The CNN Wire: Friday, Dec. 7

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.

Suicide bomb kills 4 police, hurts 12 in northern Iraq

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A suicide car bomb exploded near an Iraqi police patrol in northern Iraq, killing four police officers and wounding 12 others Saturday morning, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said.

The blast happened at about 8 a.m. on the northern outskirts of Baiji, a town in the Salaheddin province about 120 miles north of Baghdad, the official said. (Posted 3:31 a.m.)

Talks to end Hollywood writers' strike collapse

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Talks to end Hollywood's writers' strike abruptly ended Friday evening as studio negotiators walked out, accusing Writers Guild of America (WGA) leadership of putting their personal political agendas above the interest of their membership.

The writer's negotiators said they remain ready to continue talks "no matter how intransigent our bargaining partners are."

Statements from each side suggested they were far from a settlement to the five-week-long walkout, as they became more entrenched in their differences over what share of residuals writers would get for Internet and DVD distribution of shows and as new demands emerged.

Production on dozens of television series and movies halted last month and more are expected to shut down in December unless a new three-year contract between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) is reached. (Posted 2:38 a.m.)

Space shuttle launch delayed until Sunday

From CNN's Kate Tobin

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (CNN) -- NASA mission managers decided Friday to push the space shuttle Atlantis' scheduled Saturday launch to Sunday afternoon.

Kennedy Space Center spokesman Allard Beutel said the launch was now scheduled for 3:21 p.m. on Sunday and that managers were still meeting to discuss final details of the plan.

Beutel had no further information.

The launch was originally scheduled for Thursday but was put off until Saturday after two of the four engine cut-off sensors for the spacecraft's external fuel tank failed during pre-flight testing. (Posted 8:22 p.m.)

Mall shooter's suicide note: 'I've just snapped'

OMAHA, Neb. (CNN) -- In a suicide note written to his family before he shot eight people to death at a shopping mall and took his own life Wednesday, Robert Hawkins said that he "just snapped" and that he "can't take this meaningless existence anymore."

In a separate note left for his friends, Hawkins wrote, "I just want to take a few pieces of sh-- with me."

Authorities released images of both handwritten notes, along with a handwritten will, on Friday. A woman who let Hawkins live with her family after he experienced problems at home found the notes.

To both family and friends, Hawkins apologized. "I'm so sorry for what I've put you all through," he wrote to his family. "I never meant to hurt all of you so much and I don't blame any one of you for disowning me I just can't be a burden to you and my friends any longer You are all better off without me. I'm so sorry for this.

"I've just snapped I can't take this meaningless existance anymore I've been a constant disappointment and that trend would have only continued." (Posted 6:08 p.m.)

Romney: No contradiction between what he says, does on immigration

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Mitt Romney defended his anti-illegal immigration credentials Friday, telling CNN there is no gap between his tough enforcement rhetoric on the stump and recent reports that he continued to employ workers at his Massachusetts home who could not legally work in this country months after news accounts first revealed their status.

"I certainly have never proposed that homeowners have a responsibility when they hire a contractor to then go out and inquire of the company's employees whether they happen to be legal or not," the Republican presidential candidate told CNN's Dana Bash after an Iowa campaign stop. "As a homeowner ... that's not something that's available under the current system in this country."

He added that that kind of verification is the responsibility of the companies themselves, and of the federal government. (Posted 4:57 p.m.)

Officials: Bush, Cheney learned about CIA taped interrogations Thursday

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush and Vice President Cheney learned about videotaped interrogations of some al Qaeda suspects on Thursday, when CIA Director Michael Hayden briefed them about the existence of the tapes and their subsequent destruction, administration officials said Friday.

The interrogations -- using newly approved "alternative" interrogation techniques -- of two al Qaeda suspects were recorded in 2002, Hayden said Thursday in a letter to CIA employees. They were destroyed three years later when the agency determined they had no intelligence value and could pose a security risk, he said.

"I spoke to the president this morning about this," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said. "He has no recollection of being made aware of the tapes or their destruction before yesterday. He was briefed by General Hayden yesterday morning." The vice president learned about the tapes and their destruction at the same time, another administration official told CNN.

Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Conn., said that was "stretching credulity."

"There's something going on here," he said on CNN's "The Situation Room." "We're not getting the full story, hence the reason why there should be an investigation. It goes to the heart of our national security, our protection, our safety, our isolation in the world. That's why this is so important." (Posted 4:51 p.m.)

Negotiators: Talks fail between Pristina, Belgrade over Kosovo

(CNN) -- An international group of mediators has failed to help Kosovo and Serbia reach an agreement over Kosovo's status, according to a report released Friday from representatives of the European Union, the United States and Russia.

"Neither party was willing to cede its position on the fundamental question of sovereignty over Kosovo," the statement from the mediators said of four months of talks between the governments in Pristina, Kosovo, and Belgrade, Serbia.

The United Nations has administered Kosovo since NATO forces drove out Yugoslav troops in 1999 amid grave human rights abuses in the fighting between Serbs and Albanians. The disputed province is dear to the Serbs, Orthodox Christians who regard it as Serbian territory. But it is equally coveted by Albanians, Muslims who now hold the majority.

Kosovo is seeking supervised independence from Serbia, which wants the region to remain autonomous within Serbia's borders. The United Nations had given the two parties until Dec. 10 to reach an agreement. (Posted 4:35 p.m.)

Pentagon says new Iran intelligence not affecting military planning

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon says its contingency planning for potential military action against Iran has not changed, despite the latest intelligence assessment that Iran has halted its nuclear weapons program, a senior military planner said Friday.

At a Pentagon briefing, Marine Lt. Gen. John Sattler, strategic plans director for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said his office is factoring the new National Intelligence Estimate into its mission, but it has not changed the planning.

"I can state that there has been no course correction, slowdown, speed-up given to us inside the Joint Staff based on the NIE. That's about -- and I'll just leave it right there."

While insisting the military option always "remained on the table," Pentagon officials have consistently downplayed the idea the United States is planning for a pre-emptive strike against Iranian nuclear facilities. --From CNN Senior Pentagon Correspondent Jamie McIntyre (Posted 4:11 p.m.)

Mall shooting victim, husband planned belated 50th anniversary celebration

OMAHA, Neb. (CNN) -- One of the eight people killed by a gunman this week in an Omaha department store was Janet Jorgensen, who had worked in Von Maur's gift department for 14 years.

She and her husband, Ron, who were high school sweethearts, had been married 50 years in September. They were waiting to celebrate because Ron had just overcome a bout of cancer, family members said. She was helping her granddaughter, Andrea, plan her wedding, and she took care of her 94-year-old mother.

The family members said they will celebrate Christmas as always. "We're going to, just because we know that grandma is really here with us, and she would be upset if we didn't go on and make it the best Christmas just like every other Christmas," said granddaughter Andrea Husk. "She wouldn't have wanted it any other way. So were going to pull through this. ...

"We're going to remember her, and she's going to be there with us." (Posted 4:04 p.m.)

Photo shows mall killer aiming gun in department store

OMAHA, Neb. (CNN) -- A photo taken from surveillance video inside the department store where Robert Hawkins killed eight people in a hail of bullets shows him aiming an AK-47 immediately after leaving an elevator. The image was released Friday by police.

Hawkins, who ended the rampage by killing himself, entered the first floor of Von Maur shortly after 1:30 p.m., stayed a brief period, then left, said police Sgt. Teresa Negron.

About six minutes later, he returned through the same entrance. With the weapon hidden in a sweatshirt, he took an elevator to the third floor, where he began firing.

Other photos released by police show him leaving the store after first stepping in, then re-entering under a large Christmas wreath hanging over the doorway and making a turn for the elevators, Negron said. (Posted 4:01 p.m.)

Israeli housing project threatens to derail nascent Middle East peace effort

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Just 10 days ago President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stage-managed the Annapolis Conference that brought a new pledge from Israeli and Palestinian leaders for renewed peace talks.

But with the first formal negotiating session after the Annapolis relaunch coming Wednesday, there already is a problem.

