Ahmadinejad says new world order needed to get away from US dominance in interview

NEW YORK –  Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Tuesday that a new world order needs to emerge, away from years of what he called American bullying and domination.

Ahmadinejad spoke to The Associated Press in a wide-ranging interview on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly -- his last as president of Iran. He was to address the Assembly Wednesday morning.

He also discussed solutions for the Syrian civil war, dismissed the question of Iran's nuclear ambition and claimed that despite Western sanctions his country is better off than it was when he took office in 2005.

"God willing, a new order will come together and we'll do away with everything that distances us," Ahmadinejad said, speaking through a translator. "I do believe the system of empires has reached the end of the road. The world can no longer see an emperor commanding it."

"Now even elementary school kids throughout the world have understood that the United States government is following an international policy of bullying," he said.

President Barack Obama warned Iran earlier Tuesday that time is running out to resolve the dispute over its nuclear program. In a speech to the General Assembly, Obama said the United States could not tolerate an Iran with atomic weapons.

Ahmadinejad would not respond directly to the president's remarks, saying he did not want to influence the U.S. presidential election in November.

But he argued that the international outcry over Iran's nuclear enrichment program was just an excuse by the West to dominate his country. He claimed that the United States has never accepted Iran's choice of government after the 1979 Islamic revolution.

"Everyone is aware the nuclear issue is the imposition of the will of the United States," he said. "I see the nuclear issue as a non-issue. It has become a form of one-upmanship."

Ahmadinejad said he favored more dialogue, even though negotiations with world powers remain stalled after three rounds of high-level meetings since April.

He said some world leaders have suggested to him that Iran would be better off holding nuclear talks only with the United States.

"Of course I am not dismissing such talks," he said, asked if he were open to discussions with the winner of the American presidential election.

Israeli leaders, however, are still openly contemplating military action again Iranian nuclear facilities, dismissing diplomacy as a dead end. Israel and many in the West suspect that Iran is seeking to acquire nuclear weapons, and cite its failure to cooperate fully with nuclear inspectors. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only.

Ahmadinejad also proposed forming a new group of 10 or 11 countries to work to end the 18-month Syrian civil war. Representatives of the nations in the Middle East and elsewhere would meet in New York "very soon," he said.

Critics have accused Tehran of giving support to Syrian President Bashar Assad in carrying out massacres and other human rights violations in an attempt to crush the uprising against his rule. Activists say nearly 30,000 people have died.

He said the so-called contact group hopes to get the Syrian government and opposition to sit across from each other.

"I will do everything in my power to create stability, peace and understanding in Syria," Ahmadinejad said.

Earlier this month, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi announced the formation of a four-member contact group with Iran, Turkey and Saudi Arabia. But Saudi Arabia so far has not participated.

He denied Iranian involvement in plotting attacks on Israelis abroad, despite arrests and accusations by police in various countries. He also vehemently disputed the U.S. claim that Iranian agents played a role in a foiled plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States last year.

Ahmadinejad will leave office next June after serving two four-year terms. He threw out numbers and statistics during the interview to show that Iran's economy and the lives of average Iranians have improved under his watch. Since his 2005 election, he claimed, Iran went from being the world's 22nd-largest economy to the 17th-largest; non-petroleum related exports increased sevenfold; and the basic production of goods has doubled. Median income increased by $4,000, he said.

"Today's conditions in Iran are completely different to where they were seven years ago in the economy, in technical achievement, in scientific know-how," Ahmadinejad said. "All of these achievements, though, have been reached under conditions in which we were brought under heavy sanctions."

Iran has called for the U.S. and its European allies to ease the sanctions that have hit its critical oil exports and left it blackballed from key international banking networks.

Ahmadinejad said he had no knowledge of the whereabouts of Robert Levinson, a private investigator and former FBI agent who vanished in Iran five years ago. He said he directed Iranian intelligence services two years ago to work with their counterparts in the U.S. to locate him.

"And if any help there is that I can bring to bear, I would be happy to do so," he said.

He also claimed never to have heard of Amir Hekmati, a former U.S. Marine who is imprisoned on espionage charges in Iran. Hekmati was arrested while visiting his grandmother in Iran in August 2011, and his family has been using Ahmadinejad's visit to New York to plead for his release.

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California inks law paving way for Google's driverless cars to hit state's highways

Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Tuesday that will pave the way for driverless cars in California.

The bill by Democratic Sen. Alex Padilla will establish safety and performance regulations to test and operate autonomous vehicles on state roads and highways.

The governor signed it at the Mountain View headquarters of Google Inc., which has been developing autonomous car technology and lobbying for the regulations.

Self-driving cars might sound like science fiction, but they are already cruising California's roads and could become sold commercially within the next decade.

Google's fleet of a dozen computer-controlled vehicles -- mostly Toyota Priuses equipped with self-driving technology -- has logged more than 300,000 miles of self-driving without an accident, the company said.

Autonomous cars use computers, sensors and other technology to operate independently, but a "driver" can override the autopilot function and take control of the vehicle at any time.

With smartphone-wielding drivers more distracted than ever, backers say robotic vehicles have the potential to make roads significantly safer, noting that nearly all car accidents are a result of human error.

