CNN news 2008-11-17 加文本

Hello to you, I’m Creshon Saunders at the cnn.com newsroom in Atlanta. Here is a look at what’s happening NOW IN THE NEWS.

The fierce Santa Ana winds that are fueling a huge wildfire in southern California are expected to die out tonight. The fire north of Los Angeles has destroyed and damaged hundreds of homes. Meantime, authorities have begun searching for victims and wreckage of 500 southern Californian mobile homes. Officials say the fire is only about 30% contained.

A powerful earthquake has jolted Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake measured at least 7.5 in magnitude. A tsunami warning has been issued, no word yet on any injuries or damage.

The Iraqi Cabinet has given a go-ahead to a security pact with the U.S. The deal will allow American forces to stay on in the country for 3 years after their UN mandate expires next month. The approved draft will now be put to a vote in the parliament. Meanwhile, Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has called for a pan-Moslem demonstration in central Baghdad on Friday to protest the agreement and U.S. presence in Iraq.

The space shuttle Endeavor is closing in on the International Space Station. It is expected to dock with the station around 5 pm eastern time. Earlier, NASA engineers reviewed images of the shuttle to make sure there was no damage caused from at least 2 pieces of flying debris that hit Endeavour during Friday night’s launch. (WWw.hxen.net)

All right, it was a record selling weekend at the box office for everyone’s favorite British secret agent. The latest chapter in the James Bond franchise Quantum of Solace opened on top with an estimated 70 million dollars, the largest debut for a 007 film. It’s roughly 22 million more than the previous record holder 2002’s Die Another Day.

Those are the headlines at this hour. For more on these stories and other news of the day, cnn is your source, on line, on TV, even when you are on the go.