UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.14.08

Obama wins three more primaries.

Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is now the winner of eight consecutive nominating contests. That's after he swept the Mid-Atlantic primaries yesterday, winning Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. The Illinois senator's success has reportedly put him ahead of his rival, Senator Hillary Clinton in the number of delegates earned. Obama apparently has 1,215 delegates and Clinton has 1,190. A candidate must receive 2,025 delegates to clinch the Democratic nomination.

And Republican White House hopeful John McCain has beat out former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee in all three of yesterday's GOP primaries. The former governor is vowing to stay in the race, pledging to be a solid, conservative, pro-life candidate as an alternative to McCain.

A man who's suspected in some of the deadliest terror attacks around the world and is now dead. Imad Mughniyeh reportedly died in an explosion in Syria earlier today. Mughniyeh was a Hezbollah commander who was considered to be a role model for Osama bin Laden. Hezbollah is blaming Israel for the man's death, but Israeli officials are denying involvement. Mughniyeh was suspected in the 1983 bombing on the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon and the 1985 hijacking of TWA flight 847.

Pro-baseball pitcher Roger Clemens is facing his accusers today at a congressional panel who've accused him of using steroids. That panel is examining performance-enhancing drug-use in baseball. Clemens' former trainer, Brian McNamee will be there along with Charlie Scheeler, an investigator for that eye-opening report that alleged dozens of players had used the drugs. McNamee says he injected Clemens with performance enhancers.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.06.08

McCain leads GOP race after Super Tuesday.

Arizona Senator John McCain has cemented his status as the front-runner for the GOP nomination following yesterday's Super Tuesday nominating contest. McCain won nine states yesterday, including California, New York and Missouri. That gave him more than a 300-delegate lead over his closest rival, Mitt Romney. The former Massachusetts governor won seven states in the contest, followed by former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee. He won five states, including the West Virginia party convention.

Yesterday's results show Democrats are evenly split between New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama. Clinton grabbed about 41 percent of the delegates needed for the Democratic presidential nomination. Obama received 36 percent. The New York Senator took the majority of delegates in large states like California, New York and New Jersey. But Obama won more states overall, taking 13 over Clinton's 8.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is expected to meet with his top aides today to discuss the future of his campaign. That's after a disappointing Super Tuesday finish. They'll reportedly discuss whether to launch an advertising campaign in the upcoming primary states. Romney vowed late yesterday to press on, but his top advisers acknowledged skepticism. The former governor has spent more than $35 million of his personal fortune on his campaign.

At least 48 people are dead following a wrath of deadly tornadoes that tore through the South last night. The storms ripped through Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, destroying homes and shopping mall. They also trapped students in a university dorm. Emergency crews are combing through areas today, searching for more victims who may have been overlooked.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 02.05.08

Voters go to the polls for Super Tuesday.

Voters from coast to coast are heading to the polls on this Super Tuesday... a pivotal day for the Democratic and Republican presidential hopefuls. Twenty-four states are voting in what is nearly a national polling day. Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are in a virtual dead heat nationally for the Democratic presidential nomination.

On the Republican side, Arizona senator John McCain is heading into today as the front-runner. But former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney is stepping up his attacks on McCain, declaring he's the true conservative. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who's still in the race, is aiming for a strong showing in the South.

Meanwhile, John McCain has won a key endorsement from former New York Governor George Pataki. That backing, coupled with the support of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California, could play an important role in today's vote.

Former New York Yankees Pitcher Roger Clemens is on Capitol Hill today to testify about whether he used performance-enhancing drugs. His appearance comes one day after his Yankees teammate and workout partner, Andy Pettitte, gave a deposition there yesterday. Both players are part of a hearing next week that will reportedly focus on allegations made by the Mitchell Report that Clemens was injected more than a dozen times with human growth hormone and steroids. The 45-year-old pitcher has denied ever taking any drugs.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.31.08

Schwarzenegger to endorse McCain.

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is expected to announce today that he'll endorse Republican White House hopeful John McCain. The governor's backing could be key to the Arizona senator winning California in next week's Super Tuesday nominating contest. McCain is also set to receive endorsements from Georgia's two Republican senators in the next few days. Georgia will also participate in Super Tuesday.

