[Fredricka Whitfield, Cnn Anchor:] Another day of violence in Iraq with a series of bombings killing more than two dozen people. And more than 1,200 firefighters hold back a wildfire in California. Also, thousands of Hurricane Katrina victims bracing for another potential disaster, a looming deadline to cut off FEMA funding for temporary housing. Welcome to CNN LIVE SATURDAY, I'm Fredricka Whitfield. A busy hour straight ahead, but first, a look at other stories now in the news. A strong earthquake strikes off the western coast of Indonesia. The U.S. Geological survey says today's quake had a magnitude of 6.5m but the agency says there are no plans to issue a tsunami warning. The quake struck near Aceh Province where a massive quake triggered a tsunami last December 26 killing more than 170,000 people. Pakistan apparently will get enough money to rebuild areas that were devastated by a major earthquake last month. Dozens of governments and financial institutions are pledging $3 billion to help the area recover. The pledges were made at a donor's conference in Islamabad. With the new pledges Pakistan is expected to receive nearly $5.5 billion to rebuild the quake-stricken region. In the Caribbean, Tropical Storm Gamma is spinning toward Mexico's Yucatan peninsula and its effect could be felt along parts of the U.S. Gulf Coast days from now. Forecasters now predict the storm will skirt just south of Florida by Monday afternoon. Gamma is the 24th named storm of this record setting Atlantic hurricane season. The fight for Iraq is now being fought on many fronts, including an angry and bitter war of words erupting in Congress over proposed immediate troop withdrawal. A stern response from President Bush and Asia as well. Meantime, in Iraq, a series of car bombings today have killed at least 30 civilians in and near Baghdad. Let's begin there where CNN's senior international correspondent Nic Robertson joins us live from the Iraqi capital. And Nic, how is this war of words in Washington being received in Baghdad where the U.S. Troops are?
[Nic Robertson, Cnn Sr. International Correspondent:] Well, it's certainly going sort of over the heads of most of the Iraqi public, if you will. But as the political debate heats up in advance of the elections, it's certainly going to sharpen that debate. We've heard a lot of acrimony this week, and division, over the very fact that at a military of interior jail there was allegations and indeed cases of torture, that's helped divide the community, but the politicians have also sounded off on it, they've been very divided. But the notion that U.S. troops could begin to pull out might pull out, that it's even being talked about will sharpen all that debate in advance of the elections. Today, just at sunset, though, more suicide attacks. A suicide bomber drove a car full of explosives into a crowd of people inside a tent gathered for a funeral. That was about 55 miles northeast of Baghdad. The bomber killed 25 people, 30 people were wounded. They were all friends, relatives, family of an elderly man who they'd gathered to bury. And earlier in the day in Baghdad, a market was the a crowded market was the target of a bomber there; 11 people killed, 20 wounded when those explosives were detonated. And a little later in the center of Baghdad, again, a crowded street was where the bomber struck, this time, targeting police. Four policemen were wounded. But it was one civilian passing by that was killed and another six passersby also wounded in that particular attack, Fredricka.
[Whitfield:] All right, Nic Robertson in Baghdad, thanks so much for that update. As the White House battles its critics in Washington over President Bush's Iraq war policies, the issue remains a contentious one for the president as he continues his trip to Asia. Mr. Bush has arrived in China's capital for a two-day state visit with a major focus on trade issues. But during an earlier stop at an air base in South Korea, the Iraq war was front and center and Mr. Bush went on the offensive as he delivered a pep talk to the American troops there. Here's CNN's White House correspondent Dana Bash.
[Dana Bash, Cnn White House Correspondent:] The president stood before U.S. troops here at Osan Air Base in South Korea and focused not on a threat they're to stand watch over, that's North Korea, but instead the ongoing war in Iraq. Mr. Bush used his appearance in a sea of camouflage to engage in the debate raging back in Washington over the U.S. troop presence in the increasingly unpopular war in Iraq and the president's policy there. He said he will never accept anything less than a complete victory, and quoted a U.S. military commander in Iraq saying, setting a deadline for withdrawal would be a, quote, "recipe for disaster."
[George W. Bush, President Of The United States:] So long as I'm the commander in chief, our strategy in Iraq will be driven by the sober judgment of our military commanders on the ground. We will fight the terrorists in Iraq. We will stay in the fight until we have achieved the brave the victory that our brave troops have fought for.