The legislation requires the California Department of Motor Vehicles to draft regulations for autonomous vehicles by Jan. 1, 2015. Currently, state law doesn't mention self-driving cars because the technology is so new.

The regulations would allow vehicles to operate autonomously, but a licensed driver would still need to sit behind the wheel to serve as a backup operator in case of emergency.

The legislation is also aimed at keeping California at the forefront of the autonomous car industry since Stanford University and Silicon Valley companies have been working on the technology for years.

In February, Nevada became the first U.S. state to approve regulations spelling out requirements for companies to test driverless cars on that state's roads.

In recent years, automakers have been introducing autonomous functions such as self-parking, lane departure warnings and adaptive cruise-control, which allows vehicles to automatically accelerate and decelerate with the flow of traffic.

Carmakers such as Audi AG, BMW AG, Ford Motor Co. and Volvo have been working on autonomous car technology for years, and experts say commercial vehicles could feature an "autopilot" function in as few as five years.

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Voter watchdog says it's uncovered absentee ballot fraud in Florida, New York

A national voter fraud watchdog group announced Tuesday that it has uncovered at least 31 cases of absentee ballot fraud in New York and Florida -- a finding the group claims is "just the tip of the iceberg."

True the Vote, a group that focuses on voter fraud, said it turned over 31 cases to state and federal election authorities in which individuals cast their votes in two states in the same federal election -- which is a felony.

Logan Churchwell, a spokesman for the group, told FoxNews.com that the organization accessed Florida's complete voter registration roll and cross-referenced it against 10 percent of New York's list. It identified more than 1,700 people with voter registrations in both states. Of that number, 31 people allegedly voted in both states during the same federal election cycle.

Both Florida and New York require voters to cast ballots that correspond with their permanent home addresses. Under federal law, voters are prohibited from casting more than one ballot in the same election.

"This is further evidence of just how susceptible our election system is to voter fraud," the group's president, Catherine Engelbrecht, said in a statement.

The group said it has alerted the Office of Florida Secretary of State, the New York State Board of Elections and the U.S. Department of Justice of its finding.

"This should serve as a warning to any individual considering committing voter fraud in this year’s election," Engelbrecht said. "These findings are only the beginning of our effort. As today is National Voter Registration Day, it's important to remember that no candidate or cause is worth a felony conviction."

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China unveils first aircraft carrier to enter service

BEIJING –  China formally entered its first aircraft carrier into service on Tuesday, underscoring its ambitions to be a leading Asian naval power, although the ship is not expected to carry a full complement of planes or be ready for combat for some time.

The Defense Ministry's announcement had been long expected and was not directly linked to current tensions with Japan over a disputed group of uninhabited islands in the East China Sea.

In a brief notice on its website, the ministry said the carrier's commissioning significantly boosted the navy's combat capabilities and its ability to cooperate in responding to natural disasters and other non-traditional threats.

"It has important significance in effectively safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and development benefits, and advancing world peace and common development," the statement said.

China had partly justified the launching of a carrier by pointing out that it alone among the five permanent United Nations Security Council members had no such craft. That had been particularly glaring given the constant presence in Asia of carriers operated by the U.S. Navy, which maintains 11 worldwide.

President Hu Jintao, also chairman of the commission that controls the military, presided over a ceremony Tuesday morning at the ship's home port of Dalian, along with Premier Wen Jiabao and top generals. Hu "fully affirmed" the efforts of those working on the ship and called on them to complete all remaining tasks according to the highest standard, the Defense Ministry said.

The carrier is the former Soviet navy's unfinished Varyag, which was towed from Ukraine in 1998 minus its engines, weaponry and navigation systems. Christened the Liaoning after the northeastern province surrounding Dalian, the ship began sea trials in August 2011 following years of refurbishment.

So far the trial runs of the aircraft carrier have been to test the ship's propulsion, communications and navigation systems. But launching and recovering fixed-wing aircraft at sea is a much trickier proposition. It will take years to build the proper aircraft, to train pilots to land in adverse weather on a moving deck, and to develop a proper carrier battle group.

China is developing a carrier-based fighter-bomber, the J-15, derived from Russia's Sukhoi Su-33, along with a prototype stealth carrier fighter, the J-31.

Beijing hasn't said what role it intends the carrier to fill other than helping safeguard China's coastline and sea links. The Liaoning has also been portrayed as a kind of test platform for the future development of up to five domestically built Chinese carriers.

Writing in Tuesday's China Daily newspaper, retired Rear Adm. Yang Yi said the carrier will be used to master the technology for more advanced carriers. He said it also will be used to train in how to operate such a craft in a battle group and with vessels from other nation's navies.

Without specifically mentioning China's territorial disputes, Yang acknowledged other countries' concerns about its growing military might, but said Beijing wouldn't shy from flexing its muscles.

"When China has a more balanced and powerful navy, the regional situation will be more stable as various forces that threaten regional peace will no longer dare to act rashly," Yang wrote.

Whatever its practical effects on China's global status, the carrier embodies huge symbolism for China's political and military leaders as a totem of their country's rise from weakness to strength, according to Andrew S. Erickson, a China naval specialist at the U.S. Naval War College.

