The CNN Wire: Tuesday, Dec. 11

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.

Lebanese army general dies in explosion, at least two others dead

BEIRUT (CNN) -- A high-ranking Lebanese army general was killed in an explosion in Beirut's Christian suburb of Baabda Wednesday, military intelligence sources told CNN. At least two others died in the blast, but authorities said they expect the toll to climb.

Brig. Gen. Francois Al-Hajj was the head of operations for the Lebanese army and was believed to be a top candidate to take over as army commander in the event current commander Gen. Michel Suleiman is elected president.

According to Lebanese media, the source of the explosion was a car bomb. Video from the scene in the aftermath showed burning vehicles and debris scattered over a wide area.

The blast came at a time of high political turmoil in Lebanon as pro- and anti-Syrian lawmakers in parliament are locked in a battle to elect a new president. Despite general agreement between factions for Suleiman to fill the vacant presidency, political wrangling has kept it from coming up for a vote.

Late Tuesday, Speaker Nabih Berri postponed -- for an eighth time -- a parliamentary session scheduled for Wednesday to elect a new president. The next session is slated for December 17. (Posted 2:45 a.m.)

Pirates release hijacked Japanese chemical tanker

TOKYO (CNN) -- Pirates on Wednesday released a Japanese chemical tanker hijacked off the coast of Somalia in late October, an official with the ship's owner Dorval Kaiun K.K. told CNN.

The Golden Nori, a 6,253 ton tanker filled with volatile benzene and carrying 23 crew members, was taken on Oct. 28 near the Gulf of Aden, where frequent pirate attacks have been reported this year. One South Korean safely escaped from the hijacked tanker, but the remainder of crew stayed aboard for the duration.

The Dorval Kaiun K.K. official had no additional information on the status of the ship. The Associated Press reported that the Golden Nori was released off the coast of Somalia.

Gunmen aboard two skiffs hijacked the Panamanian-flagged tanker off the Socotra archipelago six weeks ago, near the Horn of Africa. After the Golden Nori radioed for help, the USS Porter, opened fire and sank the pirate skiffs tied to its stern before the USS Burke, a sister ship, took over shadowing the hijacked vessel. (Posted 12:55 a.m.)

Explosion outside of Beirut kills at least 3

BEIRUT (CNN) -- Lebanese military intelligence sources confirm an explosion outside Beirut, in the suburb of Baabda, has killed at least three people. The death toll is expected to rise.

No other details were immediately available. (Posted 12:45 a.m.)

Criminal complaint filed by man beaten by teen girls on subway

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A man who was videotaped being punched and hit with a water bottle by a group of teenage girls on a New York City subway has filed a criminal complaint in the case, authorities said Tuesday.

Rafael Cruz, 27, filed the complaint after the beating came to light when the 17-year-old who recorded it on a camcorder posted the video on the internet site YouTube.

In the video, which runs just over four minutes, Cruz appears to exchange words with the teens, then tries to calm them down as they shout at him and taunt him for several minutes.

Ultimately, one of the girls pushes a plastic water bottle into Cruz's face, then at least three of them begin throwing punches at him. Cruz never appears to fight back and does not throw a punch during the portion of the attack that appears in the video. (Posted 11:25 p.m.)

Police: 6 youths shot in incident believed linked to school fight

(CNN) -- A shooting at a school bus stop Tuesday in which six youths were injured, two critically, was believed linked to a fight at a high school earlier in the day which resulted in three arrests, authorities said.

The incident at Mojave High School was thought to involve a dispute over a girlfriend, and was not gang-related, Clark County Sheriff Doug Gillespie told reporters.

"Is it safe to send my kids to school tomorrow? The answer is yes," Gillespie said.

Four of the six youths shot were students at Mojave, he said.

The shooting took place about 2 p.m. Tuesday (5 p.m. ET) as the youths got of a school bus at an intersection. (Posted 10:30 p.m.)

Candidates spend more than $13 million so far on Iowa ads

By CNN Political Editor Mark Preston

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Less than a month before the Iowa caucuses, several presidential candidates are opening up their wallets and targeting Hawkeye State voters in a television ad blitz that so far has cost more than $13 million.

Most of the money is being spent by the three Democratic frontrunners, who view a win in Iowa as a key step in the march to their party's presidential nomination.

Leading the pack is Illinois Sen. Barack Obama, who has run nearly 8,000 television ads this year at a cost of more than $4 million, according to an analysis conducted by TNS Media Intelligence/CMAG, CNN's consultant on television ad spending. Meanwhile, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton has spent $3 million on 5,100-plus ads, and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards has devoted $1.3 million to air more than 2,000 ads.

In the race for the Republican presidential nomination, new polling shows that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is leading in Iowa even though former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has saturated the airwaves with campaign ads. Romney has invested $4.1 million to run more than 7,000 ads in the Hawkeye State, while Huckabee's television advertising buys has been negligible.

Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson trails a distant second to Romney, with around 1,050 campaign commercials aired at a cost of $600,000. (Posted 9:30 p.m.)

Attacks up in Afghanistan, but Iraq comes first, U.S. military chief says

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Attacks on U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan and support for the Taliban are up, but Iraq remains a bigger priority for American commanders, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Tuesday.

Adm. Mike Mullen said the southern Afghan province of Helmand, the scene of recent heavy fighting between a resurgent Taliban and allied troops, has seen a 60 percent increase in attacks in the past year. Afghan troops backed by NATO troops recaptured the provincial town of Musa Qala from Taliban control Tuesday, allied commanders reported, but Mullen said polls show support for the Taliban in the country's southwest has risen to 23 percent -- "triple what it was just three years ago."

