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-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the following are excerpts from the heather mills-paul mccartney divorce ruling , issued by the honorable mr. justice bennett . dollar figures are based on the current exchange rate of approximately two dollars per british pound : . heather mills ' case `` boils down to the syndrome of ` me , too , ' '' said the judge . on mills ' finances : . `` i have to say i can not accept the wife 's case that she was wealthy and independent by the time she met the husband in the middle of 1999 . her problem stems from the lack of any documentary evidence to support her case as to the level of her earnings . i do not doubt her commitment to charitable causes ... -lsb- but -rsb- i find that the wife 's case as to her wealth in 1999 to be wholly exaggerated . the assertion that she was a wealthy person in 1999 is , of course , the first step in her overall case that her career , which in 1999 she says was one producing rich financial rewards , was thereafter blighted by the husband during their relationship . it is therefore connected to the issue of ` compensation . ' '' on her stature as `` business partner '' : . `` in my judgment the picture painted by the husband of the wife 's part in his emotional and professional life is much closer to reality than the wife 's account . the wife , as the husband said , enjoys being the center of attention . ... i am prepared to accept that her presence was emotionally supportive to him but to suggest that in some way she was his ` business partner ' is , i am sorry to have to say , make-belief . ''<doc-sep>on gifts to mills from mccartney : . '' -lsb- mccartney -rsb- asserted -lrb- and there is no dispute -rrb- that he made substantial capital payments to the wife over and above an annual allowance of # 360,000 -lrb- $ 720,000 -rrb- per annum . he lent her monies in respect of his purchase and renovation of -lsb- the house -rsb- angel 's rest . in 2002 and 2003 he gave her cash totaling # 500,000 -lrb- $ 1 million -rrb- . he lent -lsb- heather 's sister -rsb- fiona mills # 421,000 -lrb- $ 842,000 -rrb- to buy a property and purchased a house for -lsb- heather 's relative -rsb- sonya mills for # 193,000 -lrb- $ 386,000 -rrb- . in 2005 he purchased jewelry for the wife worth # 264,000 -lrb- $ 528,000 -rrb- . '' on some paintings in angel 's rest : . '' -lsb- mills -rsb- asserted in her cross-examination of the husband that some 30 paintings done by -lsb- mccartney -rsb- , which are hanging in angel 's rest , were given to her by the husband . the husband strongly disagreed . the husband told me that when the wife bought angel 's rest she had nothing to hang on the walls and so he lent her 30 of his own paintings . he told me they were his , that he may leave them in trust for beatrice and his other children , and that he wants them back save for the flower photographs and the isle of man stamp design , both given to the wife by the husband . the husband , i find , was generous towards the wife but his generosity did not extend to giving her 30 valuable paintings -lrb- of his own creation . -rrb- i accept the husband 's evidence . in my judgment he is entitled to have them back . '' on the size of mccartney 's fortune : .<doc-sep>`` it is unnecessary in the instant case to arrive at a precise figure for the total wealth of the husband , given its enormous size . as he has always accepted , he can pay any sum which the court considers appropriate as for financial provision for the wife . nevertheless i find that the husband 's total wealth amounts to approximately # 400 million -lrb- $ 800 million -rrb- . i reject the wife 's case that he is worth # 800 million -lrb- $ 1.6 billion -rrb- . there is absolutely no evidence at all to support that figure or any figure anywhere near it . '' on living style : . `` in my judgment the wife 's attitude , ... her open offers , her oral and written evidence , and her submissions is that she is entitled for the indefinite future , if not for the whole of her life , to live at the same ` rate ' as the husband and to be kept in the style to which she perceives she was accustomed during the marriage . although she strongly denied it her case boils down to the syndrome of ` me , too ' or ` if he has it , i want it too . ' ... it must have been absolutely plain to the wife after separation that it was wholly unrealistic to expect to go on living at the rate at which she perceived she was living . '' on mills ' future : . `` the wife 's case is that her earning capacity is now zero . the wife , as i have said , blames the husband for his attitude towards her working during the marriage . that i have found to be a false case . ... the wife would say she is at a severe disadvantage . i think she overplays her hand . ... i have no doubt that , despite the very adverse publicity in the last 2 years or a little under , the wife does have an earning capacity . she has earned her living since the age of 17 . i have found that her association with the husband advanced , not stultified , her career . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- heather mills presented `` less than candid '' testimony about her life with former beatle paul mccartney during her divorce case and made more money during their marriage than before , according to a ruling released tuesday . mccartney 's lawyer fiona shackleton , left , pictured after it is alleged mills threw water over her . mills represented herself during the proceedings and was a `` less than impressive witness '' on her own behalf , judge hugh bennett wrote in awarding her # 24.3 million -lrb- $ 48.6 million -rrb- -- far less than the # 125 million she had sought from mccartney in the dissolution of their four-year marriage . `` having given in her favor every allowance for the enormous strain she must have been under and in conducting her own case , i am driven to the conclusion that much of her evidence , both written and oral , was not just inconsistent and inaccurate but also less than candid , '' bennett wrote . mills emerged from the court monday angry about the judge 's treatment of her . she said the judge and attorneys acted like they were part of a `` club . '' blog : did mills pour water on mccartney 's lawyer ? a summary of bennett 's decision was released monday , but mills had sought to keep the full ruling under wraps . britain 's court of appeals ruled against her tuesday , and her lawyer , david rosen , said she accepted the decision . see a list of expensive celebrity divorces '' `` she as a mother has strived to protect her child and felt there were certain issues and matters in the judgment which affected that , '' rosen said . mills opposed the full ruling 's publication because it contained private details about her and her 4-year-old daughter with mccartney , beatrice . watch mills react to monday 's decision ''<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- heather mills , the estranged wife of paul mccartney , was granted nearly # 25 million -lrb- $ 50 million -rrb- in her divorce proceedings with the former beatle , she said monday . mills and mccartney , pictured before divorce proceedings , married in 2002 and have a young daughter . mills said she will not appeal the award , but she will appeal the publication of the hearing transcript , which she said mccartney has asked for . in an 11-minute statement to reporters outside the high court after the verdict , mills said she was pleased that the bitter divorce hearings had ended . `` i 'm so glad it 's over and it was an incredible result , in the end , to secure my and my daughter 's future , and that of all the charities that i obviously plan on helping , '' said mills , dressed in a khaki , green and blue suit with a bright red shirt . mills has established a career as a campaigner and charity worker since losing a leg in a road accident in 1993 . watch mills react to the decision '' judge hugh bennett awarded mills , who represented herself , # 24.3 million -lrb- $ 48.6 million -rrb- , according to the court 's release . she had sought an award of nearly # 125 million -lrb- $ 251 million -rrb- , the court said . mccartney had proposed # 15.8 million -lrb- $ 31.6 million -rrb- , it said . read the court 's statement . the judgment included # 35,000 -lrb- $ 70,000 -rrb- a year for the couple 's 4-year-old daughter , beatrice . mills said she was unhappy with that amount because it is n't enough for school tuition , private security , or first-class airfare . `` he likes her to fly five times a year on holiday , '' mills said of mccartney . `` it 's # 17,000 for two people return -lrb- round-trip -rrb- first class , so that 's obviously not meant to happen for her anymore . it 's very sad . '' according to the court 's release , the award includes # 600,000 -lrb- $ 1.2 million -rrb- a year for mills and # 2.5 million -lrb- $ 5 million -rrb- for her to purchase property in london . mills said she would appeal to stop the publication of the entire judgment because it contains private details about beatrice and she does n't want them released . the judge has granted permission for the litigants to speak publicly , she said . watch how the mccartney/mills court battle may not be over '' mccartney did not speak to reporters after the verdict . mills said that as a `` litigant in person , '' or a litigant representing herself , the system worked against her at every turn . `` these people are in a club , '' she said . `` it 's like they want to stay together and they do n't want to see a litigant in person doing well . '' she said the judge did not agree with her on important details , including how long the couple lived together or even mccartney 's personal wealth , which she estimated at # 800 million -lrb- $ 1.6 billion -rrb- . she said the judge estimated it to be half of that . `` i wo n't go into all the horrific details of what happened because i 'm just glad it 's over , '' mills said . `` i really hope now that me and my daughter can have a life and not be followed every single day , and that is why i 've come out -- to give it closure . '' mccartney and mills failed to agree on a settlement ending their four-year marriage in divorce hearings last month , leaving the judge to decide the terms . mccartney and mills married in 2002 after meeting at a charity event . at the time of their split in 2006 , they described it as amicable , despite widespread reports of a tempestuous relationship between mccartney and the former model . mills has since lashed out at news media coverage of the divorce , which she said has been unfair to her and driven her to the brink of suicide . in a television interview last year , mills said she had endured `` 18 months of abuse , worse than a murderer or pedophile . '' monday 's divorce settlement fell short of the previous record for a litigated divorce settlement in britain . an award of # 48 million -lrb- $ 96 million -rrb- was handed down last year , according to british divorce lawyer julian lipson . see a list of expensive celebrity divorces '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>the couple met in 1999 , a year after the death of mccartney 's wife of 30 years , linda . the judge said mccartney continued to grieve for his late wife well into his marriage with mills -- and he suggested mills misrepresented her case because she had been star-struck . `` the wife for her part must have felt rather swept off her feet by a man as famous as the husband , '' he wrote . `` i think this may well have warped her perception leading her to indulge in make-belief . the objective facts simply do not support her case . '' bennett discounted mills ' claims that she was anything more than a loving and devoted wife in helping mccartney . `` the wife 's evidence that in some way she was the husband 's ` psychologist , ' even allowing for hyperbole , is typical of her make-belief , '' the judge wrote . mills and mccartney failed to agree on a divorce settlement in six days of hearings in february , leaving the judge to decide the terms . bennett 's 58-page decision concluded that # 24.3 million was enough for mills to live comfortably and take care of their daughter 's needs . mccartney had proposed a # 15.8 million settlement . the judgment included # 35,000 a year for beatrice , # 600,000 for mills and # 2.5 million for her to purchase property in london . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . lizzie parry . published : . 06:09 est , 17 december 2013 . | . updated : . 07:10 est , 17 december 2013 . england has been branded the divorce capital of the world with judges free to award generous payments to former partners , a survey has shown . the flexibility given to judges presiding over divorce proceedings in england and wales means spouses are more likely to receive generous maintenance payments than in 13 other countries , the research finds . the survey examined spousal maintenance payments in jurisdictions across europe , the us , south africa and new zealand . new research has revealed england is the divorce capital of the world when it comes to generous payments to ex-partners . in 2008 , heather mills was awarded # 23.4 million following her divorce from sir paul mccartney . the study , by city law firm withers , revealed a wide range of issues that judges can take into account when deciding on a settlement , set england and wales apart from other jurisdictions . london 's courts have long been earmarked as the divorce centre of the world following a raft of generous awards to ex-wives . generous settlements include that awarded to heather mills following the break down of her marriage to sir paul mccartney 2008 . following the four-year marriage , miss mills received # 24.3 million . last month michelle young was awarded a # 20million sum after parting ways with her ` bankrupt ' husband scot young . in 2006 beverley charman , the former wife of insurance magnate john charman was awarded a # 48million settlement by the english courts in proceedings which took two years . mr charman appealed the decision but the pay out , which made legal history at the time , was upheld in 2007 . | <t> judge on heather mills : level of premarital wealth `` exaggerated '' </t> <t> mccartney gave mills several hundred thousand dollars each year . </t> <t> judge : mills ' case `` boils down to ... ` if he has it , i want it too ' '' </t> | excerpts from mills-mccartney divorce ruling<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a bus carrying high school band students tipped over saturday on interstate 94 northwest of minneapolis , minnesota , killing one person . the bus that was carrying school band members rests upright after it crashed saturday in minnesota . three people were critically injured , authorities said .<doc-sep>a second bus traveling with the one that crashed was n't affected , according to a report posted on the web site of the pelican rapids school district . the students from pelican rapids high school were returning from a band trip to chicago , illinois , when the accident happened near albertville , minnesota , the minnesota highway patrol said . forty-eight people , including the driver , were on the westbound bus that tipped over about 6 a.m. , the minnesota highway patrol said .<doc-sep>everyone on that bus was taken to hospitals for treatment or evaluation , the school district said . watch rescuers work at the scene '' pelican rapids is in west-central minnesota . the cause of the accident is being investigated . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>medics said the girl , who had suffered a spinal cord injury , was fully conscious and able to interact with her parents at her bedside . the other two girls remain in induced comas . belgium came to a standstill yesterday as the remains of the 22 children -- aged 11 to 13 -- and six adults killed in the crash were flown home . the bodies , with the children in white coffins , were returned to melsbroek military airport near brussels in two army planes where 28 hearses were waiting for them . before the 11am silence elio di rupo , the belgian prime minister said : ` the whole country weeps for its children . ' sadness : police officers with the coffin of one of the 28 victims of the bus crash . they were then flown back to belgium . greeted : hearses arrived at the melsbroek military airport , near brussels in belgium , to pick up the coffins of the 28 killed in the crash . victims : these children , from the stekske school in belgium , were all killed in the swiss bus crash that claimed the lives of 22 children and six adults . tragic : the stekske pupils were returning from a skiing holiday when the bus they were travelling on careered into the wall of a tunnel . lost lives : the majority of the children were aged just 12 years old . scores of tributes have been left outside the stekske school . sadness : families of the victims , including teacher mr raymond -lrb- far right -rrb- , were taken to leave tributes at the crash site today . tributes : a woman pictured at lommel city hall where a condolences register has been set up , and -lrb- right -rrb- teacher mrs vanheulekom . signing : citizens sign the condolences book at lommel town hall in front of photographs of children who died in the swiss bus crash . tragic : relatives of the swiss bus crash victims pictured at the morgue in sion where their bodies have been taken . sad trip : a bus carrying the relatives of the bus crash victims is escorted by a police motorbike as it leaves the tunnel after the families paid tribute at the site . victims : a mourner outside st lambertus school pictured holding up a photo of pupils that could have been on the trip . grieving : visitors pictured in tears outside . stekske primary school in lommel -lrb- left -rrb- as notes are left outside st . lambertus school -lrb- right -rrb- .<doc-sep>he was a senior at el monte high school who played on the school 's fottball team . michael myvett , 29 , and his fiancee mattison haywood were serving as chaperones on the bus . marisa serrato , 17 , was also confirmed among the dead . her twin , marisol serrato , was on a different bus that was n't involved in the crash and made it safely to the school on friday . michael myvett -lrb- right -rrb- and his fiancee , mattison haywood -lrb- left -rrb- , who were recently engaged in paris , were killed on the bus carrying high school students to humboldt state university when it was hit by a fedex tractor trailer thursday night . they were chaperones on the bus . twin sisters marisol serrato , 17 , left , and marisa serrato , right , with their sister-in-law ivette serrato . marisa was one of the twins on the bus that crashed and died . marisol was on another bus that was n't in the accident . el monte high school senior adrian castro , a football player , has been identified as one of the 10 people who died in the horrific crash . marisol was accepted to humboldt state . university , while marisa was waitlisted there . the two norte vista high . school seniors decided to check out the campus . ` my . sisters are real religious , smart , a students , ' miguel serrato said . ` they were going to get their high school diploma ; they were looking . toward the future . ' myvett had given haywood her engagement ring outside the louvre art museum in paris on christmas day , said his employers at the center for autism and other disorders in torrance . he had provided therapy for autistic children for the last two years . myvett -lrb- right -rrb- gave haywood -lrb- left -rrb- her engagement ring in paris on christmas day . he was ` able to connect with our kids on a level few others could , and he contributed to their wellbeing in such a positive and profound way , ' the center 's operations manager kyle farris said in a statement . ` adrian castro will be missed as a student and football player , ' el monte football coach joel sanchez told the press-telegram . ` he was a good young man with a bright future . he will always be remembered by the el monte family . ' although castro was not a star football player , raul castro said his son always pushed himself . ` he was stubborn , ' mr. castro said . ` when he wanted to do something , he applied himself until he finished it . ' sergio parra , 16 , places a memorial message remembering the victims of a fiery crash between a tour bus and a fedex truck in orland , california . workers clear the charred remains of a charter bus that collided with a fedex tractor trailer on interstate 5 in orland , calif. on thursday , april 10 . ten people were killed in the crash and dozens more were injured . in humboldt , marisol had been trying to find her sister , calling around to hospitals for information , serrato said . ` she . says she believes that it 's her fault because it was her idea to go . check out that university , ' serrato said . ` she 's devastated right now . i . told her to keep her head up and have faith in god . ' a third chaperone killed in the crash , . humboldt state recruiter arthur arzola , was identified earlier friday . the drivers of the bus and tractor-trailer and seven other students also died , . but their names have not been released . arthur arzola , 26 , a recruiter for humboldt state university , died in the fiery collision of a tour bus and fedex truck .<doc-sep>by . associated press . and daily mail reporter . a los angeles man and the woman he proposed to in december are among the 10 people who died thursday night in a fiery crash involving a bus taking high school students to a california university . meanwhile , it emerged late friday night that a 17-year-old twin who was on the bus carrying 44 students who was missing was identified among the dead , nbc los angeles reported . the girl 's sister was also traveling to humboldt state university , but was on a different bus . another student , adrian castro , 18 , has also been identified among those that perished . he was a senior at el monte high school who played on the school 's fottball team . michael myvett , 29 , and his fiancee mattison haywood were serving as chaperones on the bus that was traveling from southern california to humboldt state university when it was hit by a fedex tractor-trailer and exploded into flames . ` he just died , ' his grandmother debra loyd said . ` he was my grandson , the greatest grandson any grandparent could ever have . '' marisa serrato , 17 , has been missing since thursday evening after a fedex tractor-trailer slammed into the bus , said her brother miguel serrato , 23 . the other twin , marisol serrato , was on a different bus that was n't involved in the crash and made it safely to the school friday . michael myvett -lrb- right -rrb- and his fiancee , mattison haywood -lrb- left -rrb- , who were recently engaged in paris , were killed on the bus carrying high school students to humboldt state university when it was hit by a fedex tractor trailer thursday night . they were chaperones on the bus . twin sisters marisol serrato , 17 , left , and marisa serrato , right , with their sister-in-law ivette serrato . marisa was one of the twins on the bus that crashed and died . marisol was on another bus that was n't in the accident . el monte high school senior adrian castro , a football player , has been identified as one of the 10 people who died in the horrific crash . marisol was accepted to humboldt state . university , while marisa was waitlisted there . the two norte vista high . school seniors decided to check out the campus . ` my . sisters are real religious , smart , a students , ' miguel serrato said . ` they were going to get their high school diploma ; they were looking . toward the future . ' the charred remains of a tour bus involved in a fiery crash with a fedex truck on thursday that killed at least 10 people and killed dozens more on a california highway . a fireball engulfs a truck and a bus carrying high school students in california . myvett had given haywood her engagement ring outside the louvre art museum in paris on christmas day , said his employers at the center for autism and other disorders in torrance . he had provided therapy for autistic children for the last two years . myvett -lrb- right -rrb- gave haywood -lrb- left -rrb- her engagement ring in paris on christmas day . he was ` able to connect with our kids on a level few others could , and he contributed to their wellbeing in such a positive and profound way , ' the center 's operations manager kyle farris said in a statement . ` adrian castro will be missed as a student and football player , ' el monte football coach joel sanchez told the press-telegram . ` he was a good young man with a bright future . he will always be remembered by the el monte family . ' although castro was not a star football player , raul castro said his son always pushed himself . ` he was stubborn , ' mr. castro said . ` when he wanted to do something , he applied himself until he finished it . ' in humboldt , marisol had been trying to find her sister , calling around to hospitals for information , serrato said . ` she . says she believes that it 's her fault because it was her idea to go . check out that university , ' serrato said . ` she 's devastated right now . i . told her to keep her head up and have faith in god . ' the burned out interior of a tour bus that was struck by a fedex truck on a california interstate thursday . sergio parra , 16 , places a memorial message remembering the victims of a fiery crash between a tour bus and a fedex truck in orland , california . a third chaperone killed in the crash , . humboldt state recruiter arthur arzola , was identified earlier friday . the drivers of the bus and tractor-trailer and seven other students also died , . but their names have not been released . arthur arzola , 26 , a recruiter for humboldt state university , died in the fiery collision of a tour bus and fedex truck .<doc-sep>by . mail online reporter . a bride-to-be was killed in a car crash and her fiance was injured on their way back from a pre-marriage counseling session . shannon hall , 24 , was killed when the car her fiance , justin cyzan , 27 , was driving collided with a school bus carrying members of the pulaski high school girls volleyball team on highway 29 near pulaski . the central wisconsin couple had planned to marry october 4 in the wausau area . shannon hall , 24 , was killed when the car her fiance , justin cyzan , 27 , -lrb- both pictured -rrb- was driving collided with a school bus carrying members of the pulaski high school girls volleyball team on highway 29 near pulaski . the crash happened at an intersection on highway 29 . pictured : the car justin cyzan was driving . | <t> bus carrying high school students tips over on minnesota interstate . </t> <t> one person killed , three critically injured , authorities say . </t> <t> two buses from pelican rapids , minnesota , were on way home from chicago , illinois . </t> | one killed in crash of school band bus<T> |