"While (Chinese navy) acceptance of this `starter carrier' is the first step in a long journey, it is a journey that will take place in full view of the world, and one that will ultimately take Beijing to a new place as a great sea power," Erickson wrote on his blog.

The carrier's political importance was highlighted in Wen's remarks to the ceremony, in which he said it would "arouse national pride and patriotic passion."

"This has mighty and deep significance for the opening of a new facet in our enterprise of socialism with Chinese characteristics," he said.

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Stakes high for Obama's UN speech, as world events shape campaigns

President Obama, under pressure to address the surging unrest in the Middle East as well as the deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya, will have the chance Tuesday to explain to world leaders and U.S. voters alike what he sees as the Arab Spring aftermath's meaning for U.S. interests abroad.

In a highly anticipated speech to the United Nations General Assembly, the president is expected to address the recent tumult overseas as well as provide an update on the United States’ position on Iran’s quest for a nuclear weapon.

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, previewing the speech Monday, said it "always provides an opportunity for the president to put the international situation in context and to put forward a vision of U.S. leadership, and that's what he will do."

The last time Obama addressed the assembly, there was an air of hope surrounding the Arab Spring. U.S. officials remain optimistic, but some also worry that the latest unrest is perhaps the dark side of the revolution.  

The consulate attack also has led to complaints on Capitol Hill that the administration is bungling the facts.  

The administration now calls the Sept. 11 assault on the consulate, which killed Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans, a terrorist attack – though one official initially said it was a “spontaneous” event triggered by protests over an anti-Islam film. Obama still plans to address the film in his U.N. speech Tuesday, Carney said.  

"The president will make it clear that we reject the views in the video that has caused offense in the Muslim world, while also underscoring that violence is never acceptable," he said.

Republicans leaders are hoping Obama will make clear his position on several foreign policy fronts – including his alleged approach of “disengagement” in the Middle East, which they say has left an exploitable void in the region that led to the recent uprisings. More than 40 people have been killed during protests in recent weeks in 20 countries.

Sen. John McCain, the ranking Republican on the Senate Committee on Armed Services, and other party members have suggested that the president's policy of pulling out of Afghanistan and Iraq while offering less than total support for Israel’s effort to stop Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons has left U.S. interests vulnerable.

They also have questioned his position on the so-called Arab Spring, in which several dictatorships were removed and residents were left with democratic governments potentially susceptible to Islamist and militant influence.

On Monday, Wyoming GOP Sen. John Barrasso outlined several messages he thinks Americans want to hear during Obama’s speech at the United Nations General Assembly, including that the war on terror is not over and the anti-Islamic film alone did not spark the Middle East violence. He also called for an assessment of the real state of  U.S.-Russia relations since leaders pressed to so-called “reset button,” as well as a full commitment to Israel.

“When the president says ‘We have your back,’ the world needs to know what he actually means,” Barrasso told Fox News.

Carney, hours later in previewing Obama’s upcoming remarks, vehemently defended the country’s commitment to Israel and the president’s belief that Egypt, Libya and other Middle East countries will eventually achieve democracy.

“I think the president's views on these matters are very clear and very strong,” Carney said. “We have an unshakeable commitment to Israel's security and we have proven that commitment. ... The president, again, has made clear on numerous occasions that Israel is our closest ally in the region.”

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Libya orders disbanding of 'illegitimate' militias

Libya President Mohammed el-Megaref has ordered rogue militias to disband by Tuesday, an effort to regain control of the country amid violence and armed attacks, including one that killed four Americans, according to news reports.

The president reportedly made the announcement late Saturday and said the effort to disband the illegitimate groups would be a joint-operation between the official army and authorized militia brigades.

He said others operating outside the "legitimacy of the state" are to be disbanded, according to Reuters.

An attack Sept. 11 by members of those rogue groups on the U.S. Consulate in the eastern city of Benghazi killed U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.

El-Megaref made the decision amid public anger over the armed factions and Islamic extremists, resulting in the storming of some of their compounds by protesters.

In the absence of strong security forces, the government relies on some militias to keep order.

The groups were given 48 hours to evacuate military compounds, state property and properties of members of the former regime in Tripoli and surrounding areas.

The army ordered "all individuals and armed groups occupying military compounds, public buildings or property belonging to members of the former regime to evacuate these sites within 48 hours,'" threatening to use force if the groups did not comply, the official LANA news agency reported Sunday.

El-Megaref’s announcement came after the Islamist Ansar al-Sharia militia was swept out of its bases in Benghazi on Friday, according to The Associated Press.

The armed groups that still control large parts of Libya more than a year after the overthrow of Muammar Qaddafi.

The invasion of Ansar al-Sharia's compounds was reportedly met with little resistance.

On Saturday, two Islamist militias in the eastern town of Derna, an Islamist stronghold, announced they were disbanding and evacuating their compounds, residents told the Associated Press.