He said the Taliban has lost "a significant number" of leaders in recent months and have reverted to "terror attacks, thuggery and intimidation" as a result.

U.S. troops have spent more than six years battling the Taliban, the Islamic militia that once ruled most of Afghanistan, and its al Qaeda allies in the original front in the "war on terrorism" launched by al Qaeda's Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington.

Some members of the committee suggested more troops may be needed in Afghanistan. Rep. Joe Sestak, a freshman Pennsylvania Democrat and a retired admiral, questioned the emphasis on fighting al Qaeda in Iraq when Taliban activity is up and al Qaeda has carved out new havens across the Pakistani border. (Posted 7:12 p.m.)

Olga strenghtens, becomes tropical storm

MIAMI (CNN) -- A subtropical storm that formed Monday in the Caribbean has strengthened and picked up the characteristics of a tropical storm afternoon, the National Hurricane Center reported Tuesday.

Now dubbed Tropical Storm Olga, the weather system -- which came ashore earlier in the day in the Dominican Republic -- was still over land at 7 p.m. ET, about 30 miles (45 km) north-northeast of Santo Domingo.

Top sustained winds reached 60 mph (96 km/h), a hurricane hunter plane reported, and the storm was moving west at about 13 mph. Forecasters said Olga was expected to remain over land during the next 24 hours and weaken slowly.

Olga made landfall on Hispaniola, the island containing Haiti and the Dominican Republic, about 1 p.m. ET Tuesday, forecasters said. A tropical storm warning remained in effect along northern Hispaniola, from Cabo Engano, Dominican Republic, to Le Mole St. Nicholas, Haiti. (Posted 7:07 p.m.)

Slain minister's parents balk at convicted mother visiting children

(CNN) -- The parents of slain Tennessee minister Matthew Winkler on Tuesday asked the state's Supreme Court to overturn a lower court's order giving Winkler's widow -- who was convicted of killing him -- visitation rights with the couple's three daughters, or at least to require the visits proceed only under a counselor's supervision.

Mary Winkler was convicted earlier this year in the 2006 shotgun death of her husband, a Church of Christ minister. She claimed that his slaying came after years of abuse, including physical violence and being forced to dress "slutty" for undesirable sex acts. Prosecutors were pushing for a first-degree murder conviction, but a jury convicted her on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter.

Winkler initially received a three-year sentence, but a judge required her to serve only 210 days and gave her credit for the five months she had already served behind bars. The judge allowed Winkler to serve the remaining 60 days in a mental health facility. She was released in August.

Since her arrest, the Winklers' three daughters -- Patricia, Mary Alice and Brianna, who were ages 8, 6 and 1 at the time -- have been in the custody of Matthew Winkler's parents, Charles and Diane Winkler. The couple is battling Mary Winkler for custody of the children and has also filed a $2 million wrongful death suit against her for their son's slaying. (Posted 6:33 p.m.)

Oregon mudslide shuts highway, damages homes

(CNN) -- A major highway was shut down and several homes were destroyed Tuesday when a pair of mudslides merged to form one massive avalanche in rural northwest Oregon.

The slide, which hit at about noon near the timber-mining community of Clatskanie, dumped tons of mud, water and uprooted trees on state Highway 30 -- which connects Portland to the Pacific coast -- and damaged four homes, covering some of them with mud up to their roofs.

The area "looks like total devastation," said Clatskanie Mayor Diane Pohl, who said she's been in contact with police and highway officials working there. "It's been devastating for the families that have been directly affected."

The homes in the mudslide's path were evacuated well in advance, and no one was injured, said Oregon State Police Sgt. Larry Lucas. (Posted 6:22 p.m.)

Senate panel members criticize Energy Department for adding to nation's oil reserve, adding to tight supply

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A Senate panel grilled a key government energy expert Tuesday over why the Bush administration plans to continue adding to the nation's oil reserve as the price of crude spikes near $100 a barrel.

Lawmakers also accused the administration of turning a blind eye to the role that oil speculators are playing in driving up prices.

The Department of Energy is planning to spend nearly $1 billion in 2008 to boost the amount of oil the nation holds in its 750 million barrel Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

One industry analyst, testifying before a Senate panel made up of energy and homeland security and government affairs committee members, said the government may cause a significant increase in the price of crude over the next six months by filling the reserve with the easily refined and most valuable light, sweet crude. --By CNNMoney.com's Steve Hargreaves (Posted 5:57 p.m.)

U.S. Sentencing Commission votes to make crack cocaine sentences retroactive for some inmates

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Sentencing Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to give nearly 20,000 federal inmates jailed for crack cocaine offenses a chance to have their jail terms reduced, with many members saying the changes were long overdue and hampered by racial issues.

Changes were made last month to reduce the wide disparity in sentences handed down over powder versus crack cocaine, based on guidelines first enacted by Congress two decades ago. Tuesday's 7-0 vote made those changes retroactive.

After the changes go into effect March 3, each inmate will have the opportunity to go before a federal judge to request a reduction in his or her current incarceration. About 19,500 prisoners will be eligible, about half of the current number of those imprisoned for crack cocaine crimes.

"It's the right thing to do," said Judge Ruben Castillo of Chicago, a member of the commission. "There is no way to justify the ratio this country has used." --From CNN Senior Producer Bill Mears (Posted 5:43 p.m.)