It revolves around an Israeli construction project in a disputed neighborhood in East Jerusalem, the building of 300 new houses. The Israelis, who just this week put out bids for the construction, say it has long been in the works. The Palestinians say the new construction violates earlier agreements, and label it "a serious violation." And Rice is urging everyone just to hold on a second.

Rice was at a NATO meeting in Brussels on Friday when, in response to a question, she confirmed that earlier in the day she had discussed Har Homa, the site of the planned construction, with Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and had asked for more information, "clarification on precisely what this means." --From CNN's Charley Keyes (Posted 3:41 p.m.)

High court accepts appeals over defendant competency, disabled workers' rights

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court has agreed to decide what rights possibly mentally ill defendants have to represent themselves in criminal court. The justices accepted the appeal Friday of an Indiana man various doctors had concluded was schizophrenic.

At issue is whether the fundamental right of the accused to serve as his own lawyer applies to those whose competence is questioned.

The accused, Ahmad Edwards, argues that the standard for competence to waive the right to counsel is the same as that for competence to stand trial.

But Indiana officials appealed, arguing the state's responsibility to provide a fair trial trumps the wishes of "unfortunate case of a mentally impaired young man" whose "mental impairments render him wholly incapable of presenting a coherent and meaningful defense."

The Supreme Court has generally upheld the right of self-representation. --From Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears (Posted 3:18 p.m.)

State Department inspector general resigns amid contract controversy

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Embattled State Department Inspector General Howard Krongard announced his resignation Friday, a department spokesman said.

"We thank him for his dedication to public service and wish him well in his future endeavors," said Gonzo Gallegos, director the State Department's office of press relations. Krongard came under scrutiny over his handling of investigations into State Department contracts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The House Oversight and Government Affairs Committee, led by California Democrat Henry Waxman, is investigating allegations that Krongard interfered with investigations and blocked fraud probes. (Posted 3:08 p.m.)

888-995-HOPE foreclosure hotline inundated with calls

NEW YORK (CNN) -- After President Bush's announcement of a plan to ease the foreclosure crisis Thursday, a national hotline to help borrowers facing foreclosure has been inundated with calls, an official of the group that operates the counseling hotline said Friday.

Borrowers facing foreclosure were told to call 888-995-HOPE, a line that has a normal call volume of about 1,500 calls a day, said Tracy Morgan, vice president of communications and business development for the Homeownership Preservation Foundation.

Figures are not yet compiled for Thursday's call volume, but Morgan estimated that it was three to five times the call-volume record set Monday, when 5,800 people called in after media outlets reported the likelihood of the president's announcement.

The Homeownership Preservation Foundation contracts with six credit counseling agencies nationwide to answer calls to the hotline. ----From CNN's Sara Lane (Posted 3:04 p.m.)

Justices accept two terror-related cases for review

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Supreme Court will decide next year whether two American civilians under U.S. military control can be transferred for prosecution and punishment in the Iraqi criminal justice system.

One of the men could face execution. The justices accepted the cases for review on Friday; oral arguments will be held in March. At issue is whether U.S. courts have jurisdiction to intervene in such habeas corpus appeals, since the American-led coalition forces have de facto control over the prisoners.

Their transfer to the Iraqis has been held up pending resolution of their appeals. --From CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears (Posted 2:42 p.m.)

Students accused of attacking bus passengers may face hate crime prosecution

BALTIMORE (CNN) -- Authorities in Baltimore are investigating a possible hate crime against passengers attacked on a transit bus Tuesday. Nine juveniles from a middle school served by the bus have been charged with assault, according to Maryland Transit Administration spokeswoman Jawauna Greene.

The students are black, the passengers are white.

Video from a surveillance camera on board the bus is part of the investigation, but officials say the footage will not be released until the state's attorney's office decides how to prosecute.

"They called us white crackers. White m-f'ers," said Troy Ellis, who, along with his companion, Sarah Kreager, described the attack on CNN affiliate WBFF. --From CNN's Paul Courson (Posted 2:27 p.m.)

