The CNN Wire: Monday, Dec. 3

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.

Sudan teacher arrives back in England

LONDON (CNN) -- Gillian Gibbons, the British teacher jailed in Sudan for allowing a class Teddy bear to be named "Mohammed" has arrived back in England after she was granted a presidential pardon Monday.

An Emirates airlines plane carrying the 54-year-old touched down in the dark at London's Heathrow airport at around 7.05.a.m local time (2.05a ET), according to a CNN reporter on the flight.

Gibbons was sentenced to 15 days in jail last Thursday after a member of school staff complained to the authorities after she allowed her students at a private school to name a Teddy bear after the Muslim prophet. (Posted 2:48 a.m.)

Suicide car bomber targets military convoy, wounds 10 civilians

KABUL (CNN) -- A suicide car bomber attacked a coalition military target in the Afghan capital Tuesday morning, wounding 10 civilians, according to the Afghan Interior Ministry.

"This morning on the airport road a man driving a suicide car bomb attacked a NATO convoy," said Interior Ministry spokesman Zmarai Bashiri. "A nearby minibus was completely destroyed and two smaller cars were badly damaged."

There were no casualties among NATO's International Security Assistance Force. (Posted 1:30 a.m.)

DSL outage hits AT&T southeastern service area

(CNN) -- AT&T digital subscriber line (DSL) customers in the Southeast found themselves unable to access the World Wide Web Monday as the communications conglomerate experienced a regional outage.

Spokeswoman Susan Bean told CNN that DSL service was down in Alabama, Louisiana and possibly the Carolinas. CNN also received reports from Georgia and Tennessee -- all parts of the old BellSouth service area, which AT&T obtained when it acquired BellSouth in late 2006.

Bean could not say how many people the outage likely affected, but said it was "potentially a lot of people." (Posted 10:01 p.m.)

Taylor slaying suspects transferred to Miami

MIAMI (CNN) -- The three adult suspects in the shooting death of NFL star Sean Taylor were transferred Monday night from Fort Myers to Miami, officials said.

Venjah K. Hunte, 20; Jason Scott Mitchell, 19; and Charles Kendrick Lee Wardlow, 18, are being held at the Pre-Trial Detention Center in Miami and will appear Tuesday morning via video conference for a bond hearing, Miami-Dade Corrections Department spokeswoman Janelle Hall said.

The status of the fourth suspect, juvenile Eric Rivera Jr., 17, was not clear Monday night, but he was presumably also transferred to Miami.

All four face charges of felony first-degree murder, burglary with a firearm and home invasion robbery while armed, according to court documents.

The four were arrested Friday, officials said. (Posted 10 p.m.)

Senate aide arrested on child sex charges

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A staff member for U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell has been arrested on charges he tried to arrange to have sex with a 13-year-old boy.

James Michael McHaney, 28, was arrested by federal agents Friday in the lobby of a building where they say he thought he would meet a witness cooperating with authorities and have sex with the boy, according to court documents.

A spokesman for Cantwell, a Democrat from Washington, said her office was informed of the arrest Friday afternoon and that McHaney was immediately fired.

According to documents filed Nov. 30 in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C., the witness, while being supervised by authorities, sent an online message to McHaney Friday asking if he was interested in having sex with a 13-year-old boy. McHaney said he could take a long lunch break and went to the building where he was arrested and charged with attempted child exploitation, authorities said.

Channing Phillips, spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington D.C., said McHaney appeared before a magistrate judge Monday and was ordered held without bond until a preliminary court hearing on Wednesday. (Posted 8:53 p.m.)

Canadian FM: Iran expels Canadian ambassador

(CNN) -- Iran has expelled Canada's ambassador, Canadian Foreign Minister Maxime Bernier said Monday in a statement.

The minister said he believes the expulsion "is an unfortunate and unjustified consequence" of Ottawa's failure to approve any of Iran's proposed candidates to be ambassador to Canada.

Bernier said the Canadian Embassy in Tehran will be headed by a charge d'affaires for now. (Posted 8:33 p.m.)

Romney: Religion address won't be 'a JFK speech'

MANCHESTER, N.H. (CNN) -- Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said Monday his upcoming speech about religion is not "a JFK speech" to ease concerns about his Mormon faith, but called the subject an important one in the campaign.

Romney's campaign announced Sunday that he would give a speech on "Faith in America" on Thursday at former President George H. W. Bush's presidential library in College Station, Texas. Though the topic evokes the 1960 speech to Southern Baptist leaders given by John F. Kennedy, who became the first Roman Catholic president, Romney said that's not what he has in mind.

However, he added, "I certainly will answer some questions related to how my own faith will inform my presidency."