Near-simultaneous bombings kill dozens in Algerian capital

ALGIERS, Algeria (CNN) -- Rescue workers are sifting through the rubble of the main United Nations headquarters in Algiers hoping to find survivors hours after a powerful bomb ripped off the building's facade and leveled nearby U.N. offices Tuesday.

It was one of two suspected car bombs that struck the Algerian capital within 10 minutes of each other. The death toll is unclear: the official government count is at least 26, but hospital sources in Algiers told CNN affiliate BFM-TV that at least 76 people were killed in the two blasts. A statement from the United Nations said 45 people were reported killed.

At least 10 U.N. staffers were among those killed, according to U.N. spokeswoman Marie Okabe. More than 175 people were wounded.

In a posting on an Islamist Web site, the group al Qaeda Islamic Maghreb claimed responsibility for the attacks, which also targeted a building housing Algeria's Constitutional Council and Supreme Court. CNN could not immediately corroborate that claim, but the Web site is known to carry messages, claims and videos from al Qaeda and other militant groups. (Posted 5:32 p.m.)

CIA chief goes before Senate panel probing interrogation tapes

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- CIA Director Michael Hayden said Tuesday he welcomes the chance to explain to Congress why the agency destroyed videotapes showing agents using "alternative" interrogation techniques, promising to "let the facts take us where they will."

Hayden made the first of two scheduled appearances before lawmakers Tuesday afternoon, spending about an hour before the Senate Intelligence Committee.

"It was a chance to lay out the narrative of what happened -- who did it, why the tapes were destroyed," Hayden told reporters after the session. He said lawmakers will also hear from "people with more knowledge of what happened."

Hayden disclosed both the existence and destruction of the tapes in a memo to CIA employees last week. U.S. officials said the recordings were made as "an internal check" on the CIA's use of harsh interrogation techniques authorized in 2002 against suspected terrorists. (Posted 5:22 p.m.)

Sentencing panel says past crack cocaine sentences could be reduced

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The U.S. Sentencing Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to make retroactive reduced sentences for crack cocaine offenders, a move that could affect as many as 19,500 current inmates.

The decision follows a recent revision of rules to reduce the disparity between the sentences for crack and powdered cocaine that some civl rights activists say were unfairly affecting minority defendants.

The decision will not be put into effect until March. After that time, defendants who received more than that congressionally mandated minimum sentence will have to argue their case for a reduced sentence before a federal judge. --From CNN's Bill Mears (Posted 4:58 p.m.)

Israeli PM: U.S. support of Israel, opposition to Iran nuclear program still strong

TEL AVIV, Israel (CNN) -- Iran is still a danger and the United States is still leading the effort to curb the Islamic Republic's nuclear intentions despite an American intelligence report that Iran stopped work on nuclear weapons four years ago, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Tuesday in a speech to the Israeli Institute for National Security Studies.

"I attribute great importance to the declaration by the president of the United States, George Bush, that nothing has changed," Olmert told the attendees at a conference on security challenges faced in the 21st century. "Iran was and remains dangerous and we must continue the international pressure with full force to dissuade Iran from its nuclear tendencies.

"I trust and am confident that the United States will continue to lead the international campaign to stop the development of a nuclear Iran."

Olmert said that the new national intelligence estimate launched "an exaggerated debate" that caused some to believe it signaled a U.S. "retreat from its support of Israel," a belief the prime minister called "groundless." (Posted 4:41 p.m.)

Fed cuts interest rates quarter point; traders unhappy

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Federal Reserve lowered an important short-term rate by a quarter of a percentage point Tuesday, the latest in a series of rate cuts that the central bank hopes will stimulate an economy some fear is on the brink of a recession.

But stocks plunged after the Fed's announcement as Wall Street was disappointed the Fed did not act more aggressively. The Dow dropped nearly 300 points, or 2.1 percent, while the S&P and Nasdaq each fell about 2.5 percent.

"The Fed needed to cut more now in order to fend off the credit crisis that has intensified in the past month," said John Derrick, director of research at U.S. Global Investors, a money management firm in San Antonio with more than $5.5 billion in assets.

This was the third straight time that Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and fellow policy makers decided to cut its federal funds rate, an overnight bank lending rate that affects how much interest consumers pay on credit cards, home equity lines of credit and auto loans. (Posted 4:34 p.m.)

Passenger plane, business jet come too close over North Carolina

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A US Airways passenger plane and a business jet came uncomfortably close to each other in the sky over North Carolina Tuesday morning because of an air traffic controller's error, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed.

US Airways Flight 829 was descending to Charlotte, N.C., shortly before 8 a.m. when it came into a conflicting course with a Falcon 50 jet that had departed Statesville, N.C., and was still climbing.

The planes, both at an altitude of 16,500 feet, came within 2.25 nautical miles of each other laterally -- less then half of the 5 nautical miles of separation that is required, the FAA said. --From CNN Producer Mike M. Ahlers (Posted 4:22 p.m.)

Olga makes landfall in Dominican Republic, headed toward Bahamas

MIAMI (CNN) -- Subtropical Storm Olga made landfall Tuesday in the Dominican Republic, and storm warnings were posted for parts of the Bahamas and for the Turks and Caicos islands, the National Hurricane Center said.

Olga made landfall on Hispaniola, the island containing Haiti and the Dominican Republic, about 1 p.m. ET Tuesday, forecasters said in the latest briefing on Olga. A tropical storm warning remained in effect along northern Hispaniola, from Cabo Engano, Dominican Republic, to Le Mole St. Nicholas, Haiti.

