Venezuelan election officials: Chavez re-elected

Supporters of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez hold photos of Simon Bolivar, who led Venezuela's fight for independence from Spain in the 1820s, during his campaign wrapup rally in Caracas on Thursday, October 4. The leftist leader, in power for almost 14 years, is vying for a fourth term in office that would extend his presidency for another six years. Chavez delivers a speeech in the rain during his on Thursday. Venezuelans head to the polls on Sunday, October 7. Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles Radonski, center, waves to supporters during a campaign rally on Thursday in San Fernando de Apure. Capriles greets supporters during a Thursday's campaign rally in San Carlos. Chavez holds a campaign rally in Valencia on Wednesday. Capriles delivers a speech during a campaign rally Wednesday in Maracaibo. A supporter of the opposition candidate, Capriles, screams during a campaign rally in Maracaibo. Chavez waves to supporters during a campaign rally in Barquisimeto on Tuesday, October 2. Capriles wears a native decoration from a shaman during a campaign rally in Puerto Ayacucho on Monday, October 1. Chavez's opponents are confident that on Sunday, Capriles will unseat the long-ruling leftist leader, a refrain previously heard before eventual defeats. Chavez greets supporters during a campaign rally in Sabaneta on Monday. He dismissed his much younger challenger as a "fly" not worth chasing when challenged to a debate this year. Capriles arrives for a campaign rally in Puerto Ayacucho on Monday. "Venezuelans are looking for a new way," Capriles told his supporters. "It's been 14 years of the same government. This government has already completed its cycle and has nothing more to offer. They're only recycling promises." Supporters of Venezuela's current president cheer during a campaign rally in Barquisimeto on Tuesday. Presumably because of his health, Chavez has not held as many rallies or traveled as often as he has in previous campaigns. His re-election effort has been mostly through presidential addresses that state-run television stations are mandated to carry. Capriles supporters attend a campaign rally in Puerto Ayacucho on Monday. Capriles greets supporters during a campaign rally in Puerto Ayacucho on Monday. Chavez supporters attend a campaign rally in Boconoito on Monday. Chavez waves to supporters on Tuesday. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 NEW: Hugo Chavez, president since 1999, is re-elected to a six-year term NEW: Opponent Capriles was backed by a coalition of opposition parties Henrique Capriles Radonski: "Whatever the people say...is sacred" President Hugo Chavez says he will respect the election results Caracas, Venezuela (CNN) -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez was re-elected Sunday to a new six-year term, overcoming an energetic challenge by a candidate backed by an opposition coalition, according to results announced by election officials. Chavez, who has been president since 1999, defeated Henrique Capriles Radonski, whose campaign criticized the Chavez administration for inefficiencies, infrastructure shortcomings and corruption. Chavez highlighted his accomplishments in housing, education and health initiatives. The election results were announced Sunday night by Tibisay Lucena, president of the National Electoral Council. Some polls were kept open about two hours after their scheduled closing because of the long lines of voters seeking ballots in the election. Capriles battles 'too rich' image Venezuelan voters fear violence Can Capriles beat Chavez? Hugo Chavez looks to change his image As throughout the day, the army was still deployed Sunday evening and was standing by throughout the country to ensure a peaceful and secure vote, said Maj. Gen. Wilmer Barrientos, commander of strategic operations command. Earlier in the evening, Chavez thanked his campaign staff in a phone call aired on state-run television at mid-evening and asked people to remain calm until the election results were completed. Chavez said people were still voting in some places. "Let us wait for the results patiently, calmly and prepare ourselves to accept the results whatever they may be," he said. "This will be a triumph for democracy," he added. He asked that there be no violence. Long lines began forming in the early morning hours at polling stations from remote regions of the Amazon to the bustling capital of Caracas. One election official, Rosalin Montiel, told state-run television that polling stations in the municipality of San Francisco in the state of Zulia would remain open past the schedule closing time -- "until the last elector casts his vote." Nearly 140,000 troops were deployed throughout the country to guard polls and keep the peace, state-run VTV reported. By mid-afternoon, Barrientos reported 15 electoral offenses throughout the entire country, the Venezuelan military said on its Twitter account. No further details were immediately available. After casting his ballot, Chavez called on Venezuelans to vote and remain calm. "Have no doubt that we will respect the results, whatever they are. ... We have to recognize the results," he told reporters. After casting his vote, Capriles said governors nationwide had reported "massive participation, demonstrating one more time that Venezuelans want to resolve our differences through democratic means." He told reporters that "whatever the people say today, for me, is sacred," and said he would push for national unity after the results are released. "There will be a winner. There will a president-elect. But there will not be a defeated people," he said. "Tomorrow, we are only one country, only one Venezuela. Tomorrow in the country there are many problems that we have to resolve. Problems do not wait." On the eve of the election, Chavez -- who is facing the strongest challenge to his 13-year-rule -- stressed that the election would be free and fair and called on people across the political spectrum to "prepare emotionally" for Sunday's result. "It won't be the end of the world for anybody," he said. Chavez has dismissed his much younger challenger as a "fly" not worth chasing, when challenged to a debate earlier this year. The president's critics are confident that Capriles will unseat the long-ruling leftist leader, a refrain previously heard before eventual defeats. Yet the incumbent is a political survivor and remains popular at home. But there are signals, observers say, that this time Chavez really is on the ropes. Chavez's influence over Latin America's left-leaning governments has often rankled the United States, Venezuela's largest trading partner. Venezuela is the fourth-largest exporter of oil to the United States. Despite that tight economic relationship, the two countries are not exactly close allies: Chavez often rails against the U.S. and its allies as "imperialists." Further complicating the U.S.-Venezuela relationship, Chavez is allied with Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he defended former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and he has even offered his support for Syria's leader Bashar al-Assad. At stake for Venezuelans is the ideological trajectory of their country. Chavez, 58, has had more than a decade to implement his vision of 21st century socialism, a view that emphasizes use of state oil windfalls to fund social programs. Observers say Capriles, 40, represents a moderate alternative. He has vowed not to end the social programs that Chavez has set up, and he promises to fight corruption that has grown in the public sector. The candidates offer two distinct paths to solve the problems that are on Venezuelans minds: decaying infrastructure, high crime rates and political polarization. The election also drew voters from beyond the country's borders as thousands of Venezuelans living abroad lined up to cast their ballots at diplomatic offices. In New Orleans, Louisiana, voters streamed into the Venezuelan Consulate. Many traveled by bus from Miami, where Venezuelan authorities closed a consulate in January after the United States expelled the office's top Venezuelan diplomat. In Caracas, voters said they were happy to be casting their ballots. "I'm really proud of the people, because everyone is cheerful about this event and I think there is a good feeling," said Jesus Betancourt, a 25-year-old student. Standing outside the Caracas school where Chavez cast his ballot, Katherene Rivas said she hoped Venezuelans would respect the results. "For now, everything is quiet here, and we want that after the results are announced, that people remain calm," she said. Journalist Osmary Hernandez and CNN's Mariano Castillo, Paula Newton, Gustavo Valdes, Helena DeMoura, Patricia Janiot, Rafael Romo, Michael Martinez and Richard Singer contributed to this report.

