The CNN Wire: Wednesday, Nov. 14

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. "Posted" times are Eastern Time.

U.S. soldier killed in blast, 4 wounded

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. soldier was killed and four others were wounded in an explosion during military operations in Diyala, northeast of Baghdad, a U.S. military statement said.

The casualties were all members of the Army's Multi-National Division - North. The wounded were evacuated to a coalition military hospital.

There have been 21 U.S. troop deaths in November and 3,865 military deaths since the beginning of the Iraq war. (Posted 2:45 a.m.)

House passes war 'bridge fund' with timeline, less money

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Again disregarding President Bush's threat of a veto, the Democratically-controlled U.S. House Wednesday approved a war-funding bill with a timeline for troop withdrawal from Iraq and substantially less funds to conduct the war than Bush has requested.

The 218-203 vote was largely along party lines. Prior to passing the bill, another largely party line vote defeated a GOP attempt to send the bill back to committee and strike parts of the bill that are objectionable to Republicans. Fifteen Democrats joined Republicans in voting against the bill while four Republicans voted in favor of it. The vote ended far short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a presidential veto.

The bill states that the primary purpose of the money "should be to transition the mission of United States Armed Forces in Iraq and undertake their redeployment." It demands that President Bush begin withdrawing troops from Iraq within 30 days of passage, with a goal of having American combat troops out of Iraq by Dec. 15, 2008.

The $50 billion "bridge fund" is about a quarter of the nearly $200 billion the Bush administration has requested to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan for 2008. Most of the money is slated for Iraq, where the Pentagon estimates the cost of its operations at about $10 billion a month. (Posted 10:05 p.m.)

Hastert to announce resignation Thursday

From CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash and Producer Deirdre Walsh

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert is expected to announce Thursday on the House floor that he is retiring from Congress, a senior aide to the congressman told CNN Wednesday.

The aide said that Hastert will announce his plans to retire tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. in an address on the House floor. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office provided the floor time to the former speaker to address his colleagues.

The aide said the effective date of Hastert's resignation not yet been determined.

CNN reported last month that Hastert would resign his seat rather than serve out the rest of his term. (Posted 9:35 p.m.)

Mukasey leaps into political fray, threatens veto of Leahy surveillance plan

From Justice Producer Terry Frieden

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In his second day on the job, Attorney General Michael Mukasey leaped into the political fray, telling a key Democratic senator he opposes his electronic surveillance plan and would recommend the president veto it if it is passed.

In a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., on the eve of crucial committee votes to update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), Mukasey was adamant in opposing Leahy's plan for changing the law.

Mukasey and Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell co-signed the letter released Wednesday night by the Justice Department.

Leahy last week introduced his substitute to a FISA modernization bill already approved by the Senate Intelligence Committee. That effort, led by Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., won wide bipartisan support and is backed by the administration. It includes retroactive immunity to legally protect the telecommunications companies which cooperated with the administration's classified warrantless surveillance program. (Posted 9:26 p.m.)

Hastert to announce resignation Thursday

From CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash and Producer Deirdre Walsh

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former House Speaker Dennis Hastert is expected to announce Thursday on the House floor that he is retiring from Congress, sources told CNN Wednesday.

Three GOP congressional sources said the Illinois Republican will give what they refer to as his "last speech" on the House Floor to formally announce his retirement but it is unclear what date it will be effective.

CNN reported last month that Hastert would resign his seat rather than serve out the rest of his term.

A former aide to Hastert told CNN that "wealth not health" was his reason for leaving. (Posted 9:17 p.m.)

Northern Chile reels from major earthquake; 2 dead

(CNN) -- Thousands of Chileans may sleep in the streets Wednesday night after a powerful earthquake rattled the north of the country, killing at least two people, injuring dozens and destroying hundreds of homes and other structures.

The magnitude 7.7 quake struck at 12:40 p.m. (10:40 a.m. ET) and was centered 40 km (25 miles) east-southeast of Tocopilla, a city of about 24,000 people. The area is about 1,245 km (780 miles) north of Santiago. The quake was felt in Peru and Bolivia, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake sent terrified residents into the streets in dozens of cities, Chile's state-owned television station said. Several aftershocks -- the strongest measuring a magnitude 5.7 -- have rocked the area.