[Bash:] That was added to Mr. Bush's speech in order to respond to a call from Congressman John Murpha, a hawkish and influential democrat who says forces in Iraq should come home in six months. Before coming here, Mr. Bush closed a two-day summit in Osan South Korea with 20 other world leaders, pledging initiatives to combat the bird flu, including building a regional register of experts and promising to hold a simulation exercise to test preparedness of the epidemic. Dana Bash, CNN, Osan Air Base, South Korea.
[Whitfield:] A wind-driven wildfire snaking through a canyon near Ventura, California, is reported to be about 30 percent contained. Calmer winds could help the 1,200 firefighters battling the 4,000-acre blaze. At one point, hundreds of homes were threatened and many evacuated. CNN's Kareen Wynter joins us now from Ventura, about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles. And how are things looking right now?
[Kareen Wynter, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, the conditions have greatly improved, Fredricka, since yesterday. I can tell you, the overnight efforts by firefighters, as well as the calming wind conditions have basically brought us to where we are. Again, 30 percent containment with the fire. There are some hot spots, but no flames actively burning, according to officials here in the staging area where we are right now. And those crews are currently working in an area far removed from where we are. In fact, it's tucked away in a rugged hillside. But there are no homes that are being threatened. No evacuation orders in effect and no road closures, but about 3,700 acres have burned so far. Yesterday, around this time, a dramatic scene of events as flames shot from the hillsides here in the canyons. It was a very, very scary situation for residents, some of them fleeing in their pajamas, others quickly grabbing whatever personal belongings they could, fleeing this area. And firefighters said that it was such a tedious task, because at times it felt as if they had the upper hand on these flames and then the wind would play such a role here in causing things to turn and shooting those flames even further in the air. I want to bring in now a spokesperson with Ventura County Fire Department, Captain Mike Lindberry. First of all, we know that the conditions here are always ripe, with the winds, as well as the temperatures out here. But is that what sparked this fire? Do we know right now?
[Capt. Mike Lindberry, Ventura Co. Fire Dept:] Well, as far as what sparked the fire, it's under the cause of the fire is under investigation. We do know that anytime when we have a northeasterly wind condition, hot, dry Santa Ana winds, and we have any heat source or ignition source into the brush-like weed, we had yesterday, we're going to have a major event and that's what occurred yesterday, as you explained. We've had, actually, a turn-around now. We're we have a westerly onshore flow. And even though it's not as moist, the air isn't as moist as we hope, it's given us an opportunity to go direct on the fire and get down there right on the fire lines, instead of being in a defensive posture. So, we're getting some work done today and it's looking good.
[Wynter:] What's the biggest challenge for your guys?
[Lindberry:] Well, you know, they're battling some exhaustion, they've been out there 30 hours now and a lot of them are fatigued. We have some very steep and serious terrain they have to deal with. And then heat exhaustion comes into play, as we go later in the day, we're looking at temperatures in the mid-80s, possibly. So they have actually a lot of hazards to look out for.
[Wynter:] OK, Captain, you have a long day ahead of you. We'll let you get back to work. Just to add to what the captain was saying, there were also two injuries reported, Fredricka. Two firefighters sustained minor injuries, one as a result of smoke inhalation, the other a back injury. Now, the question is, when will this be contained? And preliminary estimates tell us perhaps around 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday Fredricka.
[Whitfield:] And Kareen, as that captain was talking about the fatigue that they also have to fight. Does this mean that they're also getting some support from other jurisdictions or perhaps even across state lines?
[Wynter:] Absolutely. There are several counties involved here with fire crews coming in. The staging area is great, because there's so much aid on, from food and water, to just other personnel here, so a huge support system here and they're rotating their guys. You know, as one team goes in, and the other will be able to be standing by to relieve the others.
[Whitfield:] All right, that's good to hear. Kareen Wynter, thanks so much from Ventura, California. Well, they survived the worst natural disaster to hit the United States, and now many of the victims of Hurricane Katrina are faced with another dilemma coming from the agency they thought would help them: FEMA. We will explain and get both sides of the story from a Louisiana government official and a victim.
[Bonnie Schneider, Cnn Meteorologist:] I'm CNN meteorologist Bonnie Schneider with a look at your cold and flu report for this Saturday. As we check things out across the country, you'll see most of the nation is managing to stay quite healthy. No report of flu across much of the eastern half of the country, with some exceptions. Sporadic outbreaks have been reported in parts of New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts, down through Florida as well. Out to the west, sporadic activity reported in California, and down through parts of Arizona. Now, as we look in Texas, you'll see there's regional outbreaks reported for the flu so far this season. That's a look at your cold and flu report. I'm meteorologist Bonnie Schneider, hope everyone has a healthy and safe weekend.