islamabad , pakistan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police tightened security at airports across pakistan thursday after receiving reports of a possible suicide attack at the international airport that serves islamabad . pakistan 's capital was rocked by a suicide attack on the city 's marriott hotel at the weekend . officers emptied the parking lot at the benazir bhutto international airport , on the outskirts of islamabad , said parvez george of the country 's civil aviation authority . flights were going out of the airport , but police cleared the terminal building of the large crowds that usually gather to see relatives arrive or depart , george said . muhammad asghar of islamabad police told cnn that authorities placed the airport on high alert after intelligence reports indicated it was under threat of an attack . the country 's capital city is on edge since a deadly blast saturday night at the marriott hotel . the explosion killed more than 50 people , including two u.s. military personnel and the czech ambassador to pakistan .<doc-sep>the bombing wounded more than 250 and sparked a fire that left the hotel in ruins . on thursday , the danish intelligence service said one of its employees , karsten krabbe , was among the victims of the blast . krabbe , a 53-year-old married father of two , was a security adviser at the danish embassy in islamabad , which was targeted by a suicide bomber in june . that attack killed six people and wounded more than 20 . `` karsten krabbe lost his life in a cowardly and ruthless terror attack , '' the danish intelligence service said in a statement . reacting to the saturday 's attack , the u.s. government barred employees from major hotels in several pakistani cities , the u.s. embassy in pakistan said . the embassy in islamabad added lahore on wednesday to a list of three other cities in which u.s. personnel are no longer allowed to visit or stay in major hotels .<doc-sep>the embassy took the measures because of general security concerns , said spokesman lou fintor thursday . he did not comment on a specific threat . in addition to the hotel restriction , the embassy temporarily suspended visa and other routine consular services for thursday and friday . it said it will make available emergency services for u.s. citizens who need passports or are arrested . and an advisory reminded americans in pakistan to avoid crowds and demonstrations and to keep a `` low profile . '' it said americans should vary times and routes while traveling to avoid setting patterns . and it said a travel warning issued on august 7 still stands : u.s. citizens should defer nonessential travel to pakistan due to continuing security concerns . -- cnn 's zein basravi and reza sayah , and journalist nasir habib contributed to this report .<doc-sep>it goes on : ` they think there 's a terror threat and that it will happen on the tubes tomorrow around the west end area . so do n't go travelling on tubes . it 's better to be safe than sorry . ' police moved quickly to dispel the misinformation , with a met police spokesman saying the rumour was ` completely untrue ' . several senior officers also responded via twitter . nathan shickle , battersea sector sargent , tweeted : ` rumour control : the `` alert '' doing the rounds on social about all met officers being called in for 4am tomorrow is a hoax . ' and paul brogden , british transport police divisional commander for london , posted : ` social media contains lots of rumours regarding threats to tube network tomorrow . there is no specific threat so keep calm & carry on . ' while there has been an increased police presence at some stations , police say there is no specific threat . the rumours spread quickly over twitter last night as they were shared and retweeted . although there was concern caused by the hoax , police told everyone the rumour was ` completely untrue ' the rumour was likely to have started after the home office raised the terror threat alert to ` severe ' on friday home secretary theresa may raised the terror threat level from ` substantial ' to ` severe ' . despite stating there was no ` specific ' threat when raising it , this appears to have been overlooked in last night 's social media panic . prime minster david cameron has said the public can expect to see an increase in high-profile police patrols , including the greater use of armed officers , particularly at airports and major railway stations . he called for the public to be vigilant but added they should not panic , saying britain had shown ` resolve ' in the face of terror before .<doc-sep>the prime minister has today announced an increase to australia 's terror threat alert from medium to high , the first time it has been at that level . from today , he said , australians will notice more security at airports , ports , military bases , government buildings , public landmarks and major sporting events . it 's the highest alert level in more than a decade and means the chances of a terror strike is now considered ` much more likely ' . ` normal life in australia can and must go on but there are people who wish to do us harm , ' mr abbot said . australian prime minister tony abbott , shadowed by australian federal police deputy commissioner andrew colvin and asio chief david irvine -lrb- left -rrb- has today announced an increase in the country 's terror alert from medium to high . asio boss david irvine advised the federal government to increase australia 's alert level to ` high ' mohammad ali baryalei -lrb- left -rrb- and mohamed elomar -lrb- right -rrb- have been identified by australian agencies as fighters with the so-called islamic state . 60 known australians are believed to be fighting with the so-called islamic state in parts of northern iraq and syria and officials believe several have already returned to australia . among those identified by australian agencies as leaving to fight with the islamic state militants are the likes of mohammad ali baryalei and mohamed elomar . ` we have no specific intelligence of particular plots , ' mr abbott said . ` what we do have is intelligence is that there are people with the intent and the capability to mount attacks , here in australia . ` we do know of people coming back from the middle east , brutalised and accustomed to kill and do pose a direct threat to our community , ' added the pm . mr abbott briefed opposition leader bill shorten and all state and territory leaders ahead of making the announcement . the prime minister on his way to announce that australia 's terror threat alert level has been raised to ` high ' ` the only people who should feel in anyway impacted by this are terrorists , ' the pm said . ` for the vast majority of australians this will not change their daily life '<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- all but one of the u.s. diplomatic posts closed this week in a sweeping response to fears of a possible al qaeda attack will reopen on sunday , the state department said . the obama administration closed 19 embassies and consulates throughout the middle east and north africa , and issued a worldwide travel alert due to the threat apparently linked to communications between leaders of the terror group . the closures took effect on sunday . the embassy in sanaa yemen , where al qaeda in the arabian peninsula in based , will remain closed due to continued concerns about a possible attack . separately , the state department withdrew most of its diplomatic personnel from its consulate in lahore , pakistan , on thursday , citing a `` separate credible threat '' and warned u.s. citizens against travel to pakistan . diplomatic personnel were moved to the capital , islamabad . the lahore facility also will remain closed . `` we will continue to evaluate the threats to sanaa and lahore and make subsequent decisions about the reopening of those facilities based on that information , '' state department spokeswoman jen psaki said in a statement . `` we will also continue to evaluate information about these and all of our posts and to take appropriate steps to best protect the safety of our personnel , american citizens traveling overseas , and visitors to our facilities , '' she added . one u.s. official said there was no link between the broader terror threat and the reason for the action taken in lahore . however , the official said it does n't rule out a possible link to al qaeda . most of al qaeda 's core leadership is believed to reside in pakistan and lahore known to be home to other extremists sympathetic to the group . response to terror threat scrutinized : did u.s. go too far ? no u.s. diplomatic posts in pakistan were closed as a result of the wider warning inked to al qaeda .<doc-sep>by . david williams , james slack and stephen wright . published : . 08:09 est , 8 may 2012 . | . updated : . 19:22 est , 8 may 2012 . thousands of passengers flew to america from uk airports last week unaware they were being guarded by us air marshals amid fears that al qaeda was planning to explode a bomb on a transatlantic flight . security officials in the us said hundreds of armed sky marshals flew to europe to accompany flights after intelligence that the terror network could be looking to mark the first anniversary of the killing of osama bin laden by special forces in pakistan . dozens of us-bound flights from heathrow and gatwick by both british and american airlines are understood to have had at least one marshal on board . horror in the sky : sky marshals train to foil a terrorist attack . hundreds have been stationed on flights between the u.s. and uk in recent weeks following an intelligence alert warning of an al qaeda attack . target : the fact gatwick was so heavily monitored suggests there was specific information that one of its departures would be targeted . plotter ? senior al qaeda leader fahd al-quso , killed on sunday by a drone strike , was believed to be behind the updated underpants bomb plot . at one stage , every flight heading for . the us is said to have been ` shadowed ' by the marshals , whose weapons . include low-velocity bullets that carry enough force to bring down a . potential terrorist but not enough to blow through the skin of the . aeroplane . amazingly , it appeared that scotland yard was kept in the dark about the scale of the security operation . the alert came after two intelligence . breakthroughs by us investigators which provided evidence that al qaeda . was still seeking to carry out attacks on us-bound commercial aircraft . new terror alert : al qaeda reportedly planned to strike on the first anniversary of osama bin laden 's death . the first was the discovery that . terrorists were attempting to target airlines travelling from british . and other european airports with explosives surgically implanted inside . their bodies . the second was the seizure by an . undercover cia agent of a device built without metal or tell-tale . materials to avoid airport scanners that could be carried by a terrorist . | <t> benazir bhutto international airport on high alert . </t> <t> intelligence reports indicated airport was under threat of an attack . </t> <t> officers combed through the airport compound looking for explosives . </t> <t> danish intelligence says one of its employees was killed in marriott hotel attack . </t> | pakistan airports on alert after terror threat<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- iceland and sweden plan to take in about 200 palestinian refugees from iraq who have been living in refugee camps along the iraqi-syrian border , the u.n. refugee agency said tuesday . more than two dozen refugees stranded at the al waleed refugee camp for the last two years will be headed to iceland in the next few weeks , the agency said . in addition , 155 palestinians in the al tanf refugee camp have been accepted for resettlement in sweden , it said . many palestinians living in iraq have gotten caught up in the violence that has engulfed the country since the u.s.-led invasion in 2003 and have had to flee their homes . the u.n. high commissioner for refugees said that out of the estimated 34,000 palestinians who lived in iraq since 2003 , about 10,000 to 15,000 remain . the unhcr says about 2,300 palestinians `` are living in desperate conditions along the iraq-syria border . '' they are , the unhcr says , `` unable to return to iraq or to cross the borders to neighboring countries . '' it says the al waleed camp has 1,400 people and al tanf about 900 . `` unhcr has repeatedly called for international support for the palestinians but with few results . few palestinians in the border camps have been accepted for resettlement or offered shelter in third countries ; 223 palestinians left to non-traditional resettlement countries such as brazil and chile . `` some urgent medical cases were taken by a few european countries , but this is a very small number out of the 2,300 palestinians stranded in the desert , '' the unhcr said in a statement . it noted that sudan has made an offer to take in some of those palestinians , and said `` unhcr and palestinian representatives are finalizing an operations plan that will enable this to take place . '' refugees international recently asked the united states government to intervene and resettle the palestinians in the united states instead of sudan , which itself is engulfed in sectarian fighting and whose government has been condemned for atrocities . `` the palestinians being resettled in sudan is obviously not an ideal or preferred solution , '' state department spokesman kurtis cooper told cnn last month . `` but we accept the judgment of the unhcr that it is preferable to the palestinians continuing to be stranded in the border area in extremely dire circumstances . ''<doc-sep>most of the eu 's 28 member states have refrained from recognising palestinian statehood and those that do - such as hungary , poland and slovakia - did so before joining the bloc . the move was met with criticism from a number of jewish groups , who said that it was ` very sad ' that it will recognise the state - despite the disputed nature of its borders . phil carmel from the european jewish congress which represents jews in 40 countries including sweden told swedish news website the local : ` this is a token move by sweden 's new government and it is ironic that sweden recognizes a palestinian state at a time when even palestinians ca n't agree on what its borders will be . ' he added : ' a key principle of the european union is to recognize future states based on negotiations and it is very sad that sweden appears to have cast these negotiations aside and wants to label palestine as a state before any formal agreement on its borders . ' but sweden 's decision drew praise from palestinian officials who said that they ` salute ' sweden 's position . palestinian foreign minister riad malki welcomed lofven 's announcement and called on other european union countries to follow suit .<doc-sep>` food is running out very quickly , along with medical supplies , ' added mr abdallah , saying that jordan had even stopped providing basic foodstuffs like flour to southern syria . martin cottingham of islamic relief uk , one of the charities working in jordan , said : ` the number of syrian refugees jordan is hosting relative to its size is almost equivalent to the united states absorbing the entire population of canada . ` the jordanian people have been extraordinarily accommodating but the relief effort is stretched to breaking point , with aid workers forced to choose which refugees get help and which are left to fend for themselves . ' so far , around half-a-million syrian refugees have reached jordan , with up to 1500 a day arriving since the start of the year . jordan denies breaching international obligations by shutting its borders to refugees , while the united nations and aid agencies have avoided public criticism of the kingdom .<doc-sep>bold : sweden 's new prime minister stefan lofven announced that the country will recognise palestine as a sovereign state at a conference today . sweden faced criticism from jewish groups after announcing that his government will recognize a palestinian state . the country 's incoming prime minister stefan lofven made the announcement today as he listed his government 's priorities and revealed his new centre-left cabinet . social democratic leader mr lofven said that israeli-palestinian conflict can only be resolved through a two-state solution requiring ` mutual recognition ' and a will from both sides to co-exist peacefully . mr lofven said : ` therefore sweden will recognize the state of palestine . ' he did n't say when or how that would happen . sweden will join more than 130 other countries that recognise a palestinian state .<doc-sep>jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- palestinian leaders privately agreed to accept a very limited return of the 6 million palestinian refugees and their descendants to previous homes in what is now israel , leaked documents showed tuesday . the leaked documents dealing with the sensitive issue of the `` right of return '' for palestinian refugees comes a day after the arab news network al-jazeera began releasing documents revealing details of israeli-palestinian peace negotiations . the leaks have prompted protests and outrage in the west bank and gaza . according to the minutes of a meeting in january 2010 palestinian chief negotiator saeb erakat told u.s. state department official david hale that the palestinians had accepted a `` symbolic number '' of refugees returning to israel . in minutes from a meeting the year before with his own negotiating team erakat said that the former israeli prime minister ehud olmert had accepted the return of a 1,000 refugees annually for a period of ten years . speaking to negotiators in 2009 palestinian authority president mahmoud abbas said , `` on numbers of refugees it is illogical to ask israel to take 5 million or indeed 1 million -- that would mean the end of israel . '' the `` right of return '' is a highly sensitive topic for both palestinians and israelis and remains one of the core sticking points in achieving a peace deal . any concession on the issue of refugees by either side poses huge difficulties with their political constituencies . for most palestinians the eventual return to their former homes in what is now israel remains a fundamental requirement while israelis argue that the large-scale return of refugees would spell the end of the jewish majority state . complicating matters for the palestinian authority in dealing with the issue of refugees return are comments attributed to erakat from the minutes of a 2007 meeting with the belgian foreign minister karel de gucht in which the chief palestinian negotiator suggested that refugees would not have the right to vote on a peace deal . `` i never said the diaspora will vote . it 's not going to happen . the referendum will be for palestinians in gaza , the west bank and east jerusalem . ca n't do it in lebanon . ca n't do it in jordan . '' in a statement monday , erakat said that `` a number of reports have surfaced regarding our positions in our negotiations with israel , many of which have misrepresented our positions , taking statements and facts out of context . other allegations circulated in the media have been patently false . '' he added , `` our position has been the same for the past 19 years of negotiations : we seek to establish a sovereign and independent palestinian state along the 1967 borders with east jerusalem as its capital and to reach a just solution to the refugee issue based on their international legal rights '' , adding any proposed agreement `` would have to gain popular support through a national referendum . '' other revelations from the second day of leaked document include : . -- the suggestion by then secretary of state condoleezza rice in a 2008 tri-lateral meeting with israeli and palestinian officials that refugees could be sent to outside countries such as chile and argentina ; . -- the suggestion in 2008 meetings by then israeli foreign minister tzipi livni that future land swaps should include israeli arab villages ; . -- the refusal of the obama white house to accept a bush administration decision to use 1967 borders as a baseline for negotiations between israeli and palestinians about any proposed land swap agreement . on sunday al-jazeera began its release of over 1,600 documents dubbed `` the palestine papers . '' the first release of papers suggested that palestinian negotiators offered to give up large swaths of east jerusalem to israel during negotiations dating back to 2008 and that they had been willing to offer much larger concessions in private than they were acknowledging public . the leaked papers brought a furious reaction form palestinian authority officials with president abbas calling the release `` shameful . '' `` the report aired by al-jazeera is an intentional mixing between the many israeli proposals and the palestinian positions , '' abbas said in cairo , egypt , in comments published by the palestinian news agency wafa . yasser abed rabbo , a senior abbas adviser went further , accusing al-jazeera of a `` smear campaign . '' `` what happened is a manipulation of the documents and a misrepresentation of the facts and a true distortion , just for mockery and defiance , '' abed rabbo told reporters . contacted by cnn , al-jazeera declined to comment on the criticisms from the palestinian authority . dozens of palestinians gathered monday in central ramallah , burning banners for al-jazeera and holding posters comparing the channel to israel . several demonstrators also attempted to storm the offices of the al-jazeera office but were turned back by palestinian police personnel . u.s. state department spokesman p.j. crowley refused to comment on any of the specific documents , but told reporters that their release complicated the efforts to get israelis and palestinians back to the negotiating table . `` we do n't deny that this release will , at least for a time , make the situation more difficult than it already was , '' crowley said . `` we continue to believe that a framework agreement is both possible and necessary . '' the papers , some of which were posted on the al-jazeera network 's website , shed new light on the details of the israeli-palestinian conflict from 1999 through last year . cnn could not immediately verifiy the documents . | <t> some 200 palestinian refugees from iraq will go to iceland , sweden . </t> <t> 2,300 palestinians `` are living in desperate conditions along the iraq-syria border '' </t> <t> plans under way to send some refugees to war-torn sudan . </t> | sweden , iceland absorbing palestinian refugees<T> |
edinburgh , scotland -- hibernian have named former striker mixu paatelainen as their new manager in succession to john collins -- who resigned last month in frustration at the lack of funds available to buy new players . paatelainen was a popular playing figure in the distinctive green of hibernian . the finn , who enjoyed two playing spells with the scottish premier league club , joins from finnish side tps turku . the 40-year-old , who also played for dundee united , aberdeen , st johnstone and st mirren in scotland -- as well as bolton and wolverhampton in england , confirmed he is relishing the challenge of his new job .<doc-sep>`` i am very happy to take up this opportunity , '' paatelainen said . `` everyone knows of my great affection for this club and i believe my desire to see teams play exciting , attacking and intelligent football fits well with the club 's philosophy . `` i will bring energy , hard-work and leadership to the squad . i am also committed to working with players , as individuals and groups , to help them to improve . `` if i can help one player improve , the team is better . if i can help all players improve , we are much better . '' capped 70 times by finland , paatelainen helped turku finish third in the veikkausliiga last year . compensation for his release has been agreed .<doc-sep>his two playing stints with hibernian were from 1998-2001 and 2002-2003 , either side of a spell with french side strasbourg . paatelainen may know some of the hibernian players who have come through the youth set-up , having been involved in coaching of the club 's youngsters during his second playing spell . hibernian chairman rod petrie said : `` we are delighted mixu has agreed to take up the challenge and opportunity of managing hibernian . we are convinced that he was the strongest candidate , and he impressed us a great deal during his interview . `` he has a clear vision of the type of football he wants to play , has strong ideas on man-management and demonstrates excellent leadership qualities . i am sure he will further enhance his growing reputation . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>alan stubbs is closing in on his first job in front-line football management with hibernian . as sportsmail first revealed on wednesday , the easter road club approached everton for permission to speak with their reserve-team manager about succeeding terry butcher as boss at the start of this week . the goodison club reluctantly agreed to hibs ' request and stubbs impressed chief executive leeann dempster during an initial discussion and has continued to tick the right boxes in subsequent talks . on the verge : everton under-21 boss alan stubbs appears set to be named hibernian manager .<doc-sep>john collins insists he never had any problem with scott brown on the training pitch during their time together at hibernian and is looking forward to renewing their working relationship at celtic . collins has begun his role as celtic assistant manager after being named as ronnie deila 's right-hand man earlier in the week . the appointment raised questions about collins ' relationship with brown , who was a hibs player when the bulk of the first-team squad lobbied chairman rod petrie with grievances about the approach of then manager collins during an infamous meeting in early 2007 .<doc-sep>` now we need to move forward and act to bring in a new manager with the aim of getting us promoted back to where hibernian belongs , in the top league of scottish football , from a uniquely competitive championship . moving on : hibs will now bid to find a successor to butcher who was sacked after just seven months in charge . ` our first aim must be to try to win the league and gain promotion automatically . ` the search now begins to find and appoint the next manager , and while we will try to keep supporters updated regarding the process as much as we can , i know they will understand that we need to be professional in all that we do . ` unfortunately , assistant manager maurice malpas is abroad on holiday at present and i want to meet him on his return to explain the situation at the club . ' hibs ' promotion back to the premiership is far from guaranteed next term with city rivals hearts also relegated this season and fallen giants rangers promoted to the championship after winning the league one title .<doc-sep>on the field at least , this crushing hibs victory represented a new low for rangers and proof that the problems besetting this football team run a lot deeper than the identity of the manager . any hope that the placing of ally mccoist on gardening leave might provoke a positive reaction was dissolved within 12 barnstorming minutes as hibs grabbed control of the contest and rendered it an early walkover with strikes from david gray and jason cummings . this was rangers ' heaviest domestic defeat since losing 6-2 in an old firm derby in 2000 , a day on which a certain alan stubbs helped man the celtic defence . stubbs the manager spoke afterwards of hibs ' near-perfect performance and , in scott allan , he possessed the game 's classiest performer . hibernian 's david gray strikes the ball to put the home side 1-0 up against rangers early on in the match . players watch on as gray 's shot flies into the top left-hand corner of the net after just eight minutes . hibernian : oxley , gray -lrb- booth 74 -rrb- , hanlon , fontaine , stevenson , allan , robertson , craig , handling -lrb- kennedy 87 -rrb- , cummings -lrb- stanton 87 -rrb- , malonga . subs not used : harris , heffernan , sinclair , perntreou . goals : gray 8 , cummings 12 , robertson 63 , craig 70 . rangers : simonsen , foster , mcgregor , mcculloch , wallace , aird -lrb- boyd 46 -rrb- , black -lrb- hutton 34 -rrb- , law , smith , clark , miller -lrb- shiels 83 -rrb- . subs not used : mohsni , daly , faure , robinson . | <t> scottish club hibernian appoint finn mixu paatelainen as their new manager . </t> <t> the 40-year-old replaces john collins , who resigned from his post last month . </t> <t> paatelainen was a popular figure during two different playing spells with hibs . </t> | paatelainen named as hibs manager<T> |
jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- some 43 years after a beatles concert was -- according to popular belief -- banned by israel , paul mccartney has announced he 'll perform there in september . paul mccartney says he 's looking forward to playing a concert in israel next month . the show , which will be held september 25 in tel aviv , had been rumored for months . promoters are saying it will be one of the biggest concerts ever held in israel , and they hope it will encourage other top stars to come to israel .<doc-sep>a web site offering tickets for the concert put prices at 1,500 shekels and 490 shekels or between $ 426.86 and $ 139.44 u.s. dollars . israelis `` will finally get the chance to experience a night of music and history they have been waiting decades for , '' a news release on mccartney 's web site announced wednesday . two plane loads of equipment will be arriving with around 100 mccartney production people . the concert will cost around $ 10 million to produce and the organizers said they are hoping to make a profit . in the mid-1960s , when the fab four from liverpool , england , ruled the music charts , a concert in israel was proposed . it never happened .<doc-sep>the long-told story maintained that beatlemania was deemed too potentially injurious to israel 's youth . a more recent theory , however , blamed the ban on a tiff between competing concert promoters . whatever the reason , israelis never got to experience the beatles live . earlier this year , israel 's ambassador to britain , ron prosor , visited liverpool and apologized to the beatles for the `` misunderstanding . '' in a letter prosor wrote : `` there is no doubt that it was a great missed opportunity to prevent people like you , who shaped the minds of the generation , to come to israel and perform . ''<doc-sep>mccartney and ringo starr are the only surviving beatles . john lennon was slain by a deranged gunman in 1980 ; george harrison died of cancer in 2001 . mccartney is billing the tel aviv show his `` friendship first '' concert . `` i 've heard so many great things about tel aviv and israel , but hearing is one thing and experiencing it for yourself is another , '' mccartney said in the news release . `` we are planning to have a great time and a great evening . we ca n't wait to get out there and rock . ''<doc-sep>singer-songwriter donovan and musician paul horn , who studied at the maharishi 's ashram with the four beatles , will also perform in the show . `` how great to be playing with paul , ringo , and paul horn again -- as we did in india in 1968 , '' donovan said . `` it 's a real reunion after 40 years of donovan , paul horn , ringo and paul mccartney , '' yellin said . `` it 's quite an interesting thing that they are still talking about transcendental meditation . '' ringo left the ashram after just 10 days -- explaining the food was too spicy for his taste -- and mccartney stayed for six weeks , according to journalist lewis lapham in his book `` with the beatles . ''<doc-sep>former beatle paul mccartney has left japan after recovering from a viral infection that forced him to pull out of his asian concert tour . the 71-year-old left on a charter flight on monday with japanese media reporting he had headed for london . mccartney was hit by the mystery bug on may 16 - just one day after he landed in japan ahead of his out there tour . former beatle paul mccartney has left japan after recovering from a viral infection that forced him to pull out of his asian concert tour . sir paul mccartney arriving at haneda airport on may 15 . he called off the sold-out japan tour , much to the disappointment of fans - some of whom had . paid 100,000 yen -lrb- $ 980 -rrb- to see him . mccartney was also scheduled to perform at a seoul stadium on may 28 . it would have been his first concert in south korea . today the concert organisers said in a statement : ` paul mccartney himself hopes to return to japan for more concerts as soon as possible . ' when he fell ill last week , the beatle said : . ` unfortunately my condition has not improved overnight . i was really . hoping that i 'd be feeling better today . i 'm so disappointed and sorry . to be letting my fans down . ' on stage : paul recently played several gigs in south america , which saw him perform in santiago , chile , -lrb- pictured -rrb- on april 22 . a . message on the iconic star 's website said : ` doctors have ordered paul . complete rest and he has been doing all he can to get better . ` paul .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- paul mccartney fans in japan are going to have to wait a little longer to get `` out there . '' the former beatle , currently on his `` out there '' tour in asia , was forced to postpone two shows at the tokyo national stadium due to an undisclosed illness . the cancellations are a rare occurrence for the mccartney , who has proven an iron man while maintaining a global tour schedule over the past several years . he 'll turn 72 in june . `` doctors have ordered paul complete rest and he has been doing all he can to get better , '' read a statement on mccartney 's official website posted sunday . `` paul has only ever had to reschedule a handful of shows in his entire career and is so upset about this situation , he hates to let people down . '' mccartney wanted to perform against doctor 's orders , the statement continued , `` but his team , along with the doctors , would n't allow it . ''<doc-sep>cnn -- singer paul mccartney and michael jackson `` kind of drifted apart , '' but there was `` no big bust-up '' after jackson bought the beatles song catalog , mccartney told david letterman wednesday . paul mccartney and michael jackson in 1983 . mccartney said jackson will be missed . mccartney appeared on `` the late show with david letterman '' to talk about his forthcoming concert at new york 's citi field , the beatles ' 1964 appearance on `` the ed sullivan show '' -- taped in the same theater -- and his relationship with jackson . mccartney said the pair `` fell apart '' after jackson secured rights to the beatles catalog in 1985 . jackson outbid mccartney -- paying $ 47.5 million for it -- and then sold it to sony music for $ 95 million in 1995 while maintaining a 50 percent controlling interest . the relationship fizzled when mccartney asked for `` a raise '' from jackson , to which jackson -- in mccartney 's word -- `` blanked '' the former beatle and said , `` that 's just business , paul , '' mccartney said . `` we 've never kind of got to it , and i thought ` hmmm , ' so we kind of drifted apart , '' said mccartney . `` there was no big bust-up . '' `` he was a lovely man , massively talented , and we miss him , '' mccartney said . mccartney and jackson collaborated on the songs `` say say say '' and `` the girl is mine , '' both released in the early 1980s . mccartney 's appearance on letterman marked the first time he 'd returned to the ed sullivan theater for a broadcast network show since the beatles made their stateside debut there in 1964 . the musician also put on a performance on the sullivan theater 's marquee , in front of a huge crowd that blocked off traffic near the intersection of broadway and 53rd street . watch mccartney perform on the theater rooftop '' the set included such beatles and mccartney solo classics as `` get back , '' `` band on the run , '' `` helter skelter '' and `` back in the ussr . '' | <t> former beatle paul mccartney to play in tel aviv , israel , in september . </t> <t> beatles concert was banned by israel in mid-1960s . </t> <t> stories differ as to why fab four were banned by israel . </t> | mccartney to perform in israel 43 years after ban<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama on sunday tried to paint sen. john mccain as a candidate who is out of touch with the middle class . sen. barack obama speaks about the economy at a campaign event in detroit , michigan , on sunday . speaking about friday 's presidential debate , obama accused mccain of not addressing working families . `` we talked about the economy for 40 minutes , and not once did sen. mccain talk about the struggles that middle class families are facing every day , '' obama said at a campaign event in detroit , michigan . the economy took the lead in friday night 's presidential debate , as both candidates highlighted their plans to bring the united states out of what some are describing as the worst financial crisis since the great depression . mccain on sunday brushed off obama 's latest line of attack , saying he has `` bigger things to worry about . '' `` who does he think i was talking about when i said ` people on main street ' ? who did he think i was talking about , about the necessity of helping the american taxpayers and income -- and americans who are out there working and trying to keep their jobs ? '' he said on abc 's `` this week . '' `` i 've got bigger things to worry about than that . '' the republican presidential candidate did address `` main street '' in the debate friday night , saying that `` we 've got to fix the system '' because `` main street is paying a penalty for the excesses and greed in washington , d.c. , and on wall street . '' still , obama 's campaign pointed out that mccain did n't specifically say `` middle class , '' during the debate . mccain 's campaign said sunday that during the michigan event , obama `` ignored his -lsb- obama 's -rsb- record of opposing middle class tax relief , opposing a competitive tax rate , and opposing a plan to incentivize new battery technology . '' the campaign said obama 's `` talk about the middle class is much different than his record . '' during the debate , mccain repeatedly said obama `` does n't understand '' key issues the country is facing , but at campaign events this weekend , obama blasted mccain as the candidate who `` does n't get it . '' watch the candidates ' plans for the upcoming week '' `` the truth is , through 90 minutes of debating , john mccain had a lot to say about me , but he had nothing to say about you . not once did he say the words ` middle class . ' not once did he talk about working families . i think sen. mccain just does n't get it , '' obama said sunday . the obama-biden campaign continues that argument in a new ad that will begin airing nationally on monday . the ad says when it comes to the economy , mccain `` does n't get it . '' `` number of minutes in debate : 90 , '' the announcer says as the words are typed across a blank screen . `` number of times john mccain mentioned the middle class : zero . '' the 30-second spot , `` zero , '' includes portions of friday night 's debate where obama suggested mccain has followed president bush on economic policy . watch the ad '' a recent cnn/opinion research corporation poll found when it comes to the economy , 47 percent of voters questioned said republicans are more responsible for the current economic problems , while 24 percent said democrats are more responsible . in response to the latest ad , the mccain campaign blasted obama 's tax policy . `` john mccain repeatedly pointed to sen. obama 's vote in favor of higher taxes on families making just $ 42,000 a year , and his proposal for $ 860 billion in lavish new government spending which is a crushing burden on middle class families and the main street economy , '' spokesman tucker bounds said in a statement saturday . `` if he was honest , barack obama knows he was unable to debate the merits of supporting higher taxes on the middle class , and bloated government spending during a looming economic crisis -- it 's simply indefensible . '' the mccain campaign is referring to a june 5 , 2008 , vote on a resolution -lrb- senate concurrent resolution 70 -rrb- meant to outline the senate 's budget priorities through 2013 , but the measure had no practical effect . according to a cnn review of the resolution , it assumes that most of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts pushed by president bush will expire in that time , which mccain says amounts to a tax increase . obama and running mate sen. joe biden voted `` yes '' on the resolution . mccain did not vote . however , the democrats offered their own cuts in the 48-page resolution , which called for several tax cuts and breaks , including rolling back the alternative-minimum tax and the so-called `` marriage penalty . '' according to an analysis by the independent tax policy center , the tax plan obama has proposed during the campaign would increase taxes in 2009 on the wealthiest 20 percent of households , while offering tax cuts for the other 80 percent . cnn 's kristi keck and emily sherman contributed to this report .<doc-sep>i must admit , the pathetic pining and pandering for middle-class votes has turned so moronic that at times it drives me nuts . first , who in the world are we even talking about ? if you listen to the candidates and their campaigns , those in the middle class could make upward of $ 200,000 a year , while some suggest middle class means earning as little as $ 20,000 . i moderated a panel tuesday for the national black mba association and heard descriptions of the lower middle class , the middle class and the upper middle class . someone even suggested that it 's really about a `` state of mind . '' that 's right . it boils down to how we feel and think . if that 's the case , then you can have $ 5 million in the bank , but if you love your family , go to church and share the same values as others around you , you 're middle class . please , can we just stop with lofty talk and plain-spoken and simplistic solutions and be as specific as possible ? there are really four fundamental issues affecting middle-class voters . jobs . we 've seen a loss of 600,000 jobs under president bush , so how exactly will mccain and obama create jobs ? is there anything in their past that shows they have the ability to do just that ? i 've heard `` drill , drill , drill ! '' from mccain , and obama says we 're going to turn the old textile and steel mills into a green machine by targeting wind and other sources of energy . housing .<doc-sep>taken after biden 's selection , the poll showed that the number of clinton democrats who said they would vote for mccain increased 11 points since june , enough to account for most of the support mccain gained . clinton fared better than obama among working-class voters in many states during the primaries . obama on sunday suggested the convention would help give those voters `` a sense of who i am . '' obama said he hopes voters will conclude that he is `` sort of like us . he -lsb- obama -rsb- comes from a middle-class background . he went to school on scholarships , he had to pay off student loans . he and his wife had to worry about child care . '' `` you 'll find out : ` he 's pretty much like us , ' '' obama told supporters about himself , while campaigning in wisconsin on his way to denver . obama hammered at mccain on the economy and on mccain 's perceived strong suit , national security . obama told supporters at a barbecue in eau claire , wisconsin , `` the republican track record on national security has not been particularly good . '' `` my job in this campaign is to explain that talking tough and acting dumb is not a way to keep you safe and secure , '' he said . `` we need somebody who talks tough , who 's going to act smart and be tough . that 's how we 're going to look after the safety of the american people . '' minnesota gov. tim pawlenty , viewed as a potential mccain running mate , said obama 's decision to pick biden -- the chairman of the senate foreign relations committee -- was an acknowledgment that obama lacked to national security chops to be president . `` i do n't think he 's ready to be president . and when you 're commander-in-chief , you should n't be having to select a mentor to help you with that role , '' pawlenty told cnn 's `` late edition with wolf blitzer . '' cnn 's jessica yellin and rebecca sinderbrand contributed to this report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the next president will have to decide when and how to leave iraq and what the united states will leave behind , sen. john mccain said friday . sens. barack obama and john mccain trade jabs over each other 's economic plans . speaking at the first presidential debate , mccain said the war had been badly managed at the beginning but that the united states was now winning , thanks to a `` great general and a strategy that succeeded . '' `` sen. obama refuses to acknowledge that we are winning in iraq , '' mccain said of his democratic opponent . sen. barack obama responded : `` that 's not true , that 's not true . '' he blasted mccain as having been wrong about the war at the start , saying mccain had failed to anticipate the uprising against u.s. forces and violence between rival religious groups in the country . before moving into foreign policy , the candidates focused on the economy . mccain said he would consider a spending freeze on everything but defense , veterans affairs and entitlement programs in order to cut back on government spending . obama disagreed , saying , `` the problem is you 're using a hatchet where you need a scalpel . `` there are some programs that are very important that are currently underfunded , '' obama said . he agreed that the government needs to cut spending in some areas , but he said other areas , such as early childhood education , need more funding . mccain repeated his call to veto every bill with earmarks . obama said the country `` absolutely '' needs earmark reform but said , `` the fact is , eliminating earmarks alone is not a recipe for how we are going to get the middle class back on track . '' mccain and obama also tangled over who would cut taxes more . watch obama talk about his economic plan ''<doc-sep>earlier monday , mccain told voters that obama is n't being honest about his tax votes and said the democrat is `` always cheering for higher taxes . '' ireport.com : share your stories from the campaign trail . in response , the obama campaign called mccain 's remarks `` false attacks '' and an `` angry diatribe . '' `` two times , on march 14 , 2008 , and june 4 , 2008 , in the democratic budget resolution , he voted to raise taxes on people making just $ 42,000 per year . he even said at the time that this vote for higher taxes on the middle class was ` getting our nation 's priorities back on track , ' '' mccain said at a rally in columbus , ohio . `` then something amazing happened : on friday night , he looked the american people in the eye and said it never happened . my friends , we need a president who will always tell the american people the truth , '' mccain said . mccain said a vote for obama would `` guarantee higher taxes , fewer jobs and an even bigger federal government '' and charged that `` these policies will deepen our recession . '' watch mccain slam obama on spending '' shortly after mccain finished his speech , the obama campaign accused the arizona senator of lying . `` sen. mccain 's angry diatribe today wo n't make up for his erratic response to the greatest financial crisis of our time . john mccain knows that the budget he 's talking about did n't end up raising taxes on a single american , and the lie he told the american people today is all the more outrageous a day after he admitted that his health care plan will increase taxes on some families , '' obama campaign spokesman tommy vietor said . in mccain 's speech , the republican presidential candidate was referring to votes on a resolution -lrb- senate concurrent resolution 70 -rrb- meant to outline the senate 's budget priorities through 2013 , but the measure had no practical effect . | <t> barack obama criticizes john mccain for not saying `` middle class '' in debate . </t> <t> mccain says that 's what he meant by `` main street '' </t> <t> obama campaign has new ad saying mccain `` does n't get it '' </t> <t> mccain campaign slams obama on tax policy . </t> | obama slams mccain on middle class<T> |
nairobi , kenya -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- pirates have hijacked a thai cargo ship in the gulf of aden off the somali coast , the kenya seafarers association said thursday . the ship , the mv thor star , was hijacked tuesday with 28 thai crew members on board , said andrew mwangura , a spokesman for the association , which acts on behalf of merchant vessels in the region . the thai-flagged ship is owned by bangkok-based thoresen thai agencies .<doc-sep>pirate attacks are frequent in the waters off somalia , a notoriously unsafe area for unescorted vessels . earlier this month , canada announced it was dispatching a warship to the area to protect u.n. aid ships after more than two dozen reported pirate attacks in the waters off somalia this year .<doc-sep>lt. cmdr. jamie frederick , a u.s. coast guard spokesman , said the service was investigating the deaths , as required by american law . but he said the deaths `` do not appear to be criminal in nature , related to vessel operations , the material condition of the ship or their duties as security personnel . '' in april 2009 , four armed pirates attempted to hijack the maersk alabama 380 miles off the coast of somalia . after the crew sank the pirates ' vessel and foiled their efforts to take control of the container ship , the pirates took the ship 's captain , richard phillips , hostage on a lifeboat . the incident ended three days later when navy sharpshooters killed three of the pirates and captured the fourth . phillips was unharmed . the ship was attacked by pirates again later that year , but armed security personnel fought them off . another attempt by pirates to board the ship , in march 2011 , was thwarted when security personnel fired warning shots . 2010 : hero skipper ignored pirate warnings , crew says . 2009 : crewman 's e-mail gives harrowing details of hijacking .<doc-sep>the ship was dragging two skiffs behind it , much like the kind of skiffs that pirates have been known to use to hijack ships in the waters off somalia . so far in 2009 , 14 ships have been hijacked in the ocean off somalia 's coast , and 33 have been hijacked in the gulf of aden , the body of water that lies between yemen and somalia , the international maritime bureau said . most of somalia 's coastline is on the indian ocean . at present , the bureau knows of four ships that are being held . cnn 's olivia sterns contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. navy has started a force to battle pirates attacking ships in and near the gulf of aden off somalia 's coast , the u.s. fifth fleet said thursday . a u.s. navy photo shows a ship held by pirates off the coast of somalia in november . the unit -- called combined task force 151 -- is a spinoff of an existing force in the region that addressed a range of security issues , such as drug smuggling and weapons trafficking , as well as piracy . the gulf of aden links the indian ocean and the red sea . about 20,000 oil tankers , freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route each year near largely lawless somalia . the united states is among at least 20 countries that are trying to combat piracy in the region , including russia , india , germany and iran . in december , german sailors foiled an attempt by pirates to hijack an egyptian cargo ship off the coast of yemen , according to the german defense ministry , and the european union launched its first naval operation to protect vessels . that came just days after china revealed its own plans to patrol the horn of africa 's volatile coastline . task force 151 will be devoted solely to counterpiracy efforts , said lt. stephanie murdock , a fifth fleet spokeswoman . the united states anticipates other nations joining the force `` in the near future . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- five somali men were convicted in the netherlands of plotting a hijack at sea and sentenced to five years in prison , cnn affiliate rtl reported thursday . the trial of the five , said to be the first trial of pirates in europe in modern times , opened in rotterdam district court may 25 . the men were captured by the danish navy in january 2009 in the gulf of aden , off somalia , after a cargo ship with a dutch antilles flag was attacked , said wim de bruin , a spokesman for the netherlands national prosecutor 's office . `` the ship of the pirates was destroyed by the danish navy , and the pirates were captured and handed to the dutch authorities , '' he said . the pirates are ahmed yusuf farah , 25 , jama mohamed samatar , 45 , abdirisaq abdulahi hirsi , 33 , sayid ali garaar , 39 , and osman musse farah , 32 , de bruin said . they had faced a maximum sentence of nine to 12 years , he added . | <t> mv thor star , was hijacked tuesday with 28 thai crew . </t> <t> cargo ship hijacked in the gulf of aden off the somali coast . </t> <t> heavily armed pirates frequently hijack cargo ships off horn of africa . </t> | pirates hijack thai ship off somalia<T> |
kabul , afghanistan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- afghan lawmakers have directly accused pakistan 's intelligence agency of involvement in a string of deadly attacks in afghanistan , blasting their neighbor as `` the largest center for breeding and exporting terrorism . '' the recent attack by a suicide bomber on the indian embassy in kabul killed more than 40 people . a pakistani official tuesday bristled at the accusation , saying that afghan lawmakers were making allegations without proof . `` we are not an irresponsible nation and we do n't blame our failures on others , '' said a senior official with pakistan 's directorate for inter-services intelligence -lrb- isi -rrb- . `` if they want to engage in this kind of game , let them be . '' the afghan cabinet made the scathing indictment in a resolution monday , saying afghanistan would boycott a series of meetings with pakistan unless `` bilateral trust '' is restored . in recent weeks a wave of attacks carried out by islamic militants have killed scores of people in afghanistan , including an assault on a military outpost sunday that killed nine u.s. soldiers , as well as a suicide attack on the indian embassy a week ago that killed 58 people . the two incidents , along with an assassination attempt against afghan president hamid karzai at a military ceremony on april 27 , are `` indicative of the attempts by the isi -lrb- inter-services intelligence -rrb- to once again occupy afghanistan and to perish the true right of the people of afghanistan for national sovereignty , '' the resolution said .<doc-sep>afghanistan regularly accuses pakistan 's intelligence service -- which once had strong ties with the taliban -- of orchestrating attacks inside its borders . pakistan has repeatedly denied involvement , including in the incidents that the resolution cited . u.s. defense secretary robert gates also said there is no indication that `` foreign agents '' were responsible for the embassy attack . the senior isi official said tuesday that if afghanistan has proof that pakistani intelligence agents were involved in the attacks , that proof should be presented and the isi will act on it . the official said that the pakistani government could also blame incidents in pakistan , like recent attacks in karachi and hangu , on others . but without proof , he said , it would be irresponsible . pakistan and afghanistan have a tumultuous history that dates back several years . during the soviet occupation of afghanistan in the 1980s , religious schools in pakistan helped train fighters who battled the soviets . after the taliban took over afghanistan in 1996 and imposed fundamentalist rule , pakistan was one of the few countries that recognized the regime diplomatically .<doc-sep>it dropped its support after the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks in washington and new york . but afghanistan claims that pakistan continues to informally support the militants , who operate from havens in pakistan 's lawless tribal regions near the porous 1,500-mile border the two countries share . adding fresh ammunition to the suspicions , the rand corp. -- a u.s. think tank -- released a report last month that said some members of pakistan 's intelligence service and its paramilitary corps were helping insurgents in afghanistan . the study , funded by the u.s. defense department , alleged that members of the two agencies often tipped off militants to the location and movement of coalition forces trying to rout them . it also said personnel within the agencies trained fighters at camps in pakistan , financed them and helped them cross the border into afghanistan . the pakistani military denied and denounced the report , calling it a `` smear campaign '' designed to `` create doubts and suspicion in the minds of -lrb- the -rrb- target audience . '' relations between the two countries are strained to such a point that karzai has threatened to send troops across the border to take on the militants . `` the people of afghanistan and the international community have come to the reality that pakistan intelligence institutions and its army have become the largest center for breeding and exporting terrorism and extremism to the world and particularly to afghanistan , '' monday 's resolution said .<doc-sep>` part of the secretary 's core message will be to ensure that . actions are met with a real and sustained effort to constrain . the ability of the haqqani network , lashkar-e-taiba , the afghan . taliban , and other militants who pose a threat to regional . stability and to direct u.s. interests , ' said the official . lashkar-e-taiba fights indian rule in kashmir and is accused . of orchestrating the 2008 mumbai attacks that killed at least . 163 people in india . as for haqqanis , the united states accuses pakistan 's . intelligence agency of supporting the network and using it as a . proxy in afghanistan to gain leverage against the influence of . its arch-rival india in the country . pakistan denies that . fears : kerry insisted the taliban 's use of pakistan as a strategic planning station is dangerous for the world . support : he said the u.s. appreciates the work pakistan has done in afghanistan against the militants . pakistan 's taliban , blamed for the december 16 attack on the .<doc-sep>commander of pakistani taliban group tehrik-e-taliban pakistan was . killed by a nato airstrike late friday . he was responsible for the . movement of fighters and weapons across the frontier as well as attacks . against afghan and coalition forces in afghanistan . the speaker said they had been killed to avenge ` brutalities ' carried out by pakistani troops . in july the ttp released a video showing the heads of 17 pakistani soldiers they claimed to have killed in a cross-border attack on a checkpost in the northwestern district of upper dir . intelligence officials blamed that attack on loyalists of pakistani cleric maulana fazlullah , who fled to afghanistan after losing control of the swat valley to the army . fighting in bajaur in the past week has claimed at least 50 lives , including 31 militants and two members of a government-backed peace committee who were killed on monday . last week , a nato airstrike in eastern afghanistan killed a pakistani taliban leader who had close ties with al qaeda , dealing a blow to the militants who operate on both sides of the countries ' porous border . mullah dadullah was killed on friday in afghanistan 's eastern kunar province , which lies just across the border from the pakistani tribal area of bajur , the military alliance said . he was the pakistani taliban leader in bajur , and nato said saturday that dadullah also was responsible for the movement of fighters and weapons across the frontier as well as attacks against afghan and coalition forces in afghanistan . bajaur is one of seven districts in pakistan 's semi-autonomous tribal belt , where taliban and al qaeda-linked militants have carved out strongholds used to plot attacks on pakistan . pakistan has lost more than 3,000 soldiers in the fight against homegrown insurgents but has resisted us pressure to do more to eliminate havens used by those fighting the americans in afghanistan .<doc-sep>abbas said the fighters crossed into pakistan from afghanistan , and used rocket launchers and machine guns in their attacks . they have since been repelled , he said . pakistan and afghanistan share a porous 1,500-mile border . in recent months , afghan officials have blamed militants operating from havens in the lawless tribal regions of pakistan of sneaking into their country and attacking security personnel . pakistan has repeatedly denied involvement and bristled at the accusation , saying that afghan lawmakers were making allegations without proof . abbas ' sunday comments reverse those allegations , with pakistan now blaming militants from afghanistan attacking inside its soil .