Meanwhile, John McCain and his rival Mitt Romney traded fire in last night's debate in California as they fought for their party's top spot. Romney accused McCain of using dirty tricks and misrepresenting his position on the Iraq war. McCain said the former Massachusetts governor lacked the experience and judgment to be commander in chief. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee complained about the time given to McCain and Romney, saying he didn't come to umpire a ballgame between the two.

Voters for former Senator John Edwards are up for grabs. Yesterday, Edwards dropped out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. At the time, he didn't endorse either of his rivals, Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. But one of his aides says he may back one of them in the future. Political analysts say an endorsement from Edwards would have a significant impact on the race.

The Senate could debate an economic stimulus package passed by the Senate Finance Committee as early as today. The package would inject nearly $200 billion into the economy over two years to help ward off a recession. It's reportedly similar to a bill passed earlier this week by the House. But there are some differences. The Senate's eligibility caps are double those in the House version. President Bush backs the House version of the bill and has urged the Senate to abandon its efforts to pass a different measure.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.24.08

Economic stimulus package imminent.

A deal to boost the lagging U.S. economy with a $150 billion stimulus package is reportedly imminent. Government officials say an announcement on the plan could come as early as this afternoon. Final details are still being negotiated, but officials say the current outlines of the package would give individuals a tax rebate check for about $800. Families could get up to $1600.

Two new polls show Republican presidential hopeful Rudy Giuliani is slipping in Florida. Florida is a state he once called crucial to his presidential chances. The former New York mayor reportedly registers 15 percent among Republican primary voters. He's tied with former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who only has a fraction of the organization that Giuliani has in Florida. Polls indicate John McCain is at 25 percent in the state and Mitt Romney's at 23 percent.

And on the Democratic side, Barack Obama's big lead over rival Hillary Clinton has slipped slightly, but he still has the lead in South Carolina. That's according to a new poll just released two days before the state's presidential primary. The Illinois senator reportedly lost three points overnight and is now at 39 percent. Clinton stands at 24 percent. The shift apparently occurred since Monday night's angry debate between the two when they traded harsh accusations. Since then, John Edwards, who wasn't part of the argument, has climbed four points and is now at 19 percent.

People from Gaza are pouring into Egypt for a second day today. Yesterday, militants blew open the border separating Gaza and Egypt, allowing at least 400 thousand people to cross and stock up on supplies. At least 300 thousand Gazans have reportedly crossed today. Last week, Israel blocked off the territory after days of rocket attacks. That's prohibited deliveries of things like fuel and food.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.16.08

Romney wins Michigan's GOP primary.

Mitt Romney is the winner of yesterday's Republican primary in Michigan. The former Massachusetts governor picked up 39 percent of the vote. Arizona senator John McCain trailed at 30 percent, and Mike Huckabee came in third at 16 percent. Romney is a Michigan native, and his father was governor of the state in the 1960s.

Meanwhile, Democratic Party officials voted to strip Michigan of its Democratic delegates. That's because the state decided to schedule the primary so early. In a show of solidarity, the top-tier Democratic presidential candidates, except for Senator Hillary Clinton, asked that their names be removed from the ballot. The former First Lady grabbed 57 percent of yesterday's Democratic primary voters. Thirty-eight percent voted "uncommitted."

And while Michigan wasn't in the Democratic spotlight, last night's debate in Nevada made headlines. Democratic presidential rivals Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama vowed to put a recent campaign controversy over race behind them. They blamed aides and campaign surrogates for fueling the incident, saying they have enthusiastic supporters and overzealous staff members. Overall, the tone of last night's debate was cordial despite the stakes involved in the race. Nevada will hold its Democratic caucuses this Saturday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is asking farmers to keep their cloned animals off the market. That's despite a recent announcement from the Food and Drug Administration saying food from cloned livestock is safe to eat. The USDA is calling for more time for U.S. consumers to accept the issue given its emotional nature. However, evidence suggests that Americans are probably already eating meat from the offspring of clones. Officials from the nation's major cattle cloning companies say they haven't been able to keep track of how many offspring of clones have entered the food supply.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.15.08

Bush pushes for more oil production.

President Bush is calling on oil producing countries to put more oil on the world market. Earlier today, the President met with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, whose country holds the world's largest oil supply. He warned that soaring oil prices could cause an economic slowdown in the U.S., and increased production would be helpful to American consumers. OPEC, which is the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, will meet next month to consider increasing output.

