The California wildfires are still dominating the attention of contributors to NowPublic, the "crowd-powered media" site The Associated Press is working with to selectively incorporate citizen journalism -– especially photos and video -– into its news report.
Listen to this audio clip
to hear the latest from NowPublic's Brian Kennedy -- and to learn about a punk rock street fair in Mexico.
-- Eric Carvin
(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
A lot of the top images AP International Photo Editor Michael Feldman highlighted at this morning's AP global news meeting came from Southern California, where several devastating wildfires continue to burn. The photo above comes from the Malibu Hills; because of an extended exposure, embers blown in the wind appear as streaks at the bottom of the image.
Below, a helicopter scoops water from a golf course in Valencia, Calif., for use in the firefighting efforts.
(AP Photo/Kevork Djansezian)
See below for more of Feldman's top-photo picks.
-- Eric Carvin
(AP Photo/Chris Park)
Straight from the AP wires:
Calif. wind-fueled fires force mass evacuations
Heavy rains flood parts of New Orleans
Czech government favors hosting U.S. missile defense
Ahmadinejad criticized over nuclear envoy
Marie Osmond faints onstage during "Dancing with the Stars"
PHOTO: People who were recently evacuated from their homes during the San Diego wildfires try to get some sleep while others arrive and set up camp at Qualcomm Stadium on Monday.
-- Jaime Holguin
(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
News on the war front ...
A government review panel says there needs to be some type of unified control over private security guards in Iraq. The recommendation to the State Department would add at least one layer of oversight of contractors like Blackwater USA. AP reporter Anne Gearan has the full write-up here.
That Bush photo above is from the president's announcement today that he wants another $46 billion from Congress to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Details are in Andrew Taylor's AP story.
Finally, there was a new bin Laden message today. It's an audio tape where he scolds al-Qaida in Iraq followers -- saying they've "been lax" for failing to unite. AP reporter Kim Gamel covers the story from Baghdad.
--Ryan Pearson
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
This dramatic image from a wildfire near Irvine, Calif., was one of a handful of images highlighted by AP International Photo Editor Michael Feldman at this morning's AP global news meeting.
Feldman also showed this photo, one of several shot by the AP at a protest in Washington by anti-war, justice and environmental groups.
(AP Photo/Caleb Jones)
See below for more of Feldman's top-photo picks of the moment.
-- Eric Carvin
(AP Photo/Ibrahim Usta)
Turkey moved closer to a possible incursion into Iraq to target Kurdish insurgents hiding there, following an ambush attack Sunday that killed a dozen Turkish soldiers. Eight remain missing.
An AP Television News cameraman saw a convoy of 50 military vehicles, loaded with soldiers and weapons, heading toward the Iraq border. Tens of thousands of Turkish troops are already deployed in the border area.
The latest attack has outraged an already frustrated public, with nationalists staging demonstrations and opposition leaders calling for an immediate strike against rebel bases in Iraq, despite appeals for restraint from Iraq, the U.S. and European leaders.
For the latest developments, check out this story by AP's Volkan Sarisakal.
-- Jaime Holguin
(AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
Straight from the AP wires:
Wildfires rage in Southern California
Turkey: Troops missing after Kurdish rebel ambush
NASA won't disclose air safety survey
GOP rivals argue who's most conservative
Lawyer: Spears regains child visitation rights
-- Jaime Holguin
(AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev,Pool)
Did they have to hitch a ride home?
A Russian spacecraft landed more than 200 miles off course. The Soyuz craft did arrive safely, bringing two Russian cosmonauts and Malaysia's first space traveler back to Earth. AP correspondent Vladimir Isachenkov reports a computer glitch caused the craft to miss its mark west of its designated site near Arkalyk, Kazakhstan. The crew returned a minute ahead of schedule.
Russian astronauts Fyodor Yurchikhin and Oleg Kotov were returning home after a six-month stay at the international space station. Malaysian Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor was there since Oct. 12.
-- Howie Rumberg
(AP Photo/Hadi Mizban)
U.S. forces targeted militants in Sadr City, killing 49 in a raid backed by airstrikes.
The killings took place in three separate skirmishes as U.S. forces sought a suspected rogue Shiite militia leader specializing in kidnapping operations. AP correspondent Sinan Salaheddin, reporting from Baghdad, said the raids show that the U.S. forces will not let up on catching suspected Shiite militants despite the risk of offending Shiite-led government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.
In the north, separatist Kurdish rebels ambushed a military unit near Turkey's border with Iraq, killing at least 12 soldiers. Turkey has threatened to take military action against the rebels if the U.S. -led coalition does not.
-- Howie Rumberg