<doc-sep>a senior afghan government official said the charges were based on phone intercepts of conversations of plotters in kabul with isi officers in pakistan . a u.s. government official , who would not comment on the specifics of the new york times story , said , `` we 've long noted the troubling reports of a relationship between the isi and the taliban , and the incident at the indian embassy seems to fit the pattern of those reports . '' india has previously blamed militants from pakistan for the july 7 car bombing at the embassy . wajid shamsul hasan , pakistan 's high commissioner to britain , and hamid gul , former head of the isi , firmly denied the agency 's involvement in the attack . watch pakistan deny the allegations '' `` there seems to be a bit of sensationalism in this story , '' hasan said . he said the government has regularly denied claims that isi is involved with militants in afghanistan and noted that pakistan has been cooperating in the fight against terrorism . gul said the claims are `` preposterous '' and `` totally false , '' and cautioned that the cia has been proven to be wrong about intelligence in the past . the new york times report also sourced the u.s. officials as saying `` there was new information showing that members of the pakistani intelligence service were increasingly providing militants with details about the american campaign against them , in some cases allowing militants to avoid american missile strikes in pakistan 's tribal areas . '' pakistan and afghanistan have a tumultuous past . during the soviet occupation of afghanistan in the 1980s , religious schools in pakistan helped train fighters who battled the soviets . after the taliban took over afghanistan in 1996 and imposed fundamentalist rule , pakistan was one of the few countries that recognized the regime diplomatically . it dropped its support after the september 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks on washington and new york . pakistan also has a troubled history with india , and in the past india has accused the isi of supporting militant separatists in indian-administered kashmir , which has been the root of two wars between them . | <t> afghanistan : pakistan is `` largest center for breeding and exporting terrorism '' </t> <t> attacks carried out by islamic militants have killed scores of people in afghanistan . </t> <t> pakistan intelligence service often accused of orchestrating attacks . </t> <t> pakistan : afghan lawmakers making allegations without proof . </t> | pakistan intelligence blamed for afghan attacks<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- three more members of a polygamous sect led by warren jeffs are facing sexual assault charges , texas attorney general greg abbott said tuesday . the latest charges come two months after warren jeffs and five followers were indicted in texas . on tuesday , a texas grand jury indicted the three male members of jeffs ' fundamentalist church of jesus christ of latter-day saints compound outside eldorado , abbott said . each faces one felony count of sexual assault of a child . two of them also face felony bigamy charges . the identities of the men were not released because they had not been arrested as of tuesday afternoon . in july , the schleicher county grand jury indicted jeffs and four of his texas flds followers on child sexual assault charges . jeffs was charged with sexually assaulting a child under 17 . a fifth follower was charged with failure to report child abuse . the charges stem from a state and federal investigation into the sect 's yearning for zion ranch . in april , child welfare workers removed more than 400 children from the compound , citing allegations of physical and sexual abuse . after a court battle , the texas supreme court ordered the children returned in june , saying that the state had no right to remove them and that there was no evidence to show the children faced imminent danger of abuse on the ranch . jeffs , 52 , is the leader and `` prophet '' of the estimated 10,000-member flds , an offshoot of the mainstream mormon church . the flds openly practices polygamy at the yfz ranch and in two towns straddling the utah-arizona state line : hildale , utah , and colorado city , arizona . jeffs , who is facing a sentence in utah of up to life in prison and is awaiting trial in arizona , could face another life sentence in texas if convicted on the latest charge . in utah , he was convicted on accomplice to rape charges for his role in the marriage of a sect member to a 14-year-old . he faces similar charges in arizona . his attorney in arizona , michael piccarreta , has questioned the motives of texas authorities . he said in july that the state 's investigation into jeffs and his followers is an effort `` to cover themselves up on the botched attack on the ranch in texas . ''<doc-sep>following a court battle , the texas supreme court ordered the children returned , saying there was no evidence they faced imminent danger of abuse on the ranch . critics of the flds say the sect forces girls into marriage with men . to date , 12 flds members have been indicted on charges including sexual assault of a minor , conducting unlawful marriages involving a minor and bigamy as part of an ongoing investigation , according to texas attorney general greg abbott 's office . they include warren jeffs , the flds leader and `` prophet . '' jeffs was already facing charges of sexual assault of a child in texas , which carries a sentence of up to life upon conviction , when he was indicted earlier this month on a first-degree felony count of aggravated sexual assault . he is also facing a sentence of up to life in utah , where he was convicted on accomplice to rape charges for his role in the marriage of a sect member to a 14-year-old . he is awaiting trial in arizona , where he faces similar charges . the flds is a 10,000-member offshoot of the mainstream mormon church . it openly practices polygamy on the ranch , as well as in two towns straddling the utah-arizona border .<doc-sep>the department has attempted to resolve the issue with the teenager but had not been successful , the motion said . the flds was thrust into the spotlight in april , when child welfare workers removed more than 400 children from the sect 's yearning for zion ranch in eldorado , texas , citing allegations of physical and sexual abuse . following a court battle , the texas supreme court ordered the children returned , saying there was no evidence they faced imminent danger of abuse on the ranch . critics of the flds say the sect forces girls into marriage with men . to date , 12 flds members have been indicted on charges including sexual assault of a minor , conducting unlawful marriages involving a minor and bigamy as part of an ongoing investigation , according to texas attorney general greg abbott 's office .<doc-sep>they include warren jeffs , the flds leader and `` prophet . '' jeffs was already facing charges of sexual assault of a child in texas , which carries a sentence of up to life upon conviction , when he was indicted earlier this month on a first-degree felony count of aggravated sexual assault . he is also facing a sentence of up to life in utah , where he was convicted on accomplice to rape charges for his role in the marriage of a sect member to a 14-year-old . he is awaiting trial in arizona , where he faces similar charges . the flds is a 10,000-member offshoot of the mainstream mormon church . it openly practices polygamy on the ranch , as well as in two towns straddling the utah-arizona border .<doc-sep>but jeffs has a federal indictment against him for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution , said melodie rydalch , a spokeswoman for the u.s. attorneys ' office in utah . the indictment states jeffs traveled across state lines in 2006 to avoid prosecution . `` there are federal detainers in place with the utah state prison and washington county , '' rydalch said . `` although his attorney is saying he will ask for a bail hearing in the utah state court , our federal detainers are in place . '' rydalch added if jeffs is not held on state charges , authorities will bring him into federal custody . bugden said he expects washington county prosecutors to decide quickly whether they want to proceed with the case . jeffs had been awaiting trial in arizona on four charges of being an accomplice to sexual conduct with a minor . but last month , a judge dismissed those charges . matt smith , the mohave county , arizona , prosecutor , had asked the court to throw out the charges , citing `` much more serious charges '' against jeffs in texas and the desire of his alleged victims that he `` face these more serious charges as soon as possible . '' jeffs was indicted in texas in 2008 on a felony charge of sexual assault of a child . an indictment accuses jeffs of assaulting a child `` younger than 17 years of age and not legally married to the defendant '' in january 2005 . if convicted on the texas charges , jeffs could face a maximum penalty of five to 99 years or life in prison and a fine of $ 10,000 . the flds drew national attention when jeffs was arrested during a routine traffic stop in august 2006 . at the time , he was on the fbi 's ten most wanted list . the sect is a 10,000-member offshoot of the mainstream mormon church . its members openly practice polygamy at the yearning for zion ranch in eldorado , texas , and in two towns straddling the utah-arizona state line : hildale , utah , and colorado city , arizona . critics of the sect say young girls are forced into `` spiritual '' marriages with older men and are sexually abused . sect members have denied that any sexual abuse takes place . jeffs had led the sect since his father 's death in 2002 . | <t> three members of a polygamous sect led by warren jeffs indicted . </t> <t> texas attorney general : members of flds facing sexual assault charges . </t> <t> each faces one felony count of sexual assault of a child . </t> <t> in july , a grand jury indicted six other members of the sect . </t> | more flds members indicted on sexual assault charges<T> |
moscow , russia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the somali government has asked russia to intervene against pirates who have seized a ukrainian cargo ship , the somali ambassador to russia said wednesday . the u.s. navy released this observance photo of the mv faina , which is loaded with weapons and tanks . but the russian navy issued a statement later in the day saying it had no intention of using force against the pirates , the russian news agency interfax reported . `` the questions of freeing the ships and crew are being dealt with in line with the corresponding international practices , '' interfax quoted navy spokesman igor dygalo as saying . `` for understandable reasons , the use of force would be an extreme measure because it could threaten the life of the international crew of the ship . '' the pirates took over the mv faina last week off the coast of somalia and are demanding a $ 20 million ransom for the ship 's cargo of 33 soviet-made t-72 tanks , tank artillery shells , grenade launchers and small arms . the ship is anchored within somalia 's 12-mile territorial limit . `` the government and the president of somalia are allowing the russian naval ships to enter our waters , and fight against pirates both in the sea and on the land , that is , if they would have to chase them , '' amb . mohamed handule said at a news conference in moscow . `` we think that this issue of piracy has exceeded all limits . it is very dangerous that pirates are now laying their hands on arms -- not just for somalia , not only for the navigating , but for the entire region in general , '' he added . `` right now , pirates are controlling the sea in this area , but just imagine if they get control of the land too . ''<doc-sep>the announcement raised concern among some officials monitoring the situation . watch russian warships move to confront pirates '' `` we may have bad news , '' said andrew mwangura of the kenya seafarers association . mwangura said some of the ukrainian crew 's family members are concerned for their loved ones ' safety and have called him to see if he can communicate with the pirates . he urged negotiations to continue . `` for the safety of the crew members , '' mwangura said , `` let the ship owners talk with the pirates . '' watch mwangura talk about the rise in pirating '' a russian navy ship sailing toward the faina is in the atlantic ocean and `` still has a bit of water to get here , '' said u.s. navy lt. stephanie murdock , who is stationed in nearby bahrain . `` there is no estimated time of arrival yet . '' the u.s. navy has several ships in the area monitoring the situation . `` there have been no changes today , '' murdock said .<doc-sep>the navy has not communicated with the russian ship but will work out coordination when it arrives , murdock said . the russian ship neustrashimy is headed to the region solely to protect russian shipping , according to the russian navy spokesman . `` the navy command has been stressing that the neustrashimy , from the baltic sea fleet , has been given the task of arriving in the area of somalia and guaranteeing for a certain time the safe seafaring of russian ships in the area with a high risk of pirate attacks . the essence of the mission is to prevent the seizure of russian ships by pirates , '' dygalo said . handule , the nigerian ambassador , seemed to criticize the united states for not taking action . `` ships of more than 10 countries are now close to our shores , but we are not satisfied with the results of their activities , '' he said . citing u.n. security council resolution 1816 , handule said , `` we are inviting all countries , all states who have possibility to support somalia to fight against ... pirates . we are especially inviting russia and giving special status to russian warships to fight , to help somalia . '' the latest developments came two days after three pirates were killed when they started shooting at each other , according to mwangura , the kenya maritime official . the shootout centered on a disagreement between moderate and radical pirates aboard the ship , mwangura said . the moderates wanted to surrender , but the radicals did not .<doc-sep>the pirates hijacked the ship off the coast of somalia september 25 . the faina had been headed to the kenyan port of mombasa after departing from nikolayev , ukraine , and was seized not far from its destination . the faina is owned and operated by kaalbye shipping ukraine , and its crew includes citizens of ukraine , russia and latvia , the navy said . abdi salan khalif , commissioner of the coastal town of harardhere , told cnn the pirates told a group of town elders that one crew member had died of high blood pressure problems . attacks by pirates have increased dramatically in the waters off somalia 's northern coast in the past year , prompting the u.s. and other coalition warships to widen their patrols in the region . three ships were hijacked on august 21 in that area , the `` worst number of attacks '' in a single day in many years , capt. pottengal mukudan of the international maritime bureau told cnn . after the spate of attacks , the u.s. navy 's fifth fleet in bahrain announced that it would begin patrolling a newly established shipping corridor in the gulf of aden in an attempt to protect international shipping . canada also sent a warship through the end of september . the international maritime bureau said in april that 49 pirate attacks on ships were reported in the first three months of 2008 , compared with 41 for the same period last year . it recorded 263 pirates attacks last year , up from 239 the year before and the first increase in three years .<doc-sep>amsterdam , netherlands -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a dutch shipping company has been in contact with somali pirates who hijacked a ship with nine crew members as it traveled through the gulf of aden on sunday , a spokesman said tuesday . last month french commandoes landed in somalia and captured a group of pirates . lars walder , of reider shipping bv , which owns the mv amiya scan , revealed the company has been in contact with the hijackers and that none of the crew had been harmed . `` everybody was fine under the circumstances , '' he said , speaking from winschoten , netherlands . `` they were all fine ... -lsb- and -rsb- were treated quite well . '' the ship was anchored off the coast of somalia , within somalia 's 20-kilometer -lrb- 12-mile -rrb- territorial limit , walder said . he would not comment on the pirates ' demands out of concern for the crew of four russians and five filipinos , and would not say whether the shipping company was negotiating with them . he said he assumed the pirate gang was armed but they have not told him how many they are or whether the are associated with any group . the ship , carrying parts of an old oil rig , was chartered by scan-trans shipping , and was traveling from kenya to romania , walder said . it flies under an antiguan flag . `` of course , we hope we get our people , '' walder said . he said that the shipping company had contacted all relevant countries for help , including the netherlands , russia , and somalia .<doc-sep>the men are suspected to be pirates because of the weapons on board , lynge said . pirates frequently use small boats to attack commercial vessels with small arms and grenades , but he said the absalon crew could not connect the men `` directly with another pirate attack in the area . '' he said the skiff was found in yemeni waters , and the absalon crew was instructed to hand over the men to yemen 's coast guard . pirates have seized many ships in recent weeks in the waters of the gulf of aden , which separates yemen from somalia at the entrance to the red sea . so far this year , pirates have attacked almost 100 vessels off the coast of somalia and successfully hijacked nearly 40 , according to the international maritime bureau . a multinational fleet -- including vessels from the united states , other nato member states , russia and india -- has been patrolling the indian ocean waters in the area . around 20,000 oil tankers , freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route each year . cnn 's katy byron contributed to this report .<doc-sep>moscow , russia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- russian and british ships repelled a pirate attack on a danish ship in the gulf of aden , the russian navy said wednesday . pirates have caused havoc off the coast of somalia , hijacking 33 ships this year . elsewhere , pirates hijacked a turkish-flagged ship carrying 4,500 tons of chemicals and 14 crew off yemen 's coast . the pirates hijacked the ship , karagol , near yemen as it traveled to mumbai , india , semi-official news agency anadolu ajansi reported , citing a written statement from the turkish maritime agency . russian navy spokesman igor dygalo said the russian patrol ship neustrashimy and a british frigate , hms cumberland , successfully rebuffed pirate attempts to seize the danish ship powerful off somalia . the british and russians used helicopters to counter-attack the pirates , who had opened machine gun fire on powerful and twice tried to seize it , dygalo said . it was not immediately clear when the incident occurred . when asked about the incident , the british ministry of defense said a crew from the cumberland had boarded a small boat on tuesday that `` they ... believe had been involved in an attack on the danish-registered mv powerful earlier in the day . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. navy has started a force to battle pirates attacking ships in and near the gulf of aden off somalia 's coast , the u.s. fifth fleet said thursday . a u.s. navy photo shows a ship held by pirates off the coast of somalia in november . the unit -- called combined task force 151 -- is a spinoff of an existing force in the region that addressed a range of security issues , such as drug smuggling and weapons trafficking , as well as piracy . the gulf of aden links the indian ocean and the red sea . about 20,000 oil tankers , freighters and merchant vessels pass along the crucial shipping route each year near largely lawless somalia . the united states is among at least 20 countries that are trying to combat piracy in the region , including russia , india , germany and iran . in december , german sailors foiled an attempt by pirates to hijack an egyptian cargo ship off the coast of yemen , according to the german defense ministry , and the european union launched its first naval operation to protect vessels . that came just days after china revealed its own plans to patrol the horn of africa 's volatile coastline . task force 151 will be devoted solely to counterpiracy efforts , said lt. stephanie murdock , a fifth fleet spokeswoman . the united states anticipates other nations joining the force `` in the near future . '' | <t> new : somalia wants russian warships to intervene ; russia rules out using force . </t> <t> pirates captured ukrainian mv faina , loaded with weapons , off somalia 's coast . </t> <t> officials fear weapons will get into terrorists ' hands . </t> <t> ships from 10 countries , including u.s. , in region ; somalia fed up with inaction . </t> | somalia asks russia for help with pirates<T> |
new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- before heading out for a trio of well-publicized meetings with foreign dignitaries tuesday , sarah palin received a briefing from the director of national security , adm. michael mcconnell . gov. sarah palin is in new york to meet with leaders from around the world . the appearances with world leaders , taking place on the sidelines of the united nation 's general assembly meetings in new york , come as the campaign of republican presidential nominee sen. john mccain tries to convince voters that palin is ready for the world stage . palin 's top foreign policy adviser informed reporters of the meeting at a small briefing after palin 's visits with afghan president hamid karzai , colombian president alvaro uribe and former secretary of state henry kissinger . the adviser , stephen biegun , formerly a top member of the national security council under president bush , characterized the intelligence briefing as `` routine '' and said it was the sort of meeting that `` is standard for candidates for the vice president and president . '' biegun said several officials were present to brief palin . although palin held photo-ops with the leaders , she refused to take questions from any reporters . the alaska governor initially said that no reporters would be allowed to sit in on her meeting with karzai . she planned to allow in only photographers and one television crew , but she changed her position after at least five u.s. news networks protested . cnn does not send cameras into candidate events where editorial presence is not allowed . nonetheless , biegun said , `` these are relationships that she intuitively understands are very important for the next president and vice president of the united states . '' in those get-togethers , palin kept the focus primarily on energy issues and the growing influence of russia , according to biegun . palin found kissinger particularly engrossing ; their meeting had been scheduled to last 30 minutes , but the two met for nearly an hour and a half . `` in talking to dr. kissinger , '' biegun said , `` she certainly had a lot of questions about how the united states can develop a cooperative relationship with russia , what are some of the unique challenges to the current state of russia 's political development , and having been in particular , some of the recent developments we 've seen with russia : backsliding democracy , russia 's incursion into georgia . '' asked about her meetings with karzai and uribe , biegun said palin `` liked them very much '' and `` established a great personal rapport . '' with karzai , palin chatted for half an hour about mccain 's desire to send more u.s. troops to afghanistan . with uribe , she listened for about 20 minutes as the president discussed the country 's security situation and its handling of guerrillas . according to biegun , `` rather than make specific policy prescriptions , she was largely listening , having an exchange of views , and also very interested in forming a relationship with people she met with today . '' biegun is helping prepare palin for her debate with democratic vice presidential nominee sen. joseph biden on october 2 in st. louis , missouri . he would not say what specific topics palin was concentrating on in her study sessions . james hoge of the council on foreign relations , said the palin meetings are meant to `` show , just as -lsb- democratic presidential nominee sen. barack -rsb- obama did when he went to germany and gave a speech in berlin , that she is comfortable on the international scene , that she can hold her own in conversations with foreign leaders . watch what 's on palin 's agenda '' democrats warn that palin 's carefully scripted photo-ops , some of which will include mccain , could backfire by bringing attention to the holes in her résumé . `` the big risk that they run with this strategy of having her meet with these leaders individually is that they end up with three days of stories about how she does n't have foreign policy experience , '' said hilary rosen , a democratic strategist and cnn contributor . but republicans point out that palin is just following in the footsteps of other national candidates such as ronald reagan and bill clinton , former governors who needed to beef up their international policy credentials . `` the first thing you do is burnish their foreign policy credentials . you buy them a rand-mcnally , you meet with generals , you get a lot of flags on the stage , and you give a big speech on foreign policy to display you have some command of the world , '' said alex castellanos , a republican strategist and cnn contributor . as a 44-year-old governor who just got her passport last year , she has had to fend off accusations that she is not up to speed on foreign policy . in a recent interview with abc , she admitted that she has never met with a head of state . asked last week for specific skills she could cite to rebut critics who question her grasp of international affairs , she replied , `` i am prepared . '' `` i have that confidence . i have that readiness , '' palin told voters at a town-hall meeting in grand rapids , michigan . `` and if you want specifics with specific policies or countries , you can go ahead and ask me . you can play ` stump the candidate ' if you want to . but we are ready to serve . '' mccain stepped in , pointing out that as governor of a state that has plenty of oil and gas , palin was familiar with energy . she knows it to be `` one of our great national security challenges , '' he said . he also cited her nearly two years as commander of alaska 's national guard . `` i believe she is absolutely , totally qualified to address every challenge as the next vice president of the united states , '' mccain said . cnn 's peter hamby and ed henry contributed to this report .<doc-sep>nearly 60 million americans tuned in to the first debate between president barack obama and mitt romney last night , as fox news came away as the victor in cable tv ratings . fox news ousted top competitor cnn by more than 4 million viewers in preliminary numbers released on thursday . msnbc came in third with 4,710,511 viewers . the viewership number was on the high end of a typical debate headcount , and was much higher than the first debate of the 2008 campaigns between obama and john mccain . clash : more than 58 million people tuned in to the obama-romney debate , far more than the total who watched obama-mccain in 2008 . tv newser reported that the ratings totaled more than 58 million people , much more than the . the size of the television audience for the three 2008 debates ranged from 52.4 million to 63.2 million . all three of those debates were bested by the showdown between joe biden and sarah palin , whose performance at the vice presidential debate garnered an impressive 69.9 million viewers . on the broadcast television side , cbs edged abc to win the ratings battle . cbs collected 10,176,000 while abc came up with 10,117,000 viewers . must see tv : each of the 2008 presidential debates were bested by the vp showdown between joe biden and sarah palin . obama and romney will meet again two more times , with the second debate coming in hempstead , new york on the october 16 and their final showdown on the october 22 in boca raton , florida .<doc-sep>oakland county gop chairman dennis cowan says republican intensity has increased since mccain 's pick of alaska gov. sarah palin to share the ticket , after some initial disappointment among the many supporters of michigan native mitt romney here . because of sen. hillary clinton 's support among blue-collar voters here , `` we did fear the obama-clinton ticket , '' cowan tells cnn . instead , in the gop view , `` he -lsb- obama -rsb- kind of made the safe choice for vp , and john mccain made a bold choice for vp , which has gotten everybody 's attention . '' vote : which state is the most important swing state ? among those impressed with the palin pick is ray gardella , who began his homebuilding business in the detroit suburbs 35 years ago . gardella was a mcgovern democrat in those days , but leans more republican now . he says mccain and palin `` are more in line with my values '' and says he is n't sold on obama 's talk of change .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. john mccain 's campaign has told minnesota gov. tim pawlenty he will not be the gop vice presidential nominee in november , sources told cnn on friday . minnesota gov. tim pawlenty suggested in a radio interview that he wo n't be sen. john mccain 's vp pick . pawlenty on friday also told wcco radio in minneapolis-st . paul that he will not be in dayton , ohio , where the presumptive republican presidential nominee is expected to unveil his choice of a running mate at a rally later friday . the mccain campaign said it 's hoping to have 15,000 people at the ohio event , roughly five times the size of his largest crowd to date . a republican source said mccain settled on his choice of a running mate at a meeting of his advisers wednesday . thursday night 's arrival of a private jet from alaska at the middleton , ohio , airport raised speculation that alaska gov. sarah palin would be mccain 's pick . middleton is 25 miles from dayton . rich bevis , an airport manager at the middleton airport , said that a woman , two men and two teenagers were onboard . watch conservative analyst bill bennett mull palin as a vp pick '' `` this is the most secretive flight we 've ever had , '' bevis said . in june , palin told cnn that she thought mccain should choose a governor as his running mate and that she would like to serve on a national level , `` but i do n't think it 's going to happen on this go-round though . '' watch palin say she wo n't be vp this time '' in an interview with a pennsylvania radio station that was taped wednesday and aired thursday , mccain said he had not settled on a nominee . the associated press reported that the interview with kdka radio had occurred thursday , which created confusion as to whether mccain had finalized his choice for vice president . watch who is on mccain 's shortlist '' asked whether either former pennsylvania gov. tom ridge or former massachusetts gov. mitt romney was his vp pick , mccain replied to kdka , `` i have n't decided yet , so i ca n't tell you . '' both men are expected to join mccain at a rally saturday in pennsylvania .