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Anna Hutchison Talks Cabin in the Woods on Blu-Ray

One of IGN's favorite movies of the year, The Cabin in the Woods, comes out on Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday September 18th. New Zealand actress Anna Hutchison (Power Rangers: Jungle Fury's Yellow Ranger!) both delighted and terrified audiences playing Jules, a friendly college gal who's forced into the role of the bimbo, after she accompanies her friends to a creepy cabin that's diabolically hungry for archetypes from American horror movies. We had a chance to talk to Hutchison, who's currently filming a role for the final season of Starz' Spartacus, about working on Cabin and the much-anticpated release release of the film.

Check out IGN's Review of The Cabin in the Woods here!

"We were filming stuff for the Blu-ray all through the shooting," Hutchison told us. "So when we were filming on the set, there'd always be another camera off shooting extra material. Also Fran [Kranz] was doing a behind-the-scenes video, but then I think he forgot to keep up with the filming. I've seen some of the extras that are put together though and they're really neat. Because there's just so much other stuff going on in the film. And also Joss [Whedon] and Drew [Goddard] are such wonderful men and there are a bunch of excerpts in there where they get to speak and talk about their ideas. And it's not just one idea, it's many ideas. A lot of the people watched the movie, and will buy the Blu-ray, because it's Joss and Drew's creation. They're already fans of their work. So they'll definitely want to hear their commentary. Plus, they're funny as all hell. And there's a couple of bloopers, and us talking about one another."

Anna Hutchison and Kristen Connolly from The Cabin in the Woods.

The road from page to screen was not an easy one for Cabin in the Woods. The film was originally scheduled to open in February 2010 (!), but its release date was pushed back more than once thanks to MGM's financial troubles (Lionsgate would ultimately release the film) - meaning the cast and crew had to wait an especially long time to hold onto so many secrets regarding the films many twists and turns.

"I think I just kind of called up Drew and Joss and Fran a lot and whenever we'd be chatting, if ever I needed to spill anything, I'd just keep it in the circle of people who knew what was going on," Hutchison recalled. "I just kept it close. And that way I still got to talk about it without letting it out. And plus, I think it was close to the first day of shooting, but the script had already been released on the internet. So if people wanted to know what was going on -- the die hard fans who like to know everything ahead of time -- they could have found it out way back when."

If you haven't seen Cabin in the Woods, you'll probably want to avert your eyes at this point (and go get the movie on Blu-ray or DVD!), as major spoilers follow.

"I also chatted a lot with Joss about it and I asked 'Dude, how do you keep things secret?' Hutchison noted. "And Drew as well, back when he was writing for Lost. So I just followed the leaders in a sense, since they'd been doing it for years. But it was hard. Because you know how when my head gets cut off? I mean, we can talk about it now. But that scene. It was one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had. I had just had a 20 hour flight and I had gone through immigration and I'd met Joss and the rest who had come for me. And it was in the afternoon and I hadn't slept in about two days and they said 'We're going to put you in a head cast.' And I wanted to tell people about this, because I never had a head cast before. But then they'd ask 'Anna, why were you in a head cast? What happens to you in the movie?' But it was one of the most scary and exhilarating moments ever. Because I felt like I'd been buried alive. If you've ever had your head cast, you know what it feels like. It was out of control."

"But I had to keep that under wraps," Hutchison added. "And even though a lot of people say that when you're attached to a horror movie the chances are that you die and people would expect that, I still wanted to say 'Yeah, but it was the coolest death scene in the whole wide world.' But the whole experience was good because it taught me that I could do it and that I can do it. For three years. So if anyone wants to hire me onto some sort of top secret project, I'll be prepared."

With close to a thousand people turned into one of sixty different monster types, Cabin in the Woods definitely distinguished itself among the genre for its effects and imagination. Hutchison herself had never experienced anything like it. "With Power Rangers, half the footage is shot in Japan and then half is shot with us. And we would get a couple of explosions, but Cabin was incredible," she said. "And all the green screen stuff was incredible. But it was the prosthetics that blew me away. I had never been exposed to the amount and quality of the prosthetics used. And some of the monsters were so unbelievably real that it wasn't even okay to be standing next to them. I mean, you tell yourself 'I know werewolves don't exist but..." So it was really good work. I'm doing Spartacus at the moment, which has a lot of effects. But whereas Cabin is your worst fears come to life, Spartacus is a lot of maiming and killing. So I've been exposed to some really cool stuff in my lifetime."

So what was it like playing Jules, the doomed blonde best friend of the movie's heroine who gets magically transformed into, well, a cliche? "It was a lot of fun and it was really nice to rely on Drew, the director, for some things," Hutchison explained. "I'd just check in with him to see how straight or slutty he wanted me to play it. And how do the fumes work? Do they wear off? And also having Joss there, who co-wrote it, to be able to check in with these guys and see how they wanted it done. But really I just was like 'You've got this awesome part, just go all out for it.' And then, if need be, they can always tell you to rein it back. And as far as the way a lot of the stereotypes are presented, I like the way this one, Jules, plays out because I think that at her core she's really strong and she's a good friend to Dana, and then for her to enter this world of horror was just totally crazy."

The Cabin in the Woods hits DVD and Blu-ray shelves on Tuesday, September 18th.

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West Nile virus not backing down

Human cases of West Nile virus disease are continuing to increase. 