The government's Office of National Emergency reported that two women had died and others were injured in the city of Tocopilla, where the quake leveled homes and other buildings. Municipal official Ljubica Ukurtovic, in an interview with Chilean TV station TVN, said that "approximately 100 people" had sought treatment at the hospital in Tocopilla. (Posted 7:45 p.m.)

TSA chief: Airport screeners aren't tipped off

From Homeland Security correspondent Jeanne Meserve and producer Mike Ahlers

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The head of the Transportation Security Administration vehemently denied that airport screeners are tipped off ahead of time about undercover testing of their ability to detect bomb components and other prohibited items, but not all members of Congress are buying it.

In testimony before the House Homeland Security Committee Wednesday, TSA administrator Kip Hawley said, "There is no tipoff and no cheating."

He was responding to a furor over an email with the subject line "Notice of Possible Security Test" sent to several hundred TSA officials in April 2006. The email describes the covert testers from the Federal Aviation Administration or the Department of Transportation.

Hawley said sending the email was "a mistake," and it was recalled 13 minutes later. (Posted 7:33 p.m.)

Judge: Simpson to stand trial on robbery, assault charges

LAS VEGAS (CNN) -- Former NFL star O.J. Simpson on Wednesday was bound over to stand trial on charges including kidnapping, robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, which could send him to prison for up to life upon conviction, in a Sept. 13 incident at a Las Vegas hotel.

Simpson's two co-defendants, Charles Erlich and Clarence Stewart, were also bound over, Clark County Judge Joe M. Bonaventure ruled Wednesday. (Posted 7:13 p.m.)

GAO: Investigators slipped past airport security with bomb components

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Investigators passed through Transportation Security Agency checkpoints at several U.S. airports undetected with bomb-making components concealed in their luggage and on their persons, the Government Accountability Office says in testimony to be delivered Thursday to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

The investigators obtained the components at local stores and over the Internet for less than $150, the testimony says.

The GAO said its investigators also tested the devices that could be built with the components they smuggled and discovered that "a terrorist using these devices could cause severe damage to an airplane and threaten the safety of passengers." (Posted 6:16 p.m.)

Chilean construction workers rescued from tunnel after quake

(CNN) -- Rescuers evacuated dozens of construction workers who were temporarily trapped in a collapsed roadway tunnel after a major earthquake in northern Chile, high level government sources said Wednesday.

Two people were killed in the magnitude 7.7 quake, local officials said, and at least 100 other injured, but those numbers numbers could rise as officials venture to the more remote areas and rural and indigenous communities of Chile's desert, about 780 miles north Santiago.About 50 workers were trapped inside the 793-meter (2,600-foot) Pedro Galleguillos tunnel, about 14 km (8.5 miles) north of Tocopilla at the time of the quake. The Chilean Navy is moving heavy equipment into the area to assist in the rescue operations.

The tunnel opened in 1994, but was closed Oct. 1 for repair work that was to be finished early next year. (Posted 6:09 p.m.)

Marine drill instructor convicted in recruit abuse case

(CNN) -- A drill instructor at a military recruiting station in San Diego has been convicted of abusing recruits, a spokeswoman for the Marine Corps said Wednesday.

Sgt. Jerrod M. Glass was convicted of two counts of violating orders; two counts of cruelty and maltreatment; three counts of destruction of personal property; and one count of assault, said Maj. Kristen Lasica, spokeswoman for the recruiting station in San Diego.

Glass, 25, initially was charged with 225 counts, but those were consolidated into 10. One of those was dismissed, Lasica said, and two were again consolidated, so jurors considered only the eight counts Glass was convicted of.

The alleged incidents occurred between Dec. 23, 2006, and Feb. 10, 2007, the Marines have said. About 110 incidents were involved and were included in the 10 counts, Lasica said. (Posted 6:04 p.m.)