The Constitution bars any religious test for public office. But evangelical Christians are a major voting bloc in GOP contests such as the South Carolina primary, and Romney has tried to allay their concerns about his Mormonism by emphasizing shared values such as opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. (Posted 8:05 p.m.)

AT&T to hand up pay phone business by end of 2008

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A 129-year era is set to end at AT&T, as the telecommunications giant will disconnect its pay phone operations by the end of next year, the company said in a written statement Monday.

The move affects pay phones in the company's traditional 13-state service area. BellSouth, which was acquired by AT&T in late 2006, became the first major phone company to exit the pay phone business in 2001.

AT&T said reduced pay phone usage, coupled with increased popularity of cellular phones and wireless devices, prompted the move.

Senior Vice President David Huntley said the company will work toward a smooth 13-month transition, as both public pay phones and phones provided under contracts at government correctional facilities will be phased out.

Illinois sets March 8 date for election to replace Hastert

(CNN) -- The governor of Illinois on Monday announced a March date for voters to select a replacement for former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert.

Hastert, 65, announced last month that he intends to leave Congress at the end of this year -- departing the House after more than two decades in a rare mid-term retirement. Hastert was speaker of the House from 1999 to 2006, making him the longest-serving Republican speaker in U.S. history.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced Monday that the special election to replace Hastert will be held on March 8, a Saturday. Primaries will be held Feb. 5 if more than one Democrat or Republican enters the race.

Over the summer, Hastert had said he did not intend to seek re-election. In a Nov. 15 House speech, he bid farewell to his colleagues but did not give a specific reason for leaving before the final year of his term. (Posted 5:22 p.m.)

Bell cuts plea deal in Jena case

JENA, La. (CNN) -- Mychal Bell, the 17-year-old black teenager who last year was charged as an adult with attempted murder in the assault on a white fellow student at Jena High School, has agreed to a plea deal that could lead to his release by June, his lawyer said Monday.

Under the deal, the LaSalle Parish District Attorney's Office agreed to drop charges of aggravated battery on the student, Justin Barker, and conspiracy to commit aggravated battery and Bell agreed to plead guilty to second-degree battery.

He had to agree that he "hit Justin Barker, knocking him unconscious," a Bell attorney said.

Bell would be sentenced to 18 months of custody in an unsupervised setting, such as a group home or a halfway house. In addition, Bell would be required to pay $935 to the Barker's family and court costs, his lawyer said. (Posted 5:18 p.m.)

Bush demands Congress approve war funds by year's end

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush greeted the return of Congress with renewed demands for Democratic leaders to approve continued funding for the war in Iraq and pass a slew of other bills before adjourning for the year.

"The end of 2007 is approaching fast, and the new Congress has little to show for it," Bush said in a statement from the Rose Garden. "I call on members to use the time left to support our troops and to protect our citizens, prevent harmful tax increases and responsibly fund our government."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid dismissed Bush's latest broadside as "all hype" and suggested the president's Republican allies may be ready to break with him over Iraq. But his Republican counterpart, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, said a bill Bush disagrees with "is not going anywhere." (Posted 4:40 p.m.)

Thousands gather to remember fallen NFL player

MIAMI (CNN) -- Thousands of mourners crowded a Florida university's arena Monday for the funeral of slain NFL player Sean Taylor, recalling memories of a hard-hitting safety and a man who loved his family and friends.

"If you had your head down, he's going to pick it up quick," said Clinton Portis, Taylor's former teammate from the Washington Redskins and the University of Miami, addressing the arena. "He would always be there, no matter what."

The running back looked back on how Taylor had loved his family. "Sean changed his life to living for his child, living for his girl," he said, referring to the 18-month-old daughter of Taylor and his girlfriend, Jackie Garcia.

The funeral came a week after the 24-year-old football player was shot during an apparent burglary at his Miami-area home. He died a day later. (Posted 4:32 p.m.)

Pitt: Families will be in New Orleans homes by end of next summer

NEW ORLEANS (CNN) -- Expanding on a promise he made nearly two months ago, actor Brad Pitt said Monday he expects to have families in his newly created homes in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward by the end of next summer.

"You're going to see life coming in," the 43-year-old actor told NBC. "We'll have people in homes by the end of next summer."

Pitt announced in September that he was partnering with film producer Steve Bing to build 150 "affordable and sustainable homes" in the Lower 9th Ward, an area of the city that Hurricane Katrina devastated in 2005. Pitt and Bing have also each pledged $5 million to the rebuilding project.

The 150 environment-friendly homes mark the first initiative of Pitt's "Make it Right" project, aimed at redeveloping the Lower 9th Ward. (Posted 2:05 p.m.)