As of Tuesday, state health departments have reported at least 2,636 cases; 118 of them fatal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These figures are the highest they've been through the second week of September for any year since 2003 in terms of total cases reported. Public health officials say aggressive random testing in 2003 boosted the overall figures for that year, but the number of severe cases in 2012 is the highest reported this time of year since West Nile virus was first detected in the U.S. in 1999.

"We still believe that this year's outbreak is the largest to date and certainly the most serious," said Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of the CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases.

Although the exact reasons behind the severity of this year's outbreak remain unclear, experts believe unusually high temperatures may have been a contributing factor.

The numbers are up more than 30 percent from last week, when public health officials reported 1,993 cases of West Nile virus in people and 87 fatalities.

Although the total case numbers continue to increase, CDC officials say they believe this year's outbreak may have already peaked in mid- to late-August, and they expect it to taper off during or after October, following the course of previous West Nile outbreaks.

Four out of five people infected with West Nile virus do not show any symptoms. However, up to 20 percent develop flu-like symptoms, and about one in 150 develops severe symptoms such as high fever, paralysis or other neurological disorders.

Public health officials say people can reduce their risk of exposure to West Nile by maintaining screens on windows and doors, draining standing water, using bug repellant and wearing long pants and sleeves, especially during dusk and dawn when many mosquito species are most active.

According to the CDC, mosquitoes initially contract the virus by feeding on infected birds and then spread the disease to humans they bite. Although the virus is not transmissible through casual human contact, such as touching or kissing, there are rare instances of its spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants and from mother to baby during breastfeeding or pregnancy.

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Gunfire, then a missing ambassador -- officials describe chaotic scene at Benghazi post

The attack started with little warning. The U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi began taking fire at 10 p.m. Tuesday night. Within minutes, the attackers were in -- firing inside the building. 

It would be hours before U.S. personnel regained control. And hours before U.S. ambassador Christopher Stevens' body was recovered. 

These details and others emerged late Wednesday, as U.S. officials sought to reconstruct what happened in those chaotic and violent hours in eastern Libya the night before. 

The attack on the U.S. Consulate left four dead, including Stevens, and three wounded. Questions have swirled over what instigated the attack, with a number of lawmakers and others speculating that it might have been a coordinated strike timed for the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. Speculation is also widespread over Stevens' exact cause of death. 

Senior administration officials, in a briefing late Wednesday, could not answer those two questions. But they sought to explain how the attackers mounted such a deadly assault on the compound, and in doing so acknowledged that U.S. personnel effectively lost track of Stevens after the initial attack. 

Though details could change and State Department employees are still piecing together what happened, officials described the chain of events on Tuesday night as follows: 

At 10 p.m. local time (4 p.m. ET, in Washington), the compound "began taking fire from unidentified Libyan extremists." That compound consists of a main building, as well as several "ancillary" buildings and an annex. 

Just fifteen minutes later, the attackers busted their way inside the compound and began firing into the main building, setting it on fire. At the time, there were three people inside -- Stevens, department official Sean Smith and a regional security officer. After the attackers gained entry, those three became separated in the heavy smoke and fire. 

The security officer made it outside, only to return in search of Smith and Stevens. They found Smith. He was already dead. However, they could not find Stevens, and had to leave the building because of the heavy smoke and "small-arms fire," officials said. 

At about 10:45 p.m. local time, U.S. security personnel tried to regain the main building but could not and returned to the annex. Thirty-five minutes later, they tried again with the help of Libyan forces. This time, they held it down, for long enough to evacuate everyone to the annex. 

However, at midnight, the annex too came under fire. The attack lasted for two hours, during which time two more Americans were killed. 

At around 2 a.m. local time, Libyan security forces assisted the Americans in "regaining control of the situation." 

In piecing together these details, U.S. officials are still trying to figure out what exactly happened to Stevens. 

"At some point in all of this, and frankly we do not know when, we believe that Ambassador Stevens got out of the building and was taken to a hospital in Benghazi," a senior administration official said. "We do not have any information what his condition was at that time." 

U.S. personnel did not see his body again until it was returned to the Benghazi airport around dawn. The official said the administration cannot say what the cause of death was -- reports have ranged from smoke inhalation to an attack on his car -- until an autopsy. 

As for the rest of the U.S. Consulate staff, they were all evacuated back to Tripoli over the course of a couple cargo flights from Benghazi on Wednesday. The flights included the three wounded personnel and the remains of the four Americans. The staff is now in the process of being flown to Germany, where those who are wounded will be treated and others will be on "standby" while the security situation is assessed. 

One official said the embassy in Tripoli, while still operating, has been reduced to "emergency staffing levels." All diplomatic posts around the world have been ordered to review their security situation and make improvements where necessary.

Fox News' Justin Fishel contributed to this report. 

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West Nile virus not backing down

Human cases of West Nile virus disease are continuing to increase. 

As of Tuesday, state health departments have reported at least 2,636 cases; 118 of them fatal, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

These figures are the highest they've been through the second week of September for any year since 2003 in terms of total cases reported. Public health officials say aggressive random testing in 2003 boosted the overall figures for that year, but the number of severe cases in 2012 is the highest reported this time of year since West Nile virus was first detected in the U.S. in 1999.

