  
| 
| ||||||||||||
 Saturday, February 25
Editor's Note: The CNN Wire is a running log of the latest news from CNN World Headquarters, reported by CNN's correspondents and producers, and The CNN Wire editors. Minibus explodes in Hilla, causing casualties BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A vehicle bomb detonated Sunday morning in Hilla's main bus station, causing an undetermined number of casualties, a Hilla police spokesman said. The blast occurred at 10:20 a.m. (2:20 a.m. ET) when a parked Kia minibus that had been rigged with explosives detonated. Hilla is a mostly Shia city about 100 km (62 mi) south of Baghdad in Babil province, which is under a night-time curfew. (Posted: 2:52 a.m.) Prison riot outside Kabul KABUL (CNN) -- A riot has broken out at Pul-e-Charki Prison outside Kabul, the head of the Afghan Prison Service told CNN Sunday. "Police have surrounded the prison," said Gen. Bakhi. Pul-e-Charki prison is the most notorious prison in Afghanistan. It is a crumbling, Soviet-built complex in the desert near Kabul with anti-aircraft guns mounted on turrets pointing into the prison. During the Soviet period, it housed opponents of the regime; torture and execution of prisoners were commonplace. Some 70,000 bodies are believed to be buried around the prison in unmarked mass graves. (Posted: 1:30 a.m.) Company says 65 miners trapped underground are dead SAN JUAN DE SABINAS, Mexico (CNN) -- One week after an explosion trapped 65 men in a Mexican coal mine, the mine's owner said Saturday there is no chance the men survived the disaster. "Due to the magnitude of this explosion and the coal in the atmosphere of the mine, the environment changed instantly, becoming a general atmosphere of high concentrations of methane and carbon monoxide with almost no oxygen," Javier Garcia, spokesman for Grupo Mexico, told a news conference. The mining company said it would try to retrieve the men's bodies after gas levels were no longer a danger. There had been no contact with the miners since last Sunday's explosion. (Posted 9:15 p.m.) Guards who helped foil attack on Saudi oil complex die (CNN) -- Two security guards who helped prevent Friday's attempted suicide bombings at a Saudi Arabian oil processing complex died at a hospital, the Interior Ministry said Saturday, confirming reports from the previous day. The two would-be suicide bombers were killed in the blast that occurred a mile and half from the facility's main gate. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, also known as al Qaeda in Saudi Arabia, claimed responsibility on an Arab-language Web site for the attempted bombings at the state-owned Aramco oil company plant. It was the first time a Saudi oil facility has been targeted. The oil facility targeted is one of the largest in the world, processing two-thirds of Saudi Arabia's petroleum exports. Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden has repeatedly urged his followers to attack oil facilities, accusing the West of paying too little for the Middle East resource. (Posted 8:30 p.m.) Actor Don Knotts dead at 81 (CNN) -- Veteran actor Don Knotts, known to millions for his role as the bumbling Deputy Barney Fife on the "The Andy Griffith Show," has died at age 81. Griffith was at his bedside, a spokesman for the cable network TV Land said Saturday. Paul Ward said Knotts died Friday night at a hospital in Los Angeles surrounded by family. Griffith, a longtime friend, was the TV sheriff of the small town of Mayberry. Knotts is survived by two grown children, Karen and Thomas Knotts. Don Knotts also spent years on the hit TV show "Three's Company," playing lovable landlord Mr. Furley. Knotts was born on July 21, 1924, in Morgantown, W. Va., and began his career as a ventriloquist and comedian. (Posted 8 p.m.) Lawmakers working on compromise deal on port controversy WASHINGTON (CNN) -- GOP congressional leaders are shaping a compromise under which the controversial deal allowing a Dubai company to manage six U.S. ports may be allowed to proceed, CNN learned Saturday. However, the agreement first would have to pass a more comprehensive 45-day investigation focusing on potential national security implications, several sources involved in the sensitive talks said. (posted 6:23 p.m.) EMS spokesman 'pretty sure this is not ricin' (CNN) -- It is doubtful that the whitish-brown powder found in a roll of quarters in a laundry room at the University of Texas at Austin is ricin, because no one has shown symptoms of the powerful poison, an EMS spokesman said Saturday. "Pretty sure this is not ricin, but we're going to let the labs do that," said Mike Elliott, district commander for Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services. There is no antidote for ricin poisoning. While an initial lab test showed the substance discovered Thursday was ricin, two subsequent ones did not, he said. (posted 