Three attacks kill at least 31 people in Iraq

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Three attacks across Iraq killed at least 31 people Friday, many of them members of awakening councils -- grass-roots Iraqi groups that are anti-al Qaeda and may help with security -- according to police officials and an official with Iraq's Interior Ministry.

In the first attack, a female suicide bomber detonated her explosives Friday morning in Muqdadiya, a city northeast of Baghdad, killing 16 people and wounding 31, an official with Iraq's Interior Ministry told CNN.

Hours later, in the same province of Diyala, a suicide car bomb slammed into a checkpoint manned by the Iraqi army and members of an awakening council, a Baquba police official told CNN. The attack, in the town of Mansouriya, killed 10 people, including seven Iraqi soldiers and three awakening council members, the official said.

Separately, gunmen killed five members of an awakening council in a drive-by shooting in the northern Iraqi town of Rabia, an official with the Mosul police said. (Posted 1:47 p.m.)

Bonds pleads not guilty

SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) -- Baseball home-run king Barry Bonds pleaded not guilty Friday to charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.

He passed through a throng of photographers and police on the way into U.S. District Court in San Francisco, and entered a packed courtroom. After he entered his plea, the judge released him on a $500,000 bond.

The charges, laid out in a federal indictment last month, stem from Bonds' December 2003 appearance before a grand jury investigating the distribution of steroids by Balco, a San Francisco-area laboratory. The seven-time National League MVP repeatedly denied knowingly taking banned substances.

In court Friday, Bonds momentarily smiled at a group of fans in baseball attire, but otherwise showed little emotion. Prosecutors asked that his travel be restricted to the United States, but the judge sided with defense attorneys who argued Bonds should be allowed to travel freely to allow him to continue his engagements as a professional athlete. (Posted 12:53 p.m.)

Third suspect in Holloway case released

(CNN) -- In a decision that could end hopes for any prosecutions in the 2005 disappearance of Alabama teenager Natalee Holloway, an Aruban judge on Friday ordered the release of a third suspect, Joran Van der Sloot.

The other suspects, brothers Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, were released last week, a decision upheld by a three-judge panel on appeal. Prosecutors said they will not appeal the decision to release Van der Sloot, meaning all three suspects will remain free pending any potential trial.

The judge's reasoning in making the decision Friday follows that of the Court of Appeal in the decision to uphold the release of the Kalpoes, Chief Public Prosecutor Hans Mos' office said in a written statement.

"He writes that recent investigation has not resulted in more direct evidence than before that Natalee Holloway has died as a result of a violent crime against her or that the suspect has been involved in such a crime," it said. (Posted 12:51 p.m.)

Colorado State forecasters predict 'above-average' 2008 hurricane season

(CNN) -- The Atlantic basin could see as many as 13 named storms in an "above-average" 2008 hurricane season, with three of the storms developing into "intense or major" hurricanes, a forecasting team said in a report released Friday.

Nearly six months ahead of the 2008 season, the Colorado State University hurricane forecasting team also predicted that seven of the 13 named storms will develop into hurricanes. It expects three of them to be major hurricanes -- with sustained winds of 111 mph or higher, putting them at least at Category 3 strength on the Saffir-Simpson scale.

When a storm's winds reach 39 mph, it is assigned a name and is designated a tropical storm. Storms become hurricanes when their sustained winds reach 74 mph or higher.

"Based on our analysis of fall parameters, the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be more active than the average 1950-2000 season," said Phil Klotzbach, who co-heads the CSU hurricane forecasting team. (Posted 12:22 p.m.)

Bill raising auto fuel standards hits Senate roadblock

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- An energy bill that would require automakers to raise their average fuel economy standards hit a procedural roadblock in the Senate Friday, but senators vowed to work over the weekend to find a way to advance the bill.

A procedural vote on the bill failed 53-42, seven votes short of the 60 needed for the bill to advance. Republicans objected to $21 billion in new taxes contained in the bill.

The legislation, which passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 235-181 Thursday night, would be the first major increase in fuel economy standards in more than 30 years.