News Corp. execs told me to lie about Kerik, Regan suit claims

NEW YORK (CNN) -- Senior executives of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. urged celebrity publisher Judith Regan to lie to investigators about ex-New York Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik in order to protect Rudy Giuliani's presidential ambitions, Regan alleges in a lawsuit filed this week.

The lawsuit does not name the executives or cite any documents to back up her allegation, and News Corp. -- the parent company of the Fox television network and cable news channel -- called the suit's claims "preposterous" Wednesday. But Regan says she was the victim of a smear campaign "to save the reputation of Kerik" -- with whom she says she had an affair that began in 2001 -- "and by association, Rudy Giuliani."

The 70-page lawsuit was filed in a state court in New York just days after Kerik's indictment on federal corruption charges in a case that has fueled criticism of Giuliani, his longtime patron. (Posted 5:21 p.m.)

Dozens believed trapped after earthquake in northern Chile

(CNN) -- Dozens of construction workers are believed trapped in a roadway tunnel that collapsed Wednesday during a major earthquake in northern Chile, high level government sources said.

The magnitude 7.7 quake struck at 12:40 p.m. (10:40 a.m. ET) and was centered 40 km (25 miles) east-southeast of Tocopilla, a city of about 24,000 people. The area is about 1,245 km (780 miles) north of Santiago. The quake was felt in Peru and Bolivia, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Two people have been confirmed dead and 100 injured, local authorities said, but both numbers could rise as officials venture to the more remote areas and rural and indigenous communities of Chile's desert.

About 50 workers were believed to be inside the 793-meter (2,600-foot) Pedro Galleguillos tunnel, about 14 km (8.5 miles) north of Tocopilla at the time of the quake, which collapsed the only exit paths. The tunnel was undergoing repairs. The Chilean Navy is moving heavy equipment into the area to assist in the rescue operations. (Posted 5:14 p.m.)

Pentagon gives mobile military spouses a chance to have a career

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Thousands of U.S. military spouses who cannot hold a job because the family is forced to move around the country may have better luck with their careers if a new Department of Defense and Department of Labor program succeeds.

The Military Spouse Career Advancement Initiative will offer money to military spouses to study high-demand and "portable" career fields that it believes will make it easier to find jobs wherever they move in the United States.

Labor Department statistics show the more than 700,000 military spouses covered by the initiative have an unemployment rate three times higher than those in the civilian sectors. Seventy-seven percent of those spouses say they need or have to work, according to the Department of Labor. (Posted 4:39 p.m.)

Colombian families file lawsuit holding Chiquita responsible for torture, murder

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A $7.86 billion lawsuit was filed Wednesday in New York on behalf of nearly 400 Colombian families who say Chiquita Brands International should be held responsible for the "torture and murder" of their loved ones.

Attorney Jonathan Reiter said his clients are seeking "damages for terrorism, war crimes ... and wrongful death." The plaintiffs are asking for $10 million in compensatory damages and $10 million in punitive damages for each of the the 393 victims named in the suit.

Earlier this year, Chiquita, as part of a plea agreement, admitted that what it called protection payments had been given to Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, or AUC. AUC was named a terrorist organization by the United States in 2002, making it a crime to give them money.

But the lawsuit alleges that Chiquita's interaction with the paramilitary group went farther than the payments -- it accuses the company of facilitating shipments of arms to the group. (Posted 4:31 p.m.)

Delta Air Lines says it's open to merger

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Delta Air Lines said Wednesday it is open to a deal with another airline in the wake of a push by a hedge fund to combine Delta with United Airlines.

A merger, which is being proposed as an answer to soaring jet fuel costs, would create the world's largest air carrier. A Delta-UAL tie-up would likely spark a round of industry consolidation and sharply reduce the choices for passengers, while possibly leading to higher fares on some routes.

Pardus Capital Management, which according to federal filings has 3 million shares of Delta and 5.6 million shares of UAL, sent a letter to the airlines Tuesday that proposed a stock-for-stock combination. Pardus' holdings represent about 1.3 percent of Delta's shares and nearly 5 percent of UAL.