<doc-sep>`` it would be my honor to assist and support our new president and the new administration , '' said palin , whom sen. john mccain chose as his running mate in august . watch cnn 's wolf blitzer interview palin '' when asked about some of the tough rhetoric she hurled from the stump , she said she was `` still concerned '' about obama 's ties to former weather underground member-turned-chicago college professor william ayers . `` if anybody still wants to talk about it , i will , '' she said . `` because this is an unrepentant domestic terrorist who had campaigned to blow up , to destroy our pentagon and our u.s. capitol . watch palin talk about ayers '' `` that 's an association that still bothers me , and i think it 's fair to still talk about it , '' she continued . `` however , the campaign is over . that chapter is closed . now is the time to move on and make sure all of us are doing all that we can to progress this nation . '' watch palin discuss how she could help obama '' palin was attending the annual republican governors association convention in miami , florida . she was also interviewed for cnn 's `` the situation room '' -- the latest of several high-profile appearances for the ex-vp candidate . ireport.com : see readers ' questions for palin . there 's speculation that palin , as well as other incumbent governors at the conference such as charlie crist of florida , bobby jindal of louisiana and tim pawlenty of minnesota , could all have designs on the republican presidential nomination in the next race for the white house . all three governors were on mccain 's list of possible running mates before he selected palin . as the 2012 buzz takes off , a new poll suggests that just less than half of all americans have a favorable view of palin . forty-nine percent of those questioned in a cnn/opinion research corp. survey released wednesday have a favorable opinion of palin , with 43 percent viewing her unfavorably . see how past vp candidates have done in their presidential bids '' | <t> palin meets with world leaders on sidelines of u.n. world summit . </t> <t> meeting with kissinger stretches into an hour and a half . </t> <t> palin debates sen. joe biden next week in st. louis , missouri . </t> <t> palin has had to defend herself against charges she lacks foreign policy experience . </t> | palin meets with world leaders ahead of vp debate<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. treasury department on tuesday froze the u.s. assets of eight members of the revolutionary armed forces of colombia , or farc , which it has deemed a narco-terrorist organization . the treasury 's action , termed a `` designation , '' also prohibited americans from conducting business with farc . `` today 's designation exposes eight ` international commission members ' of the farc , '' said adam szubin , director of treasury 's office of foreign assets control . `` through their service to the farc as international representatives and negotiators , these persons provide material support to a narco-terrorist organization . '' the organization , comprised of colombian leftist rebels , is best known as farc , its spanish acronym .<doc-sep>the eight in tuesday 's designation represent the farc in argentina , chile , uruguay , paraguay , brazil , peru , ecuador , venezuela , panama , mexico and canada , the treasury department alleged . `` as representatives of the farc and members of its international commission , these individuals work abroad to obtain recruits , support and protection for the farc 's acts of terrorism , '' the department said in a written statement . `` some are also themselves violent criminals . '' one , jairo alfonse lesmes bulla , was arrested in august for allegedly plotting the assassinations of some south american officials , treasury said . bulla represents farc in argentina , chile , uruguay and paraguay , according to the department .<doc-sep>another , orlay jurado palomino , who represents farc in venezuela , is wanted in colombia on charges of kidnapping , rebellion and terrorism , the department said . and francisco antonio cadena collazos , who represents farc in brazil , was arrested in august 2005 at the request of colombia on charges of rebellion , the treasury statement said . a fourth , nubia calderon de trujillo , was recently granted asylum by nicaragua , the department said . the other four are ovidio salinas perez ; jorge davalos torres ; efrain pablo rejo freire ; and liliana lopez palacios , according to the treasury statement .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the united states is expelling the venezuelan ambassador to the united states in response to a similar move by venezuela , u.s. state department spokesman sean mccormack said friday . `` we have informed the venezuelan ambassador to the united states that he will be expelled and should leave the united states , '' mccormack said . separately , the u.s. treasury department accused friday two senior venezuelan intelligence officials -- hugo armando carvajal barrios and henry de jesus rangel silva -- and one former official -- ramon rodriguez chacin -- of assisting leftist rebels in the revolutionary armed forces of colombia , or farc , with narcotics trafficking . `` today 's designation exposes two senior venezuelan government officials and one former official who armed , abetted and funded the farc , even as it terrorized and kidnapped innocents , '' said adam j. szubin , director of the treasury 's office of foreign assets control , in a statement . the action freezes assets the three men may have under u.s. jurisdiction and prohibits americans from conducting business with them .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the son of mexico drug lord joaquin `` el chapo '' guzman was arrested in western mexico on thursday , officials said . alfredo guzman salazar was arrested in jalisco state , the mexican navy said in a statement . just this month , guzman salazar was added to the u.s. treasury department 's kingpin list . the department 's designation freezes any assets he may have under u.s. jurisdiction and prohibits financial and commercial transactions with him .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the united states on tuesday imposed financial sanctions on an iran-based company that it said is a cover for north korea 's missile proliferation network , the department of the treasury announced . hong kong electronics in kish island , iran , was added to the list of `` designated proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters '' for working with two others already on the list : north korea 's tanchon commercial bank and the korea mining development trading corp. -lrb- komid -rrb- , according to a treasury news release . the designation under executive order 13382 freezes any u.s. assets of hong kong electronics and prohibits any transactions with the company by u.s. individuals , companies or financial institutions , the statement said .<doc-sep>the action froze whatever assets rangel may have under u.s. jurisdiction and prohibited citizens from doing business with him . he is not the only venezuelan official designated by the united states as a drug kingpin . in september , the treasury department added lawmaker freddy bernal -- a chavez loyalist -- and three other officials to the list . all were accused of allegedly providing support to the farc , which has been at war with the colombian government since the 1960s . while severely weakened in recent years , the guerrilla group continues to carry out kidnappings and attack security forces . | <t> treasury department targets members of colombia rebel group . </t> <t> the group , known as farc , has been deemed a narco-terrorist organization . </t> <t> action also prohibits americans from doing business with farc . </t> | treasury freezes u.s. assets of farc members<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the commander for nato forces in afghanistan said wednesday that more military presence is `` needed as quickly as possible . '' u.s. troops are seeing an increased threat in afghanistan , gen. david mckiernan says . gen. david mckiernan said the additional military capability is needed because of `` an increased number of fighters '' coming into afghanistan from pakistan 's lawless tribal regions . `` it 's a significant increase from what we saw this time last year , '' he said at the pentagon . `` we 're facing a tougher threat right now , especially in the east where we have the u.s. division , '' he said . `` and so the additional military capability -lsb- is -rsb- needed as quickly as possible . '' he said what 's necessary includes `` boots on the ground '' as well as support such as `` helicopters , increased intelligence assets , logistics , transportation and so on . '' just over a week ago , defense secretary robert gates said that a marine battalion will head to afghanistan in november and an army brigade in january , but no more forces will be available for deployment to afghanistan until spring or summer of 2009 . the week before gates ' announcement , mckiernan had asked for four more brigades -- three more than the one approved to go in january . three brigades add up to as many as 12,000 troops . the defense secretary , speaking before the senate armed services committee last month , expressed caution about adding too many troops in afghanistan . `` i think we need to think about how heavy a military footprint the u.s. ought to have in afghanistan , '' he told the committee . instead , gates said , there should be a focus on increasing the size of the afghan army . mckiernan , who took command of nato 's international security assistance force earlier this year , said his request of an additional 3,500 people to train the afghan army and police is still under review . mckiernan noted that he is `` cautiously optimistic '' regarding pakistan 's military operations against taliban and al qaeda fighters inside its borders . `` what we 're seeing is pakistani leadership taking on a deteriorated militant sanctuary in the tribal areas that has deteriorated over last several years , '' he said . mckiernan said it is `` probably too early '' to see if pakistan 's military clampdown in its tribal areas has had any effect on stemming militant activity in afghanistan . `` we 're watching those very closely to see if there 's a cause and effect with the strength of the insurgency on the afghan side of the border , '' he said . `` but we think that 's a positive step that they are taking on those militant sanctuaries . ''<doc-sep>british and other foreign troops scheduled to depart in lock step with . u.s. soldiers , the size of any residual u.s. force could add fuel to a . debate in washington over whether taliban-led violence will intensify . amid the vacuum left by western forces , as some u.s. military officials . expect . military leaders , . including american general joe dunford , who heads u.s. and nato forces . in afghanistan , has identified 10,000 soldiers as the minimum needed to . help train and advise afghan forces fighting the insurgency , arguing a . smaller force would struggle to protect itself . during . a march visit to washington , dunford told lawmakers that without . foreign soldiers supporting them , afghan forces would begin to . deteriorate `` fairly quickly '' in 2015 . the afghan air force , still . several years away from being self-sufficient , will require even more . assistance , he said . a .<doc-sep>mcchrystal personally apologized to afghanistan 's president hamid karzai for those killings and ordered an investigation . it concluded that troops needed more training . mcchrystal 's dismissal was not related to the incident . he was fired over disrespectful comments his inner circle made about top white house officials in a profile of the general in rolling stone magazine . the united nations report was prepared for secretary-general ban ki-moon .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- america 's top commander in afghanistan warns that more troops are needed there within the next year or the nearly 8-year-old war `` will likely result in failure , '' according to a copy of a 66-page document obtained by the washington post . gen. stanley mcchrystal , right , arrives at a u.s. base in logar province , afghanistan , last month . `` failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term -lrb- next 12 months -rrb- -- while afghan security capacity matures -- risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible , '' u.s. and nato commander gen. stanley mcchrystal said in the document , according to the post . bob woodward of the post -- who wrote the article -- called it `` a striking thing for a general to say to the secretary of defense and the commander-in-chief . '' mcchrystal `` really takes his finger and puts it in their eye , ` deliver or this wo n't work , ' '' woodward told cnn 's `` american morning '' on monday . `` he says if they do n't endorse this full counterinsurgency strategy , do n't even give me the troops because it wo n't work . '' the document was `` leaked '' to the newspaper , but parts were omitted after consultations between the newspaper and the department of defense , pentagon spokesman geoff morrell said . `` while we would have much preferred none of this be made public at this time , we appreciate the paper 's willingness to edit out those passages , which would likely have endangered personnel and operations in afghanistan , '' morrell said in a statement . president obama is considering the assessment of troop levels completed by mcchrystal over the summer , however , a review of u.s. strategy in afghanistan wo n't be driven `` by the politics of the moment , '' obama said on sunday . `` every time i sign an order , you know , i 'm answerable to the parents of those young men and women who i 'm sending over there , and i want to make sure that it 's for the right reason , '' obama told cnn 's `` state of the union . '' the president put off questions about whether additional troops would be needed , saying , `` i do n't want to put the resource question before the strategy question . '' but he said afghans need to show that they are `` willing to make the commitment to build their capacity to secure their own country . '' the united states now has about 62,000 u.s. troops in afghanistan , with nato and other allies contributing about 35,000 more . the pentagon is planning to add 6,000 troops by year 's end , and some members of congress say mcchrystal soon will call for thousands more . the fighting has ramped up sharply in the past year as u.s. troops and a nato-dominated coalition battle a resurgence of the taliban , the al qaeda-allied islamic militia that ruled most of afghanistan before the attacks . washington poured an additional 21,000 troops into afghanistan to provide security for its recent presidential election , which has been marred by allegations of fraud .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . last updated at 1:15 pm on 4th july 2011 . the outgoing u.s. commander in afghanistan , general david petraeus , marked his last fourth of july in uniform by speaking to american troops during a re-enlistment ceremony in the south of the country . the 58-year-old , who was recently confirmed as the next director of the cia , told the 235 troops re-enlisting in kandahar province that they have achieved progress on the battlefield but that ` much work remains ' to be done in afghanistan . ` you raised your right hand and said : `` send me , '' and today you raised your right hand again and said : `` send me again , if needed , '' ' he told the soldiers on america 's 235th birthday . gen. petraeus addresses troops after saluting . the outgoing army boss administered the oath of re-affirmation and re-enlistment to 235 u.s. troops . ' i can not say how impressive your action is - it is the most meaningful display of patriotism possible . ' gen. petraeus will be replaced by u.s. marine lt. gen. john allen even as . 33,000 american troops begin to withdraw from afghanistan , to mark the . start of president barack obama 's promised withdrawal of all combat . troops by 2014 . later today , gen. petraeus is to speak at another re-enlistment ceremony at bagram air field , just north of kabul . meanwhile , nato said a service member was killed earlier today in a bomb attack in eastern afghanistan . a number of soldiers repeat the oath of re-affirmation and re-enlistment during a ceremony conducting by u.s. army general david petraeus . the ceremony was held at kandahar airfield in kandahar , afghanistan . the death brings the number of nato fatalities in afghanistan this year to 271 , three of them this month . yesterday . three u.s. senators visiting afghanistan criticised the pace of . withdrawal and expressed concerns that it may leave nato with too few . troops to deal a decisive blow to the insurgency . ' i believe that the planned draw-down is an unnecessary risk , ' john mccain , a republican from arizona , said . the 58-year-old is due to start his new role as head of the cia in september . the general smiles for a photo with u.s. army spc. don ellen . mr mccain , who lost out in the presidential race to mr obama in 2008 , arrived in afghanistan with senators joe lieberman and lindsay graham . also yesterday , five afghan police officers were killed in a four-hour gun battle between afghan security forces and nato troops , and insurgents in the bala buluk district of farah province in western afghanistan . | <t> more foreign fighters entering afghanistan from pakistan , general says . </t> <t> `` we 're facing a tougher threat , '' so more troops needed `` as quickly as possible '' </t> <t> u.s. gen. david mckiernan commands nato forces in afghanistan . </t> <t> mckiernan has sought three more brigades of u.s. troops than one promised . </t> | more troops needed quickly in afghanistan , general says<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at 51 years of age , polish prime minister donald tusk has come a long way . as part of the kashubian minority living in the gdansk region , he was born to working-class parents -- his father a carpenter and his mother a nurse . polish prime minister donald tusk was elected in november 2007 . as a student of history at the university of gdansk in the late 1970s , a period of growing discontent with the communist regime in poland , he became actively involved in the creation of the opposition students ' solidarity committee , founded in reaction to the murder of student activist stanislaw pyjas by the state security service . despite his anti-communist activities , he successfully finished his studies in 1980 and joined the independent solidarity trade union movement . when the communists imposed martial law in 1981 he continued with his underground activities , writing pamphlets about the ideas of liberal economist friedrich hayek and the concept of private property . his heroes became former u.s. president ronald reagan and british prime minister margaret thatcher . with the fall of communism in 1989 , the solidarity movement splintered . lech walesa , the former solidarity leader was elected president , while tusk went on to co-found the kld -lrb- liberal and democratic congress party -rrb- with other well-known figures . the party stood for among other things : free market economy , privatization , individual freedom of polish citizens and polish accession to the eu .<doc-sep>the following year , during the 1991 parliamentary elections , the kld won 37 seats in the lower house of the polish parliament . not being able to follow up on their success in the 1993 elections , the kld merged with the larger democratic union party -lrb- ud -rrb- to form a new party called freedom union -lrb- uw -rrb- . tusk soon became deputy chairman and in the 1997 elections , he was voted into the senate . in 2001 , tusk formed the civic platform party -lrb- po -rrb- , winning seats in that year 's parliamentary elections and becoming deputy speaker in parliament . but the civic platform was not able to sustain its success in the 2005 elections . tusk and his party lost both the presidential and parliamentary elections to lech kacczynski 's pis -lrb- law and justice party -rrb- . this setback was not to last as tusk triumphed over jaroslaw kaczynsky 's pis in the october 2007 elections and became prime minister of poland . tusk 's economic policies are pro-business : less bureaucratic hurdles and state interference making it easier for entrepreneurs to start businesses . he is also trying to woo back more than a million poles who left the country to work in other european union countries after it joined the eu in 2004 . tusk is a keen footballer , viewed in his youth as a promising striker . he is married to historian malgorzata and has two children , kasia and michal .<doc-sep>the issue has ignited a war of words . this week between david cameron and poland 's prime minister donald tusk , . after mr cameron suggested britain should cease the payments . and she defended the payment of child . benefit to poles in the uk whose children live abroad , saying they pay . tax and spend their money here . the issue has ignited a war of words . this week between david cameron and poland 's prime minister donald tusk , . after mr cameron suggested britain should cease the payments . at the same event priti patel , tory mp for witham , said : ` i think we should be absolutely clear , . we know we have got a skills deficit in this country , i mean this is the . elephant in room . priti patel described the country 's ` skills deficit ' ` immigration of the brightest and the best will always do well and prosper in this country . ' she said the education system in britain .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at 51 years of age , polish prime minister donald tusk has come a long way . as part of the kashubian minority living in the gdansk region , he was born to working-class parents -- his father a carpenter and his mother a nurse . polish prime minister donald tusk was elected in november 2007 . as a student of history at the university of gdansk in the late 1970s , a period of growing discontent with the communist regime in poland , he became actively involved in the creation of the opposition students ' solidarity committee . this was founded in reaction to the murder of student activist stanislaw pyjas by the state security service . despite his anti-communist activities , he successfully finished his studies in 1980 and joined the independent solidarity trade union movement .<doc-sep>the polish prime minister , donald tusk , called it a war against humanity itself . tusk also answered critics who felt his country and the world should now move on from world war ii . he warned that if anniversaries are not marked and ceremonies not planned , there may be nothing to shield us from the brutality of future wars . but still today the events of the last 70 years have left their mark and fueled some modern day controversies . send us your war stories . russian prime minister vladimir putin tried to appeal directly to the people of poland in an open letter . he reminded them that at least 27 million russians died in the conflict but also warned against equating the soviet union 's role in world war ii with the menace of hitler 's nazism .the polish prime minister , donald tusk , called it a war against humanity itself . tusk also answered critics who felt his country and the world should now move on from world war ii . he warned that if anniversaries are not marked and ceremonies not planned , there may be nothing to shield us from the brutality of future wars . but still today the events of the last 70 years have left their mark and fueled some modern day controversies . send us your war stories . russian prime minister vladimir putin tried to appeal directly to the people of poland in an open letter . he reminded them that at least 27 million russians died in the conflict but also warned against equating the soviet union 's role in world war ii with the menace of hitler 's nazism . | <t> involved in anti-communist activities as a student in gdansk . </t> <t> in 1989 tusk co-founded the kld -lrb- liberal and democratic congress party -rrb- . </t> <t> in 1997 he was voted into the polish senate . </t> <t> became prime minister of poland after 1997 parliamentary election . </t> | introducing poland 's prime minister : donald tusk<T> |
