S. facility in Afghanistan, according to Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman. For the first time at the Bagram Air Base detention facility, detainees will be given representatives who will help them prepare their cases. Under the new policy, which was decided in July, a first review of a detainee's status will come within 60 days of detention, Whitman explained. ...

Helicopters attacked a car and its occupants Monday in the southeastern town of Barawe, Somalia, several witnesses said. Teams at a Connecticut State Police lab worked through the weekend processing and examining the clothes, which were found hidden above tiles in a drop ceiling. Lt. Paul Vance, a State Police spokesman, said results could be available as early as Monday. The remains of a woman were found Sunday inside a basement wall in the medical research building. Le, a 24-year-old ...

The British government has not dropped the case of a British police officer who was shot dead outside the Libyan embassy in London 25 years ago, the Foreign Office insisted Sunday. Prime Minister Gordon Brown raised the killing of Yvonne Fletcher with Libya's leader, Moammar Gadhafi, as recently as July, when he visited Tripoli, a Foreign Office spokesman said. "It is vital that the investigation is allowed to resume by the Libyans. The Fletcher family deserves answers. We continue to ...

Defense Secretary Robert Gates is expected to approve sending thousands of additional forces to Afghanistan to deal with the growing threat from roadside bombs, Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said Friday. Over the past two weeks, Gates has concluded that there are not enough forces or equipment in Afghanistan to protect U.S. troops from the threat of roadside bombs, Morrell said. The secretary, he said, wants to send these forces "as soon as possible." Morrell said the deployment would be separate ...

An online news organization has published what it said is a copy of Iran's proposals to the United Nations which were supposed to address international concerns about its nuclear program. This week, Iran distributed its proposals to the diplomatic representatives of the U.N. Security Council's five permanent members, plus Germany. The proposals have not been released to the public and CNN cannot independently verify that the five-page document on ProPublica.org is the actual proposal submitted to the U.N. ProPublica.org describes ...

Rescue operations unfolded at a mine in eastern China on Wednesday, a day after a gas explosion killed at least 37 people and left dozens missing, state-run media reported. Search teams were looking for 42 miners who remain trapped after Tuesday's accident, the Xinhua news agency reported, citing a spokesman for the Henan Provincial Bureau of Work Safety. Two government officials were dismissed after the explosion, Xinhua reported. Vice Premier Zhang Dejiang headed a delegation from Beijing to the site. ...

After months of criticism that he has failed to outline a specific health care reform plan, President Obama will address a joint session of Congress on Wednesday night in a speech aides say will be to the point. At stake for the president: getting Democratic factions on board with his plan and convincing Americans of the need for health care reform. "He's going into full campaign mode" with this speech, said Gloria Borger, CNN senior political analyst. Some have even ...

Tens of thousands of commuters who usually cross the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge each day were forced to come up with alternative plans for Tuesday as officials announced that work on the bridge would not be completed by morning. "We're going to need your patience for one more day," Randy Iwasaki, director of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) said Monday evening. Iwasaki said the "bad news" is the work would not be completed by 5 a.m. Tuesday as expected, ...

Brian Milligan Sr. believes his son's race triggered a brutal attack on the streets of Buffalo, New York. Armed with a chunk of concrete, several assailants beat Brian Milligan Jr. on the back of the head on August 18, leaving a 3-inch gash. They kicked him in the face, breaking his jaw. Bloodied and bruised, the 18-year-old managed to walk five blocks to his grandmother's house before being rushed to the hospital. Milligan's father believes several African-Americans beat his son, ...

The Canadian government hopes to overturn a decision granting refugee status to a white South African who says he would face persecution at home, a spokesman for Canada's immigration minister said Friday.