6:21 p.m.) Iraqi leaders meet to promote national unity, amity BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraq's top politicos held a dramatic powwow on Saturday to discuss the formation of a national unity government and foster solidarity amid fears of escalating civil strife. The meeting of the leaders -- Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish from virtually all political factions -- was televised live. Among the participants were Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, President Jalal Talabani, and former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. Even Sunni politicians attended, including those from the Iraq Accord Front that had announced it would boycott national unity talks after violent reprisals on Sunnis this week. (posted 2:14 p.m.) Shiite shrine attacked, destroyed in Iraqi town near Kirkuk (CNN) -- Kirkuk police said insurgents Saturday bombed a Shiite shrine commemorating an ancient imam. The shrine of Imam Ali al-Ridha in Tuz Khumatu, located southeast of Kirkuk and visited frequently by Shiites, was destroyed in the bombing at 4 a.m. Saturday, police said. The shrine is not considered major, but the attack is particularly significant following this week's bombing of the Al-Askariya Mosque in Samarra. (posted 2:11 p.m.) Bush phones Iraqi leaders, encourages them to work together WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush phoned seven Iraqi leaders on Saturday to express his condolences and his support for their leadership on the heels of pitched Sunni-Shiite tensions and sectarian violence. National Security Council spokesman Frederick Jones said the calls included conversations with Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari and President Jalal Talabani. (posted 2:10 p.m.) China reports two more people have avian flu virus BEIJING (CNN) -- China's health ministry said Saturday two more people have been diagnosed with the avian flu virus. The cases have not been confirmed by the World Health Organization. The Chinese Ministry of Health said a nine-year-old girl in east China's Zhejiang Province and a 26-year-old woman who is a farmer in east China's Anhui Province were confirmed to be infected with H5N1 virus. The WHO has previously confirmed 12 cases in China, including eight deaths. (posted 12:00 p.m.) N.J. governor slams Dubai ports transaction (CNN) -- The Democratic governor of New Jersey on Saturday sharply criticized the controversial deal that would permit a United Arab Emirates firm to take over operations at six major U.S. ports, including one in Newark, N.J. "There are many reasons why this transaction fails the basic test of common sense with regard to our nation's homeland security," said Gov. Jon Corzine, speaking in the weekly Democratic radio response. "We cannot afford to let this administration be stubborn in their mistakes and casual about our security." President Bush, in his radio address, focused on issues he planned to discuss with governors at their annual meeting in Washington Sunday and Monday, including health care, energy and the war on terror. He made no mention of the Dubai ports deal. (posted 11:44 a.m.) 2 more arrests in British robbery reported LONDON (CNN) -- Two more arrests have been made in connection with what is believed to be the largest cash robbery in British history, Kent police said Saturday. A 55-year-old man and a 33-year-old man were arrested in the Maidstone area and are being held on suspicion of conspiracy to commit robbery, police said. Three other people remain on police bail. In the armed robbery Wednesday at a security depot in Kent County, about 30 miles southeast of London, thieves made off with at least 25 million pounds ($44 million U.S.), and possibly as much as 50 million pounds ($88 million), authorities said. (posted 11:42 a.m.) It's official: Ugandan incumbent leader wins election KAMPALA, Uganda (CNN) -- Official results from Uganda's electoral commission showed that the incumbent, Yoweri Museveni, has won the country's election. Museveni won 59.28 percent of the vote, held Thursday. The closest runner-up was Kiiza Besigye with 37.36 percent of the vote. Museveni has held power for 20 years. Besigye, 49, is from the Forum for Democratic Change. (posted 11:40 a.m.) Slew of attacks a mid curfew BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Despite a curfew in place in four Iraqi provinces intended to limit sectarian violence that erupted after Wednesday's bombing of a Shiite mosque in Samarra, attacks continued Saturday in Iraq. Two police officers were killed and five others were wounded when shots were fired on the funeral procession for an Al Arabiya correspondent killed this week while reporting about an attack on a Shiite shrine, Iraqi emergency police told CNN. Armed gunmen stormed a house in the town of Abara, just south of Baquba, killing 11 members of a family