Draft of U.N. Syria Resolution Released
INVESTIGATIONS
U.N./Syria
Russia Opposes UN Action on Syria
Moscow says it will block any UN effort to impose sanctions on Syria over the death of ex-Lebanese PM Rafik Hariri. (BBC)
Assad Says Accused Syrians May Face Trial
Letter Is First Substantive Response to U.N. Report Implicating Officials in Hariri Killing. (Washington Post)
UN Draft Calling on Syria to Detain Assassination Suspects
Full text of UN Security Council Resolution draft. (Financial Times)
U.K.
Bomber 'Filmed With Terror Suspect'
The suspected ringleader of the four London suicide bombers featured in a surveillance operation carried out by the intelligence services last year, it has been reported. (The Scotsman)
Morocco
Morocco Admits Shooting Migrants
Morocco has admitted its border guards shot dead four African migrants trying to enter the Spanish enclave of Melilla earlier this month. (BBC)
Iran
Iran Sheltering Bin Laden Sons and Al Qaeda Members: Report
Iran is providing refuge to around 25 leading members of the al Qaeda terror group including three of Osama bin Laden's sons, a German magazine reported on Wednesday. (AFP)
Bird Flu
Croatia Confirms Deadly Bird Flu in Swans
Presence of deadly H5N1 strain confirmed as EU health experts say it is safe to eat poultry products. (The Guardian)
Uzbekistan
Uzbeks Accused of Drugging Foe
The leader of an Uzbek opposition party who was arrested over the weekend was visited by his lawyer on Tuesday and found to be naked and in an incoherent state, the lawyer and the man's family said. His family said it feared the opposition leader had been drugged. (NY Times)
South Asia Earthquake
UN Raises Quake Aid Appeal
The United Nations has nearly doubled its appeal for aid for victims of the South Asia earthquake, as a leading charity accused wealthy nations of failing to respond to the disaster. (Al Jazeera)
LEGAL DEVELOPMENTS
U.S.
Prosecutor Winding Up CIA Leak Probe
Special Counsel Patrick Fitzgerald met Wednesday with the grand jury investigating the leak of a CIA officer's identity, putting the finishing touches on a two-year criminal probe that has ensnared two senior White House aides. (AP)
Germany
German Court Convicts "Zarqawi Team" For Bomb Plans
Four Arab men accused of planning to bomb Jewish targets in Germany on the orders of militant Islamist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi were found guilty on Wednesday at the end of a marathon trial. (Reuters)
IRAQ NEWS
Iraqi Sunni Parties Form Alliance
Three Iraqi Sunni parties have announced the formation of an alliance to contest upcoming legislative elections in December. (BBC)
Zarqawi Claims Kidnapping Of Moroccan Embassy Employees
Rabat is to send diplomatic mission to Baghdad to help search effort for Boualam, El Mouhafidi. (Middle East Online)
Iraqi Constitution Yes Vote Approved by UN
Voters adopt new constitution despite opposition in Sunni Arab areas. (The Guardian)
IEDs Cause Half of War Deaths
Powerful roadside bombs are accelerating the mounting U.S. death toll in Iraq. (Washington Post)
ANALYSIS & OPINION
Plamegate May Seem Arcane, but We All Have A Stake in The Outcome
This scandal offers an opportunity not only to discredit Bush, but the entire ideology used to justify the war in Iraq. (The Guardian)
Iraqi Foreign Fighters Seen as Small, But Deadly Force
As U.S. and Iraqi forces continue anti-insurgent operations in Iraq, a clearer picture is beginning to emerge of the foreign fighters who have slipped into the country to join the insurgency. Even though these foreign combatants are believed to be relatively few in number, they are a potent and deadly force. (Voice of America)
Iraq Referendum: Milestone Not Destination
The majority vote approving Iraq's constitution looks impressive - 78.59% to 21.41% - but the results hide a strong vote against by the Sunni population which was not far from derailing it. (BBC)
Kanaan's Mystery
Ghazi Kanaan's suicide, just days before Detlev Mehlis is due to present his findings in the enquiry into Rafik Al-Hariri's assassination, gave rise to much speculation. (Al Ahram Weekly)
Syrian People Should Not Be Made To Suffer For the Crimes of The Regime
"We are completely innocent," was the message on a sign that a young Syrian woman held during a pro-regime demonstration in Damascus yesterday. While it remains to be seen whether Syrian regime figures will face trial and punishment for their possible role in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. (The Daily Star)
The Insider Daily Investigative Report (DIR) is a summary of major news articles and broadcasts relating to investigative news, including international terrorism and developments in Iraq. The DIR is edited daily from foreign and U.S. sources by Chris Isham, Hoda Osman and Ellen Gustafson of the ABC News Investigative Unit. The views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ABCNEWS.