new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- in a column appearing in newsweek , world affairs expert and author fareed zakaria said he thinks it would be best for republican presidential hopeful john mccain if gov. sarah palin bowed out as his vice presidential running mate . `` for him to choose sarah palin to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible , '' says zakaria . zakaria says mccain did not put the country first in making his v.p. choice , and he says palin is not qualified to lead the united states . cnn spoke to him about his commentary titled , `` palin is ready ? please . '' cnn : what did you initially think when sarah palin was announced as the republican vice presidential nominee ? zakaria : i was a bit surprised -- as i think most people were . but i was willing to give her a chance . and i thought her speech at the convention was clever and funny . but once she began answering questions about economics and foreign policy , it became clear that she has simply never thought about these subjects before and is dangerously ignorant and unprepared for the job of vice president , let alone president . watch zakaria slam sarah palin '' cnn : you do n't think she is qualified ? zakaria : no . gov. palin has been given a set of talking points by campaign advisers , simple ideological mantras that she repeats and repeats as long as she can . but if forced off those rehearsed lines , what she has to say is often , quite frankly -- nonsense . just listen to her response to katie couric 's question about the bailout . it 's gibberish -- an emptying out of catchphrases about economics that have nothing to do with the question or the topic . it 's scary to think that this person could be running the country . here is their exchange : . katie couric : why is n't it better , gov. palin , to spend $ 700 billion helping middle-class families who are struggling with health care , housing , gas and groceries ; allow them to spend more and put more money into the economy instead of helping these big financial institutions that played a role in creating this mess ? gov. sarah palin : that 's why i say i , like every american i 'm speaking with , we 're ill about this position that we have been put in where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out . but ultimately , what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the health-care reform that is needed to help shore up our economy , helping the -- it 's got to be all about job creation , too , shoring up our economy and putting it back on the right track . so health-care reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions and tax relief for americans . and trade , we 've got to see trade as opportunity , not as a competitive , scary thing . but one in five jobs being created in the trade sector today , we 've got to look at that as more opportunity . all those things under the umbrella of job creation . this bailout is a part of that . cnn : but dan quayle was n't very qualified and that did n't seem to matter , did it ? zakaria : this is way beyond dan quayle . quayle was a lightweight who was prone to scramble his words , or say things that sounded weird , but you almost always knew what he meant . one of his most famous miscues was to the united negro college fund when he said , `` what a terrible thing to have lost one 's mind . or not to have a mind at all . '' now he was trying to play off a famous ad that the group used to run , `` a mind is a terrible thing to waste . '' and he screwed it up in a funny way . but read gov. palin 's answers and it does appear that she does n't have any understanding about the topic under discussion . cnn : but she has a lot of supporters . zakaria : look , i 'm not saying that she is not a feisty , charismatic politician who has done some good things in alaska . it is just we are talking about a person who should be ready to lead the united states at a moment 's notice . she has never spent a day thinking about any important national or international issue , and this is a hell of a time to start . cnn : does it make you concerned about sen. mccain as a president ? zakaria : yes , and i say this with sadness because i greatly admire john mccain , a man of intelligence , honor and enormous personal and political courage . however , for him to choose sara palin to be his running mate is fundamentally irresponsible . he did not put the country first with this decision . whether it is appropriate or not , considering sen. mccain 's age most people expected to have a vice presidential candidate who would be ready to step in at a moment 's notice . the actuarial odds of that happening are significant , something like a one-in-five chance .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. john mccain 's campaign has told minnesota gov. tim pawlenty he will not be the gop vice presidential nominee in november , sources told cnn on friday . minnesota gov. tim pawlenty suggested in a radio interview that he wo n't be sen. john mccain 's vp pick . pawlenty on friday also told wcco radio in minneapolis-st . paul that he will not be in dayton , ohio , where the presumptive republican presidential nominee is expected to unveil his choice of a running mate at a rally later friday . the mccain campaign said it 's hoping to have 15,000 people at the ohio event , roughly five times the size of his largest crowd to date . a republican source said mccain settled on his choice of a running mate at a meeting of his advisers wednesday . thursday night 's arrival of a private jet from alaska at the middleton , ohio , airport raised speculation that alaska gov. sarah palin would be mccain 's pick . middleton is 25 miles from dayton . rich bevis , an airport manager at the middleton airport , said that a woman , two men and two teenagers were onboard . watch conservative analyst bill bennett mull palin as a vp pick '' `` this is the most secretive flight we 've ever had , '' bevis said . in june , palin told cnn that she thought mccain should choose a governor as his running mate and that she would like to serve on a national level , `` but i do n't think it 's going to happen on this go-round though . '' watch palin say she wo n't be vp this time '' in an interview with a pennsylvania radio station that was taped wednesday and aired thursday , mccain said he had not settled on a nominee . the associated press reported that the interview with kdka radio had occurred thursday , which created confusion as to whether mccain had finalized his choice for vice president . watch who is on mccain 's shortlist '' asked whether either former pennsylvania gov. tom ridge or former massachusetts gov. mitt romney was his vp pick , mccain replied to kdka , `` i have n't decided yet , so i ca n't tell you . '' both men are expected to join mccain at a rally saturday in pennsylvania .<doc-sep>former vice president dick cheney has backed down from comments he made that sarah palin was not qualified to be a vice presidential candidate after he called her selection ` a mistake ' by john mccain in a tv interview . cheney said his comments were aimed at the basic process that mccain used rather than an attack on palin , the former alaska governor . his turn around came after a backlash to his comments on palin 's suitability for the role in an interview on abc news last week . palin a ` mistake ' : former vice president dick cheney told abc news that he sarah palin was a ` mistake ' to pick her as a vice presidential candidate but days later said his comments were not an attack on her . he said : ` ' i like governor palin . i 've met her . i know her . ` but based on her background , she 'd only . been governor for , what , two years ? i do n't think she passed that test of . being ready to take over and i think that was a mistake . ' cheney told fox news . on monday : ` my point basically dealt with the process in terms of that . basic requirement : is this person prepared to step in to be president of . the united states when they 're picked ? quick to respond : palin was quick to hit back saying cheney was listening to ' a false narrative over the last four years ' ` i was asked if i thought the mccain . process in ` 08 had been well done or was it a mistake , and i said i . thought it was a mistake . ' palin was quick to hit back , making reference to an incident when cheney accidentally shot his friend while quail hunting . she said : ` seeing as how dick , excuse me , vice president cheney , never misfires , then evidently he 's quite convinced that what he had evidently read about me by the lamestream media , having been written , what i believe is a false narrative over the last four years . ' mccain defended his decision to pick palin saying he was ` proud of sarah palin ' . to palin 's defence : senior senator john mccain -lrb- right -rrb- defended his decision to pick palin saying he was proud of her while even cheney 's daughter liz -lrb- left -rrb- posted her disagreement with his comments on her twitter account . daughter 's tweet : liz cheney came to palin 's defence , speaking out against her father 's comments . even cheney 's daughter also came to palin 's defence , posting on twitter : ` rarely do i disagree with best vp ever but @sarahpalinusa more qualified than obama and biden combined . huge respect 4 all she 's done 4 gop . ' during the interview , cheney was also quick to condemn president barack obama as a ` worse ' president than jimmy carter . he said : ' i obviously am not a big fan of president obama . i think he 's been one of our weakest presidents . ' i just fundamentally disagree with him philosophically . i 'd be hard put to find any democratic president that i 've disagreed with more . ' condemned obama too : during the abc news interview , cheney said barack obama was one of america 's ` weakest presidents '<doc-sep>oakland county gop chairman dennis cowan says republican intensity has increased since mccain 's pick of alaska gov. sarah palin to share the ticket , after some initial disappointment among the many supporters of michigan native mitt romney here . because of sen. hillary clinton 's support among blue-collar voters here , `` we did fear the obama-clinton ticket , '' cowan tells cnn . instead , in the gop view , `` he -lsb- obama -rsb- kind of made the safe choice for vp , and john mccain made a bold choice for vp , which has gotten everybody 's attention . '' vote : which state is the most important swing state ? among those impressed with the palin pick is ray gardella , who began his homebuilding business in the detroit suburbs 35 years ago . gardella was a mcgovern democrat in those days , but leans more republican now . he says mccain and palin `` are more in line with my values '' and says he is n't sold on obama 's talk of change .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president obama 's decision to follow through on plans to reduce the american troop level in iraq to 50,000 and shift away from combat missions is a sign that he believes america 's energy and resources can better be used elsewhere , says analyst fareed zakaria . obama said tuesday the u.s. is on track with the troop withdrawal and mission change to take effect at the end of this month . the president is proceeding while iraq 's key political forces remain deadlocked over the makeup of the government . `` i think he views it as fundamentally a place where we have to reduce our profile , reduce our impact , '' zakaria said , `` because ultimately this was an act of hubris that needs to be reined in . '' in zakaria 's view , the efforts the u.s. has put into overturning the saddam hussein regime and stabilizing iraq have not been worth the cost . `` in the long run , if iraq does stabilize and becomes a workable , even a flawed democracy , then i do think that perhaps that judgment will change in the long view of history . but right now , if one were being honest , one would have to say it was n't worth it . '' the author and host of cnn 's `` fareed zakaria gps '' spoke to cnn on wednesday . here is an edited transcript : . cnn : president obama says that he 's fulfilling a promise by drawing down forces from iraq to 50,000 by the end of this month . what 's the significance of that ? fareed zakaria : i think the greater significance than the troop numbers is that he said that american forces next month will stop doing combat missions . that is really a crucial change -- it 's the culmination of a process , it 's not abrupt -- but it really means the us military is out of the business of war fighting , of street fighting , the business of tackling militias and basically exists as a training force to help the iraqi military to stabilize the iraqi government . that gets the american military more into the role it has played in places like south korea and okinawa , than in the intense war-fighting , counter insurgency mold it 's been in in iraq . i do think it 's an important turning point . | <t> fareed zakaria says john mccain did not put country first with his choice . </t> <t> palin should bow out saying she wants `` to spend more time with her family , '' he says . </t> <t> zakaria : this is `` hell of a time '' for palin to start thinking about national , global issues . </t> | zakaria : mccain 's vp decision is ` fundamentally irresponsible '<T> |
new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a new york appeals court thursday overturned terrorism convictions for a yemeni cleric and his personal assistant , saying they did not receive a fair trial . sheik mohammed ali al-moayad and mohammed mohsen zayed , were sentenced in 2005 to 75 and 45 years in prison , respectively , after being convicted of conspiring to provide material support and resources to foreign terrorist organizations . they now can have new trials under a different judge . the lawyer for al-moayad , robert boyle , said , `` i 'm extremely gratified at the court 's decision . i believe it is legally and factually correct . i hope my client , who is elderly and not in good health , will be given the opportunity to return to his family in yemen . ''<doc-sep>the three-judge panel was unanimous in its decision , citing evidentiary errors that likely influenced the outcome of the trial . the judges found that certain pieces of evidence presented by prosecutors were prejudicial and had the effect of denying al-moayad and zayed a fair trial . zayed and al-moayad were arrested in 2003 in a sting operation that culminated in germany . the government 's case relied largely on secretly videotaped conversations between the defendants and a pair of undercover fbi informants at a frankfurt hotel in 2003 . one of the informants , mohamed alanssi , testified that al-moayad boasted about giving money , weapons and recruits to al qaeda leader osama bin laden . the charges were brought in the eastern district of new york because al-moayad allegedly collected terrorist funds at the al-farooq mosque in brooklyn .<doc-sep>now that the appeals court has vacated the convictions , prosecutors have the option of appealing to the u.s. supreme court if they feel there is a constitutional issue . they can retry the case or move to dismiss . al-moayad , who is in his 60s , is incarcerated at the supermax prison in florence , colorado , as is zayed . boyle said he had called the prison and as of 4 p.m. thursday was still waiting to speak to his client . cnn 's deborah feyerick contributed to this report .<doc-sep>al-ansi described the rescue operation as an ` execution order ' and that poorly equipped militants fended off heavily armed us forces for nearly three hours . initial al qaeda demands were never clear , but al-ansi said the terror group wanted to negotiate the release of detainees held at guantanamo bay . he also mentioned sheik omar abdel-rahman , known as the ` blind sheik ' , who is serving a life sentence in the united states on a terrorism conviction . ` they could have at least negotiated with us about some clauses or show sincerity , ' he added . best laid plans : navy seals made it to within 100 yards of mr somers and fellow captive pierre korkie but they were executed by their captors before the team could reach them . al-ansi also warned that al qaeda would continue to ` put the lives of all americans in danger inside and outside of america ... in the air , on the ground and in the sea . ' washington considers al qaeda in the arabian peninsula to be the most dangerous affiliate of the terror group founded by osama bin laden . the group has been linked to several sophisticated plots to attack the u.s. homeland that were either botched or foiled .<doc-sep>other cases , including alleged 9/11 mastermind khalid sheikh mohammed , and other so-called `` high-value detainees '' are still awaiting trial . yemeni native al-bahlul was convicted in november 2008 of conspiring with al-qaeda , soliciting murder , and providing material support for terrorism . he was accused of making videos for the terror organization . his conviction was overturned in january , and he remains in guantanamo custody . hamdan was also tried in 2008 , the first man convicted under the new tribunal system . later that year he was transferred to yemen to serve out the remainder of his sentence . he had admitted to being the driver of the now-deceased leader of al-qaeda , and was the subject of a 2010 documentary , `` the oath , '' chronicling his life and detention . he is no stranger to the federal courts . in a blow to executive authority , the supreme court in 2006 ruled the existing military commission system to originally detain and charge hamdan was not adequate , and the justices said congress needed to come up new constitutionally permissible rules .<doc-sep>the family of a former taliban fighter convicted of attempting to recruit two undercover police officers for jihad in afghanistan face losing their # 200,000 home under anti-terrorism laws . munir farooqi , 56 , was given four life sentences in september 2011 for running a ` recruitment centre ' for home-grown extremists to go to afghanistan to kill british troops . his family have now spoken of how it is ` sickening ' that they face being made homeless if farooqi loses his high court appeal next month against his conviction . munir farooqi 's family face being thrown out of their home in longsight , manchester , if the grandfather fails in his high court appeal against his conviction . the house in longsight , manchester , is home to three generations of the farooqi family , including two children , according to the independent . the crown prosecution service 's proceeds of crime unit served the family with a notice at the end of farooqi 's trial for soliciting to murder and disseminating terrorist literature . the notice informed the farooqis that they intended to seize the house under section 23a of the terrorism act . but the judge in the case ordered it could not go ahead until farooqi 's appeal against the terror conviction had been heard . the family 's supporters who oppose the seizure say they are being punished even though they have done nothing wrong . munir farooqi 's son harris , 29 , a market . trader who was cleared of terror charges at the 2011 trial , said eight . people lived at the home , owned by his sister and mother . he told the independent : ` how can they demonise a whole family ? it is sickening . ` you have to be insane deliberately to make a family go through such torture and to claim they are all terrorists . ' jailed : munir farooqi , 56 , attempted to recruit two undercover police officers for jihad . his family have now spoken of their ` torture ' as they face being made homeless .<doc-sep>these high-level talks are the latest in a series of collaborative efforts between u.s. and yemeni officials and forces . earlier this year , the united states approved $ 150 million to train and equip yemeni forces so they could fight al qaeda in the arabian peninsula . up to 50 u.s. special operations troops are now in the middle eastern country training yemen 's military personnel . in addition , yemeni and u.s. authorities have been sharing surveillance and other intelligence information culled from inside yemen , a senior u.s. defense official said . but yemen announced friday via its official news agency , saba , that the army had ended its latest campaign against aqap without finding any elements of the terror group . `` we found traces in the area of khawaw indicating that al qaeda elements were in this region three days ago , '' said mahdi abdul-salam , a commander of the military campaign , adding that the extremist organization is no longer in the al-kur mountain range in yemen 's southeast . many of al qaeda in the arabian peninsula 's members previously belonged to al qaeda in yemen . the national counterterrorism center says that group carried out suicide attacks on a yemeni oil facility in 2006 and mortar attacks two years later on the u.s. embassy in yemen 's capital , sanaa , yemeni military complexes , the italian embassy and the yemeni presidential compound . | <t> mohammed ali al-moayad , aide were convicted of supporting terrorism . </t> <t> court says prejudicial evidence denied pair a fair trial . </t> <t> al-moayad , zayed may be retried or cases may be dismissed . </t> <t> witness said al-moayad boasted about giving money to osama bin laden . </t> | yemeni sheik 's terror conviction thrown out<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- it used to be called `` the love that dare not speak its name '' -- particularly in hollywood , where the revelation of homosexuality was believed to be a career-killer . clay aiken recently announced he was gay on the cover of people magazine . now , out gays and lesbians are as casually visible as the cover of people magazine , which has recently run stories on ellen degeneres ' wedding to portia de rossi and clay aiken 's decision to discuss his sexuality . so , in a time when self-declared bisexual tila tequila can have a highly rated mtv show on looking for a partner of either sex , lindsay lohan talks about her relationship with dj samantha ronson and `` star trek 's '' george takei can have a very public wedding with his longtime partner , is coming out still a big deal ? publicist howard bragman , author of the forthcoming `` where 's my fifteen minutes '' -lrb- portfolio -rrb- , says that it is . `` every person that comes out is another barrier coming down , '' bragman , who is openly gay , told cnn.com . acceptance by the mainstream public , he observes , is easier but by no means automatic , particularly when issues such as gay marriage are at stake . `` i look at it as a long-term process . the revolution is over -- now it 's an evolution . '' watch `` american morning 's '' lola ogunnaike look at changing attitudes '' bragman was around when a performer revealing his or her homosexuality could still shock . he helped guide dick sargent when the `` bewitched '' star came out of the closet in 1989 , and remembers when it was difficult to get support for movies such as `` philadelphia , '' the 1993 film that won tom hanks an oscar as a lawyer dying of aids . now , he observes , there are gay actors -- `` how i met my mother 's '' neil patrick harris may be the most notable -- playing straight roles , something that would have been almost unthinkable even a few years ago , since studios have often been nervous casting known gay performers in straight roles . '' ` we 'll buy hanks as a gay man but not the opposite , ' '' bragman describes the industry thinking . indeed , there are now more gay characters in prime-time television than ever . shows such as `` ugly betty , '' `` the office '' and `` grey 's anatomy '' feature gay or bisexual characters , and this fall , five more will hit the airwaves , bringing the total to 16 , according to a study by the gay and lesbian alliance against defamation -lrb- glaad -rrb- . `` it 's certainly positive that there is such a dramatic increase , '' glaad 's president , neil giuliano , told cnn . `` number one , it reflects society , and the fact that we are more visible , and it also makes good television . portrayals are almost more honest and real . '' peter sprigg , vice president of policy for the conservative family research council , does n't agree . `` i 'm convinced that for the most part , these characters are placed on television for propaganda purposes , in order to persuade people to be more accepting of homosexual conduct , '' he told cnn . `` in that sense , the result for society is likely to be negative . '' but bryan batt , the gay actor who plays the closeted salvatore romano on the emmy-winning `` mad men , '' says that viewers are more accepting of gay characters today , though concerns linger . `` yes , i did think maybe this going to hurt me career-wise -lsb- to come out -rsb- , but i come from broadway and a lot of theater background . so , you know , no one really cares ... you do n't have to be straight to act straight . you do n't have to be gay to play gay , '' he told cnn . watch batt talk about the challenges of a gay actor '' but , he adds , `` there is , i think , a little bit of homophobia . i do believe that through education and seeing good , honest , positive gay role models , it will just educate . i think we are producing generations now of youth that do not judge people ; they do n't judge people on their race or their religion or their sexuality . '' april woodard , a correspondent for `` inside edition , '' told cnn headline news ' `` showbiz tonight '' that rejection may have been on aiken 's mind . the singer , a born-again christian , had long declined to talk about his sexuality , and with a strong middle american fan base , may have been afraid of a backlash . `` there are definitely going to be some people in the south where he lives that are n't going to agree with it , and some of the christians are not going to agree with his lifestyle and even having a child out of wedlock , '' she said . for his part , aiken -- who recently became the father to a newborn son -- told people that coming out `` was the first decision i made as a father . i can not raise a child to lie or hide things . ... i 've never intended to lie to anybody at all . the fans , if they leave , they leave . but if they leave , i do n't want them hating me . '' bragman believes aiken will be more successful than ever . `` i 'm sure , anecdotally , you 'll have people not buying the next aiken album because he 's gay , but it will be statistically insignificant . if you 're a fan , you 're a fan , '' he said . aiken and other gay celebrities have generally received support from their colleagues and the public . `` heroes '' star kristen bell , who is straight , told cnn that '' -lsb- aiken -rsb- should n't really have to acknowledge it . '' `` what surprises and saddens me is that it still is big news , '' she said . but bragman observes that the decision to come out remains intensely personal . `` it 's not a career move -- it 's a personal move , '' he said . '' -lsb- it 's saying , -rsb- ' i need to do this for me . ' '' there are still many performers and industry notables , he says , who threaten to sue if their sexuality is revealed . others live gay social lives but do n't talk about their sexuality -- the so-called `` glass closet . '' and , as bragman notes , gay stars are generally from the second tier : `` there are still no a-list movie stars out of the closet , there are still no superstar athletes , '' he said . `` it 's great to see how far we 've come , '' he said . '' -lsb- and -rsb- we all long for the day when it 's a nonstory . but we 're not there yet . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- international cricketer steven davies has received the support of his england colleagues and team bosses after becoming the sport 's first active professional player to announce that he is gay . davies , a wicketkeeper-batsman with the county surrey who has played in 13 limited-overs internationals for england , made his revelations in a newspaper interview with the daily telegraph published on monday . `` i feel now is the right time to be open about my sexuality . those close to me have known for a while and have been nothing but supportive and understanding , '' he told the england wales and cricket board website . `` i 'd like to thank surrey and the ecb , as well as the england players and coaching staff . they have all offered me their full backing from the moment i told them . `` my focus now is to play the best cricket i can for surrey and get back into the england side . i am still the same person and i want to be remembered as a good cricketer , not a gay cricketer . '' the 24-year-old was not selected for the world cup being played in india , sri lanka and bangladesh , but told coach andy flower about his sexuality before the tournament started this month . `` this is something steve chose to discuss with myself and the squad some time ago . i would like to make it very clear that steve is first and foremost a very talented cricketer and a valued member of the england set-up , '' flower said on the ecb website , which also featured a statement from its managing director hugh morris . flower added : `` his private life is his own concern and has absolutely no bearing on his ability to excel at the very highest level in international sport and i have no doubt that he will continue to work hard to regain a place in the england squad . `` steve has had and will continue to have the full respect and support of the entire squad and everyone involved in england cricket . '' it is rare for sportspeople to make revelations about their sexuality while still playing , and the closest precedent in cricket was alan hansford , a player with english county sussex who admitted he was gay after retiring in 1992 . davies told the daily telegraph that he had been inspired by the example of welsh rugby star gareth thomas , who revealed his homosexuality two years ago . `` it just showed me it can be done . he was brave enough to stand up and say who he was , '' davies said . `` it was a very courageous thing to do , so if i can help anyone else like he helped me , then that would be great . '' former england international vikram solanki , now chairman of his country 's professional cricketers ' association , said davies ' sexuality was no secret within the cricket community . `` many of those he plays with and against have known about this for some time , and none of them regard it as anything other than an entirely personal matter , '' solanki said . davies also received the backing of openly gay british actor , writer and television presenter stephen fry . `` brave , charming , modest and inspiring . no big deal yet of course a huge deal . top man steven davies , '' fry wrote on social networking website twitter . meanwhile , the west indies thrashed the netherlands by 215 runs at the 2011 world cup in new delhi on monday . the two-time champions bounced back from last week 's defeat by south africa to get off the mark in group b , posting a total of 330-8 in 50 overs as chris gayle top-scored with 80 and kieron pollard smashed 60 off only 27 balls faced . pollard scored the third quickest half-century in the tournament 's history . teammate kemar roach then became only the sixth bowler to take a hat-trick at a world cup when he polished off the dutch line-up with three successive wickets to end with figures of 6-27 in an innings of just 115 . it was a disappointing day for the beaten team , who last week scored 292 before losing against england .<doc-sep>she will probably always be known as the half-naked cavorting star of robin thicke 's steamy blurred lines video . but as she takes on a role in gone girl , one of the year 's most hotly anticipated movies alongside industry heavyweights ben affleck and rosamind pike , emily ratajkowski is trying to make a new name for herself - as a hollywood actress . the american model , who saw her star rocket since being cast in the video for the controversial song featuring t.i. and pharrell last year , stars in gone girl - an adaptation of the 2012 novel by gillian flynn with a storyline that follows a husband -lrb- ben affleck -rrb- who is suspected of being involved in the disappearance of his wife . scroll down for video . from model to hollywood actress : emily ratajkowski has taken on a role in gone girl , one of the year 's most hotly anticipated movies , alongside industry heavyweights ben affleck and rosamind pike . it was hollywood star affleck who suggested emily for the role of andie , a student who finds herself caught up in the investigation . ` it was amazing -lsb- working with affleck -rsb- , ' emily told stylist magazine . ` he has so much patience for young people and it was a really good acting lesson for me . ' the 23-year-old , who we are more accustomed to seeing undressed than dressed , says that her mother taught her that sexuality is a ` beautiful thing ' and not to apologise for it . remember this ? emily shot to fame as the half-naked cavorting star of robin thicke 's steamy blurred lines video last summer . life lessons : the model says that her mother taught her that sexuality is a ` beautiful thing ' and not to apologise for it . her father , meanwhile , text her after her first ever nude shoot saying : `` i just saw the photos and you 're as beautiful a model as you were as a five-year-old '' . ' and it seems that the model 's parental support system has instilled great confidence in her . in the november issue of cosmopolitan , which sees her pose on the cover , she claimed she can wear what she wants , sleep with whom she wants , and dance how she wants , while ` still being a feminist . ' the 5ft 7in star has also recently been seen filming we are your friends in los angeles alongside zac efron . the drama centres around a dj trying to make the big time with his first hit track . finding fame : emily ratajkowski and missi pyle at the gone girl film premiere at the new york film festival last week .<doc-sep>in `` the hunger games , '' wealthy capitol citizens of all races and ethnicities come together to watch the 74th annual bloodbath of the same name . it seems some present-day moviegoers , however , are a bit less `` post-racial . '' earlier this week , some `` hunger games '' fans tweeted their discontent because the characters of cinna , thresh and rue are played by black actors in the big screen adaptation . this , despite the fact that both thresh -lrb- dayo okeniyi -rrb- and rue -lrb- amandla stenberg -rrb- are described as having `` dark skin '' in suzanne collins ' novel , while cinna -lrb- lenny kravitz -rrb- is simply described as having short brown hair . whether fans ' remarks -- such as , `` awkward moment when rue is some black girl and not the little innocent blonde girl you picture '' -- stem from poor reading comprehension or intolerance , they 're indicative of a larger issue in hollywood , said harry m. benshoff , an associate professor of radio , tv and film at the university of north texas who co-wrote `` america on film : representing race , class , gender and sexuality at the movies . '' `` hollywood has never been on the forefront of the civil rights movement , '' said benshoff , who has n't read or watched `` the hunger games . '' despite certain character descriptions being spelled out in the book , benshoff said , people typically project themselves onto a character in order to empathize with that person .<doc-sep>australian . olympic swimming legend ian thorpe is set to reveal that he is gay in . an interview with sir michael parkinson after years of denials and . speculation about his sexuality . the sunday telegraph . reports that thorpe , who retired from professional swimming in 2012 , . will make the full admission during a sit-down , tell-all interview with . the british tv personality set to air sunday night on australia 's ten . network . in . the lead-up to the highly anticipated interview , a teaser released by . the network showed thorpe being posed the question that has plagued him . his entire career - is he , or is n't he , gay ? scroll down for video . ` are you gay ? ' no question was off-limits for british journalist michael parkinson when he sat down with former olympic swimmer ian thorpe for an interview that went to air sunday night . thorpie 's revealing interview has been overshadowed by reports of a lucrative deal . in the 25-second clip , parkinson said to thorpe : ` you 've always said that you 're not gay ... is all of that true ? ' the . scene then cuts to an uncomfortable looking thorpe , 31 , who appears to . be nervously finding his words , before confirming his sexuality . parkinson , . 79 , said : ' i think his sexuality is no one 's business but his own . but i . think it is one of the best interviews i have ever done . ' the revelation sent twitter into a frenzy with mostly tweets of support for the gold-medallist . ` ian . thorpe we 're proud of you regardless of sexuality , achievements , medals . or anything else ... you 're an aussie who we 'll love & stand by , ' @ 2dayfmbreakfast wrote . ` big . love to @ianthorpe ! ' tweeted @gaytimesmag , while lady catherine . @kadylio wrote : ' i can only hope thorpe 's revelations help millions of . teens struggling inside themselves to find the courage to be them . snaps . | <t> stars such as clay aiken admitting they 're gay not shocking anymore . </t> <t> gay characters more prominent on tv than ever . </t> <t> still , challenges remain : privacy , industry concerned about earning power . </t> | in hollywood , sexuality is less secret , still can be big deal<T> |