As of 4 p.m. AST (3 p.m. ET), the center of Olga was about 70 miles (115 km) east of Santo Domingo, forecasters said. It was moving west at near 13 mph, and was expected to continue that motion for the next 24 hours. The storm's center is expected to remain over land for the next day, forecasters said.

The storm's maximum sustained winds were near 45 mph (75 km/hr) with higher gusts, forecasters said. The storm is expected to slowly weaken over the next day. (Posted 3:50 p.m.)

Ex-CIA agent says Abu Zubaydah was 'waterboarded' after capture

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- American interrogators drew valuable information out of al Qaeda captive Abu Zubaydah by "waterboarding" him, but the procedure amounts to torture and should be retired, a former CIA officer involved in the questioning said Tuesday.

John Kiriakou said he did not assist in the technique, which produces the sensation of drowning in those subjected to it. He called the practice "not something I wanted to be associated with."

But in the aftermath of Zubaydah's 2002 capture, when the United States was worried about new attacks by the group behind the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, waterboarding was a useful tool for U.S. intelligence, Kiriakou said on CNN's "American Morning."

"I think that in that very brief period where we were using it with Abu Zubaydah, and we were able to get actionable intelligence, it was important -- unpleasant but important." he said. "Now, after all these years, time has passed and we're more on our feet in this fight against al Qaeda." (Posted 3:24 p.m.)

Islamic group linked to al Qaeda claims responsibility for Algiers explosions

ALGIERS, Algeria (CNN) -- As rescue workers sifted through the rubble of the main United Nations headquarters in Algiers searching for survivors of one of two blasts that rocked the city Tuesday, a claim of responsibility was posted on an Islamic Web site.

The group al Qaeda Islamic Maghreb said it set off the attacks, which also targeted a building housing Algeria's Constitutional Council and Supreme Court.

CNN could not immediately corroborate that claim, but the Web site is known to carry messages, claims and videos from al Qaeda and other militant groups.

The death toll is unclear: the official government count is at least 26, but hospital sources in Algiers told CNN affiliate BFM-TV that at least 76 people were killed in the two blasts. A statement from the United Nations said 45 people were reported killed. At least five U.N. staffers were among those killed, according to U.N. spokeswoman Marie Okabe. More than 175 people were wounded. (Posted 3:15 p.m.)

Shooter in church killings killed himself after being shot by guard

(CNN) -- Matthew Murray, the man who police say shot and killed four people at two separate locations in Colorado Sunday, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the El Paso County Coroner's Office said in a statement Tuesday.

Murray was shot several times by a security guard at the church but the coroner's office said the shot that killed him came from his own weapon

"The death of Matthew Murray has been ruled a suicide. It should be noted that he was struck multiple times by the security officer, which put him down. He then fired a single round killing himself," the statement said. (Posted 2:32 p.m.)

Jeopardy host suffers minor heart attack

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- Alex Trebek, the long-time host of the popular television quiz show "Jeopardy," suffered a minor heart attack at his home Monday night.

Trebek, 67, was recovering at a local hospital, and it was not clear when he would be released, a representative of the show said. He is expected to resume taping the show in January.

The representative added that Trebek did not have any previous known condition that would have led to the heart attack. (Posted 2:31 p.m.)

Fed cuts interest rates quarter point

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Federal Reserve lowered an important short-term rate by a quarter of a percentage point Tuesday, the latest in a series of rate cuts that the central bank hopes will stimulate an economy some fear is on the brink of a recession.

This was the third straight time that Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke and fellow policy makers decided to cut the federal funds rate, an overnight bank lending rate that affects how much interest consumers pay on credit cards, home equity lines of credit and auto loans.

The federal funds rate now stands at 4.25 percent. The central bank also cut its discount rate, which is what banks pay to borrow directly from the Fed, by a quarter-point to 4.75 percent.

Leading up to Tuesday's meeting, several economists indicated that the Fed may need to lower rates several more times in early 2008 in order to keep the economy from slipping into a prolonged slump.

And some investors had been holding out hope that the Fed would lower rates by a half of a percentage point as it did in September, since several banks have been forced in the past few months to take massive writedowns due to exposure to bad mortgage loans. (Posted 2:26 p.m.)

Fed cuts interest rates quarter point

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Federal Reserve decided to cut short-term interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point on Tuesday to 4.25 percent, a move widely expected on Wall Street.

The Fed also cut its "discount" rate, the rate at which banks can borrow money directly from the Federal Reserve, by a quarter of a percentage point, to 4.75 percent. This rate is not directly tied to consumer loans. (Posted 2:22 p.m.)

Romney paints Huckabee as being soft on illegal immigration

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney is attacking rival Mike Huckabee on the issue the Romney campaign feels is one of Huckabee's greatest vulnerabilities: immigration.

Romney, who has lost his front-runner status in Iowa to Huckabee after dominating the polls in the Hawkeye State for month, plans to air a television ad in Iowa that targets the former governor of Arkansas's record on illegal immigration.

The spot, which attacks Huckabee by name, hits the airwaves Tuesday.

Immigration reform is a major topic in the race for the Republican nomination, with candidates working to position themselves as tough on workers entering the country illegally. (Posted 2:19 p.m.)

Fed cuts interest rate quarter point

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- The Federal Reserve lowered the target for a critical short-term interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point Tuesday, a move widely expected on Wall Street.

The Fed had lowered the rate by a quarter of a percentage point on Oct. 31, and by half of a percentage point on Sept. 18. (Posted 2:16 p.m.)