United is the No. 2 carrier, behind only AMR Corp. unit American Airlines; Delta, which emerged from bankruptcy earlier this year, is No. 3. Officials from United and Pardus were not immediately available for comment. --From CNNMoney's Chris Isidore (Posted 4:23 p.m.)

Poll: Majority of likely Democratic Nevada caucus participants support Clinton

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A majority of likely participants in Nevada's Democratic caucus support Hilary Clinton as the Democratic nominee for president, according to results of a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Wednesday.

Clinton, a New York senator, was named by 51 percent of the 389 likely Democratic caucus-goers who participated in the poll as their choice for nominee. Illinois Sen. Barack Obama was in second place, with 23 percent, and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards was in third, with 11 percent.

Sixty-three percent of respondents said Clinton is the most electable among the Democratic presidential hopefuls. Fifty-four percent named her as the strongest leader; 51 percent said she is the most qualified and 49 percent said she is most likely to bring change.

Although Clinton was also the top vote-getter when respondents were asked who has the clearest position on issues (42 percent), who says what they believe (41 percent), who is most likeable (40 percent) and who is most honest (37 percent) among Democratic candidates, she fell short of gaining majority support in those areas. On each question, Obama was second, followed by Edwards. The sampling error for those questions was plus or minus 5 percentage points. (Posted 4:16 p.m.)

Crew of ship that hit Bay Bridge refusing to talk to NTSB

(CNN) -- The crew of the ship that ran into the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and spilled thousands of gallons of oil into the water last week has retained lawyers and is not complying with requests for interviews from the National Transportation Safety Board, a board member said Wednesday.

"The crew members' attorneys have not granted us access to the crew members," NTSB member Debbie Hershman told reporters in Oakland, Calif.

But even if they don't get to interview all the crew, Hershman added, "We will conduct a thorough investigation.

"We have very good tools and resources with respect to the VDR (voyage data recorder) and other materials to be able conduct a thorough investigation." (Posted 3:46 p.m.)

In public reversal, State Department watchdog bows out of Blackwater probes

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The State Department's inspector-general announced Wednesday that he would recuse himself from decisions involving security contractor Blackwater, after a confrontation before a House committee over his brother's role as an adviser to the company.

Howard Krongard already was under scrutiny by the House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee over his handling of investigations into State Department contracts.

During a hearing Wednesday morning, he first denied that his brother had any role with the company -- but reversed himself after being confronted with evidence that his brother had attended a Blackwater advisory board meeting this week.

"I had not been aware of that, and I want to state on the record right now that I hereby recuse myself from any matters having to do with Blackwater," Krongard told the committee after calling his brother during the break. --From CNN's Charlie Keys (Posted 3:45 p.m.)

Air Force clears some F-15s to fly again

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Air Force is beginning to return many of the sophisticated F-15E Strike Eagles jets back into service over Iraq and Afghanistan, but continues to ground other F-15s after a crash of an older model that disintegrated in flight earlier this month in Missouri, the Air Force said Wednesday.

Each F-15E must pass an inspection of critical parts on the airframe before returning to flying missions, Air Force officials said.

"Each of the U.S. Air Force's 224 E-model aircraft will undergo a one-time inspection of hydraulic system lines, the longerons, which are the molded, metal strips of the aircraft fuselage, running from front to rear, as well as straps and skin panels in and around the environmental control system bay," the Air Force statement said.

Officials would not say whether the parts being inspected were part of the problem on the aircraft that crashed. --From CNN Pentagon Producer Mike Mount (Posted 3:14 p.m.)

Earthquake in northern Chile injures dozens, rattles buildings

(CNN) -- A major, 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit northern Chile Wednesday, injuring about 40 people in Tocopilla and sending terrified residents into the streets in dozens of cities, Chile's state-owned television station said. No deaths were reported.

Several aftershocks of magnitude 4.7 or higher were measured, officials said.

Officials were headed to the area from Santiago to evaluate the damage, TVN Correspondent Amaro Gomez-Pablos said. Up to 40 percent of the region's structures may be damaged, he said, quoting officials. Local television showed cars crushed under one building's collapsed facade.

"There is a strong sense that the situation is under control," he said. (Posted 3 p.m.)