Iraq executes 11 convicted of terrorism

Iraq's justice ministry says the prisoners had "carried out killings and explosions" Authorities have executed dozens of inmates in recent months The executions have sparked concern from human rights advocates (CNN) -- Iraqi authorities executed 11 prisoners on Sunday after they were convicted of terrorism, Iraq's Ministry of Justice said in a statement. "They had carried out killings and explosions against Iraqi people," the ministry said. Authorities have executed dozens of inmates in recent months, despite a United Nations call for restraint. Six people were executed on Thursday after they were convicted of terrorism, officials said. More than 100 people have been executed since November, according to a CNN tally. Sixty-five of them were put to death in the first 40 days of 2012. The execution of large groups of prisoners has draw attention from human rights advocates, who have raised concerns about the fairness of trials and transparency of court proceedings. "Our main concern is, what were these people actually convicted of?"Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, told CNN in August. "Terrorism does not tell us very much." After 34 inmates were executed on one day earlier this year, the United Nations' top human rights official said she was shocked and called on the country to implement a moratorium on the death penalty. "Even if the most scrupulous fair trial standards were observed, this would be a terrifying number of executions to take place in a single day," U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said at the time. The executions come as Iraq smolders with sectarian tension and political infighting. Violence in Iraq surged last month, with 365 deaths reported, the Interior Ministry said Monday. That's the deadliest single month since August 2010, when the toll reached 426, the ministry said. Insurgent attacks against civilians and security forces persist in the country, though violence has dropped dramatically since the peak of Sunni-Shiite clashes in 2006 and 2007. Baghdad's Shiite-dominated government has blamed the recent attacks on Sunni insurgents with ties to al Qaeda.