Near-simultaneous bombings kill dozens in Algerian capital

ALGIERS, Algeria (CNN) -- Rescue workers are sifting through the rubble of the main United Nations headquarters in Algiers for 14 U.N. staffers missing hours after a powerful bomb ripped off the building's facade and leveled nearby U.N. offices Tuesday.

It was one of two suspected car bombs that struck the Algerian capital within 10 minutes of each other. The death toll is unclear: the official government count is at least 22, but hospital sources in Algiers told CNN affiliate BFM-TV that 62 people were killed in the two blasts. A statement from the United Nations said 45 people were reported killed.

Algerian Interior Minister Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni blamed a militant Islamic group with ties to al Qaeda for the attacks, which also targeted a building housing Algeria's Constitutional Council and Supreme Court.

At least five U.N. staffers were among those killed, according to U.N. spokeswoman Marie Okabe. (Posted 2:07 p.m.)

Thompson will concentrate on Iowa, abandon New Hampshire

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Fred Thompson has decided to abandon the New Hampshire, and will campaign in Iowa full-time until the January 3 caucuses, his campaign spokesman said Tuesday.

The former Tennessee senator is planning to begin a bus tour of the Hawkeye State next week that will run through the end of the year, with a brief break for the Christmas holiday, campaign spokesman Jeff Sadosky told CNN.

A "strong finish" in Iowa "will allow us to springboard into South Carolina, Florida and the rest of the February 5 states in a very strong position," he said.

The move represents an about-face from Thompson's position as recently as last month, when the New York Times reported that he responded to complaints from New Hampshire voters that he hadn't spent enough time there with promises to visit "early and often." (Posted 1:10 p.m.)

4 U.N. staffers dead, at least 10 missing in Algiers bombing; rescue effort under way

(CNN) -- At least four U.N. staffers were killed in Tuesday's Algiers bombing, and at least 10 others are still missing in the rubble of the main U.N. headquarters that was heavily damaged by a suspected car bomb, U.N. officials said.

The dead include two drivers for the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said from the agency's Geneva headquarters. The UNHCR's offices -- located across the street from the U.N. headquarters -- were destroyed in the blast.

He said rescue workers are sifting through the wreckage of the U.N. headquarters for those missing hours after the explosion destroyed the building's facade Tuesday morning, a U.N. spokesman said.

"It's a very serious situation," he said. (Posted 12:50 p.m.)

Algerian minister blames al Qaeda-linked group for Algiers bombings

ALGIERS, Algeria (CNN) -- Algerian Interior Minister Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni blamed a militant Islamic group with ties to al Qaeda for Tuesday's deadly bombings in the capital, Algiers.

No group has claimed responsibility for the two bombings, which struck United Nations and Algerian government buildings within minutes of each other, killing dozens.

At a news conference, Zerhouni blamed the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC), the same group that took responsibility for an attack in April in downtown Algiers that killed 33 people.

He said police interrogations of GSPC members arrested in the wake of the April attack revealed that Algeria's Constitutional Council and Supreme Court -- hit by one of Tuesday's blasts -- were on a list of GSPC targets. (Posted 12:19 p.m.)

2 U.N. staffers dead, 10 missing in Algiers bombing; rescue effort under way

(CNN) -- Algerian rescue workers are sifting through the rubble of the main U.N. headquarters in Algiers for at least 10 U.N. staffers missing after a suspected car bomb destroyed the building's facade Tuesday morning, a U.N. spokesman said.

The blast killed two staff members of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees -- both drivers for the Algiers office -- UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said from the agency's Geneva headquarters.

"It's a very serious situation," he said. (Posted 12:12 p.m.)

Gunmen echoed Columbine shooter's Web posting in hours before last attack

DENVER (CNN) -- The 24-year-old man blamed for killing four people at a church and missionary training center before being felled by a security guard's bullet Sunday apparently posted an online warning about his intentions just 90 minutes before the last shooting.

The message, first reported Monday by CNN affiliate KUSA-TV, was taken off line by the site's administrator after he talked to the FBI.

The message attributed to Matthew Murray -- using the screen name "nghtmrchld26" -- mirrored the wording of a warning posted by in 1999 by Eric Harris before he and Dylan Klebold went on a shooting rampage at Columbine High School.

"I'm coming for EVERYONE soon and I WILL be armed to the @#%$ teeth and I WILL shoot to kill," the posting obtained by KUSA read. This was the same wording used by Harris, with the exception of symbols used to replace an expletive. (Posted 12:01 p.m.)

Algerian minister blames Islamic group for Algiers bombings

ALGIERS, Algeria (CNN) -- Algeria's interior minister blamed a militant Islamic group, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC) for Tuesday's deadly bombings in the capital, Algiers.

The group aims to establish an Islamic state within Algeria. At a news conference, Zerhouni said the Constitutional Council and Supreme Court -- hit by one of the two blasts -- were known to have been on a list of GSPC targets. (Posted noon)

Allawi's party says it warned U.S., Iraq that insurgents were planning attacks against him

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Former Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi's party said it warned the U.S. military, the United Nations and the Iraqi government two weeks ago that insurgents were planning attacks against him and his Iraqi National Accord (INA) bloc.

"Unfortunately no action was taken," according to an INA statement.

A bomb went off Monday night near Allawi's home outside of Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone, the statement said, and a suicide bomber attack at a checkpoint near his home Tuesday killed at least two Iraq police officers and wounded 13 other people, according to an Iraqi Interior Ministry official.

The Tuesday blast also was near the office of Saleh al-Mutlaq, a prominent Sunni politician, the Interior Ministry official said. (Posted 11:24 a.m.)