Meanwhile, a special commission is urging the government to raise federal gasoline taxes by as much as 40 cents per gallon over five years. The commission, which conducted a two-year study, says increasing those taxes would ease traffic congestion and repair the nation's decaying bridges and roads. This comes after the devastating bridge collapse in Minneapolis last August. Under the recommendation, the current tax of 18.4 cents per gallon for unleaded gas would be increased annually, anywhere from 5 to 8 cents each year.

And federal investigators have concluded that steel plates on that interstate bridge that collapsed in Minneapolis last year are to blame for the disaster. The plates were reportedly not sufficient to hold the structure together. The collapse claimed the lives of 13 people. About 100 others were injured. The National Transportation Safety Board is planning to call on states today to do safety checks on gusset plates in bridges any time they add weight to a structure. Thirty years ago, additional pavement was added to the Interstate 35W bridge in Minneapolis that increased its weight.

Michigan voters are heading to the polls today for the state's GOP primary. Polls show former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney has a narrow lead over Senator John McCain. Mike Huckabee is currently in third place. All of the Republican presidential frontrunners are pledging to turn around Michigan's struggling economy. The state has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country at 7.4 percent. That's compared to 5 percent nationally.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.14.08

Romney leads in Michigan primary.

The top GOP White House hopefuls are making last-minute efforts to win over Michigan voters before tomorrow's primary there. The most recent polls show former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney in the lead over Arizona Senator John McCain. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is currently in third place. Romney, who's a Michigan native, has spent $2 million in ads for Michigan...the most of any of the candidates. He and his rivals are focusing on the state's economic concerns, trying to ease fears and convince voters the situation can be improved.

On the Democratic side, the issue of race is heating up between presidential hopefuls and Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Yesterday, Clinton accused Obama of distorting what she said last week to Fox News about the 1960s U.S. civil rights movement. Some have interpreted what Clinton said as giving U.S. President Lyndon Johnson more credit than Martin Luther King for advancing the 1964 Civil Rights Act. Obama responded to Clinton's claim saying it was quote ludicrous, but said the former first lady had offended some Americans with her comment.

Peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas could begin as early as today. The two agreed yesterday to authorize discussions. The announcement comes three days after President Bush visited Israel and the Palestinian territories to promote peace efforts. The core issues that still need to be worked out include Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the right of Palestinian refugees to return to Israel, and the future status of Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, President Bush is in Saudi Arabia today to garner support for the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. He's also encouraging U.S.-led efforts to contain Iran on his Middle East tour. Bush is asking his Arab allies to provide diplomatic and financial backing to Palestinian leaders who are negotiating with Israel. The President will make a stop in Egypt tomorrow before returning to Washington on Wednesday.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.09.08

Clinton, McCain win in N.H.

Senators Hillary Clinton and John McCain are the frontrunners after yesterday's primaries in New Hampshire. Clinton, who finished in third place in Iowa, rebounded to the top, overcoming Senator Barack Obama. Exit polls show female and older voters gave Clinton that much-needed boost. On the Republican side, McCain easily won over second-place finisher Mitt Romney. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, who was the winner of the Iowa caucuses, finished third in New Hampshire.

And a new poll out shows McCain's stance on the Iraq war and independent voters helped him win in New Hampshire. The Arizona senator is a strong supporter of President Bush's troop buildup there. Exit polls show that McCain did well with voters who put the war at the top of their agenda. He also scored high among independents, attracting 38 percent of those votes, compared to his to rival Mitt Romney who garnered 16 percent of independents.

President Bush is visiting Israel and the Palestinian territories today in an attempt to forge ahead with the peace process there. However, no breakthroughs are expected in the three days of talks. The discussions follow up on an international conference Bush hosted in Annapolis, Maryland last November. In the next few days, the President will try to push Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to move ahead with promises made to try to forge a two-state accord before his term ends next January.

Iran is calling a conflict video released by the U.S. fabricated. The four-minute video shows a confrontation between the two nations, where small Iranian boats swarmed around U.S. warships in the Persian Gulf. A spokesman for Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy reportedly says the tape was compiled using file pictures, and the audio had been made up. Another Iranian official downplayed the incident, saying it wasn't serious. However, the U.S. is calling the event a significant confrontation.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.07.08

Barack Obama, John McCain lead in N.H.