believed to be Shiite, an official with the Diyala Joint Coordination Center said. Initial reports indicated that women and children were among the dead, the JCC said. In a suburb of Karbala, the largely Shiite city south of Baghdad, where there was no curfew, a bomb planted inside a car parked along a busy road was detonated remotely, killing five people and wounding 31 others, a Karbala police officer said. Three people were killed and four others were wounded when a mortar struck a house in Baghdad's Sadr City, emergency police told CNN. Also, 11 bodies were found in Baghdad Saturday, police said. Also, a U.S. soldier died Friday of non-combat-related injuries, the Combined Press Information Center said Saturday. (posted 11:36 a.m.) At least 18 die when building collapses in Bangladesh capital DHAKA, Bangladesh (CNN) -- A six-story building housing a garment factory collapsed Saturday in Dhaka, Bangladesh Saturday, killing at least 18 people, seriously injuring more than 50 and trapping more than 300, fire and police officials said. Most of the missing in the factory -- called Phoenix Textile -- are women, a police official said. The collapse occurred in the heavily industrial Tejgaon (prono: TAJ-gow) section of the city at about 11 a.m. (midnight Friday ET), and authorities called in the army to lead the rescue effort. (Posted: 5:50 a.m.) Thaksin's call for new elections may not placate opposition From Senior Asia Correspondent Mike Chinoy BANGKOK (CNN) -- Tensions between Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his opponents were high Saturday, despite Thaksin's decision late Friday to dissolve Parliament and call new elections on April 2, three years ahead of schedule. In his weekly radio address Saturday, the prime minister announced a series of populist measures aimed at boosting his flagging popularity. They included promises of more money for farmers, introduction of a minimum wage for urban workers, and pay hikes for civil servants. Thaksin's opponents denounced the moves as electioneering and promised to go ahead with a huge rally on Sunday to demand that he step down. Although Thaksin won a landslide election victory barely a year ago, his popularity, especially in urban areas, has plummeted amid allegations of corruption, cronyism and intimidation of the media. (Posted: 5:39 a.m.) Museveni enjoying comfortable lead KAMPALA, Uganda (CNN) -- Official results from Uganda's electoral commission showed the incumbent Saturday almost certain to win re-election. With almost 80 percent of the ballots from Thursday's polling counted, President Yoweri Museveni -- who has held power for 20 years -- was leading with about 60.6 percent of the vote versus about 36 percent for his closest challenger, Dr. Kiiza Besigye, 49, of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). Final results were expected later in the day. (Posted: 4:36 a.m.) At least 1 dead in attack on funeral procession BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A security officer was killed and four others were wounded Saturday when shots were fired on the funeral procession for an Al Arabiya correspondent killed this week while reporting about an attack on a Shiite shrine, Iraqi Emergency Police told CNN. The shots rang out as the cortege, which was being led and guarded by Iraqi police and soldiers, was entering the western neighborhood of Abu Ghraib, the police said. Police said they believe that the gunmen may have thought that the Iraqi security forces were bearing down on them and opened fire. Separately, armed gunmen stormed a house in the town of Abara, just south of Baquba, killing 11 members of one family, an official with Baquba's Joint Coordination Center said. Initial reports indicated that women and children were among the dead. (Posted: 3:35 a.m.) Regional curfew in Iraq until Saturday afternoon BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Four Iraqi provinces were blanketed by a curfew until Saturday afternoon in an effort to prevent bloody sectarian attacks that have raged since Wednesday's bombing at a Shiite mosque in Samarra. A nationwide curfew ended at 6 a.m. Saturday (10 p.m. ET Friday) for all but the provinces of Baghdad, Babil, Salaheddin and Diyala, where the curfew was to last until 4 p.m. (8 a.m. ET). Bloody violence erupted mid-week after the attack on the Al-Askariya, or Golden, Mosque, which shattered more of its dome. The dramatic strike, thought to have been carried out by Sunni Arab insurgents, spurred mass protests and Shiite reprisals across Iraq that resulted in killings of Sunni Arabs and attacks against their mosques and institutions. At least 132 people were killed in the clashes. (Posted 11:37 p.m.) 
|
| ||||||||||||
| © 2007 Cable News Network. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines. Contact us. Site Map. |
 |
|
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video. 