Mall traffic off dramatically, chain stores see only modest sales increase

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- After getting off to a fast start last month, holiday sales at some of the nation's largest retailers have slowed to an excruciatingly slow pace and mall traffic has dropped dramatically.

The results, coming two weeks before Christmas, jeopardize an already weak holiday sales period.

Chain-store sales rose a mere 0.2 percent for the week ended Dec. 8, following a disappointing 2 percent sales decline in the prior week, according to a report released Tuesday by the International Council of Shopping Centers.

"Consumers continue to be slow in finishing their holiday shopping," said Michael Niemira, the council's chief economist. "As such, we will be watching the next few weeks to determine how successful this holiday shopping season will be for retailers." --From CNNMoney.com's Parija B. Kavilanz (Posted 10:59 a.m.)

Former CIA agent says tapes should not have been destroyed

NEW YORK (CNN) -- A former CIA agent who participated in some of the early interrogations of al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah told CNN Tuesday he was opposed to the destruction of videotapes made of those sessions, even though he and other agents weren't aware the questioning was being recorded.

"I don't see the reason to destroy them," former agent John Kiriakou said on "American Morning." "There's a possibility that they could be used in a criminal investigation and frankly, for the historical record, I think it's important to have things like that maintained."

His comments on the destruction of the tapes and the use of "alternative" interrogation techniques come as CIA Director Michael Hayden heads to Capitol Hill Tuesday and Wednesday for Senate and House Intelligence hearings on the matter.

The Justice Department and the CIA have announced a preliminary inquiry into the agency's decision to destroy the tapes. (Posted 10:27 a.m.)

Twin car bombs kill dozens in Algerian capital, including several U.N. staffers; death toll ranges between 45 and 62

ALGIERS, Algeria (CNN) -- Two car bombs ripped through the Algerian capital Tuesday, killing as many as 62 people in what appeared to be targeted attacks on government and United Nations buildings.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned what he called "terrorist attacks" that he said "killed at least 45 people including a number of United Nations staff members."

Hospital sources say 62 people were killed in the attacks, according to a reporter from CNN affiliate BFM.

One of the blasts went off in the middle of the street between two U.N. buildings -- the UNHCR offices and the U.N.'s main building -- about 9:30 a.m. (3:30 a.m. ET) in the residential area of Hydra, UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said. Both buildings were extensively damaged. (Posted 10:10 a.m.)

Up to 6 Palestinian militants killed in Israel operations in Gaza

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli forces made forays into northern and southern Gaza Tuesday morning in operations targeting Palestinian militants, killing up to six, according to Palestinian sources and Israel Defense Forces.

Israel carried out airstrikes against Qassam rocket launch sites in the north. IDF said the strikes killed two militants, while Palestinian security sources said one member of Islamic Jihad was killed.

In southern Gaza, Palestinian security sources said 30 Israeli tanks and bulldozers entered the territory early Tuesday morning and were conducting house-to-house searches after shutting down the main road between Rafah and Khan Yunis.

The IDF acknowledged having just 10 tanks about half a mile (a kilometer) inside the Sufa border crossing, saying its troops were on regular operational duty against the terror infrastructure in Gaza. (Posted 9:27 a.m.)

Medvedev asks Putin to become prime minister if he is elected

MOSCOW (CNN) -- The man tipped to be Russia's next president said Tuesday he wants incumbent President Vladimir Putin to become the country's next prime minister.

Dmitry Medvedev said on Russian state television that he has asked Putin to head the government if he wins elections scheduled for March next year. The announcement comes only a day after Putin's United Russia party formally nominated Medvedev to be the party's candidate for the presidential elections. Russian law bars Putin from seeking a third term as president.

Medvedev, who is also chairman of the state energy giant Gazprom, said he wants Putin to remain at the center of Russian political life because it is important to "continue the political course that has been started in the late 1990s." (Posted 9:26 a.m.)

Iranian president reveals planning for Iraq visit; optimistic about U.S.-Iran relations

TEHRAN (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said a plan is in the works for him to visit Iraq, although he did not reveal a timetable for a trip.

Ahmadinejad, in a news conference in Tehran Tuesday, also spoke optimistically about Iranian relations with the United States in the aftermath of a U.S. intelligence finding that his country suspended its nuclear weapons program in 2003. Ahmadinejad stopped short of saying he was willing to enter direct talks without preconditions with the United States.

The Iranian leader's comment on a possible trip to Baghdad was in response to a question from an Iraqi reporter. "I am hoping to do that," Ahmadinejad said. "We are negotiating to arrange a program."

He said that because the world now knows that Iran's nuclear program is entirely peaceful, the United Nations Security Council should revisit resolutions passed to pressure his country. (Posted 9 a.m.)

Hospital sources: 62 dead in Algiers double bombings

ALGIERS, Algeria (CNN) -- Hospital sources say 62 people have been killed in Tuesday's twin bombings in Algiers, according to a reporter from CNN affiliate BFM. (Posted 9:07 a.m.)

At least 1 U.N. staffer among those killed in Algeria attacks

(CNN) -- A United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees staffer is among the dozens killed in twin car bombing attacks in Algiers, UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond told CNN.

"We can confirm that one staff member was killed and another is missing," Redmond said. "There are apparently some additional staff missing in the main U.N. building across the street."

U.N. Development Program spokesman Jean Fabre told CNN that 12 staffers were missing and a search is under way.

Some reports have quoted U.N. officials as saying 10 U.N. staff members are among the dead, but neither Redmond nor Fabre could not confirm those reports. (Posted 8:43 a.m.)

