RICE SEEKS SUPPORT IN DEALING WITH IRAN

Rice seeks supportin dealing with Iran
MOSCOW -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, above, is seeking Russian support for a tougher line in the nuclear standoff with Iran as she tries to ensure a united European front. After consulting with French leaders on Iran and other Middle East issues, Rice shuttled to the Russian capital Friday ahead of hastily arranged meetings today with Russian President Vladimir Putin and others. The consultations were coming six weeks before a vote over Tehran's nuclear program at the United Nations' nuclear watchdog agency. France, Britain and Germany have led an effort to persuade Iran to drop what the United States insists is a covert drive for nuclear weapons. Iran's new hard-line government walked away from talks and has resumed nuclear activities it suspended during negotiations.
Karl Rove testifies forthe fourth time in probe
WASHINGTON -- Karl Rove testified to a grand jury for the fourth and final time Friday, smiling as he emerged from hours of questioning about his possible role in the leak of a covert CIA officer's identity. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said that statements in the summer that Rove retained the president's confidence remained true. However, McClellan declined repeatedly to utter words of confidence outright. Prosecutors had warned Rove before his latest grand jury appearance that there was no guarantee he would not be indicted. The grand jury's term is due to expire Oct. 28. "Karl continues to do his duties as deputy chief of staff and senior adviser to the president," McClellan said. "What I said previously still stands."
Northeast flooding
SPRING LAKE, N.J. -- Toilets backed up with sewage, military trucks plowed through headlight-high water to rescue people and swans glided down the streets as rain fell for an eighth straight day around the waterlogged Northeast on Friday. Overflowing lakes and streams forced hundreds of people from their homes in New Jersey and New Hampshire, and parts of New York and Connecticut also were under flood warnings. Some spots have had more than a foot of rain since Oct. 7, and 2 to 3 more inches of rain were expected in some places by today. Across the Northeast, at least 10 people have died because of the downpours since last weekend, and four others remain missing in New Hampshire. Acting New Jersey Gov. Richard J. Codey declared a statewide state of emergency -- the first step toward applying for federal aid -- late Friday afternoon.
NASA releases resultsof foam investigation
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Inadequate methods of applying and repairing foam on the space shuttle's fuel tank probably contributed to the dangerous loss of a chunk of the insulation during Discovery's launch 21/2 months ago, a NASA investigation team concluded Friday. So much work is needed to understand the problem and correct the deficiencies that shuttle flights are on hold until at least May, and possibly even next summer. NASA's Richard Gilbrech, head of the investigation team, said no one may ever know exactly what caused a 1-pound, 3-foot section of foam to break off Discovery's external fuel tank in late July. It was a scary repeat of what happened during Columbia's doomed flight in 2003. Gilbrech's team suspects workers inadvertently crushed the foam while conducting repairs in that area or handled it in such a way that resulted in damage.
Santorum criticizes Bush
PHILADELPHIA -- Americans "deserve better" than President Bush's "trust me" approach to the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., said Friday, making his sharpest critique yet amid a right-wing revolt over the pick. Santorum added, however, that he had not decided to oppose Miers and hoped to learn more about her views during confirmation hearings. "There is a lot of heat. I think there is a lot of disappointment that the president didn't put someone up there with a record we could examine," Santorum said on a local radio show. "It is what I term the president's second faith-based initiative, which is 'trust me,'" Santorum said. "I think, candidly, we deserve better than that."
Combined dispatches