'Picture-perfect launch' for inaugural commercial flight

People watch as a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and its unmanned Dragon capsule is readied for launch on Sunday in Cape Canaveral, Florida. NEW: The Dragon capsule separates from the rocket and is on its way to the ISS The SpaceX rocket launches on schedule at 8:35 p.m. ET Sunday It's the first of a dozen commercial cargo flights under a contract with NASA The Dragon capsule is carrying 1,000 pounds of supplies to the ISS (CNN) -- The SpaceX rocket, the first commercial flight to the International Space Station, lifted off Sunday night carrying an unmanned cargo capsule. The Falcon 9 rocket with its Dragon capsule launched on schedule at 8:35 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with an orange blaze against the black night sky. About 10 minutes into the flight, the Dragon separated from the rocket and was on its way to the station. Mission control called it "a picture-perfect launch and a flawless flight of Falcon." It is is the first of a dozen NASA-contracted flights to resupply the International Space Station, at a total cost of $1.6 billion. The launch comes nearly five months after a demonstration mission in which a Dragon capsule successfully berthed at the station and returned to Earth. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said the Sunday mission isn't "substantially different" from that flight, "with the exception that we got there once." "We demonstrated we could do it, so there might be a teeny, teeny bit of relaxation," Shotwell told reporters Saturday ahead of the launch. "Not a lot, though." Kevin Ford on space mission with Russia Rocks on Mars suggest water existed Dad sends son's toy train to space U.S. astronaut to fly aboard Russian craft The unmanned capsule is packed with about 1,000 pounds of cargo -- everything from low-sodium food kits to clothing and computer hard drives. It's scheduled to return in late October with about 2,000 pounds of cargo, including scientific experiments and failed equipment that can be repaired and sent back, ISS Program Manager Mike Suffredini said. "These flights are critical to the space station's sustainment and to begin full utilization of the space station for research and technology development," he said. The Dragon spacecraft is supposed to catch up with the space station early Wednesday. Station Commander Sunita Williams and Aki Hoshide from the Japanese Space Agency will use the robotic arm to grab Dragon and berth it to the station. Mars rover gets to play in the sand Much of Dragon's cargo is material to support extensive experimentation aboard the space station. One deals with plant growth. Plants on Earth use about 50% of their energy for support to overcome gravity. Researchers want to understand how the genes that control that process would operate in microgravity -- when objects are in free-fall in space. Down the road, that could benefit food supplies here on the planet. The spacecraft is also carrying nearly two dozen microgravity experiments designed and being flown through the Student Experiment Spaceflight Program. SpaceX is not the only commercial company in the spacefaring business. Within the next few months, Orbital Sciences is expected to fly its own demonstration flight to the space station. But Orbital is not using Cape Canaveral as its launch site. The company's rocket will take off from Wallops Island off the coast of Virginia. Orbital has a nearly $2 billion contract with NASA for station resupply missions. Shuttle makes final landing SpaceX founder Elon Musk is looking well beyond just these cargo flights to the station. SpaceX is one of three companies NASA has selected to continue work developing a human-rated spacecraft that would carry astronauts to the International Space Station. Boeing and Sierra Nevada are the other two companies. The SpaceX plan is to modify the Dragon capsule to carry people.

Sudan to reopen borders with S. Sudan

A South Sudanese farmer holds a plow in Renk, a city near the Sudan border. The two nations are hashing out border issues. Sudan's president OKs the opening of all borders with newly independent South Sudan The two nations have been at odds on a number of issues, including their border Al-Bashir tells his ambassador normalizing relations is a priority, state news reports (CNN) -- Despite periodic violence and continued unresolved issues, Sudan's president on Sunday authorized the reopening of all border crossings with South Sudan, state news reported. President Omar al-Bashir ordered the reopening of all passages -- by land, water and air -- between his African nation and its newly independent neighbor South Sudan, the official Sudan News Agency (SUNA) reported. The president met Sunday with Foreign Minister Ali Ahmad Karti and Mutrif Sadiq, Sudan's recently appointed ambassador to South Sudan, to ask his help in carrying out the directives and make normalizing relations between the two countries a priority. Sadiq said after the meeting that he had been instructed by the president "to work together with the concerned authorities" to reopen the borders, SUNA reported. Sudan was embroiled in a bloody two-decade civil war that ended with a peace agreement in 2005. A referendum six years later led to South Sudan's secession, which became official in July 2011. The two nations, however, have remained at odds since then on a number of hot-button issues. Their leaders have faced international pressure, from the likes of the United Nations and the African Union, to resolve their disputes and come to a lasting agreement. They made some headway toward that end late last month -- though the deal they reached failed to address a number of disputes. Sudan, South Sudan reach partial agreement Sudan, South Sudan peace talks continue During talks in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, al-Bashir and South Sudan's President Salva Kiir agreed to resume oil exports and set up a demilitarized zone, as well as principles related to border demarcation. Yet they could not reach a deal on the status of Abyei, a disputed region claimed by both countries, which has been a contentious issue since the South declared independence on July 9 of last year. The partial agreement was applauded by, among others, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and U.S. President Barack Obama. Photos: South Sudan's gun culture Sudan and South Sudan have been under increasing pressure from the African Union and Security Council to resolve the matter peacefully. In April, Sudan and South Sudan slipped close to all-out war with a series of tit-for-tat air raids and ground attacks that prompted the African Union and Security Council to push the two sides to act. Still, the recent political progress has not stopped violence in the region. Peacekeepers die in Darfur attack Last week, four peacekeepers with the African Union-United Nations Mission in Sudan's Darfur region were killed and eight injured in an ambush by unidentified attackers. UNAMID Force Commander and officer-in-charge Lt. Gen. Patrick Nyamvumba condemned what he called a "criminal attack," demanding Sudan's government "bring the perpetrators to justice." Sudan military plane crash kills 15 Supermodel's South Sudan homecoming CNN's Amir Ahmed contributed to this report.