It would require automakers to raise their "corporate average fuel economy," or CAFE, standard by 40 percent to 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Supporters say that would result in significant fuel savings.

The current standard -- 27.5 mpg for cars and 22.2 for trucks -- was established in 1975. (Posted 11:45 a.m.)

Third suspect in Holloway case released

(CNN) -- An Aruban judge Friday ordered the release of Joran Van Der Sloot, a suspect in the 2005 disappearance of Natalee Holloway.

The two other suspects, Deepak and Satish Kalpoe, we were released last week.

All three had been arrested last month and charged with being involved in the "voluntary manslaughter" of Holloway, as well as assault and battery leading to her death. Prosecutors cited new and incriminating evidence against them, but did not specify.

The three maintain their innocence. (Posted 11:17 a.m.)

Rice tells NATO U.S. will continue to push for new U.N. resolution on Iran

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Friday the United States will continue to push for a new U.N. resolution to pressure Iran to halt its nuclear program.

Her comments to reporters at a NATO meeting in Belgium came as Russia is signaling its unwillingness to ratchet up sanctions against Iran, in the aftermath of new U.S. intelligence that says Iran stopped pursuing nuclear weapons four years ago.

"We are going to continue our work on a U.N. resolution," Rice said in a video link of her Brussels question-and-answer session that was provided to journalists at the State Department in Washington. She added the United States very much hopes Iran will halt its nuclear enrichment activities.

She appeared to be trying to smooth over any rift with Russia over Iran, saying the conversation she is having in Brussels is a continuation of earlier discussions. --From CNN's Charley Keyes (Posted 11:04 a.m.)

Bonds to enter not guilty plea

SAN FRANCISCO (CNN) -- Large crowds are expected Friday at U.S. District Court in San Francisco, where baseball home-run king Barry Bonds plans to plead not guilty to charges of perjury and obstruction of justice.

The charges, laid out in a federal indictment last month, stem from his December 2003 appearance before a grand jury investigating the distribution of steroids by Balco, a San Francisco-area laboratory.

The seven-time National League MVP repeatedly denied knowingly taking banned substances.

If convicted, Bonds could face up to five years in prison for each of the four counts of perjury, and up to 10 years for the single count of obstruction of justice.

Bonds' attorney Mike Rains has insisted his client is innocent. (Posted at 9:59 a.m.)

November jobs growth higher than estimates

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Employers added fewer workers to U.S. payrolls in November, according to a closely watched government reading on labor market strength released Friday that still came in a bit stronger than Wall Street expectations.

The net gain in payrolls came in at 94,000 in November, after a revised 170,000 gain in October. Economists surveyed by Briefing.com had forecast a 70,000 in workers in the latest reading. The September reading was revised lower by 52,000 jobs.

The job growth came from the service sector as manufacturing lost 11,000, and construction employment fell by 24,000.

The unemployment rate stayed at 4.7 percent reported for October. Economists had been forecasting a rise to 4.8 percent. (Posted 9:38 a.m.)

NATO warns against a return to violence in the Balkans

LONDON (CNN) -- The head of NATO promised stern action Friday against any groups seeking a return to violence in the Balkans, after government officials in Serbia raised the specter of war against Kosovo.

At a meeting in Belgium, NATO also confirmed it will maintain its troop contingent in the state to deter violence that may follow the collapse of talks on the future of the Kosovo, which remains a province of Serbia but is seeking independence.

NATO currently has 16,000 troops stationed in the province.

The deadline for a United Nations-brokered peace deal on its future expires this weekend. It is widely expected that diplomats will announce Monday they have been unable to secure a deal after four months of negotiations. (Posted 9:17 a.m.)

Darwin tried to buy catamaran while 'missing'

LONDON (CNN) -- The British man who reappeared five years after he was thought to have drowned changed his identity during his disappearance and tried to buy a catamaran to go "sailing around the world," a boat dealer said Friday.

Robert Hopkin, of Gibraltar, said John Darwin came to see him in November 2005 about the sale of a 60-foot catamaran worth 45,000 pounds ($91,000). Hopkin said Darwin gave his name as John Jones. He didn't buy the boat.