Pentagon announces plans to deploy 5 National Guard brigades to Iraq, Afghanistan

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon on Monday announced plans to deploy five National Guard brigades, or about 15,000 troops, to Iraq and Afghanistan in the summer of 2009.

The announcement is designed to give the units early warning that they are scheduled to deploy, but the schedule could be altered if new political conditions emerge in either country.

Three brigades with 8,000 troops from the Army National Guard are scheduled to start deployment in Iraq. They are the 32nd Brigade Combat Team, Wisconsin National Guard; the 41st Brigade Combat Team, Oregon National Guard; and the 155th Brigade Combat Team, Mississippi National Guard.

As for Afghanistan, about 7,000 Guard troops from two brigades -- the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Georgia and the 53rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Florida -- will be deployed. (Posted 1:59 p.m.)

High court hears age discrimination dispute dealing with 'me too' testimony

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- When it comes to proving age discrimination in the workplace, federal courts have long been at odds over whether rules of evidence allow "me too" evidence that a discharged worker can use to show an alleged companywide pattern of unlawful corporate bias. Now the Supreme Court will have the final word after debating the issue Monday in a closely divided oral argument.

At issue is whether a female worker for telecom giant Sprint/United Management, who was laid off five years ago, can bring in other employees who would also allege discrimination in support of her individual lawsuit. Such circumstantial evidence could show an employer's pervasive atmosphere to discriminate.

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg offered some support to that privilege. Before becoming a federal judge, the only woman on the high court was a longtime national advocate for equality in the workplace.

The company denies the allegation, and said it takes the focus off the actual supervisor who may or may not have committed individual discrimination. --From CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears (Posted 1:56 p.m.)

Al-Sadr to U.S. military: 'Get out of our land'

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Muqtada al-Sadr, the anti-American grass-roots Iraqi Shiite cleric, angrily slammed the present and future American military presence in his war-torn country and urged other Iraqis to demand a U.S. troop departure.

Al-Sadr, in a statement issued from his home base in Najaf on Sunday, made the remarks a week after the United States and Iraq signed an agreement setting the stage for negotiations on a long-term relationship that would include an American military presence.

"From here I say this to the master of evil Bush -- leave our country, we do not need you and your army," al-Sadr said, referring to U.S. President Bush. "Army of darkness, we don't need your planes and tanks. We don't need your policy and your interference. We don't want your democracy and fake freedom. So get out of our land."

Al-Sadr addressed his remarks to Iraqi lawmakers and to his rivals in the powerful Shiite political movements of Dawa, led by Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, and the Supreme Islamic Council of Iraq, spearheaded by top politician Abdul Aziz al-Hakim. --From CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq (Posted 1:40 p.m.)

Foreign Office: British schoolteacher leaves Sudan

KHARTOUM, Sudan (CNN) -- Hours after she was released from Sudanese prison following a presidential pardon, British teacher Gillian Gibbons left Khartoum Monday, the British Foreign Office told CNN.

Gibbons, 54, was sentenced to 15 days in jail last Thursday for having allowed her students at a private school to name a Teddy bear "Mohammed."

Without a pardon, she would have remained in jail another six days. (Posted 12:48 p.m.)

U.S. intelligence: Iran halted bomb work in 2003

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Iran halted work toward a nuclear weapon under international scrutiny in 2003 and is unlikely to be able to produce enough enriched uranium for a bomb until 2010 to 2015, a U.S. intelligence report concluded Monday.

A declassified summary of the latest National Intelligence Estimate found with "high confidence" that the Islamic republic halted an effort to develop nuclear weapons in the fall of 2003. The estimate is less severe than a 2005 report that judged the Iranian leadership was "determined to develop nuclear weapons despite its international obligations and international pressure."

"Tehran's decision to halt its nuclear weapons program suggests it is less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005," the declassified version of the document states. "Our assessment that the program probably was halted primarily in response to international pressure suggests Iran may be more vulnerable to influence on the issue than we judged previously."

But it says Iran -- which declared its ability to produced enriched uranium for a civilian energy program in 2006 -- could reverse that decision and eventually produce a nuclear weapon if it wanted to. Enriched uranium at low concentrations can be used to fuel nuclear power plants, but much higher concentrations are needed to yield a nuclear explosion. (Posted 12:44 p.m.)

Gates arrives in Kabul for unannounced visit

KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Afghanistan on Monday for his third visit to the war-torn nation since being confirmed as Pentagon chief.