Video: Summer’s over: Canada blasts down arctic chill

>>> well be more than just frost on the pumpkin where you are tonight. we start this evening with a cold blast . a dramatic and practically overnight temperature swing has turned what had been an exceptionally mild fall for most of the country into a big chill that tonight is gripping roughly two-thirds of the nation. scores of low temperature records have been broken over the last 24 hours as the mercury went from the 70s and 80s in many places down into the 30s and 40s, even below freezing. we'll get the outlook for the week ahead in a moment, but we start with nbc's michelle frand frandsen here in new york . michelle, good evening. >> good evening, lester . this freeze warning has brought a snap not only here in new york but to a good bit of the country. an arctic blast sweeping across much of the u.s. quickly wiped away the last remnants of summer. just yesterday there were 74 record low temperatures stretching from the northwest down to the southeast, from 37 degrees in st. louis, 31 in alabama and 5 below zero in northern wyoming. and tonight portions of the country are under frost and freeze advisories. an early start to the cold season in a year where extreme heat has dominated. >> temperatures that we're seeing now are a good 10 to 30 degrees below average. now we have a trough or dip in the jet stream that's been dipping down and all that cold brimming around the antarctic has been coming down to the low 48. >> temperatures brought snow. in the last week, the first snow of the season blanketed the region, coating areas of minnesota with more than a foot of snow. people bundled up, lining the route of the new york marathon, braving the elements. >> it's not too bad, but these 90-year-old legs are just a little chilly right now. >> fans also tried to brave the cold. >> it feels a little colder than 45 degrees. my hands are freezing, but the rest of me is warm because i have on a lot of layers. >> and the colder temperatures and even some rain couldn't dampen a fall tradition: a visit to the pumpkin patch. >> we would come rain or shine . >> reporter: others grabbed a cup of warm apple cider , a taste of fall and winter all at once. as temperatures dipped, this cold spell is expected to lapse into the next week. what we don't know yet, let tster, is if this is a sign for a cold winter ahead. >> we want to bring in meteorologist julie martin who is monitoring the big chill from weather channel headquarters. julie, good evening. >> good evening, lester . a couple winter blasts are rolling in from the system. we'll see that system reaching the east tomorrow, touching places like virginia and the carolinas, those temperatures to be about 20 degrees below average. behind that, another system moo moves in, this one bringing snow to the northern plains and great lakes. we'll see cool air from that system affect the midwest and the interior northeast. a lot of very cool air plunging across the midwest, more unsettled weather midweek, rain and some snow possible on friday. lester , fall is here and so is an early taste of winter. lester ? >> we'll dig out the gloves.