Darwin entered a police station in London Saturday, claiming to have amnesia. He was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of fraud. His wife, Anne, collected his life insurance money in 2003. She is believed to have flown to the United States late Thursday.

On Friday, a magistrate in northeast England granted police another 36 hours to detain Darwin. (Posted 8:49 a.m.)

Vote on Lebanese president put off again

BEIRUT (CNN) -- Lebanese Parliament speaker Nabih Berri Friday postponed for the seventh time a parliamentary session to elect a new president.

Berri put off the vote until Tuesday, December 11th.

Opposing factions have agreed on army chief Michel Suleiman as a consensus candidate, but still need to amend article 49 of the Lebanese constitution which bars serving civil servants from becoming president within two years of leaving their posts.

Lebanon has been without a president since November 23 when incumbent pro-Syrian Emile Lahoud stepped down at the end of his term. -- From CNN Producer Nada Husseini (Posted 8:12 a.m.)

NATO warns against a return to violence in the Balkans

LONDON (CNN) -- The head of NATO promised stern action Friday against any groups seeking a return to violence in the Balkans after government officials in Serbia raised the spectre of war against the province of Kosovo.

Kosovo remains a province of Serbia but is seeking independence.

The deadline for a United Nations-brokered peace deal on the future of Kosovo expires this weekend. It is widely expected that diplomats will announce Monday they have been unable to secure a deal after four months of negotiations.

An adviser to Serbia's prime minister ratcheted up the rhetoric Thursday, telling Serbian state television his country would defend its sovereignty "using all means" at its disposal.

"The state has no recourse other than war when someone does not respect the U.N. Security Council," Aleksandar Simic, an adviser to Vojislav Kostunica, told state television.

However, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the organization would not tolerate a return to violence.

"We will act resolutely against anyone who seeks to resort to violence," Scheffer said ahead of talks between NATO foreign ministers Friday in Belgium.(Posted 6:37 a.m.)

Tanker collision releases 10,000 tons of oil off South Korean coast

SEOUL (CNN) -- Thousands of tons of oil spilled into the Yellow Sea off the western coast of South Korea Friday after an oil tanker collided with a barge carrying a crane, the Maritime Ministry of Korea reported.

About 10,000 tons of oil gushed out of the Hebei Sprit after the crane punctured holes in the side of the tanker around 7:15 a.m. local time (5:15 p.m. Thursday). The flow had stopped by Friday evening as efforts continued to contain the spill.

"Because of the current wind and wave movements the maritime ministry is not expecting to see much environmental damage on the west coast of Korea," the ministry said.

The spill is the largest in South Korea history, a police spokesman said, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The previous record was set in 1995 when the Sea Prince struck a reef, releasing more than 5,000 tons of oil into waters off the southern coast. (Posted 6:10 a.m.)

Powerful Cyclone closes on Fiji

(CNN) -- Powerful tropical cyclone Daman closed on Fiji Friday evening, whipping the island chain with winds up to 160 mph (260 km/h), the Nadi Meteorological Center said.

The Category 4 storm intensified throughout the day as it churned to the east through the South Pacific at about 9 mph (15 km/h). A storm of this magnitude can cause extensive damage to small to small structures and push flood water up to 6 miles (10 km) inland.

Fiji's northern islands were expected to take the brunt of the storm in the overnight hours, with lesser damage anticipated in the south.

Meteorologist Alipate Waqaicelua said the eye of the storm is expected to brush Vanua Levu, Fiji's second largest island. (Posted 5:55 a.m.)

Murdoch steps down as son James takes over News Corp. in Europe and Asia

LONDON (CNN) -- Rupert Murdoch is stepping down from his role as chairman of the British broadcaster BSkyB to make way for his son James, long seen as the tycoon's favored successor to take over his media empire.

James Murdoch, who has been appointed non-executive chairman of BSkyB, will also head up the Asian and European operations of News Corporation -- the parent company, News Corp. said in a statement Friday.

Murdoch will remain as CEO of News Corp., the world's third largest media conglomerate after Disney and Time Warner.