A new poll out shows Senator Barack Obama leading over Senator Hillary Clinton in New Hampshire. The state will hold its primaries tomorrow. Obama, who won last week's Iowa caucuses, stands at 39 percent. Clinton is at 29 percent. On the Republican side, Senator John McCain leads former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney by a narrower margin...32 to 26 percent. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is in third place at 14 percent.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is blaming former prime minister Benazir Bhutto for her own assassination. Musharraf says it was her fault to stand up outside the car. Bhutto was killed last month while she was standing in an armored moving car after rallying supporters for parliamentary elections. Those elections have now been postponed. Her head was above the roof and unprotected. The cause of her death is still not clear. Musharraf says he welcomes an international investigation.

The U.S. Supreme Court is taking up the issue of lethal injection today. It will hear arguments in a death penalty case to decide whether the lethal injections used to execute criminals cause unacceptable pain. The court's ruling is expected by the end of June. It could decide if the current lethal drug combination is constitutional or whether states have to come up with alternatives that pose less risk of pain and suffering.

In sports, former major-league pitcher Roger Clemens is suing his ex-trainer for defamation over allegations of steroid use. The trainer reportedly injected Clemens with steroid and human growth hormones between 1998 and 2001. The lawsuit claims the trainer was threatened with jail if he didn't connect the pitcher to steroids. Both men are expected to testify under oath next week before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.04.08

Obama, Huckabee win in Iowa.

Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee are now the frontrunners in the in the White House race after yesterday's caucuses in Iowa. Obama had the support of 38 percent of voters while Huckabee earned 34 percent. Falling behind Obama was John Edwards who came in second place and Senator Hillary Clinton who fell to third. On the Republican side, Mitt Romney trailed Huckabee and Fred Thompson took third place. Next week, the presidential hopefuls square off in the New Hampshire primary.

Meanwhile, two White House hopefuls are calling it quits after last night's results. Senators Joe Biden and Chris Dodd are abandoning their bids for the Democratic presidential nomination. Both candidates received less than one percent in the Iowa caucuses.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is defending himself against accusations that he had a role in former prime minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination. Musharraf says Bhutto ignored government warnings, saying the former prime minister was informed of the threat to being at the park where she was killed last week. He also says he's not satisfied with the investigation into her death. A team of Scotland Yard investigators arrived in Islamabad today to help in the probe of her death.

There are more delays in store for space shuttle Atlantis. NASA says the shuttle will be grounded until late January, or more likely, February, to replace a suspect connector in the fuel tank. The connector is believed to be responsible for a series of launch postponements last month. NASA faces a 2010 deadline for retiring its three shuttles and completing the space station.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.03.08

Obama takes the lead in Iowa.

Senator Barack Obama has grabbed the number one Democratic spot in Iowa as voting for the 2008 presidential election begins there today. That's according to a new poll just released. Barack Obama is in a four-point lead over John Edwards. Hillary Clinton has faded to third. In the Republican race, Mike Huckabee expanded his lead six points over former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney. Former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson is in third place. Today's contest in Iowa kicks off a state-by-state battle to choose Republican and Democratic candidates for the November election to replace President Bush.

Meanwhile, New York mayor Michael Bloomberg is denying that he'll run for president. There's been speculation recently that the mayor may jump into the race after it was announced that he would attend a forum next week. That forum is being led by a bipartisan group that believes the Republican and Democratic parties are out of touch. Bloomberg is now independent. Earlier today, he said he's going to focus on being mayor and wants to see an independent approach in the '08 elections to stop partisan bickering and special interests.

The U.S. Justice Department is launching an investigation into the CIA's destruction of those videotapes. The tapes showed harsh interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects. The CIA says it acted lawfully, but critics say the agency ignored court orders and investigators' requests that it hand over evidence in various terrorism cases.

A California congressman is retiring after being diagnosed with cancer. Democrat Tom Lantos says he will not seek re-election this year because of his disease's treatment and development. The 79-year-old, who's the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, says he has esophageal cancer. Lantos is the latest of more than a dozen members to announce plans to leave the House at the end of the year.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 01.02.08

Pakistan elections delayed.

Officials say parliamentary elections in Pakistan will be delayed. Members of The Election Commission of Pakistan says they'll be pushed back until February 18. Voting was supposed to take place on January 8. This comes following the assassination of former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. Since her death, the country has been filled with violence and rioting. Several election offices have been destroyed as a result of the riots.