Gates is expected to speak with military commanders in Kabul on Tuesday before flying about 100 miles southeast to a forward operating base in Khost, near the Pakistani border. He will meet officers and then brief reporters with his Afghan counterpart, Abdul Rahim Wardak, and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

The Khost region is considered strategically valuable because of its location and religious diversity, with the Sunni and Shiite populations experiencing frequent tension. The volatile area had been enduring one attack a week as recently as 2006, before a drop to approximately one per month, according to Pentagon statistics. (Posted 12:37 p.m.)

Prosecutor elects not to press charges in Internet suicide case

(CNN) -- A Missouri prosecutor announced Monday that he will not seek charges in the case of a 13-year-old girl who committed suicide after she was criticized over the Internet.

"There is no way that anybody could know that talking to someone or saying that you're mean to your friends on the Internet would create a substantial risk," St. Charles County Prosecutor Jack Banas told reporters about Megan Meier.

"It certainly created a potential risk and, unfortunately for the Meiers, that potential became reality. But under the law we just couldn't show that."

But that doesn't mean no one is to blame, he said. "Regardless of what we can charge or what we can't charge, there is no question the adults should have said something to stop this," he said. (Posted 12:33 p.m.)

U.S. intelligence: Iran halted bomb work in 2003

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Iran halted work toward a nuclear weapon under international scrutiny in 2003 and is unlikely to be able to produce enough enriched uranium for a bomb until 2010 to 2015, a U.S. intelligence report concluded Monday. (Posted 12:30 p.m.)

Suicide bomber in southwestern Afghanistan kills 4, wounds 7

(CNN) -- A suicide bomber in southwestern Afghanistan blew himself up near a police patrol, killing four people -- two police and two civilians, Interior Minister spokesman Zemari Bashary told CNN.

The incident took place in the Khosh Ruz district of Nimruz province.

The bomber walked up to police who were checking civilians in a car and detonated his explosives, the spokesman said. Seven people were injured. --From CNN's Zarifmo Aslamshoyeva in Atlanta (Posted 11:56 A.M.)

Treasury secretary says subprime help on the way for troubled home owners

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The U.S. government is working hard to give relief to struggling mortgage holders, Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said Monday.

"We are working aggressively and quickly, utilizing available tools and creating new ones, to help financially responsible but struggling homeowners," he said in a speech at a housing conference sponsored by the Office of Thrift Supervision.

Paulson outlined the latest government and industry efforts to help struggling home owners keep their homes. The plan includes reaching more struggling borrowers and finding affordable mortgage solutions.

He stopped short, however, of providing further details on a plan to freeze mortgage rates. --By CNNMoney.com's Les Christie (Posted 11:53 a.m.)

Venezuelan opposition celebrates victory; Chavez vows to push on proposals

CARACAS, Venezuela (CNN) -- Venezuela's political opposition danced and shouted in the streets Monday morning, celebrating their slim victory in defeating a constitutional referendum that would have opened the door for President Hugo Chavez to serve indefinitely and tightened socialism's grip on the oil-rich nation.

Crowds of people waved flags, clapped and smiled. One man carried a sign proclaiming, "Vota No."

Voters shot down the referendum by a margin of 51 percent to 49 percent, according to early Monday reports from the National Electoral Council. The referendum included 69 proposed amendments to the 1999 constitution, including a particularly controversial amendment that would have abolished term limits, allowing outspoken Chavez -- who has served nearly nine years in power -- to hold the presidency indefinitely as long as he is re-elected.

"This is not a moment only for students, it is for the whole country," student Juan Andres Mejia said. "It's time for us to start walking the same path to walking together, and I think this day could be the start of a new republic of a new Venezuela." Students were among the most vocal critics of the reform plan. (Posted 10:55 a.m.)

Man held after shooting dead wife who was suffering from Alzheimer's

ROME (CNN) -- A 77-year-old man is being held by police in Italy after killing his elderly wife, who suffered from Alzheimer's disease, in her hospital bed, police told CNN.

The man walked in to the geriatrics ward at the hospital in the town of Prato, in Tuscany, where his 82-year-old wife was being cared for, around 5 p.m. Saturday, said Fabio Di Chierri, the assistant police chief in Prato.

In front of five other patients, the man took out a gun and shot his wife twice in the head and once in the chest, Di Chierri said.

Afterward the man called police to tell them what he had done, he said. He is being held in police custody on suspicion of voluntary aggravated homicide, police said. (Posted 10:53 a.m.)

Sources: Disgruntled former employee called attention to teddy bear incident to shut Khartoum school down

KHARTOUM, Sudan (CNN) -- In an effort to shut down Khartoum's Unity High School, a disgruntled former employee alerted Sudanese officials that a British teacher had allowed her class to name a teddy bear "Mohammed," a British source and Sudanese presidential palace source told Time magazine's Sam Dealey.