"We still believe that this year's outbreak is the largest to date and certainly the most serious," said Dr. Lyle Petersen, director of the CDC's Division of Vector-Borne Infectious Diseases.

Although the exact reasons behind the severity of this year's outbreak remain unclear, experts believe unusually high temperatures may have been a contributing factor.

The numbers are up more than 30 percent from last week, when public health officials reported 1,993 cases of West Nile virus in people and 87 fatalities.

Although the total case numbers continue to increase, CDC officials say they believe this year's outbreak may have already peaked in mid- to late-August, and they expect it to taper off during or after October, following the course of previous West Nile outbreaks.

Four out of five people infected with West Nile virus do not show any symptoms. However, up to 20 percent develop flu-like symptoms, and about one in 150 develops severe symptoms such as high fever, paralysis or other neurological disorders.

Public health officials say people can reduce their risk of exposure to West Nile by maintaining screens on windows and doors, draining standing water, using bug repellant and wearing long pants and sleeves, especially during dusk and dawn when many mosquito species are most active.

According to the CDC, mosquitoes initially contract the virus by feeding on infected birds and then spread the disease to humans they bite. Although the virus is not transmissible through casual human contact, such as touching or kissing, there are rare instances of its spread through blood transfusions, organ transplants and from mother to baby during breastfeeding or pregnancy.

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US officials investigate whether strike on Benghazi post 'coordinated,' timed for 9/11 anniversary

U.S. officials are investigating whether the murder Tuesday of the U.S. ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three other American officials was a "coordinated" strike timed for the 11th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks -- and not the result of a protest against an anti-Islam film.

A senior administration official told Fox News they are exhaustively investigating every angle of the attack in Benghazi, and an earlier assault on the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, and there are early signs the Benghazi assault may have been planned. The official cautioned, though, that the administration has not jumped to any conclusions about what happened, saying it would be "premature" to do so. 

But current and former U.S. lawmakers, and others, claimed Wednesday that the attack looked like a coordinated strike. 

"Absolutely, I have no doubt about it. It was a coordinated, military-style, commando-type raid," House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers told Fox News. Based on his own briefings, Rogers said "military movements" were involved. 

"This was a well- planned, well-targeted event. No doubt about it," Rogers said. He said the Al Qaeda-linked Imprisoned Omar Abdul Rahman Brigades is one group being looked at by officials. 

Pete Hoekstra, former chairman of the House intelligence committee, told FoxNews.com the attack appeared to have the markings of an Al Qaeda or Al Qaeda-affiliated strike. 

"We've been talking for years about the desire of Al Qaeda, radical jihadists to celebrate the anniversary of 9/11," he said. "All my background, all of the conversations that I've had over the last 18 hours lead many people to believe that this was just more than a mere coincidence." 

Hoekstra noted that the supposed protesters -- purportedly angry over a film that ridiculed Islam's Prophet Muhammad -- didn't attack in Tripoli. They attacked in Benghazi, "where it so happens our ambassador is." And they happened to be "fully armed and fully equipped," he said. 

Hoekstra noted that Al Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahri had recently released a video calling on militants to attack Americans in revenge for the killing of an operative in Pakistan. The message said his "blood is calling on you, inciting you to fight and kill the crusaders." 

Hoekstra said the film may have been just a cover to carry out such an attack. 

Two intelligence officials also said the attack looked "coordinated." 

London-based think tank Quilliam reached the same conclusion, saying the Benghazi strike appeared to be a "well-planned terrorist attack that would have occurred regardless of the demonstration (over the film)." 

Also, the brother of Zawahri was nearby during the separate protest at the American Embassy in Cairo on Tuesday. 

A few lawmakers on Capitol Hill appeared skeptical of the film explanation. "The timing of this on the eleventh anniversary of 9/11 is more than just coincidence," Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., said in a statement. 

The FBI is investigating the attack and the deaths of American personnel. A U.S. military aircraft is expected to leave from Libya soon with the wounded and bodies of the dead aboard. 

President Obama, meanwhile, condemned the "outrageous and shocking" attack Wednesday, as he and other officials vowed to "bring justice" to the killers while moving quickly to bolster security in Libya and at other diplomatic posts. 

"Make no mistake. Justice will be done," Obama said, speaking from the Rose Garden alongside Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. 

Obama and Clinton both condemned the killers, while stressing that the U.S. bond with the Libyan government would not suffer as a result. 

"Make no mistake. We will work with the Libyan government to bring justice to killers who attack our people," Obama said, adding:  "There is absolutely no justification to this type of senseless violence. None." 

Stevens was killed Tuesday night when he and a group of embassy employees went to the consulate to try to evacuate staff. The protesters were firing gunshots and rocket-propelled grenades. 

Obama and Clinton offered new details Wednesday about the chaotic aftermath. They said some Libyans tried to fight to defend the U.S. post while it was under attack, even carrying Stevens' body to a hospital. The Libyan doctor who treated Stevens also told The Associated Press that he died of severe asphyxiation, apparently from smoke inhalation, and that he tried for 90 minutes to revive him. There continue to be conflicting reports about the circumstances of Stevens' death. 