Judge weighing whether Simpson case will go to trial

LAS VEGAS (CNN) -- Clark County Judge Joe M. Bonaventure gave mixed signals Wednesday about when he will decide whether the state has presented sufficient evidence in its case against O.J. Simpson to warrant he be tried before a jury on charges that could result in life in prison.

"I would like to take some time with this," Bonaventure told the courtroom, adding that he plans to consider arguments, notes, briefs and exhibits related to the case. "I can't give a decision this afternoon."

But, after conferring for a few moments with the lawyers involved, he appeared to contradict what he had just said, adding, "We'll meet back here at 4 o'clock (7 p.m. ET) for a decision."

Bonaventure made his comments on the fourth and final day of evidentiary hearings. (Posted 2:26 p.m.)

Musharraf digs in heels ahead of U.S. visit: 'I don't take any ultimatums'

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (CNN) -- Despite growing international pressure, Pakistan's president, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, gave no indication that he will lift his emergency declaration before upcoming parliamentary elections, telling reporters, "I don't take any ultimatums from anyone."

He delivered that message in an interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, days before he is scheduled to talk with U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad this weekend.

Senior State Department officials told CNN that Negroponte will convey to Musharraf how seriously the United States views his imposition of emergency rule and will suggest he rescind it. Musharraf is also under pressure from the British Commonwealth, which has threatened to suspend Pakistan from the 53-nation alliance if he does not lift the emergency order by Nov. 22.

Asked about that threat, Musharraf told the AP, "I don't take any ultimatums from anyone." (Posted 2:02 p.m.)

Mukasey welcomed as attorney general, says 'It's great to be back'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- New Attorney General Michael Mukasey pledged to an enthusiastic overflow crowd of his employees at the troubled Justice Department on Wednesday to give them "the leadership you deserve."

"It's great to be back," Mukasey declared at his swearing-in ceremony, more than 30 years after he left the department as a federal prosecutor in New York.

President Bush stood with Mukasey and his wife, Susan, as Chief Justice John Roberts re-created the administration of the oath to the nation's 81st attorney general, and the third during the Bush presidency. A department official had administered the official swearing-in last Friday so Mukasey could get started in the job.

Bush received loud applause when he declared his commitment to stand behind his new attorney general, who was narrowly confirmed by the Senate last week after a battle over Mukasey's refusal to declare the interrogation practice of waterboarding to be illegal.

The president promised to announce Thursday the nominees to fill several top jobs currently filled by temporary "acting" officials. --From Justice Producer Terry Frieden (Posted 1:14 p.m.)

Bombers target sheiks' 'awakening' meeting south of Baghdad

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- At least two people were killed and six were wounded south of Baghdad on Wednesday when bombers targeted a gathering of sheikhs opposed to al Qaeda in Iraq, police in Babil province said.

The suicide bomber struck the house of Sheikh Imad al-Kardani in Iskandariya, where the sheikhs' meeting was being held, and a car bomb then erupted outside the house, police said.

The sheikhs and the al-Kardani tribe are part of the "Iskandariya Awakening," one of Iraq's emerging "awakening" movements -- the grass-roots citizen groups opposing al Qaeda in Iraq. (Posted 12:51 p.m.)

Warren Buffett defends estate tax before Senate committee

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Warren Buffett thinks those who use the phrase "death tax" are intellectually dishonest because the phrase in his words is "clever, Orwellian and dead wrong."

The billionaire investor has been an outspoken critic of efforts to repeal the estate tax and in testimony at a Senate Finance Committee estate tax hearing Wednesday, he told lawmakers that a person would have to attend 200 funerals to be at one where the family of the deceased would owe estate tax.

If anything, he said, the estate tax is a "death present" because heirs figure their capital gains on inherited assets based on the price when they inherited them rather than when the deceased person bought them.

One objection from those who support repeal is that the estate tax is an unfair burden on family businesses and farms, the heirs to which may be forced to sell pieces of the business just to pay the estate tax bill. Buffett said he would support an exemption for family-owned businesses. (Posted 12:41 p.m.)