Senate, House committees to probe CIA interrogation tapes

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- CIA Director Michael Hayden will appear before the Senate and House Intelligence Committees Tuesday and Wednesday as part of the investigation into the spy agency's destruction of videotapes showing the use of "alternative" interrogation techniques on al Qaeda leaders, committee leaders said Monday.

Hayden is slated to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee in a closed hearing Tuesday afternoon and will likely face strong questions from committee members including Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis., who sent a letter Monday to Attorney General Michael Mukasey asking the Justice Department to take a fresh look at the CIA program.

The CIA chief is also scheduled to answer questions in a closed-door but on-the-record briefing Wednesday before the House Intelligence Committee. The panel's chairman, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, and ranking Republican, Rep. Peter Hoekstra, disputed Hayden's account last week that the committee had been properly notified of the decision to destroy the tapes. (Posted 8:35 a.m.)

Iranian president reveals planning for Iraq visit

TEHRAN (CNN) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said a plan is in the works for him to visit Iraq, although he did not reveal a timetable for a trip.

"I am hoping to do that," Ahmadinejad said. "We are negotiating to arrange a program."

President Ahmadinejad's comments came at a news conference in Tehran Tuesday. (Posted 8:08 a.m.)

Car bombs strike Algerian capital; 47 dead, UN believed to be a target

(CNN) -- Two car bombs exploded Tuesday near the United Nations' offices in Algiers, killing at least 47 people and wounding several others, according to a U.N. spokesman and state-run Algerian media.

The U.N. headquarters in the Algerian capital and a separate building housing its refugee agency's office "suffered extensive damage" and staff members were among the casualties, U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees spokesman Ron Redmond told CNN.

"Apparently this was an extremely powerful bomb," Redmond told CNN from UNHCR headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. "It's caused a lot of damage and right now we're just trying to sort out where our staff are." (Posted 7:57 a.m.)

Wife of 'canoe man' appears in court charged with deception

LONDON (CNN) -- Anne Darwin, the wife of a British man who reappeared five years after he was thought to have drowned, appeared in court Tuesday on deception charges totaling more than £160,000 ($320,000).

Mrs. Darwin was charged with two counts of deception relating to a life insurance payout and a mortgage policy during an appearance at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court in northeast England, a spokeswoman for Cleveland Police, the force investigating the case, told CNN.

She entered no plea and was remanded in custody until Dec. 14, the same date that her husband, John Darwin, is due to appear in the same court via a video link, the police spokeswoman said. No application for bail was made, she added. (Posted 7:53 a.m.)

Reports: 47 dead in Algerian explosions

(CNN) -- Two car bombs that hit the Algerian capital of Algiers Tuesday killed 47 people, according to state-run television network ENTV. The state news agency said several people were wounded.

One explosion was outside the constitutional court in the neighborhood of Ben Aknoun, ENTV reported. The other attack apparently targeted the Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees in the neighborhood of Hydra, UNHCR chief spokesman Ron Redmond told CNN.

A spokeswoman at the United Nations' headquarters in Geneva said they had so far been unable to contact their staff at the organization's Algiers offices to verify their safety.

Algeria's Minister of State Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni said the explosions were the result of two cars full of explosives, according to the state news agency. (Posted 6:40 a.m.)

New poll shows Huckabee losing to leading Democrats by double-digits

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- While Republican White House hopeful Mike Huckabee is surging in new surveys evaluating the GOP presidential horserace, a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Tuesday suggests he might lose to all three leading Democratic candidates by double digits in a general election match-up.

In head-to-head face-offs -- the first to include Huckabee -- the former Arkansas governor loses to New York Sen. Hillary Clinton by 10 percentage points (54 percent to 44 percent), to Illinois Sen. Barack Obama by 15 percent points (55 percent to 40 percent) and to former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards by 25 percentage points (60 percent to 35 percent).

The poll comes on the heels of a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll released Monday showing that Huckabee has doubled his support nationally among likely Republican voters in the last month and now is in a statistical dead heat with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. (Posted 6 a.m.)

Pakistan test-fires nuclear-capable medium-range missile

ISLAMABAD (CNN) -- The Pakistani military on Tuesday said it had successfully test-fired a medium-range missile that is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.

The Babur or Hatf-VII missile, has a range of about 440 miles (700 kilometers) and uses stealth technology, a defense ministry spokesman said in statement.

"The test will consolidate Pakistan's strategic capability and strengthen national security," the army statement said. "The Babur, which has near stealth capabilities, is a low-flying, terrain-hugging missile with high maneuverability, pinpoint accuracy and radar-avoidance features."

Earlier this year, Pakistan tested the missile in March and then again in July. It was first fired in 2005, when its range was only 310 miles (500 kilometers). (Posted 8:36 a.m.)

Bomb explodes in Algerian capital

(CNN) -- A bomb exploded in the Algerian capital of Algiers and there were "several" victims, the Algerian Press Service reported Tuesday.

The press service called it a terrorist attack.

Video from the scene showed a shallow crater in the road, surrounded by rubble and crowds of people. A nearby four-story building was missing its facade and there was damage to some of the building's interior. (Posted 5:20 a.m.)

Gunmen kill prominent doctor

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A prominent Iraqi doctor died after a Monday night shooting and at least two Iraq police officers were killed and 13 wounded by a suicide bomber near the home and offices of a former Iraqi prime minister, according to an Iraqi Interior Ministry official.