-lrb- mental floss -rrb- -- over the centuries , people have had some very good reasons to dress up like a member of the opposite sex . after record-setting olympics athlete stella walsh died in 1980 , it was revealed that she had indeed been a man . and i 'm not talking about people who live this way out of personal preference , or those who dress up for theater and entertainment . here are just five examples . 1 . cross-dressing to join the army . until recently , women have rarely been allowed to serve as soldiers . so what was a gal to do if she wanted to serve her country ? naturally , disguise herself as a man and join the troops . at least 400 civil war soldiers were women in drag . these included union army soldier `` frank thompson '' -lrb- also known as sarah edmonds -rrb- , whose small frame and feminine mannerisms -lrb- rather than causing suspicion -rrb- made her an ideal spy , as she could spy on the confederates disguised as ... a woman ! she was n't the first woman to don a male disguise and join the army , though . during the revolutionary war , women fought as men on both sides . hannah snell , for example , joined the british army to find her husband , who had walked out on her to enlist . once her true sex was discovered -lrb- thanks to a pesky groin injury -rrb- , she became a national celebrity in britain , and made a post-war career of performing in bars as the `` female warrior . '' mental floss : the confederacy 's plan to conquer latin america .<doc-sep>2 . cross-dressing to keep a royal family together . with all the power play that went on in the court , the french royal family would go to great lengths to avoid sibling rivalry . in one of the more extreme cases , philippe i , duke of orleans -lrb- 1640-1701 -rrb- , was raised as a girl to discourage him from any political or military aspirations . this would make things easier for his brother , the future king louis xiv . philippe wore dresses and make-up , enjoyed traditionally feminine pursuits , and was even encouraged towards homosexuality . a girly man he might have been , but he married twice and even had a mistress . when necessary , he could even lead an army into battle . -lrb- this is the nation , after all , that gave us that famous cross-dresser joan of arc . -rrb- . a brave commander , he would go into battle wearing high heels , plenty of jewelry and a long , perfumed wig . one of his wives claimed that philippe 's biggest fear when going into battle was not bullets , but the possibility of looking a mess . he avoided gunpowder -lrb- with the black smoke stains -rrb- and did n't wear a hat , to avoid ruining his hair . mental floss : 11 weird & wonderful wedding rings . 3 . cross-dressing to win olympic glory . dressing in drag has been part of the olympics -lrb- on and off -rrb- since ancient times , when women were banned from the bulk of the games . the greek historian pausanias of damascus said that if a spectator was uncovered as a woman in male disguise , she was duly escorted off the premises ... and thrown off a cliff .<doc-sep>in later games , the athletes started performing naked , and the crowd was also ordered to disrobe . it has been suggested that this was to ensure that they were all men . in the modern olympics , there has been less disrobing -- and not much cross-dressing , either . gender tests have been normal procedure since 1966 -lrb- for athletes , not spectators -rrb- , so they could n't really get away with it . before that time , one of the strangest -- and most controversial -- cases was polish sprinter stanislawa walasiewicz -lrb- aka stella walsh -rrb- , who set 11 world records in her career , winning the 100-meter olympic finals in 1932 with what one official described as `` long man-like strides . '' after she died in 1980 , however , it was revealed that she had indeed been a man . so had he deliberately set out to fool everyone all that time ? perhaps not . walasiewicz had a condition known as `` mosaicism , '' which gave her male chromosomes . did they give her an unfair advantage ? it is difficult to say . however , if she tried out for the olympics today , she would not be allowed to compete as a woman . mental floss : 13 medal-worthy olympic stories . 4 . cross-dressing to commit espionage . there have been many instances of cross-dressing spies -lrb- including sarah edmonds , mentioned above -rrb- , but one of the most impressive deceptions in history was carried out by shi pei-pu , a singer with the beijing opera -lrb- in which , traditionally , all roles are played by men -rrb- . in 1964 he disguised himself as a woman to seduce bernard boursicot , an attache in the french foreign service . their affair lasted 20 years -lrb- on and off -rrb- , during which boursicot passed several official documents to shi , believing that `` her '' safety was at risk if he did n't participate . after they were separated in 1965 , shi came back into boursicot 's life by claiming to be pregnant , and even revealed a baby boy . they later lived as a family . the happy couple was eventually arrested for espionage in 1983 , and shi 's secret was revealed , crying game style , to the stunned boursicot . but how did they have this romance for so long without bousicot knowing the truth ? officially , they rarely made love , and always did it hurriedly and in darkness -- something that boursicot always ascribed to shi 's demure chinese upbringing . one theory , however , is that he always knew the truth , but played dumb to conceal his homosexuality . -lrb- he later came out . -rrb- .<doc-sep>the affair was the basis for the play `` m. butterfly . '' it was filmed in 1993 , starring jeremy irons and former beijing opera player john lone -lrb- better known for the title role in the film `` the last emperor '' -rrb- . 5 . cross-dressing to get rowdy . hindu women in india have traditionally lived inhibited lives , tending the home for their families . but on one night each year , in the city of jodhpur , they come to life at the so-called `` festival of fun . '' dressed as noblemen , complete with turbans and large fake mustaches , they walk the streets in gangs , brandishing sticks , beating any males who are foolish enough to be out there . the festival celebrates an ancient domestic dispute between the hindu god shiva and his wife ganwar . while the women sing devotional songs asking the goddess to return to her husband , they also take this as their only opportunity to do what they long to do all year : behave like men . their husbands , respecting the tradition , let them go wild . it sounds like fun -lrb- as long as you 're not a clueless male who forgot to stay at home that night -rrb- , but one thing concerns me : if a woman 's disguise is especially good , does she risk being mistaken for a man and beaten up by her friends ? for more mental_floss articles , visit mentalfloss.com . entire contents of this article copyright , mental floss llc . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>as i put the top on , i looked more like i was heading to a tennis court . than a swimming pool . the top is way too long and loose . score : 2/5 . magisculpt swim dress , # 49 , marisota.co.uk . ladies , throw away your sarongs . in this flirty swim dress , everything 's covered . you wo n't get much of a tan wearing it but if you 're going to a beach wedding or party , you wo n't need to change when you fancy a dip ! not for serious lane swimming but for posing poolside , it 's a winner . score : 4.5 / 5 . sea by melissa odabash swim dress , # 45 , simplybe.co.uk . a little black dress for the beach . how . glam . you could wear this from beach to bar and vice versa . the skirt . hides the tops of the thighs and the gold detail on the halterneck adds a . little dazzle without looking too towie . it lacks a little in boob . support and waist definition but it 's very comfortable . score : 3.5 / 5 . freya halter neck top & matching skirted brief both , # 32 , leialingerie.com . if you thought your bikini days were . over , think again . this blue skirtini with mini polka dots hides the . mummy tummy perfectly . the underwired bra top , in bra sizes up to an h . cup , is flattering and feminine as well as comfortable . i love the . colour and the frills . it makes me feel years younger . score : 5/5 .<doc-sep>jacket # 25 , dress # 13 , earrings # 1.50 . dress # 20 , earrings # 1.50 . shirt # 10 , skirt # 8 , shoe # 14 , ring # 2.50 . dress # 15 , shoe # 12 , bandeau top # 3 , brief # 5 . top # 6 march , skirt # 12 , bag # 6 , shoe # 13 , hat # 1.50 . dress # 20 , shoes # 12 , sunglasses # 3 . dress # 15 , shoe # 12 , earrings # 2 . dress # 20 , shoes # 18 , sunglasses # 3 .<doc-sep>hiding away : the dress , made by fiona 's friend carol knotts , has been hidden away in a cupboard until now . historical : dressmaker carol says the dress is a little piece of tennis history and she hopes someone might find it an interesting novelty item to buy . the lot will be auctioned on july 5 - wimbledon ladies ' finals day next month - and is valued at between # 1,000 and # 2,000 . fieldings ' director nick davies said : ' a generation of people will remember this poster so it 's a good time to put it up for auction . this is the most famous tennis dress of all time , yet it has never graced centre court . ` it 's an unknown quantity in terms of value but we are sure will create plenty of interest . ' under the hammer : the lot will be auctioned on july 5 - wimbledon ladies ' finals day next month - and is valued at between # 1,000 and # 2,000 .<doc-sep>3 dec - studded bowling bag or floral handbag , # 10 . 4 dec - burgundy jumper with embellished collar , # 9 . 5 dec - paisley print dress , # 8 . 6 dec - sequin pencil skirt , # 7 . 7 dec - peplum top , # 6 . 8 dec - floral handbag , # 5 . 9 dec - winter fur accessory set , # 4 . 10 dec - festive christmas jumper , # 3 . 11 dec - pair of kitten heels , # 2 . 12 dec - leatherette bodycon dress , # 1 . | <t> cross-dressers have : spied , joined armies , won olympic medals , been royalty . </t> <t> at least 400 u.s. civil war soldiers were women in drag . </t> <t> spy disguised himself as woman to seduce attache in french foreign service . </t> <t> hindu women in jodhpur , india , `` go wild , '' dressing as men once each year . </t> | history 's top 5 reasons to cross-dress<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the recent snowstorm in china , which has stranded hundreds of thousands of people across the country and killed dozens , is related to the la nina phenomenon , according to a chinese weather expert . suzhou , china , is blanketed by the most snow the city has had in 25 years , according to i-reporter susan arthur . la nina is the opposite of el nino , which follows el nino and occurs every few years . during la nina , sea temperatures over eastern equatorial pacific are lower than normal . la nina enhances arctic weather systems and causes a cold winter in asia , including in china . as warm and moisture air from the south meets cold air in the north under freezing temperatures , snow forms .<doc-sep>`` the warm air is very active this year , '' said li weijing , deputy director-general of the national climate center of china . as a result , persistent snowstorms occur in central and western china , paralyzing the transport and electricity systems . the current storm , which hit just ahead of the lunar new year holiday -- china 's busiest shopping season -- has shut much of the nation down . china 's transportation system and power grid have been paralyzed this week . the storm also has cost the nation 's economy $ 4.5 billion , according to figures released wednesday by the civil affairs ministry . watch how nanjing is coping with the unusual weather '' the winter precipitation had caused at least 49 deaths due to collapsed roofs and treacherous travel conditions , the ministry of civil affairs and local officials said .<doc-sep>more than 177 million chinese were expected to travel by train , and 22 million more by plane , for the february 7 chinese lunar new year , also known as the spring festival . china uses a color system for its snowstorm warning : . the current once-in-50-years snowstorm calls for the red warning , the first time such a warning has been issued since the system launches . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's clarence fong contributed to this report . copyright 2008 cnn . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed . associated press contributed to this report .<doc-sep>by . nina golgowski . published : . 22:07 est , 21 march 2013 . | . updated : . 22:09 est , 21 march 2013 . more than 100 people were injured and countless more trapped for hours on one of canada 's highways as a blizzard swept across the canadian plains on thursday afternoon causing multiple-vehicle collisions .<doc-sep>agricultural losses in texas have reached $ 5 billion in the past year , brown said . wildfires in 2011 have destroyed at least 3.5 million acres in the state . he also pointed out there are more than 600 separate water systems facing mandatory restrictions . parts of arizona , kansas , arkansas and louisiana are also experiencing drought conditions . noaa expects la nina , which returned in august , to gradually strengthen and continue from december through february 2012 . la nina is associated with cooler than normal water temperatures in the tropical pacific ocean , which influences weather throughout the world . it 's the opposite of el nino in which warmer ocean temperatures are seen in the same region . `` the evolving la nina will shape this winter . la nina is not going anywhere , '' said mike halpert , deputy director of noaa 's climate prediction center . `` there is a wild card , though . the erratic arctic oscillation can generate strong shifts in the climate patterns that could overwhelm or amplify la nina 's typical impacts . '' officials said the phenomenon could produce dramatic short-term swings in temperatures .<doc-sep>its opposite effect , el nino , is usually marked by wetter weather over south america . currently , argentina is in the grip of drought . la nina occurs at intervals between a few years and a decade and generally lasts for a year or two . to what extent global warming has contributed to the intensity of the weather pattern is still not known , with records of the event only stretching back 60 years . nevertheless , the bureau has said the pattern is similar in intensity to la nina flooding in 1939 and 1950 .<doc-sep>by . ted thornhill . last updated at 6:40 pm on 29th november 2011 . this year is set to be the 10th warmest on record , say meteorologists . climate researchers in the uk said that temperatures in 2011 were nearing the top of records dating back to 1850 . this despite a ` strong and persistent ' la nina weather system in the pacific - an effect which should lead to lower temperatures across the world . the world meteorological organisation -lrb- wmo -rrb- released the figures based on three sets of independent data , including a joint one from the university of east anglia -lrb- uae -rrb- - currently mired in controversy - and the met office , at a climate change conference in durban this week . however , only last week researchers at uae were criticised for colluding with politicians to ` massage ' evidence of man-made climate change after 5,000 emails were leaked online . scroll down for video . heat is on : the world meteorological organisation 's graph showing how global temperatures have risen since 1850 . deputy secretary general of the world meteorological organisation -lrb- wmo -rrb- jerry lengoasa speaks at the un climate change conference in durban today - an event attended by 200 nations . a nasa thermal satellite image showing the world 's arctic surface temperature trends during autumn between 1981 and 2008 . ice coverage in the polar regions has been declining rapidly in recent years . ` it 's part of a natural climate oscillation in the tropical pacific , ' says adam scaife , senior climate scientist at the met office . ` it oscillates between the warm el nino phase -- el nino is spanish for `` the boy '' -- and the cold la nina phase . ` la nina is the cold `` little sister '' phase . it 's a purely natural event that occurs every few years as part of this natural oscillation . ` during la nina , the rainfall that normally falls over the pacific , shifts west over indonesia and the northern and eastern parts of australia . ` la nina effects weather patterns throughout the globe , but the further away from la nina you are , the more difficult it is to pinpoint the effects . ' the wmo released the figures as 200 nations meet in durban , south . africa , for the latest un talks on agreeing a deal to tackle climate . change . the organisation , whose data also includes figures from the u.s. , put the global . average temperature at 0.41 c above the 1961 to 1990 average of 14c , . making it the 10th warmest on record . according to the wmo , the 13 warmest years on record have all occurred in the 15 years between 1997 and 2011 . the met office/uae also suggested a long-term warming trend in the global climate . their data shows the average global . temperature for january to october 2011 was 14.36 c , 0.36 c above the 1961 . to 1990 long-term average of 14c . the wmo 's final figure is an average of the three sets of data . according to their researchers , each decade since the 1950s has been warmer than the . previous decade , and last year was one of the warmest on record . peter stott , head of climate . monitoring and attribution at the met office , said : ` this year we have . seen a very persistent and strong la nina , which brings cooler water to . the surface of the pacific ocean . ` this has a global impact on weather . and temperatures , and is one of the key reasons why this year does not . figure as highly as 2010 in the rankings . ` however , global temperature so far . this year is likely higher than it was in the la nina events in 2008 and . 1999 to 2000 - indicating a continuing warming trend combined with . natural variability . ' hot air ? a delegate walks past television screens that form part of exhibits at the climate conference in durban , south africa . professor phil jones , director of the . climatic research unit at uea , said that natural variations from year to . year meant that every year would not be warmer than the last . but he said : ` independent researchers . analysing long-term trends of these indicators have seen an increase in . | <t> `` the warm air is very active this year '' , said li . </t> <t> current snowstorm calls for the first-ever , most severe red warning . </t> <t> hundreds of thousands of people have been stranded , dozens killed . </t> | la nina blamed for china blizzard<T> |
jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- israeli foreign minister tzipi livni declared victory thursday in an election to lead the ruling kadima party , putting her on a path that could make her israel 's first female prime minister in 34 years . kadima candidate foreign minister tzipi livni is the chief israeli negotiator with the palestinian authority . livni won with 43.1 percent of the vote , claiming a 431-vote margin of victory over transportation minister shaul mofaz , the kadima party said . mofaz announced thursday he will take a `` time out '' from politics and will resign his seat in the israeli parliament , the knesset . but he indicated he does not intend his departure from front-line politics to be permanent . livni 's election marks a stunning rise for the 50-year-old , who entered the knesset less than 10 years ago . `` it 's a leap of faith for the people , '' analyst avi shavit said . `` they decided to trust a candidate they do n't know much about . '' she may owe her victory over mofaz , a former general , to her reputation for clean hands in a party losing its leader to allegations of graft . `` kadima members are more concerned about the corruption threat inside israel than the security threat from hamas and iran , '' israeli columnist gil hoffman said . as new leader of the ruling party , livni will try to form a coalition government and become prime minister after the departure of prime minister ehud olmert , who has been dogged by allegations of corruption .<doc-sep>olmert plans to inform the cabinet on sunday that he will resign , said mark regev , his spokesman . he has congratulated livni and pledged to help make a smooth transition , according to regev . livni told reporters thursday that she intends `` to bring together kadima factions and to go on this new path together . '' watch livni at the ballot box '' her slim margin of victory stood in contrast to exit polls that had shown her with a commanding lead over mofaz and other rivals . mofaz telephoned livni to congratulate her on the victory , according to israel radio . livni said she hoped to ensure stability in israel 's government . `` we need to face complicated threats . we need to face security threats . we need to move forward , and there is economic instability , '' she said . livni has about 42 days to form a coalition government . if she fails , there could be early elections that could see another party leader elected as olmert 's successor to the prime minister post . there are many possible scenarios that could take place in the following months . ehud barak -- leader of the labor party , which holds the most parliamentary seats among kadima 's coalition partners -- could pull out of the coalition . that could force early elections , or force the government to take on new coalition partners who could restrict livni 's ability to negotiate with the palestinians . if elections are called , barak , a former prime minister , could vie for the top spot -- but polls show he may not have enough support .<doc-sep>some observers think that former prime minister benjamin netanyahu , head of the opposition likud party , could steal the show in the end . whoever succeeds olmert as prime minister will be handed a set of daunting challenges , including determining the fate of israel 's talks with the palestinians , its fledgling indirect talks with syria and its tough talk on iran 's nuclear aspirations . livni , who is more widely known outside israel than her main challenger , is the chief israeli negotiator with the palestinian authority as the two sides work toward a peace deal . she refuses to be tied to the bush administration 's vision of a peace deal by the end of this year . `` we want to reach an agreement which at the end of the agreement we can find the words ` end of conflict , ' '' she said . `` and in doing so , it takes time . '' to her supporters , she is squeaky-clean and a welcome change to olmert , whose resignation comes amid mounting corruption charges . `` she 's very honest , very sincere and i hope she 's going to do whatever she says , '' one of her supporters said . `` we have to give her a chance and i 'm willing to do it . '' cnn 's paula hancocks and michal zippori contributed to this report .