Gillian Gibbons, 54, was convicted last week of insulting religion and sentenced to 15 days in jail and deportation. Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir pardoned her from her prison sentence on Monday and she was released hours later. She is expected to leave for England soon.

The two sources said Sarah Khawad was fired as the school's secretary in November after an employment spat and threatened to shut down the school.

The sources said Khawad did not appear to have a vendetta against Gibbons, but hoped that by bringing the teddy bear incident to the education minister's attention, he would close down the school for anti-Islamic teachings. The private school was shut down after the controversy came to light last week. It is unclear if it will reopen. (Posted 10:35 a.m.)

High court refuses to hear lawsuit between House lawmakers over illegally recorded phone call

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court refused to get involved Monday in a decade-long legal feud between two congressman over an illegally recorded private phone conversation that was later leaked to the media. The resulting political firestorm aggravated already high tensions between the two parties.

The non-action by the justices means a nearly $1 million penalty against Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., will likely stand. It is believed to be the first time a Capitol Hill lawmaker had successfully filed a lawsuit against a fellow member.

At issue was whether House Minority Leader John Boehner's damages claim against McDermott would hold up under appeal. Boehner, an Ohio Republican, sued his colleague in 1998, two years after the embarrassing phone call involving party leaders was intercepted. (Posted 10:14 a.m.)

U.N. special representative, Iranian envoy hold 'constructive meeting'

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- The new U.N. special representative in Iraq on Sunday sat down with the top Iranian diplomat in Iraq in what U.N. Assistance Mission for Iraq called a "constructive meeting."

Staffan de Mistura, special representative of the secretary-general for Iraq, met with Hassan Kazemi Qomi, the Iranian ambassador to Iraq, according to a UNAMI statement issued on Monday.

They discussed the importance of "continued positive" engagement between Iraq and Iran and all neighbors of Iraq, the possibility of increased Iranian support to Iraq's reconstruction under the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq, and the presence in Iraq of the People's Mujahedeen of Iran, an Iranian opposition group in Iraq that is regarded as a terrorist organization by the United States. (Posted 10:14 a.m.)

Interior Ministry official gunned down in Baghdad

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A high-ranking Iraqi Interior Ministry official was shot and killed on Monday during a drive-by shooting in a western Baghdad Sunni neighborhood, an Interior Ministry official said.

Brig. Gen. Fawzi Mohammed, a ministry adviser, had been traveling in a car in Jamia around 3 p.m. when gunmen peppered the vehicle with bullets. The driver was wounded.

The U.S. military also reported several operations targeting al Qaeda in Iraq in the Tarmiya area north of Baghdad that resulted in seven arrests. (Posted 8:47 a.m.)

Italy murder suspect to be extradited from Germany

BERLIN (CNN) -- Prosecutors in Germany have cleared the way for the extradition to Italy of a suspect in the murder of British student Meredith Kercher.

Rudy Hermann Guede was arrested in Germany last month after a bloody fingerprint linked him to the killing of the British student, who was found half-naked, with a stab wound to her neck at her villa in Perugia on Nov. 2.

The extradition request had been granted and Guede, 20, would be transferred to Italy as soon as the Italian authorities agreed on a handover date, according to the chief prosecutor for the German city of Koblenz, Norbert Weise.

The spokesman said the time of the extradition would not be announced, to protect the suspect's safety. Perugia police chief Arturo De Felice confirmed the extradition decision and said the authorities are in the process of organizing travel arrangements for the suspect. He said that process would take at least 48 hours. (Posted 8:34 a.m.)

Sudan's president pardons school teacher

KHARTOUM, Sudan (CNN) -- A British teacher convicted of insulting religion in Sudan has been released from prison and is being looked after by consular staff at the British Embassy in Khartoum, an embassy spokesman said.

Gillian Gibbons, freed after Sudan's president Omar al-Bashir granted her a presidential pardon earlier Monday, apologized for any distress her actions may have caused.

"I have great respect for the Islamic religion and would not knowingly offend anyone and I am sorry if I caused any distress," Gibbons said, in a statement read out by Sayeeda Warsi, one of two Muslim lawmakers who traveled out to Sudan to secure her release.

Gibbons, 54, was sentenced to 15 days in jail last Thursday for having allowed her students at a private school to name a Teddy bear "Mohammed." Without a pardon, she would have remained in jail another six days. She is expected to leave Sudan on flight to England soon after the courts ruled she should be deported after completing her sentence, the spokesman said.

Gibbons also praised the "kindness and generosity" of the Sudanese and said she would be sad to leave her job at the Unity High School and said she would miss her students "terribly." (Posted 7:44 a.m.)

