GWEN IFILL: Good evening. I'm Gwen Ifill. Jim Lehrer is off.
On the NewsHour tonight: the news of this Wednesday; then, the latest congressional action on rules for trying terrorists; a debate over the details of parts of the intelligence report released yesterday; Paul Solman explains the stock scandals embroiling a number of companies; a look at what lower gas prices and soaring stock tables mean for the economy; and a report from Judy Woodruff about the online neighborhoods MySpace and Facebook.
GWEN IFILL: Congress moved today to adopt new rules for interrogating and prosecuting terror suspects. The House approved the bill 253-168, and the Senate was expected to follow suit tonight or tomorrow.
The measure gives CIA interrogators greater latitude and legal protections. It also sets up military tribunals and gives detainees some additional rights. But it denies suspects the right to appeal their detentions in court. We'll have more on this story right after the news summary.
Democrats pushed today for the White House to release all of a classified intelligence report. Portions were declassified yesterday. One key finding said Iraq has become a "cause celebre" for jihadists, winning them new supporters.
Today, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Americans need to see the rest of the report.
SEN. HARRY REID (D-NV), Senate Minority Leader: Even though the White House released 10 percent of the report -- 10 percent -- 90 percent of it hasn't been given to the American people. But that report clearly says, as everyone knows, that Iraq has made us less safe.
GWEN IFILL: In response, White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said releasing the full document would compromise intelligence gathering. And he insisted the president is justified in saying the U.S. is winning the war on terror.
TONY SNOW, White House Press Secretary: The critical judgment here is Iraq has become for them the battleground. If they lose, they lose their bragging rights. They lose their ability to recruit, and that is why at this point -- the president has made the point over and over. He's not tried to say there are fewer. He has not tried to say they haven't been winning propaganda victories. What he has said is we've got a different kind of enemy, and we've kept America safe, and we'll continue to do it.
GWEN IFILL: Snow also denied claims by some Democrats that the administration is withholding a second assessment on Iraq until after the November elections. We'll have more on this story later in the program.
In Iraq today, the U.S. military announced the deaths of three more Americans in the west; that made 67 U.S. troops killed so far during September. More than 2,700 Americans have died in Iraq since the war began in 2003.
Also today, U.S. forces killed four suspected terrorists and four Iraqi civilians in a raid in Baquba. And in Baghdad, gunmen killed 10 Iraqis near a Sunni mosque during Ramadan evening prayers.
The U.S. House approved another $70 billion for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan last night. It also contains a Democratic provision against setting up permanent bases in Iraq. Once the Senate approves the bill, it will bring total spending for the war effort to more than $500 billion.
The United States offered today to put off seeking U.N. sanctions against Iran for a few weeks. State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said it's still possible Iran will agree to suspend nuclear work. He said, "There may be a little opening if we just give the Iranians a little time and space."
He spoke as the European Union's foreign minister, Javier Solana, met with Iran's nuclear negotiator, Ali Larijani, in Berlin. A German official said he was optimistic about progress.
Secretary of State Rice issued a new warning to Sudan today: End the killing in Darfur and accept U.N. peacekeepers. Last month, the U.N. agreed to send 20,000 peacekeepers into Darfur. The Sudanese government rejected the move. Today, in a Washington speech, Rice said it's time for Sudan to choose between cooperation and confrontation.
CONDOLEEZZA RICE, U.S. Secretary of State: This is now a real fork in the road. There is a chance -- everybody would like to have better relations with Sudan; everybody would like to see it a force for stability in the region.
It would make such a huge difference to the entire region if Sudan were to act responsibly. That route is open. But we're not going to sit by and allow this kind of death and destruction to continue, and we'll use whatever tools are necessary.
GWEN IFILL: Rice did not elaborate, but the United Nations has warned of possible sanctions. More than 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur in the last three years; another 2.5 million have been displaced.
California today became the first state to set limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the curbs into law in San Francisco. They affect utilities, refineries and factories. Schwarzenegger said it's a first step toward fighting global climate change.
The price of crude oil jumped 3 percent today, amid talk that OPEC will cut production. Oil gained nearly two dollars in New York trading to close just under $63 a barrel. The price has fallen sharply since July, when it peaked above $78 a barrel.
On Wall Street, the rise in oil today dampened the rally in stocks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average did gain more than 19 points to close at 11,689. The Nasdaq rose two points to close at 2,263.