Earthquake strikes northern Chile; 7.7 preliminary magnitude

(CNN) -- A preliminary 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit northern Chile Wednesday, about 780 miles north of Santiago, authorities said.

The earthquake was centered at the port city of Antofagasta, which also is the regional capital, at a depth of 60 km (37 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

A tsunami warning was issued for the South Pacific coast after the quake hit at 12:40 p.m. (10:40 a.m. ET) but was canceled within an hour.

Quakes that hit deep underground are more favorable than shallow ones because more of the energy is absorbed by the Earth, according to meteorologists. (Posted 11:36 a.m.)

British prime minister announces new security measures

LONDON (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown unveiled a sweeping list of security measures Wednesday to protect the country's buildings and borders and stop the spread of extremism at home and abroad.

The measures include making buildings more blast-resistant, random checks at train stations, and working with Internet companies to counter extremist views online.

The measures, Brown told Parliament, "will require not just military and security resources, but more policing, more intelligence, and an enhanced effort to win hearts and minds."

Brown told parliament the measures were a response to the attempted terrorist attacks in June in which a group of foreign-born doctors with ties to al Qaeda parked a car bomb near a crowded London nightclub and drove an explosives-laden vehicle into an airport terminal in Glasgow. No one was killed. (Posted 10:47 p.m.)

Military: Despite security successes in, around Baghdad, progress remains 'fragile, far from irreversible'

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. military official in Iraq noted Wednesday that there have been security successes in Baghdad and its surrounding belts, but he warned that progress is still "fragile and far from irreversible."

"It would be unwise and irresponsible to declare victory and disestablish the security framework that has led to the progress and relative calm we are now witnessing," said Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, a U.S. military spokesman, making a reference to the U.S. and Iraqi security crackdowns in and near Baghdad.

Speaking to reporters Wednesday in Baghdad, Smith cited two incidents that display the "will and capacity" of the insurgents as evidence of the challenges ahead: a Wednesday bombing near the Green Zone that resulted in civilian and military casualties and a Tuesday fight just southwest of Baghdad between al Qaeda in Iraq fighters and U.S. and Iraqi forces and citizen supporters that left 15 militants dead. (Posted 10:33 a.m.)

NATO soldier killed in southern Afghanistan blast

(CNN) -- A NATO soldier was killed Wednesday in southern Afghanistan, NATO's International Security Assistance Force said.

He was on a routine patrol when an improvised explosive device detonated, it said. An interpreter was injured as well. (Posted 10:22 a.m.)

N.Y.'s Spitzer drops plan to give driver's licenses to illegal immigrants

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer said Wednesday he is giving up his proposal to grant driver's licenses to undocumented workers, a plan he had said would "improve the safety and security of the people of my state."

Spitzer said he was abandoning the idea because he had concluded that "New York state cannot successfully address this problem on its own."

He said he originally wanted to act because of the failure of the federal government to deal with immigration policy and the impact that failure was having on New York.

The effect, he said, was that there were approximately 1 million undocumented workers in New York state, "many of whom are driving without licenses."

Spitzer said licensing workers who did not have Social Security numbers, which New York state had done in the past, would have aided law enforcement and would have made New York's streets more safe and secure. However, said Spitzer, he had concluded that opposition to his plan would have doomed it to failure. (Posted 9:51 a.m.)

Pakistani police nab opposition leader at student rally

LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- Former Pakistan cricketer and opposition leader Imran Khan was seized by police Wednesday after surfacing at the University of Punjab in Lahore to attend a student rally protesting the president's emergency declaration, Lahore police said.

Khan, who heads the Tehreek-e-Insaaf (Movement for Justice Party), was briefly placed under house arrest days after President Gen. Pervez Musharraf's Nov. 3 emergency declaration. He escaped and has been in hiding since, speaking to the media from undisclosed locations.

Khan has been an outspoken critic during what he and other opposition leaders have called the president's imposition of martial law. (Posted 9:42 a.m.)

Retail sales sluggish in October

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Retail sales grew at a sluggish pace in October as many cash-strapped Americans continue to struggle with higher gas prices, less equity in the home and tighter credit availability.