Election commission rules Sharif can't compete in parliamentary election

ISLAMABAD (CNN) -- Opposition party leader and former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been disqualified from participating in Pakistan's January parliamentary elections.

A spokesman for Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League told CNN Monday that Sharif was disqualified by the elections commission because of a previous criminal conviction.

Sharif filed paperwork for his candidacy last week, although he had left open the possibility that he would boycott the election.

Sharif, an outspoken critic of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who ousted him from power in 1999, had said he wanted to keep all options open, including a possible run for the prime minister post in the event that another opposition party decides to participate in the upcoming elections.

Sharif was convicted of terrorism, hijacking and tax evasion after Musharraf seized power in 1999. Sharif was released in 2000 in exchange for agreeing to 10 years of exile in Saudi Arabia. Sharif returned to Pakistan last month, but Pakistani authorities deported him within hours of his arrival. (Posted 7:28 a.m.)

Teacher freed from Sudan jail after presidential pardon, at Embassy

KHARTOUM, Sudan (CNN) -- Gillian Gibbons was freed from a Sudanese jail Monday afternoon and taken to the British Embassy in Khartoum to await a flight to England, several hours after Sudan's president pardoned her, an embassy spokesman said.

Gibbons, 54, was sentenced to 15 days in jail last Thursday for having allowed her students at a private school to name a Teddy bear "Mohammed." (Posted 7:09 a.m.)

Troops in Afghanistan kill 'several militants,' one of whom is thought to be Taliban commander involved in kidnapping

(CNN) -- Coalition troops in southern Afghanistan killed "several militants" on Sunday -- one of whom appeared to be a senior Taliban militant thought to be involved in the kidnapping earlier this year of an Italian journalist, the U.S.-led coalition said on Monday.

The incident took place in Helmand province, where troops were targeting Taliban command and control networks. The military said troops "conducted a precision-guided munitions strike targeting a senior Taliban commander believed to be involved in the March kidnapping of Italian journalist Daniele Mastrogiacomo, his interpreter and his driver." There were no indications of casualties to civilians "not taking part in hostilities."

Mastrogiacomo, a correspondent for the Italian daily La Repubblica, was taken captive in Helmand province on March 5 by the Taliban and and then released two weeks later. Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi negotiated a deal with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to have Mastrogiacomo freed in return for the release of five Taliban prisoners in Afghan custody.

The deal had been criticized by the United States as making concessions to terrorists that could increase the risk for U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. The United States has long maintained that negotiating with terrorists would only embolden them to commit more kidnappings.

The individual targeted in the Sunday incident, meanwhile, also is believed to be responsible for roadside bombings and mortar attacks on coalition bases. (Posted 6:45 a.m.)

British MP report: Southern Iraq security could falter after British troop cuts

LONDON (CNN) -- A halving of British troop numbers in southeastern Iraq could make it impossible to retain control of the region, a committee of British members of parliament warned Monday.

The British force concentrated around the southern city of Basra is set to be reduced to 2,500 by next spring, Prime Minister Gordon Brown announced recently.

The drop in troop figures will go ahead even though the goal of establishing security in the region remained "unfulfilled," according to the report by the House of Commons Defense Select Committee published Monday. The select committee composition reflects the number of MPs in each party.

Although significant progress has been achieved in training and equipping a new division of the Iraqi army to eventually take over from the British in the region, the Iraqi police force in Basra is still plagued by "murderous, corrupt and militia-infiltrated elements," the report said.

The report noted a reduction of attacks on British forces since they pulled out of their last base in the city, but pointed out that there had been no corresponding reduction in the number of attacks against civilians. (Posted 6:13 a.m.)

Wide edge for Putin's party in Russian results; OSCE says elections unfair

MOSCOW (CNN) -- President Vladimir Putin's party claimed a sweeping mandate in Russia's parliamentary elections Sunday, winning nearly two-thirds of the vote in a contest that could let Putin wield power beyond the upcoming end of his presidential term.

But hours after the polls closed, international monitors with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) cast doubt on the ballot.

"We can not say there were fair elections," said Luc van den Brande, head of the OSCE delegation, on Monday

With nearly 98 percent of precincts reporting, Putin's United Russia Party had 64.1 percent of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission. That margin would be enough to form a majority in the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, party leader Boris Gryzlov said at a news conference. (Posted 6:12 a.m.)

At least 5 killed in Islamic school bombing

ISLAMABAD (CNN) -- A man posing as a mentally ill visitor planted a bomb that exploded in an Islamic school, killing at least five people and wounding two near Quetta, Pakistan Monday, police said.