With the Iowa caucuses right around the corner, one poll shows Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mike Huckabee are leading the way. The most recent poll out by the Des Moines Register shows Obama has the support of 32% surveyed while Senator Hillary Clinton is at 25%. Former Senator John Edwards is following close behind. The poll also shows Huckabee has a six point lead over Mitt Romney. But Iowa is still anyone's game, a large percent of voters are apparently undecided.

Violent riots and civil unrest is continuing in Nairobi, Kenya following the recent elections. At least 50 people, many of them children were found burned in a church fire there. Victims were apparently seeking refuge from the violence at the church. Riots erupted following the recent presidential election results. President Mwai Kibaki was re-elected, beating out Raila Odinga but a slim lead. At least 148 people have died since results were read.

Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee is apparently trying to appeal to Christian conservative voters. He's released a commercial in Iowa where he is standing in front of a Christian fish symbol. In the ad Huckabee is addressing the Iowa Christian Alliance, discussing his pro-life position on abortion. With the Iowa caucus tomorrow, he's looking to grab undecided voters.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.20.07

Giuliani hospitalized for flu-like symptoms.

Doctors say Republican Rudy Giuliani can go home today after spending the night in the hospital. The presidential candidate was admitted in St. Louis yesterday with flu-like symptoms. He'd been campaigning in Missouri, preparing for the Republican primary there in February. There's no word yet on when the former New York mayor would leave the hospital today.

White House staffers are returning to work today following a fire that broke out in their building in the White House compound. Yesterday, smoke billowed from the historic Eisenhower executive office building. The fire reportedly started in the ceremonial offices of Vice President Dick Cheney, although he was in the White House at the time. Officials the source of the fire may have been an electrical closet or telephone bank. There were no reports of any injuries.

The Democratic presidential candidates are virtually neck and neck with just two weeks until the Iowa caucuses. A new poll out shows 30 percent of likely Iowa Democratic caucus-goers support Senator Hillary Clinton as the nominee. Senator Barack Obama trails closely behind at 28 percent and Senator John Edwards comes in at 26 percent. The poll's sampling error is at plus or minus 4 percentage points, making the race nearly a tie. On the Republican side, former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee leads the GOP pack at 33 percent. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney comes in second place at 25 percent.

The CIA is expected to begin turning over documents to Congress related to the destruction of terror suspect videotapes. The agency reportedly agreed to give up the material after a House committee chairman prepared subpoenas for officials and attorneys. The tapes were apparently destroyed in 2005 and showed the use of harsh interrogation techniques on two Al Qaeda suspects that year.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.19.07

Auto fuel efficiency standards will increase.

President Bush plans to sign a bill today that raises the fuel efficiency standards of vehicles. Congress approved the legislation yesterday by a wide margin. It's the first increase in 32 years. The bill requires automakers to boost mileage to 35 miles per gallon by the year 2020. That's compared with today's 25 miles per gallon standard.

Troops in Iraq will continue to be funded thanks to a Senate bill passed yesterday. The $555 billion dollar piece of legislation also preserves thousands of earmarks for lawmakers. It no longer includes a condition that ties war funding to a plan to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, which was what many Democrats recently pushed for in the bill. The measure now goes back to the House for approval. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she expects the bill to pass there.

Former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales reportedly took part in talks about destroying CIA videotapes that showed interrogations of two Al Qaeda suspects. That's according to the New York Times. The paper said at least four top White House lawyers were also involved. Some sources say there was quote a vigorous sentiment among White House officials to destroy the tapes while others say that no one there advocated anything either way. Justice Department lawyers are scheduled to appear in federal court Friday to discuss the matter.

Presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Rudy Giuliani are virtually tied in the Republican race. That's according to a Reuters/Zogby poll. Huckabee, who's a former governor of Arkansas has jumped in popularity recently, wiping out an 18-point deficit in one month. He now stands one point behind Giuliani at 22 percent. On the Democratic side, Senator Hillary Clinton's lead over Senator Barack Obama shrunk slightly to eight percentage points. She's now at 40 percent, compared to Obama at 32 percent.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.12.07

Obama and Clinton now tied in New Hampshire.

Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama has inched ahead in New Hampshire while the popularity of his rival, Senator Hillary Clinton has slightly dropped. That's according to a poll released today. The shift comes a month before the first presidential primary. Clinton fell 5 percentage points since a previous survey in November. Obama has gained 8 percentage points. Meanwhile, the poll shows that Republican Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has yet to catch fire in New Hampshire despite a dramatic jump in some Iowa and national surveys.

President Bush's list of pardons doesn't include his vice-president's former top aide, Scooter Libby. Libby was convicted in the case of the leaked identity of a CIA operative. Yesterday, Bush issued pardons to 29 convicts, including carjackers and drug dealers, and reduced the prison sentence of one more. The move is an end-of-the-year presidential tradition. In July, Bush commuted Libby's 2 and a half-year sentence, sparing him from serving any prison time.

A new poll shows more Americans are worried about the economy rather than the war in Iraq. Fifty-seven percent believe the nation is in a recession. That's the first time in more than four years that a majority believes that. The economy is now the biggest issue in the presidential campaign. Following the economy, Poll respondents said health care and illegal immigration were of concern.

Rescuers are searching for survivors after two car bombs ripped through Algeria's capital yesterday. The attack leveled government and U.N. buildings. Officials say at least 26 are dead, but the actual toll is still unclear. At least 10 U.N. staffers were among those killed. Rescuers are working around the clock to try to pull people who are trapped. Al-Qaeda militant have claimed responsibility for the attack.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.10.07

Colorado police investigating links between shooting sprees.

Police are searching for clues in two deadly shooting sprees at Christian religious centers in Colorado yesterday. Five people, including a gunman, are dead. The violence began early Sunday morning when a man opened fire at the Youth with a Mission office in a Denver suburb after being denied a request to spend the night there. More than 12 hours later, a gunman entered the New Life Church in Colorado Springs and opened fire. Investigators reportedly believe the incidents are related, but have no evidence yet to back that up.

The party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will participate in Pakistan's parliamentary elections next month. The party made the announcement yesterday after it failed to convince rival Benazir Bhutto to join a boycott. These had been talk of general opposition boycott after President Pervez Musharraf imposed emergency rule on the country last month and dismissed independent judges. But the prospect of that has collapsed since the two largest opposition groups will now field candidates. Greater participation will make the balloting look more open, but having the opposition in the field will take away votes and seats from Musharraf's party. Musharraf has promised the elections will be "free and fair."

Nobel peace prize winner Al Gore says the U.S. presidential election campaign isn't paying attention to climate change and the environment. The former vice president made the comment when he accepted his prize earlier today. He added that if he had been president, he would have pushed climate change to the top of the agenda. Gore also called on China, who stands with the U.S. as the world's biggest carbon emitters, to make changes or stand accountable before history for failure to act.

Republican Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee has jumped from fifth place to the front of the pack in South Carolina. He comes in at 20 percent, which puts him slightly ahead of former New York Rudy Giuliani, who's at 17 percent. At a jam-packed rally in the state this weekend, Huckabee urged his audience to vote in the January 19 GOP primary, saying they need to nail something down after coming out of Iowa and New Hampshire.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 12.05.07

Bush says Iran is still a danger.

President Bush says there'll be no change in U.S. policy on Iran. That's after a report was released this week saying the country halted a secret nuclear weapons program four years ago and hadn't resumed work as of this year. Bush said he still believes Iran is dangerous and the international community must remain vigilant.

Meanwhile, Iran has welcomed that new U.S. intelligence report. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the report a "declaration of victory" for the country's nuclear program. Another government official said that his government would welcome any countries wanting to correct their views toward Iran. Officials didn't address the intelligence report's finding Iran was actively trying to build nuclear weapons before 2003.

Republican Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee is calling on his supporters to end what's known as "push-polling." Push-polling is a tactic that offers negative information about a candidate's rivals in ads. A group founded by some of Huckabee's supporters launched a series of automated calls to Iowa Republican voters over the weekend. But the group's executive director says he doesn't plan on stopping since the effort is completely independent from Huckabee for president campaign. The former Arkansas governor oftentimes boasts about running an above-the-mud campaign that doesn't smear his GOP rivals.

A staff member of Senator Maria Cantwell is facing child sex charges. The 28-year-old staffer was arrested by federal agents last Friday after he allegedly tried to arrange to have sex with a 13-year-old boy. A spokesman for the Democratic Washington Senator said the man was immediately fired. He added that Cantwell has zero tolerance for crimes against children.