The Commerce Department said total sales rose 0.2 percent last month from a revised gain of 0.7 percent in September. September sales originally were reported to have increased 0.6 percent. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast a rise of 0.2 percent for the month.

Stripping out volatile auto sales, retail sales rose a weaker 0.2 percent versus a 0.4 percent increase in September. Economists, on average, had forecast an ex-auto gain of 0.3 percent for the month. --From CNNMoney.com's Parija B. Kavilanz (Posted 8:55 a.m.)

Roadside bomb near Green Zone kills at least 2 civilians; U.S. reports military, civilian casualties

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. military spokesman said a roadside bombing targeting a coalition vehicle near the Green Zone on Wednesday caused "multiple military and civilian casualties."

Iraq's Interior Ministry said the attack killed at least two civilians and wounded two others. The explosion went off around 8 a.m. (12 a.m. ET) near the highly fortified district -- the seat of U.S. military and U.S. diplomatic agencies and the location of the Iraqi government and parliament, it said.

Rear Adm. Gregory Smith, a Multi-National Force-Iraq spokesman, told reporters in Baghdad on Wednesday that the unit was operating near a checkpoint when the vehicle "came in contact with an improvised explosive device" and endured "multiple military and civilian casualties."

Iraqi police said the blast targeted a U.S. military convoy but missed, leading to the civilian casualties. Separately, a parked car bomb exploded in eastern Baghdad, wounding at least six Iraqis -- including two police officers -- Wednesday afternoon, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. (Posted 8:51 a.m.)

4 U.S. troop deaths in Iraq

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. military Wednesday announced the deaths of four more American troops in Iraq.

One Multi-National Corps-Iraq soldier was killed on Wednesday during military operations near the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. Two Multi-National Division-North soldiers died Tuesday in a blast during operations while conducting operations in Diyala, northeast of Baghdad. And a soldier died Monday of wounds from a small arms fire attack by enemy forces.

There have been 19 U.S. troop deaths so far in November and 3,863 military deaths in the Iraq war. (Posted 8:48 a.m.)

Private security detail involved in Baghdad shooting was not covered by new State Dept. rules

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The U.S. government is not conducting an official investigation into a shooting incident in Baghdad last Saturday involving a private security contractor hired by the U.S. State Department, and is instead relying on the private company itself and the Iraqi government to probe the shooting, U.S. officials told CNN.

But the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad was inquiring into the incident and keeping "in close touch with DynCorp" -- the security company involved in the incident. (Posted 7:19 a.m.)

British prime minister to announce new security measures

LONDON (CNN) -- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown planned to introduce a series of new security measures to parliament Wednesday including tightened borders and more protection for crowded public places, his security minister said.

In an interview with BBC radio, Alan West, the undersecretary for security, said specific measures included the installation of barriers on roadways to protect against vehicle-borne explosives and new design regulations for buildings to make them less prone to terrorist attacks. (Posted 6:35 a.m.)

State Dept. officials: U.S. to suggest that Musharraf suspend emergency rule

LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte will tell Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf how seriously the United States views his imposition of emergency rule and suggest he rescind it when they meet this weekend, senior State Department officials told CNN Wednesday.

The U.S. position is that Musharraf has overplayed his hand with the emergency order and if he doesn't back down, major opposition parties will boycott the election and it will be a major step back for Pakistan, a senior State Department official said. The United States also believes that the relative lack of major violence cannot be contained much longer. (Posted 6:05 a.m.)

French strikes snarl traffic, test government resolve

PARIS (CNN) -- More than 220 miles (360 km) of traffic jams gripped the French capital Wednesday and train and bus services were disrupted on the first day of a transport strike which tested the government's strength and resolve.

One in 15 subway trains and about 15 percent of buses were operating Wednesday. But the strike halted commuter trains around the Paris area, stranding many suburban commuters.

Roads into Paris were jammed as commuters turned to their cars instead.

"I'm fed up with this," said one woman at St. Lazare train station, where electronic boards informed passengers of severe disruptions to service. (Posted 4:54 a.m.)