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack against the Maulvi Yaar Mohammad Madrasa and it was not immediately clear why the Islamic school was targeted, according to the spokesman at the Qilla Saifullah police station.

The explosion happened at midday in Qilla Saifullah, which is about 20 miles from the center of Quetta, police said. (Posted 5:35 a.m.)

OSCE: Russian elections not fair

MOSCOW (CNN) -- International monitors with the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said on Monday that Russian parliamentary elections were not fair.

The observers issued their report after a Sunday ballot that saw Russian President Vladimir Putin's United Russia party claim a sweeping victory with 64 percent of the vote. (Posted 5 a.m.)

Sudan's president pardons school teacher

KHARTOUM, Sudan (CNN) -- Sudan's president Omar al-Bashir pardoned a British teacher convicted of insulting religion, presidential palace sources told Time magazine's Sam Dealey Monday.

Gillian Gibbons is expected to be freed Monday afternoon and then leave Khartoum as soon as she is able, along with the two British lawmakers who arrived there Saturday to secure her release.

Gibbons, 54, was sentenced to 15 days in jail last Thursday for having allowed her students at a private school to name a Teddy bear "Mohammed."

Without a pardon, she would have remained in jail another six days.

The pardon came following efforts by Nazir Ahmed and Sayeeda Warsi, Muslim members of the House of Lords, to persuade the Sudanese government that releasing Gibbons would create international goodwill toward their country. (Posted 3:50 a.m.)

Giuliani receives praise in visit to Isakson's home turf, but no endorsement

MARIETTA, Ga. (CNN) -- Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, banking on a strong showing in Super Tuesday states, picked up words of praise but no endorsement from Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., during a southern campaign trip Sunday.

Isakson joined Giuliani during a photo op in suburban Atlanta's Cobb County. The two greeted each other warmly with pats on the back for the waiting cameras.

"This gentleman came down to Georgia and campaigned for me in 2004," Isakson told reporters. "I'm happy to welcome him to this county. He'd be a great president of the United States."

But Isakson stopped short of backing him, saying, "We've got great candidates and I'm for the Republican candidate." (Posted 3:50 a.m.)

IDF: 3 Palestinians who attacked Israeli troops killed

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli troops shot and killed three Palestinian militants who first opened fire on them in Gaza early Monday, an Israel Defense Forces spokesman said.

Hamas security sources said the men were members of the Hamas military wing. (Posted 2:45 a.m.)

Rudd government's first act is to ratify Kyoto Protocol

SYDNEY (CNN) -- Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd signed the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol on Monday in the first official policy action of his new government, fulfilling a campaign promise made by his Australian Labor Party during last month's parliamentary campaign.

Rudd and his new cabinet were sworn into office Monday morning and the ratification was approved in their first Executive Council meeting.

"The Kyoto Protocol is considered to be the most far-reaching agreement on environment and sustainable development ever adopted," Rudd said in a statement posted on his party's Web site.

Rudd said he will lead Australia's delegation at next week's High Level Segment of the United Nations conference on climate change in Bali. The conference -- which will set out the "Bali road map" for the next round of action against climate change -- started Monday. (Posted 2:30 a.m.)

Wide edge for Putin's party in Russian results

MOSCOW (CNN) -- President Vladimir Putin's party claimed a sweeping mandate in Russia's parliamentary elections Sunday, winning nearly two-thirds of the vote in a contest that could let Putin wield power beyond the upcoming end of his presidential term.

With nearly 98 percent of precincts reporting, Putin's United Russia Party had 64.1 percent of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission. That margin would be enough to form a majority in the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, party leader Boris Gryzlov said at a news conference.

"The election is vindication that Vladimir Putin is the country's national leader, and that the Russian voters support the political course he has taken in the last eight years," Gryzlov said.

Three other parties are expected to hold seats in the new Duma. As of Monday morning, the opposition Communist Party had received 11.6 percent of the vote; the nationalist Liberal Democratic Party, 8.2 percent; and the pro-Putin Fair Russian Party 7.8 percent. (Posted 2:10 a.m.)

Israel releases more Palestinian prisoners in goodwill gesture to Abbas

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israel on Monday morning began releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners who are aligned with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, as part of a goodwill gesture.

Israeli authorities said none of the approximately 445 detainees -- members of Abbas' Fatah party -- being placed on buses at a prison in the Negev desert and bound for Ramallah in the West Bank had been implicated in deadly attacks against Israelis.

In July, Israel freed more than 250 Palestinian detainees and another 86 in October. An estimated 11,000 Palestinians are still held in Israeli prisons.