Clinton, speaking from the State Department, called the tragedy "an attack that should shock the conscience of people of all faiths."
Obama, in a statement Wednesday morning, said he's directed the administration to provide "all necessary resources" to support security for U.S. personnel in Libya and to increase security at diplomatic offices around the world. 

The White House and Congress ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in the wake of the tragedy. The House also held a moment of silence for the victims Wednesday afternoon. 

The State Department identified one of the other three Americans killed as Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith, a husband and father of two who had worked for the State Department for 10 years. The U.S. government is still notifying the next of kin for the other two individuals killed, and has not identified them. 

Stevens was appointed as ambassador to Libya in May 2012. 

He served as a special representative to the Libyan Transitional National Council during the revolution in 2011, and as the deputy chief of mission from 2007 to 2009. 

U.S. officials remain on alert for violence at other diplomatic posts. 

Fox News' Catherine Herridge, Ed Henry and Bret Baier and FoxNews.com's Judson Berger and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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'Today Show’ decision to air Kris Jenner over 9/11 has some calling for boycott, could further erode ratings

LOS ANGELES –  Is this #NBCFail all over again?

The ailing 'Today' show has gone through a string of public relations bungles in recent months, but Tuesday’s failure to televise the moment of silence in remembrance of the 9/11 terrorist attacks may take the cake.

While President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama led the moment of observation from the White House and the NYPD, FDNY and Port Authority Police did the same from the Ground Zero site, 'Today' instead broadcast an interview with Kris Jenner discussing her breast implants.

Experts say long-term ramifications for the morning show -- which saw its 17-year-long streak at No. 1 in the ratings end this year -- could be major.  

"Anyone care to join me in boycotting “The Today Show?"

- Twitter user

"Ignoring a significant and solemn American milestone in favor of airing, of all things, a Kardashian interview -- right at the moment that Americans are feeling more reflective than ever about their nation and at the same time appear to be souring on the reality TV family's near-constant bid for ever more attention -- is a major shot in the foot," entertainment pro Scott Huver said. "This is a huge blunder that is certain to hurt the show in the short run. The failure to acknowledge the 9/11 silence was troublesome enough, without filling the screen with empty babble from a family that many hold up to be a signifier of questionable taste."

Senior Editor at the Hollywood Reporter, Alex Ben Block, concurred that the move was "a poor choice," and could do more than just short-term PR damage.

"It will leave a lot of people with a bad taste and that could over time translate into a loss of viewers,” he remarked. "It is clear NBC needs to do things that make them stand out, but this stunk up their image instead, at a time they need to be in image repair mode.”

Crisis communications specialist Glenn Selig said this latest incident could further erode the show's ratings and prompt viewers to question just how far the network will go to counter program in an effort to gain more eyeballs.

“This was clearly a mistake, intentional or not. Given the raw feelings so many still have about 9/11, it was clearly disrespectful to not only avert coverage, but to supplement its programming airwaves with a reality show star Kris Jenner. To some Americans, this move will be perceived as being no different than not standing during the pledge of allegiance, or neglecting to remove your hat during the national anthem. It will seem disrespectful and un-American,” he said. “Many will see the move as not only in poor taste but terrible taste. 'Today' should have had the foresight to know that there would be a huge backlash.”

Inded the programming decision still has thousands expressing their outrage across the Internet.

“Today---You dropped the ball. You disgust me, truly. Of all days on the planet, you picked 9/11 to get some celebuwhoremom to talk about her boobies and then declare it a "PSA"? Seriously? NBC sickens me,” one viewer wrote on the show’s Facebook entertainment page, while others lamented that the interview in place of the silence was “pathetic” and “disgraceful.”

Some have even taken to Twitter to launch of boycott of the show.

“Anyone care to join me in boycotting “The Today Show”? tweeted one, while others noted that they would now be switching their loyalties over to ABC’s 'Good Morning America.'

FOX411 reached out to several prominent advertisers on 'Today' for comment on the matter, and to see if it would affect their  advertising choices in the future, but all declined, or did not respond to requests for comment.

The network for one is standing by its decision to air the Kardashian family matriarch over the moment of silence.

“The Today show dedicated a considerable amount of time to September 11th coverage this morning throughout the entire show,” an NBC rep told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column.

A source connected to the network added that some NBC affiliates aired the memorials, interrupting the Kardashian interview on their own, and MSNBC aired the entire 'Today' episode from September 11, 2001.

- Danielle Jones-Wesley contributed to this report.

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US ambassador to Libya, 3 American staff members killed in attack

The U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other American staff members were killed Tuesday in an attack on the U.S. consulate in the Libyan city of Benghazi, the White House confirmed. President Obama, in a written statement issued Wednesday morning, called the attack "outrageous" and "senseless." 

Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens was killed Tuesday night when he and a group of embassy employees went to the consulate to try to evacuate staff. The protesters, angry over a film that ridiculed Islam's Prophet Muhammad, were firing gunshots and rocket-propelled grenades. 

