JIM LEHRER: The U.S. military reported today the troop surge in Iraq is making headway. The assessment came at a Senate confirmation hearing for Navy Admiral Michael Mullen. He's President Bush's nominee to be the next chairman of the Joints Chiefs of Staff.
Mullen said security in Iraq is better, although still "not great," but he warned the Iraqis' slow political progress could undermine any military gains. We'll have more on the story right after this news summary.
Secretary of State Rice and Defense Secretary Gates tried to reassure Arab allies today on Iraq. They opened a trip to the Middle East with a meeting in Egypt. Gates said Arab officials voiced concern a sudden U.S. pullout from Iraq would throw the region into chaos, but he said he's detected a shift in Washington even among advocates of a pullout.
ROBERT GATES, Secretary of Defense: I think that we are in a position to say that there is, I think, a growing body of opinion in Washington, wherever you are on the issue of withdrawal, that whatever we do next in Iraq needs to be done very carefully, very thoughtfully, and with a view to the long-term stability of the region.
JIM LEHRER: The secretaries did not win any fresh promises of financial aid for Iraq.
Another U.S. Marine was killed in Iraq on Monday; that announcement today raised July's toll to at least 74.
And on the political front, Prime Minister al-Maliki faced an apparent revolt within his own party. The Associated Press reported former Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari wants to oust Maliki for failing to gain national unity.
The U.S. Army formally censured a retired general today in the friendly fire death of Pat Tillman. The pro football star-turned-Army ranger was killed in Afghanistan in 2004. The Army initially said he died from enemy fire. Lieutenant General Philip Kensinger headed Army Special Operations at the time. The Army said today he was "guilty of deception." A special panel will decide whether he'll have his rank reduced.
Afghan police today recovered the body of a second South Korean hostage. The Taliban killed him yesterday and threatened to kill more of the 21 remaining captives. We have a report narrated by Jonathan Miller of Independent Television News.
JONATHAN MILLER, ITV News Correspondent: They found Shim Sung-min's body in a roadside clover field shortly after dawn, Afghan soldiers scuffing dust over blood-soaked earth. He's the second of the 23 South Korean Christian volunteers to die. The Taliban said they'd killed him because their demands that 23 insurgents be freed from Afghan jails had been ignored.
"We'll start to kill the others if we don't hear back by tomorrow at noon," they say, and clearly these aren't idle threats.
"Why did you kill my son?" Shim's mother's sobbing at Saemmul Church in Seoul. The second "sacrifice" -- as the South Korean foreign minister put it -- branded a "heinous" act. Public outrage growing now after initial questions over why a band of young Korean evangelicals had gone there in the first place. It's not looking good, although the Kabul government was trying to sound upbeat today.
HUMAYUN HAMIDZADA, Afghan Presidential Spokesman: And we are looking forward to a safe and secure release of the hostages. Of course, we do hope for a positive outcome. We cannot guarantee, but we do hope for a positive outcome.
JONATHAN MILLER: As Afghan security forces continue to search vehicles in vain in the lawless eastern Ghazni province, reports that negotiations are deadlocked now, no contacts since the second killing. President Hamid Karzai's ruled out bowing to Taliban demands.
JIM LEHRER: South Korea and relatives of the hostages appealed today for the United States for help.
The U.N. Security Council approved a new peacekeeping force for Darfur today, but it dropped any threat of new sanctions against Sudan. The U.N. force would include up to 26,000 troops. It would take over from a smaller African Union force later this year. Sudan agreed to the U.N. operation in April after long opposing it.
U.S. Senator Ted Stevens faced scrutiny today in a federal corruption probe in Alaska. On Monday, agents from the FBI and the IRS searched his home outside Anchorage. They took pictures and videotaped the house and its contents.
Stevens is the longest-serving Republican in Senate history. The investigation involves his ties to a contractor who's admitted bribing state legislators. The senator has denied wrongdoing. We'll have more on this story later in the program tonight.
The House overwhelmingly approved new ethics rules for Congress today. Among the key provisions: members would have to identify lobbyists who raise at least $15,000 from different donors in a six-month period; and senators would announce funds they earmark for special projects. The House has already made that change.
Democrats hailed the bill, while some Republicans complained it should have been stronger.
REP. JOHN CONYERS (D), Michigan: The American people want us to end the culture of corruption that has enveloped the legislative process. For far too long, Americans have seen business as usual, where time and time again special interests trump the public interest.
REP. PHIL GINGREY (R), Georgia: This reform is only about a fourth of what was brought to us in that first couple of weeks of the 110th as part of the six for '06, six promises that were made to the American people that, if you elect us, the Democrats, to a new majority, this is what we will deliver for you. And I will say again, Mr. Speaker, that this is a tremendous opportunity missed.
JIM LEHRER: The bill now goes to the Senate for final approval. Some conservative Republicans have threatened to delay action unless the earmark language is made tougher.
Chief Justice John Roberts left the hospital today after a seizure yesterday. He walked out of the Rockport, Maine, hospital unassisted. From there, he headed back to his summer home to resume his vacation. Doctors said they found no evidence of a tumor or stroke. Roberts had a similar seizure in 1993. We'll have more on this story later in the program tonight.
On Wall Street today, stocks tumbled again over troubles at a major mortgage firm and another surge in oil prices. In New York trading, oil gained more than one dollar to close above $78 a barrel for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average went the other way, losing 146 points to close just below 13,212. The Nasdaq fell 37 points to close at 2,546.
The Federal Communications Commission cleared the way today for a huge auction of public airwaves. The agency approved rules that include a so-called "open access" provision. It would let customers use any cell phone or wireless device they want, no matter which service they use. The auction could raise $10 billion to $15 billion in revenues for the federal government.
Media owner Rupert Murdoch was set to close the deal today on buying Dow Jones and Company. It would give him control of the Wall Street Journal and other holdings. The Journal reported owners of nearly 70 percent of the company's shares had voted for the deal. We'll have more on this story later in the program tonight.
General Motors reported another step forward today in its fight to regain financial health. The nation's largest auto maker made nearly $900 million in the second quarter, April through June. It was GM's third straight quarterly profit. The company still lost money in the North American market.