In October, a government spokesman described the releases as part of the "Israeli government policy of strengthening the moderates" in the Palestinian territories. The rival Hamas movement is in charge of the Palestinian government in Gaza and calls for the destruction of Israel. (Posted 2:10 a.m.)

Wide edge for Putin's party in Russian results

MOSCOW (CNN) -- President Vladimir Putin's party claimed a sweeping mandate in Russia's parliamentary elections Sunday, winning nearly two-thirds of the vote in a contest that could let Putin wield power beyond the upcoming end of his presidential term.

With nearly 92 percent of precincts reporting, Putin's United Russia Party had 63.2 percent of the vote, according to the Central Election Commission. That margin would be enough to form a majority in the Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, party leader Boris Gryzlov said at a news conference. (Posted 1:20 a.m.)

U.S. envoy arrives in North Korea for nuclear meetings, inspections

(CNN) -- U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill arrived in North Korea on Monday to meet with government officials and check on the nation's progress in disabling its main nuclear complex by the end of the year.

"This is a consultation and I will also go down to Yongbyon and see how the work is going on disablement," Hill told reporters in Pyongyang.

On Sept. 30, North Korea agreed to disable its nuclear facilities at Yongbyon -- where plutonium is produced -- in exchange for economic and humanitarian aid.

According to the agreement, North Korea promised to "provide a complete and correct declaration of all its nuclear programs" -- including clarification regarding the uranium issue -- by Dec. 31. The pact also calls on North Korea to make a full declaration on its weapons-grade plutonium

Hill said the Bush administration hopes the denuclearization process can be completed during 2008, although total dismantlement of nuclear facilities could take a number of years. (Posted 1:05 a.m.)

Chavez reforms fail constitutional referendum

CARACAS, Venezuela (CNN) -- Venezuelan voters narrowly rejected a constitutional referendum that would have bolstered President Hugo Chavez's embrace of socialism and granted an indefinite extension of his eligibility to serve as president, the National Electoral Council reported early Monday.

About 51 percent of voters opposed the amendments, while approximately 49 percent were in favor of them.

"Don't feel sad. Don't feel burdened," Chavez told supporters immediately after the results were announced.

More than 9 million of Venezuelan's 16 million eligible voters went to the polls Sunday. The president of the National Electoral Council, Tibisay Lucena, said the process "shows the entire world that we are a democratic country."

Chavez, in what he called a talk "from my heart" acknowledging the results, thanked those who opposed his proposal, saying the election has proven that Venezuelan democracy is maturing. (Posted 12:40 a.m.)

Lawyers for 'Jena 6' teen in plea talks with prosecutors

NEW ORLEANS (CNN) -- Lawyers for the last of the teens jailed in a racially charged assault case in Louisiana were in talks to reach a plea agreement and avoid a trial in juvenile court, one of his attorneys said Sunday.

Defense attorneys were trying to hammer out a plea agreement with the LaSalle Parish district attorney's office that would drop conspiracy charges against Mychal Bell, 17, and let him plead guilty to a juvenile battery count, attorney Carol Powell Lexing told CNN. But the terms of the deal were not final late Sunday, she said.

Bell was scheduled for a Thursday trial in juvenile court in connection with the December 2006 beating of a white classmate. But if negotiations are successful, he could enter a plea as early as Monday afternoon, Powell Lexing said.

The fight that led to the charges against Bell followed months of racial tensions in the town of about 3,000. An estimated 15,000-plus demonstrators marched through Jena, about 200 miles northwest of New Orleans, in September to protest local authorities' handling of the case. (Posted 11:20 p.m.)

Idaho senator calls new sex allegations 'completely false'

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Embattled Sen. Larry Craig emphatically denied new allegations of homosexual encounters published in his home state's largest newspaper Sunday, calling the statements of four new accusers "completely false."

The Boise-based Idaho Statesman identified four men who have gone public with claims that they either had sex with the veteran senator or that he made sexual advances toward them in incidents dating back to the 1980s. Though the men provided detailed accounts, the newspaper said it had no physical evidence to back up its reporting and described the claims as "he-said, he-said allegations."

"Like its previous coverage, these latest allegations are completely false and have no basis in reality," Craig said in a statement issued by his office. "In fact, the paper itself states that these baseless accusations contain no definitive evidence, yet they still decided to print them anyway."

Craig pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor disorderly conduct charge in August, two months after his arrest in a sex sting at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. At an emotional news conference in which he announced plans to resign, he declared, "I am not gay. I have never been gay."

Since then, he has decided to remain in office to defend his conduct before the Senate Ethics Committee and has asked Minnesota courts to let him withdraw his plea, which he called a mistake. But he has said he will not seek a new term in 2008. (Posted 10:15 p.m.) E-mail to a friend