Ex-Khmer Rouge prime minister hospitalized in capital

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (CNN) -- Former Khmer Rouge Prime Minister Khieu Samphan arrived in the Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, Wednesday morning and was quickly taken to a hospital for medical treatment.

After the recent arrests of other former regime members, there was speculation Samphan might also be charged by the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia, a U.N.-backed genocide tribunal.

Ieng Sary, the foreign minister of the blood-soaked regime that ruled Cambodia in the late 1970s, and his wife were arrested by the tribunal Monday and were scheduled to be in court Wednesday.

ECCC spokesman Peter Foster told CNN he could not comment on the possibility of Samphan being arrested, but did say the former leader was brought to Phnom Penh by the Cambodian government. (Posted 4:21 a.m.)

Pakistani opposition leader arrested at demonstration

LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- Pakistan opposition leader Imran Khan was arrested in Lahore Wednesday during a student demonstration at a university campus, Lahore police said. (Posted 3:45 a.m.)

Roadside bomb explosion kills 2 in central Baghdad

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A roadside bomb explosion in central Baghdad Wednesday killed at least two civilians and wounded two others, an Interior Ministry official told CNN.

The explosion went off around 8 a.m. (12 a.m. ET) near the Green Zone, the seat of U.S. military and U.S. diplomatic agencies, as well as the location of the Iraqi government and parliament.

According to police, the blast targeted a U.S. military convoy but missed, leading to the civilian casualties. (Posted 3:22 a.m.)

Coalition, Afghan forces arrest suspected insurgent, free 7 Taliban hostages in southern Afghanistan

(CNN) -- Afghan and U.S.-led coalition forces arrested a suspected insurgent Tuesday in the Qalat district of southern Afghanistan's Zabul Province while conducting operations aimed at disrupting foreign fighter facilitator cells, the coalition command said.

"Actionable intelligence led coalition forces to compounds in the district where they conducted a search for militant facilitators thought to be hiding in the area," the coalition said. The search resulted in the detention of an individual suspect of having "connections to foreign fighter facilitation operations as well as other extremist activities."

There was no word on whether any casualties resulted, but the coalition said "some damage" occurred to a nearby building during the course of the operation.

Separately, the coalition on Tuesday announced its forces teamed with Afghan forces to free seven prisoners held by Taliban members in Qalat district last Wednesday. The coalition said the seven were discovered during a search of compounds in the districts. (Posted 1:35 a.m.)

Body of police officer's third wife exhumed during investigation into disappearance of current wife

BOLINGBROOK, Ill. (CNN) -- Authorities exhumed and conducted an autopsy on the body of a suburban Chicago police officer's former wife Tuesday as part of a potential homicide case involving his current wife.

Bolingbrook Police Sgt. Drew Peterson, 53, said he last spoke to his wife, Stacy Peterson -- the sergeant's fourth wife -- the night of Oct. 28. Peterson told the media he believed she ran off with another man. She has been missing ever since.

As the case progressed, Commander Illinois State Police Capt. Carl Dobrich said police shifted from classifying Peterson as a "person of interest" to "being a suspect," and the case has evolved from a "missing persons case" to a "potential homicide case."

As part of the investigation into his current wife, authorities are now looking into the death of Peterson's previous wife, 23-year-old Kathleen Savio, who was found drowned in a bathtub in 2004. (Posted 1:30 a.m.)

Yahoo settles suit brought by families of Chinese dissidents

(CNN) -- Internet giant Yahoo Inc. has settled a lawsuit brought by families of a Chinese dissident and journalist, who claim they were captured because of the company's cooperation with Chinese authorities' efforts to crack down on opposition, according to court documents.

Notification of the settlement was filed Tuesday in U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California.

An attorney involved in the case who did not want to be identified told CNN monetary terms of the settlement were not disclosed.

The case was filed by dissident Wang Xiaoning; his wife, Yu Ling; Shi Tao, a reporter for a Chinese newspaper; and others not identified in court documents.

China's communist government sentenced Wang to 10 years in prison for sending out pro-democracy blogs. (Posted 11:30 p.m.) E-mail to a friend