Based in New York, News Corp. also owns the Fox network, which includes Fox News, as well as broadcasters and newspapers around the world, including the Times and Sun newspapers in Britain. (Posted 5:15 a.m.)

Suicide bomber kills at least 16, wounds 31

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- At least 16 people were killed and 31 were wounded when a suicide bomber detonated his explosives in Muqdadiya, north of Baghdad, an official with Iraq's Interior Ministry told CNN.

The blast took place outside a building where local members of an awakening council, who are opposed to al Qaeda and have formed an alliance with U.S. and Iraqi forces, meet.

Awakening councils are comprised of former militants -- often armed -- who create neighborhood watch groups to root out the insurgent elements in an area.

More than half of the dead and wounded were members of the awakening council, according to the Interior MInistry. (Posted 5 a.m.)

HRW: Myanmar crackdown was bloodier than government admits

NEW YORK (CNN) -- The September crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators by the Myanmar military junta was bloodier than the government admitted to, Human Rights Watch said in a report released Friday.

"The crackdown ... is far from over," said Human Rights Watch Asia Director Brad Adams. "Harsh repression continues, and the government is still lying about the extent of the deaths and detentions."

According to the group, the claims in its 140-page report are based on more than 100 interviews with eyewitnesses in Myanmar and Thailand.

Myanmar's military junta has acknowledge 10 deaths during the demonstrations and crackdown, but there are unconfirmed reports of hundreds of people being killed. In mid-October, the government admitted to detaining more than 2,900 people, but said most had been released. (Posted 4:30 a.m.)

Suicide bomber kills at least 15, wounds 25

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- At least 15 were killed and 25 others wounded when a suicide bomb detonated in Muqdadiya, north of Baghdad, an official with Iraq's Interior Ministry told CNN.

The blast took place outside a building where local residents meet, who are opposed to al Qaeda and have formed an alliance with U.S. and Iraqi forces. (Posted 3:20 a.m.)

Tanker collision releases 10,000 tons of oil off South Korean coast

SEOUL (CNN) -- Thousands of tons of oil spilled into the Yellow Sea off the western coast of South Korea Friday after an oil tanker collided with a barge carrying a crane, the Maritime Ministry of Korea reported.

About 10,000 tons of oil gushed out of the Hebei Sprit after the crane punctured holes in the side of the tanker around 7:15 a.m. local time (5:15 p.m. Thursday)

"There are currently 12 patrol boats and 3 other ships at the site of the accident efforting to control further oil leakage and oil spreading," the ministry said.

"Because of the current wind and wave movements the maritime ministry is not expecting to see much environmental damage on the west coast of Korea." (Posted 2:55 a.m.)

Wife of 'canoe man' leaves Panama

LONDON (CNN) -- The wife of a British man who suddenly reappeared five years after he was thought to have drowned at sea has left Panama, a Panamanian immigration representative told CNN late Thursday. Her final destination was not immediately known, but the official said her initial flight was headed for the United States.

British media reports said Anne Darwin and her husband John had started a new life in Panama after he was thought to have died off the coast of northeastern England.

John Darwin, 57, walked into at a police station in London over the weekend five years after the remains of a kayak he paddled into the North Sea off the coast of Seaton Carew washed up on shore.

He was to be questioned by Cleveland police on suspicion of fraud and remained in custody Friday morning. (Posted 1:10 a.m.)

Mine explosion in China kills at least 105

BEIJING (CNN) -- Rescue teams on Friday recovered more bodies following a powerful gas explosion at the Xinyao Coal Mine in northern China's Shanxi province, bringing the death toll 105, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency.

It was uncertain how many workers were in the mine at the time of the blast. In earlier reporting, Xinhua said 15 miners had escaped or been rescued.

The explosion occurred late Wednesday in the village of Zuomu, near Linfen, Xinhua reported.

Rescue officials told Xinhua that they believed mine managers "delayed reporting the accident while they tried to mount their own operations, which meant that a crucial window of time for rescue passed and casualties probably increased." (Posted 12:20 a.m.) E-mail to a friend