"I strongly condemn the outrageous attack on our diplomatic facility in Benghazi, which took the lives of four Americans, including Ambassador Chris Stevens," President Obama said in a statement Wednesday morning. "Right now, the American people have the families of those we lost in our thoughts and prayers. They exemplified America's commitment to freedom, justice, and partnership with nations and people around the globe, and stand in stark contrast to those who callously took their lives." 

Obama said he's directed the administration to provide "all necessary resources" to support security for U.S. personnel in Libya and to increase security at diplomatic offices around the world. 

"While the United States rejects efforts to denigrate the religious beliefs of others, we must all unequivocally oppose the kind of senseless violence that took the lives of these public servants," he said. 

Obama called Stevens "a courageous and exemplary representative of the United States" who "selflessly served our country and the Libyan people" throughout the Libyan revolution. 

"His legacy will endure wherever human beings reach for liberty and justice," the president said. 

The State Department identified one of the other three Americans killed as Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith, a husband and father of two who had worked for the State Department for 10 years. The U.S. government is still notifying the next of kin for the other two individuals killed, and has not identified them. 

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described Stevens as a passionate and dedicated diplomat who had devoted himself to the transition in post-Qaddafi Libya. 

"As the conflict in Libya unfolded, Chris was one of the first Americans on the ground in Benghazi.  He risked his own life to lend the Libyan people a helping hand to build the foundation for a new, free nation," she said. 

Stevens was appointed as ambassador to Libya in May 2012. 

He served as a special representative to the Libyan Transitional National Council during the revolution in 2011, and as the deputy chief of mission from 2007 to 2009. Originally from California, Stevens was an international trade lawyer before joining the Foreign Service in the early 1990s. He also served as a volunteer in the Peace Corps from 1983 to 1985, teaching English in Morocco. 

U.S. officials remain on alert for violence at other diplomatic posts. 

Hours before the Benghazi attack, hundreds of mainly ultraconservative Islamist protesters in Egypt marched to the U.S. Embassy in downtown Cairo, gathering outside its walls and chanting against the movie and the U.S. Most of the embassy staff had left the compound earlier because of warnings of the upcoming demonstration. 

Dozens of protesters then scaled the embassy walls, and several went into the courtyard and took down the American flag from a pole. 

They brought it back to the crowd outside, which tried to burn it, but failing that tore it apart. The protesters on the wall then raised on the flagpole a black flag with a Muslim declaration of faith, "There is no god but God and Muhammad is his prophet." The flag, similar to the banner used by Al Qaeda, is commonly used by ultraconservatives around the region. 

On Wednesday, the U.S. Embassy in Algiers was warning Americans in the country to avoid non-essential travel amid calls for more protests after the Libya attack. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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US credit rating under fire again, Moody's warns lawmakers on debt

America's credit rating is once again at risk. 

Moody's Investors Service said Tuesday that it would probably cut its triple-A rating on U.S. government debt by a notch unless congressional leaders can strike a budget deal in the coming months to bring down the deficit. 

"If those negotiations lead to specific policies that produce a stabilization and then downward trend in the ratio of federal debt to GDP over the medium term, the rating will likely be affirmed," Moody's said in a press release Tuesday. "If those negotiations fail to produce such policies, however, Moody's would expect to lower the rating, probably to Aa1." 

The threat comes after one of the other big three ratings firms, Standard & Poor's, downgraded the U.S. last year following the brawl in Washington over the debt ceiling. 

The country is once again headed for a debt-ceiling showdown, with Moody's predicting the country will run up against the ceiling "around the end of this year." Any potential downgrade is not likely until at least next year. 

House Speaker John Boehner, reacting to the latest warning, called on Congress to take major steps to reform the tax code, cut spending and overhaul entitlements. 

"Today's warning by Moody's underscores the point we have been making all year: the threat to American jobs comes not from action on our debt, but from inaction on our debt," he said. 

Lawmakers, though, are unlikely to do much until after the November election, when the balance of power in Washington is more clear.

Moody's said the firm will wait for a budget deal -- or the collapse of one -- before determining the U.S. credit rating. 

The big wild card in the near-term concerns the so-called "fiscal cliff" -- the slew of tax hikes and spending cuts set to take effect in January 2013 unless Congress averts them. 

Ironically, Moody's said one of the few ways the U.S. could maintain its current status, of triple-A with a "negative outlook," would be if Congress actually lets those tax hikes and spending cuts happen. 

But even that doesn't guarantee a sterling credit score. Going over the "fiscal cliff" would help close the deficit, but the flip side is it could destabilize the economy. And Moody's said it would need evidence the economy could "rebound" before returning the U.S. rating to triple-A and "stable." 

Boehner expressed doubt Tuesday that much of anything could be done to avert the tax hikes and spending cuts -- potentially good news for the budget, but bad news for the economy. 

"I'm not confident at all," Boehner said. 

The Ohio Republican reminded reporters that the House has passed legislation to both avoid the automatic, across-the-board cuts next year and to renew the Bush era tax rates for one year as well. Republicans warned of the impact of the impending cuts on the military and implored Senate Democrats to act to avoid them. 

The Senate, however, has deadlocked over taxes and failed to address the across-the-board cuts, known as a sequester in Washington parlance. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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