Libya's congress reject crisis plan

Libyan Prime Minister-elect Mustafa Abushagur proposed a downsized 10-member "crisis government" for the country. The "no confidence" vote results in Prime Minister-elect Mustafa Abushagur's dismissal Abushagur proposed a downsized 10-member "crisis government" to lead the country "I refused to comply with their unrealistic demand," Abushagur says The congress postponed setting a new timetable for forming a government. Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Libya's General National Congress rejected Prime Minister-elect Mustafa Abushagur's crisis government proposal Sunday. The "no confidence" vote results in the automatic dismissal of Abushagur as prime minister-elect less than a month after he was appointed, while keeping the current government in place until a new one is formed. The vote was overwhelmingly against the proposal, with 125 voting "no confidence," 44 "confidence" and 17 abstaining. The General National Congress, which named Abushagur prime minister-elect on September 12, had given him a deadline of Sunday to submit the cabinet plan. Abushagur proposed a downsized 10-member "crisis government" to lead the country during a time of instability in the North African nation. Kidnapped Iranians freed in Libya Questions remain about embassy security State Dept denies plane to embassy U.S. Special Forces in Libya 'Investigators have to go' to Libya The GNC was set to vote on a 29-member cabinet Thursday, but Abushagur withdrew that list following criticism from many members of the congress. Protesters also stormed the congress headquarters. After Sunday's vote, the congress renewed support for the interim government of Abdulrahim al-Kib, in which Abushagur is deputy prime minister, to serve until the government is formed. Members postponed a decision on setting a new timetable for appointing a new prime minister and the deadline for forming a government. The GNC, Libya's first elected body in almost half a century, came to power after a July national vote with two primary tasks -- to appoint a government and oversee the drafting of a constitution based on a timeline set by the country's 2011 constitutional declaration. Abushagur, in his address at the GNC broadcast live on state television Sunday, criticized the country's politicians for prioritizing regional and political representation over Libya's interests. He said he had been under great pressure from political blocs within congress for cabinet positions and that independent members of the GNC were pushing for ministerial posts for their regions. "It is unfortunate that I am no longer worthy of confidence because I refused to comply with their unrealistic demand," Abushagur said. "These conditions that were imposed on me to form a government contradict my own principles that I announced from this podium on September 11th," he said. "I am not willing to abandon the principles and values that I believe in and lived my entire life based on." Abushagur said he was being forced to form a government based on regional quotas, not one with qualified individuals who can lead Libya through a period he said was one of the most delicate times in its history. "Libya is now facing dangerous challenges that threaten its stability and national unity," he said. "The situation in Bani Walid could explode if it is not dealt with wisely. The situation in the south is a crisis and the repercussions of the attack on the U.S. consulate could lead to foreign intervention that could lead the country into a whirlpool it will not get out of." Libyan troops surround pro-Gadhafi stronghold Libya is facing a political vacuum almost a year after the killing of Moammar Qadhafi. It is a time of instability and rising security threats -- with emboldened Islamist extremist groups in the east, recurring tribal and ethnic clashes in the south and hundreds of armed militias that continue to operate across the country with no government control. Libyans went to the polls three months ago with expectations of change and progress that elected officials could bring about. Now public frustration is mounting with the lack of security, the slow process of creating a strong army and police force and rebuilding the country. Two Tunisians questioned about attack on consulate

'Loud thumping' heard at volcano

The Mount Lokon volcano, pictured in 2011, erupted on Sunday in Indonesia, prompting authorities to warn nearby residents. Eruptions began at Mount Lokon in Noth Sulawesi province on Friday Loud, explosive eruptions Sunday prompt authorities to put all on alert, an official says At 800 meters high, Mount Lokon is among the most active volcanoes in the region Read a version of this story in Arabic (CNN) -- Fresh lava and ash spewed Sunday from a volcano in northeast Indonesia, casting haze over the crater and prompting authorities to warn nearby residents, state news reported. Loud, thumping noises were heard at a monitoring post 6 kilometers (3.8 miles) from where Mount Lokon erupted around 2:05 p.m. (2:05 a.m. ET) Sunday, said Sutupo Purwo Nugroho of Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Board, as reported by the official Antara news agency. The volatile activity continued after that, though authorities could not immediately ascertain how many additional, separate eruptions had occurred. "Right now, there are still eruptions, but they could not be observed as the volcano is covered by haze," said Nugroho. Those living within 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) of the volcano, which is in the Pacific island nation's North Sulawesi province, are being told to limit outdoor activity, according to Nugroho, who heads the mitigation board's data and information center. The volcano has been active since last Friday, with some eruptions spewing ash 1,500 meters into the air. One day earlier, officials issued an early warning to residents -- yet Mount Lokon was still categorized as idle until Sunday, as it is now on alert status. Indonesia is on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of fault lines circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. According to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History's Global Volcanism Program, Lokon is the higher of twin volcanic peaks separated by 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles) in northeast Indonesia. At 800 meters (2,600 feet) high and with a flat top, it is one of the most active volcanoes in the region. In February, for instance, the restless volcano spewed clouds of ash 2 kilometers into the sky, said Indonesia's disaster management agency. Residents at that time were warned to stay away from the volcano, but not to leave their homes, Nugroho said. That was unlike in July 2011, when a series of Lokon eruptions prompted the evacuation of more than 4,000 locals. Sea levels rising Volcano erupts in Guatemala