Dr. Ibrahim Mohammed Ajil was attacked by gunmen Monday evening in eastern Baghdad's Baladiyat neighborhood while driving home from his job as the head of al-Rashad Psychiatric Hospital Monday evening, the official said. He died Tuesday morning.

Iraqi medical workers are frequently targeted by insurgents. (Posted 5:20 a.m.)

Bomb explodes in Algerian capital

(CNN) -- A bomb exploded in the Algerian capital of Algiers and there were "several" victims, the Algerian Press Service reported Tuesday.

The press service called it a terrorist attack. (Posted 4:45 a.m.)

Suicide car bomber kills U.S. soldier, wounds 2

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- A U.S. soldier was killed and two were wounded Monday during a suicide car bomber's attack in Salaheddin province, north of Baghdad, a U.S. military statement released Tuesday said.

All of the casualties were members of the U.S. Army's Task Force Iron.

Since the start of the war, 3,888 U.S. troops have died in Iraq, including 7 in December. (Posted 3:50 a.m.)

Up to 5 dead in Israel attacks against Palestinian militants in northern, southern Gaza

JERUSALEM (CNN) -- Israeli forces made forays into northern and southern Gaza Tuesday morning in operations targeting Palestinian militants, killing up to five, Israel Defense Forces said.

According to IDF, two militants died in air strikes against Qassam rocket launch sites in the north. Palestinian security sources said one member of Islamic Jihad was killed in the attacks.

In southern Gaza, Palestinian security sources said 30 Israeli tanks and bulldozers entered the territory early Tuesday morning and were conducting house-to-house searches after shutting down the main road between Rafah and Khan Younes. The IDF acknowledged having just 10 tanks about half a mile (a kilometer) inside the Sufa border crossing, saying its troops were on regular operational duty against the terror infrastructure in Gaza.

Three Islamic Jihad members were killed by Israeli fire, according to Palestinian security and medical sources. IDF said it fired on and hit three Palestinian militants.

IDF also said that two Israeli soldiers were lightly injured when a rocket-propelled grenade hit their tank, near Khan Younes. (Posted 3:30 a.m.)

Suicide car bomber kills 2 police officers, wounds 13

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- At least two Iraq police officers were killed and 13 were wounded a suicide car bomber detonated outside the homes of former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi and Saleh Mutlaq, a prominent Sunni politician, in western Baghdad, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said.

Allawi's office said the blast occurred at a police checkpoint near the Iraqi National Accord headquarters, the former prime minister's political party, which is secular.

The attack was staged around 8:20 a.m. (12:20 a.m. ET) on al-Zaytoun Street, bordering the heavily fortified International Zone, as police were gathering for a shift change. According to the Interior Ministry, three vehicles and a number of concrete blast barriers were destroyed. (Posted 2:10 a.m.)

More U.S., Iran meetings to begin next week

BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Security experts from the United States and Iran will meet again in Baghdad next week to discuss outstanding issues on Iraq's stability, laying the groundwork for a possible fourth round of talks between ambassadors from the two countries, according to Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari.

"We have the agreement of both sides to resume the fourth round of talks," Zebari told reporters Monday.

Zebari said the Tuesday, Dec. 18 meeting in Baghdad will involve a subcommittee of security experts, military officials and diplomats.

"This will be a technical meeting follow-up to the last security experts' meeting," he said.

According to U.S. Embassy spokeswoman Mirembe Nantongo, U.S. Ambassador Marcie Ries, the embassy's political military counselor, will lead the American delegation.

Washington, Tehran and Baghdad announced in late November that "expert-level," non-ambassadorial talks would take place in the near future. No date has been set for a meeting of the U.S. and Iranian ambassadors. (Posted 1:15 a.m.)

Study suggests rail security focus on large-scale attacks

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Most terrorist attacks on passenger train and subway systems worldwide have resulted in few or no deaths, according to a new study which suggests that measures targeting the largest-scale attacks could have the biggest impact on reducing the consequences of future assaults.

The vast majority of attacks (72 percent) produced no fatalities and most (58 percent) produced no injuries, according to the study.

But large-scale attacks -- Madrid in 2004, London in 2005 and Delhi in 2007 -- show the vulnerability of rail systems, and "security measures that prevent only the largest-scale attacks could significantly reduce the human costs associated with this threat," the report says.

Conducted by the RAND Corp., the study focuses on rail -- the mode of transportation that may be the most vulnerable to terrorism. Each weekday, more than 12 million passengers use rail transit, entering through 3,400 stations and traveling on nearly 33,000 miles of track. As many people traverse New York's Penn Station in a single morning than travel through Chicago's O'Hare International Airport in about two and a half days, the report says. (Posted 1:15 a.m.)

Subtropical storm Olga forms in Caribbean

MIAMI (CNN) -- A low pressure area near Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands developed in a subtropical storm Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Subtropical Storm Olga was about 55 miles (85 km) east of San Juan, Puerto Rico, at 10 p.m. moving west at about 15 mph, the NHC said. The center said the storm would likely move over Puerto Rico's northern coast later Monday and approach the Dominican Republic on Tuesday.

The government of the Dominican Republic issued a tropical storm warning for its northern coast and a tropical storm watch for its southern coast.

Top sustained winds for the storm were at 40 mph.

The storm is expected to produce 2 to 4 inches of rain over Puerto Rico with isolated totals topping 6 inches. Four to 6 inches are expected on the island of Hispaniola, shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti, with some isolated totals reaching 10 inches.

The storm "could produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides," the NHC said. (Posted 10 p.m.) E-mail to a friend