<doc-sep>new elections will probably be held on march 17 , the speaker of israel 's parliament said wednesday , a day after the prime minister sacked two senior members of his coalition cabinet for criticizing government policy . prime minister benjamin netanyahu also called for parliament to be dissolved , a step that the knesset is now considering . lawmakers voted unanimously to dissolve parliament in a preliminary vote wednesday , according to the official knesset website . a knesset committee will now prepare a bill for further votes by lawmakers early next week . speaker yuli edelstein said the party heads had agreed on march 17 as the proposed election date . the upheaval was triggered when netanyahu ordered letters of dismissal for finance minister yair lapid and justice minister tzipi livni , two members of his cabinet from rival parties , according to a statement from his office tuesday . `` during the last few weeks and , in particular , the last few days , the ministers have intensely attacked the government that i am leading , '' netanyahu said . '' ... i will not tolerate ministers attacking the government 's policy and its head from inside the government . '' the call for new elections means israel is effectively in a state of political paralysis until march . israel held its last election just 22 months ago . a poll for israel 's channel 2 suggested that 55 % of those surveyed were against another election being held so soon . polls give mixed picture . netanyahu will hope that the vote enables him to form a government he can work with , including right-wing and religious parties , but there is no guarantee that he will be able to form the coalition he wants . netanyahu has been prime minister since 2009 . but he 's had to rely on members of other parties -- many of them to the left of likud on the political spectrum , such as the centrist parties of livni and lapid -- to govern . netanyahu is also calculating that he can win a fourth term in office . opinion polls give a mixed picture , indicating that many people blame him for the current crisis but that at the same time , if elections were held today , his right-wing likud party would increase its share of seats in the 120-seat knesset . however , people feel there is a range of problems that are not being dealt with , such as a faltering economy , recent attacks against israelis in jerusalem and this summer 's inconclusive war against hamas militants in gaza . netanyahu blasts ` putsch ' netanyahu told reporters tuesday that a divided government was one of israel 's problems , saying there was a lot of debate , contradictions and ultimatums . he called out livni for meeting with palestinian authority president mahmoud abbas against his advice and for criticizing building in jerusalem , which some say has exacerbated tensions with arabs there . and netanyahu lambasted lapid for calling israel 's boycott of iranian president hassan rouhani 's u.n. speech a mistake and challenging his push to label israel a jewish state , which some fear will alienate the country 's significant arab population . he also accused the ministers of being behind talks `` to kick out the prime minister . '' `` in one word , they call this a putsch , '' netanyahu said . `` you can not have a government like this . it 's impossible to govern like this . '' ` narrow political interests ' in a facebook post tuesday , livni said , `` the question in the election will not be who was the first to identify the threats and use them for political means , but who will deal with the threats in a responsible , level headed manner for the good of the country . '' lapid 's centrist yesh atid party also fired back in a statement , in which it said lapid told netanyahu by phone that he expected the prime minister `` to act responsibly and to stop dragging the -lrb- israeli military -rrb- and our soldiers into an election for your political needs . '' yesh atid said that `` unnecessary elections ... will harm the economy and israeli society , all for narrow political interests and a surrender to the ultra-orthodox parties , the powerful central committee of the likud and outside lobby groups . ''<doc-sep>jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- israel 's two largest parties each claimed a mandate early wednesday after exit polls showed a surprise first-place finish by the ruling kadima party and dramatic gains by its conservative rivals . kadima 's tzipi livni won more support than was predicted in the israeli elections . foreign minister tzipi livni 's failure to assemble a ruling coalition for kadima last year triggered tuesday 's elections . but she told supporters after the vote that the narrow edge kadima appears to have held over the conservative likud shows her party is `` the common denominator of israeli society . '' livni called on likud leader benjamin netanyahu `` to respect the choice of israel 's citizens ... and to join a unity government , led by us , that will be based on the large parties in israel , left and right . '' but netanyahu said the showing by likud -- which appears to have more than doubled the number of seats it holds in the knesset -- israel 's parliament -- show voters have rejected kadima 's leadership , and he said conservative parties could form a majority when the results are in . `` with god 's help , i shall head the coming government , '' he said . `` i am sure that i can manage to put together a good , broad-based and stable government that will be able to deal with the security crisis and the economic crisis . '' `` it 's a typical israeli election in that you might have two winners , '' israeli political analyst chemi shalev told cnn . `` the clear-cut winner , in the sense that she did much better than any expectations , is tzipi livni and kadima . but we have to judge elections by the bottom line , and if it turns out that ... benjamin netanyahu will be the the prime minister , he will be judged to have been the winner . '' cnn correspondent ben wedeman and israeli political analysts warned that exit polls had been wrong in past elections . the campaign was dominated by the recent war with palestinian militants in gaza , which was popular within israel despite widespread international condemnation . netanyahu was a harsh critic of kadima founder ariel sharon 's 2005 withdrawal of israeli troops and settlers from gaza , and his supporters say he has been proven right . unofficial results gave kadima a narrow lead over likud , with the right-wing yisrael beiteinu in third place and labor -- israel 's founding party and kadima 's current coalition partner -- in fourth . according to israeli media , with all precincts reporting , kadima was on track to win 28 seats in the 120-member knesset , the same as it currently holds . likud was forecast to win 27 -- a dramatic jump from its current 12 . yisrael beiteinu was on track to win 15 seats , up from 11 currently , while labor appeared to have slid from 18 seats to 13 . a fourth-place finish would be an unprecedentedly weak showing for labor , now led by defense minister and former prime minister ehud barak .<doc-sep>his likud party , for instance , won more seats than any other party in the january 2013 election , but still fell well short of the 60 needed to have a majority in the knesset . he ended up bringing on other parties into his government . the first to join was `` the movement , '' a centrist party led by livni , a former opposition leader and foreign minister . yapid -- a charismatic journalist-turned-politician -- became another key player , after his centrist yesh atid party finished a surprising second in that national election . ` debate , contradictions , ultimatums ' netanyahu told reporters tuesday a divided government was one of israel 's problems , saying there was a lot of debate , contradictions and ultimatums . he called out livni for meeting with palestinian authority president mahmoud abbas against his recommendation and for criticizing building in jerusalem , which some say has exacerbated tensions with arabs there . and netanyahu lambasted lapid for calling israel 's boycott of iranian president hassan rouhani 's u.n. speech a mistake and challenging his push to label israel a jewish state , which some fear will alienate the country 's significant arab population . he also accused the ministers of being behind talks `` to kick out the prime minister . ''<doc-sep>asked if she planned to attend the joint meeting , pelosi said , `` as of now it is my intention to go . '' but other house democrats , including several members of the congressional black caucus , say they will boycott the speech if it goes ahead as scheduled . netanyahu 's likud party is in a close election race with the center-left opposition led by labor party chairman isaac herzog and former justice minister tzipi livni , who leads a small centrist party . both herzog and livni , who have teamed up to form an alliance in the election , have criticized netanyahu 's decision to address congress and have urged him to cancel it . netanyahu has campaigned on a tough-against-iran platform and has been accused of using the speech as a way to play up those credentials with voters . on sunday , he addressed french-speaking members of his likud party , doubling down on the decision to address congress on march 3 , saying `` i will go any place i 'm invited to convey the israeli position against those who want to kill us '' . but there are signs the controversy is impacting netanyahu 's standing in the polls , with the israeli media and public voicing concern that netanyahu is contributing to further strains between israel and the united states , its closest ally . an israel army radio poll on monday said only 34 % of israelis think netanyahu should go ahead with the address , while 47 % think he should cancel . another poll published by the times of israel on monday showed netanyahu 's party four seats in the knesset behind herzog and livni 's zionist camp alliance . cnn 's jim acosta contributed to this report . | <t> new : runner-up , transportation minister shaul mofaz , resigning from knesset . </t> <t> livni claims victory in vote for leadership of ruling kadima party . </t> <t> win could make her israel 's first female prime minister in 34 years . </t> <t> livni beat mofaz by a narrow margin . </t> | narrow election victory for israel 's livni<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tokyo may not be traditionally beautiful and it has few historic sights , but it is undeniably spectacular . you 'll want to walk around the city , feeding off the incredible energy , rubbernecking at the skyscrapers and marveling at the sheer `` tokyoness '' of it all . get to tsukiji fish market by 5 a.m. for an unforgettable experience . ginza is the most stylish stretch of the city -- all flagship stores and pricey restaurants . it 's a great place to window shop and tech-heads should n't miss the sony building , where they can get excited over the latest gadgets and marvel at a whole floor devoted to the playstation . for something more traditional , visit the kabukiza theatre . the ornate theater only dates back to 1949 , but kabuki plays have been around for at least 400 years . there are two performances a day and shows can last up to five hours , but you can buy tickets for a single act . down by the sumida river the tsukiji fish market is an absolute must see -- unfortunately , you absolutely must see it at around 5 a.m. . the early morning auction sees a rowdy crowd of restaurateurs battling to outbid each other for the best of the day 's catch . visitors are n't officially allowed , but as long as you do n't get in the way and do n't take any flash photos , your presence will be tolerated .<doc-sep>shibuya is the futuristic tokyo that 's inspired countless sci-fi films . the intersection in front of shibuya station is a sprawl of gleaming office blocks adorned with illuminated billboards and surrounded by relentless surging crowds . in the north of shibuya , the meiji shrine inner gardens contain some 125,000 trees and shrubs , providing a suitably peaceful setting for the shinto meiji-jingu shrine . like shibuya , shinjuku is a bustling entertainment hub and virtually a city in itself . a world away from the bright lights of nishi shinjuku , and the red lights of kabukicho , golden gai is an atmospheric ghetto of alleyways crammed with ramshackle bars , evoking a bygone tokyo of the 1960s . traditionally tokyo 's straight-laced business district , marunouchi has recently developed into one of the city 's most exciting areas , with swanky department stores , upmarket restaurants and sophisticated bars . you can find all of those inside the vast shin-marunouchi building . the glass and steel tokyo international forum is a glittering post-modern masterpiece that functions as a convention center and art gallery , housing various shops and eateries . nearby , the imperial palace east gardens are an immaculate oasis in the historic and geographical heart of the city . the gardens are open all year but the imperial palace itself is only open to the public on 2 january and 23 december , the emperor 's birthday .<doc-sep>if the streets of tokyo are n't enough of an adrenaline rush , head to the suidobashi area of kanda , where korakuen amusement park and la qua boast high-octane thrill rides . la qua 's thunder dolphin is an unbelievable roller coaster that loops among rooftops and takes a short cut through the center of a ferris wheel . for thrills of a more sophisticated nature , the mori art museum on the 53rd floor of the roppongi hills mori tower combines contemporary art with fantastic views , while ueno park is home to tokyo national museum and the national museum of western art , both highly recommended . where to stay | what to see | where to be seen | where to eat | where to shop . ... . do you agree with our tokyo picks ? send us your comments and suggestions in the `` sound off '' box below and we 'll print the best .<doc-sep>tokyo , japan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- japan is often called a land of contradictions , and that 's why cnn correspondent kyung lah loves working in tokyo . `` it 's incredibly proper and restrained but then has the most outlandish behavior -lrb- at times -rrb- i 've ever seen , '' lah said . `` that contradiction means endless material for me as a news reporter . '' lah has been in tokyo for two years , and the otherworldly feeling of living in japan has yet to fade . '' -lsb- visitors -rsb- will most assuredly feel like they 've landed on another planet , '' she said . the mix of ancient and very stylish , modern culture is fascinating to see . `` visitors will find an electric , hip energy all over japan , amid an incredibly ancient world . everything 's either 400 years old or brand new , '' lah said . cnn.com asked lah to share some of her best tips for tokyo visitors . where can you get the best view of the city ? hmmm , i 'd say for families , you go to the tokyo metropolitan government building in shinjuku . it 's free and a great view . i 'd say if you 're on a date , the lobby bar at the ritz at tokyo midtown or the new york grill in shinjuku are your best nighttime/drink/view spots . which restaurant would you take your loved one to for an anniversary or other special occasion ? i 'm really low-brow . ... i love popeye 's beer club . it 's super festive and very , very fun . my hubby and i love beer . -lrb- read a review -rrb- . where is the best place to people watch ? harajuku , by far . that 's the fashion district , and you 'll see some fun and hip fashions that never make it into the fashion magazines . i actually saw a woman wearing a hot pink bra as a hat . and it looked good . what is your favorite neighborhood ? shibuya . i love how young and hip it is and that it 's super vibrant . i am a fan of historical japan , but there ai n't nothing like the hip lights of shibuya to get me excited . what 's the biggest misconception about your city ? that it 's crowded . it is crowded , but it does n't feel as crowded as manhattan , because everything is so orderly . everyone walks in an orderly manner as well ! where do you go to relax ? the snowboarding slopes . i 'm not much of a spa girl . i like to get out and have fun to relax . i like gala -lrb- it 's less than a hour away from tokyo via bullet train -rrb- . what essential thing should visitors see/experience if they only have a few hours ? tsukiji fish market . at 5:30 a.m. , the tuna auction begins . then eat sushi for breakfast at daiwa sushi bar , and you 've done one of my favorite mornings in tokyo . what 's the biggest tourist trap ? is there a `` tourist trap '' that 's actually worth seeing ? see above . ... tsukiji is a tourist trap , but it 's worth it . it 's a little hard to get to , so you do n't get too bombarded ; do n't sweat it too much . i 'd say skip the tokyo tower . i have no idea why people think it 's cool . where was your most memorable meal ? daiwa sushi in tsukiji . where 's your favorite place to spend a night out on the town ? anywhere in shibuya . are there local specialty dishes or drinks that visitors must try ? sushi conveyor belt meal . ... you sit by the conveyor belt and grab sushi as it rolls by . what is a good local souvenir ? temple omiyagi , which is a temple souvenir . they sell little `` good luck '' charms that are written in japanese . they 're pretty , cheap and fun .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- riyo mori is a classically trained ballet dancer who won the 2007 miss universe beauty pageant . she talks to cnn about tokyo , dancing and baseball . trained ballet dancer riyo mori was crowned miss universe in 2007 . cnn : what made you decide to enter the miss universe competition ? riyo mori : my grandmother . japan , 50 or 60 years ago , was very conservative . women had to stand behind men and never talk , never give an opinion -- and my grandma was different . i love her so much . she found out that there was miss universe japan and that 's how everything started . she said , `` riyo , you 're young , you can dance , you can teach dancing , you love it , it 's good -- but maybe you should see a different world . just go for it . '' and i said , ` ok ' and now i 'm here . cnn : what 's it like for you to be back in shizuoka ? riyo mori : it 's so nice to be back home . i can relax , i can sleep . this is my first vacation , i think -- just having fun with my family , my friends , and talking to my friend in a café . that was my normal life before and since i became miss universe it suddenly stopped . i always have to be in the mood , and i have to be miss universe , so this is just perfect for me to be in my hometown of shizuoka . cnn : how would you describe your relationship with tokyo ? riyo mori : i love tokyo , like i love new york ; i love big cities . the first time i came to tokyo was even before becoming a finalist for miss universe japan . i was so excited . also i was scared too , because people look so fashionable and people look so confident here and i was just a tourist from the countryside . i was very nervous . people from all over the world come to see tokyo , and so that 's why you can see very unique people here . people speak spanish , french , german , english , and japanese ; there 's a very mixed culture here . cnn : how would you define tokyoites ? riyo mori : i feel like people are so energetic here , so different from shizuoka . people keep moving -- they never stop . tokyo never sleeps . tokyo people are so busy all the time . i would n't say they are cold , they 're just busy ; they do n't have time to talk to others . i need a balance , i have to be in shizuoka for maybe 50 percent of the year and i have to be in tokyo too , because i need this energy .<doc-sep>`` this world has color , as you know , '' kimura said . `` but i want to see this world simpler . i want to see texture beyond the color , and i want you to evoke your imagination . '' kimura was raised in chiba , a prefecture just outside of tokyo . having studied architecture and anthropology while in college , his career in photography began nine years ago . since then , he has published two photo books , `` kodama '' and `` tokyo etude , '' and has received several awards , including first prize for the ipa photo book asia award in 2013 . what one finds consistent in all of kimura 's work is his endless curiosity about his surroundings and people . `` in my career in photography , '' he said , `` one thing i 've always thought is my priority to enjoy the journey , the process . ... the important thing is to live my own life with curiosity , and then i can talk about photography . '' hajime kimura is a japanese photographer based in tokyo . you can follow him on instagram and twitter .<doc-sep>cnn : how would you describe your relationship with tokyo ? riyo mori : i love tokyo , like i love new york ; i love big cities . the first time i came to tokyo was even before becoming a finalist for miss universe japan . i was so excited . also i was scared too , because people look so fashionable and people look so confident here and i was just a tourist from the countryside . i was very nervous . people from all over the world come to see tokyo , and so that 's why you can see very unique people here . people speak spanish , french , german , english , and japanese ; there 's a very mixed culture here . cnn : how would you define tokyoites ? riyo mori : i feel like people are so energetic here , so different from shizuoka . people keep moving -- they never stop . tokyo never sleeps . tokyo people are so busy all the time . i would n't say they are cold , they 're just busy ; they do n't have time to talk to others . i need a balance , i have to be in shizuoka for maybe 50 percent of the year and i have to be in tokyo too , because i need this energy . | <t> stylish ginza is the place to go for flagship stores and quality restaurants . </t> <t> get yourself to the tsukiji fish market for 5 a.m. to see it in full swing . </t> <t> the meiji shrine inner gardens provide a beautiful setting for the shrine itself . </t> <t> mori art museum is a winning combination of modern art and stunning views . </t> | tokyo : what to see<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- picture this : you 're sat down for the football world cup final , or a long-awaited sequel to the `` sex and the city '' movie and you 're watching all the action unfold in 3-d on your coffee table . the future of television ? this image is an impression of what 3d holographic television may look like . it sounds a lot like a wacky dream , but do n't be surprised if within our lifetime you find yourself discarding your plasma and lcd sets in exchange for a holographic 3-d television that can put cristiano ronaldo in your living room or bring you face-to-face with life-sized versions of your gaming heroes . the reason for renewed optimism in three-dimensional technology is a breakthrough in rewritable and erasable holographic systems made earlier this year by researchers at the university of arizona . dr nasser peyghambarian , chair of photonics and lasers at the university 's optical sciences department , told cnn that scientists have broken a barrier by making the first updatable three-dimensional displays with memory . `` this is a prerequisite for any type of moving holographic technology . the way it works presently is not suitable for 3-d images , '' he said . the researchers produced displays that can be erased and rewritten in a matter of minutes . to create television sets the images would need to be changing multiple times each second -- but peyghambarian is very optimistic this can happen . he said the university of arizona team , which is now ten-strong , has been working on advancing hologram technology since 1990 -- so this is a major step forward . he believes that much of the difficulty in creating a holographic set has now been overcome . `` it took us a while to make that first breakthrough , but as soon as you have the first element of it working the rest often comes more rapidly , '' he said . `` what we are doing now is trying to make the model better . what we showed is just one color , what we are doing now is trying to use three colors . the original display was four inches by four inches and now we 're going for something at least as big as a computer screen . '' there are no more great barriers to overcome now , he said . the breakthrough has made some long-time researchers of the technology believe that it could now come to fruition . tung h. jeong , a retired physics professor at lake forest college outside chicago who had studied holography since the 1960s told nj.com ; `` when we start talking about erasable and rewritable holograms , we are moving toward the possibility of holographic tv ... it has now been shown that physically , it 's possible . ''<doc-sep>and what might these holographic televisions look like ? according to peyghambarian , they could be constructed as a screen on the wall -lrb- like flat panel displays -rrb- that shows 3-d images , with all the image writing lasers behind the wall ; or it could be like a horizontal panel on a table with holographic writing apparatus underneath . so , if this project is realized , you really could have a football match on your coffee table , or horror-movie villains jumping out of your wall . peyghambarian is also optimistic that the technology could reach the market within five to ten years . he said progress towards a final product should be made much more quickly now that a rewriting method had been found . however , it is fair to say not everyone is as positive about this prospect as peyghambarian . justin lawrence , a lecturer in electronic engineering at bangor university in wales , told cnn that small steps are being made on technology like 3-d holograms , but , he ca n't see it being ready for the market in the next ten years . `` it 's one thing to demonstrate something in a lab but it 's another thing to be able to produce it cheaply and efficiently enough to distribute it to the mass market , '' lawrence said . yet , there are reasons to be optimistic that more resources will be channeled into developing this technology more quickly . the japanese government is pushing huge financial and technical weight into the development of three-dimensional , virtual-reality television , and the country 's communications ministry is aiming at having such technology available by 2020 . peyghambarian said there are no major sponsors of the technology at present , but as the breakthroughs continued , he hopes that will change . even if no major electronics company commit themselves , there is hope that backers could come from outside of the consumer electronics industry , he said . `` it could have some other applications . in training it 's useful to show people three-dimensional displays . also it would be good to show things in 3-d for defense command and control and for surgery , '' he said .<doc-sep>but can japan actually deliver on these fantastic promises ? and will they really enhance the enjoyment of what is already known as the beautiful game ? with limited information on how they intend to achieve their goals , leading scientists in the field of three dimensional and holographic television have been left slightly perplexed over the proposals . `` the ` freeviewpoint ' is definitely going to be feasible , there 's a lot of work being done on that , '' said phil surman , a scientist working on 3d television projects at britain 's de montfort university in leicester . `` but the rest is rather speculative . '' while 3d broadcasts that do n't rely on special glasses -lrb- known as auto-stereoscopic television -rrb- are currently possible , these involve projecting twin images directly at individuals . viewers must remain in one spot or wear tracking devices to ensure the images are beamed at them . says surman , while this is possible for small groups , it 's tricky on a larger scale . `` i really ca n't see how that can be done , '' he told cnn . professor john watson , a 3d television expert at aberdeen university , agreed it was unlikely on a large scale . `` there has to be head tracking , so if you move your head the images has to move with you and you 're not going to keep your head in position during a football match -- you 're going to jump up and down , particularly if your home team scores . `` there 's also an obstacle with nausea , some people looking at these autostereoscopic displays can become disorientated , there are human factors like that which have to be taken into account . '' professor nasser peyghambarian , whose team at the university of arizona recently succeeded in producing rudimentary moving holographic images , is more optimistic .<doc-sep>moving hologram displays like those featured in star wars could soon be available to watch on a laptop . scientists at the massachusetts institute of technology have cracked a major technological hurdle to make low-cost , high quality holographic videos a reality . until now , the video hologram has generally been confined to science fiction , the most famous example being the projected image of princess leia in the first star wars film . unlike a 3d image , a holographic projection allows the viewer to move around and get different perspectives from all angles . scientists have cracked a major technological hurdle to make low-cost , high quality holographic videos a reality . this hologram was made by chris levine . existing systems that project moving holographic images are costly and suffer from severe limitations . the chief problem lies with devices called spatial light modulators , which direct light to form points in three dimensional space .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- picture this : you 're sat down for the football world cup final , or a long-awaited sequel to the `` sex and the city '' movie and you 're watching all the action unfold in 3-d on your coffee table . the future of television ? this image is an impression of what 3d holographic television may look like . it sounds a lot like a wacky dream , but do n't be surprised if within our lifetime you find yourself discarding your plasma and lcd sets in exchange for a holographic 3-d television that can put cristiano ronaldo in your living room or bring you face-to-face with life-sized versions of your gaming heroes . the reason for renewed optimism in three-dimensional technology is a breakthrough in rewritable and erasable holographic systems made earlier this year by researchers at the university of arizona . dr nasser peyghambarian , chair of photonics and lasers at the university 's optical sciences department , told cnn that scientists have broken a barrier by making the first updatable three-dimensional displays with memory . `` this is a prerequisite for any type of moving holographic technology . the way it works presently is not suitable for 3-d images , '' he said . the researchers produced displays that can be erased and rewritten in a matter of minutes . to create television sets the images would need to be changing multiple times each second -- but peyghambarian is very optimistic this can happen . he said the university of arizona team , which is now ten-strong , has been working on advancing hologram technology since 1990 -- so this is a major step forward . he believes that much of the difficulty in creating a holographic set has now been overcome . `` it took us a while to make that first breakthrough , but as soon as you have the first element of it working the rest often comes more rapidly , '' he said . `` what we are doing now is trying to make the model better . what we showed is just one color , what we are doing now is trying to use three colors . the original display was four inches by four inches and now we 're going for something at least as big as a computer screen . '' there are no more great barriers to overcome now , he said . the breakthrough has made some long-time researchers of the technology believe that it could now come to fruition . tung h. jeong , a retired physics professor at lake forest college outside chicago who had studied holography since the 1960s told nj.com ; `` when we start talking about erasable and rewritable holograms , we are moving toward the possibility of holographic tv ... it has now been shown that physically , it 's possible . ''<doc-sep>it may have taken 36 years but the iconic holographic chess game from star wars episode iv : a new hope just took a step closer to reality thanks to a pair of augmented and virtual reality specs . the castar system uses a pair of glasses fitted with a micro-projector on each lens that beams images in 3d onto a specially-designed flat surface . these images can then be moved and interacted with using a remote control wand . scroll down for video . the castar system uses a pair of glasses , pictured , fitted with a projector on each lens . each micro-projector receives a video stream via a hdmi connection and beams these images in 3d onto retro-reflective sheeting . the images can then be moved and interacted with using a remote control wand . holochess was a game played in star wars . this scene shows the game being played by c-3po , pictured left , and chewbacca , right . it used holograms of playing pieces , such as aliens . the rules differed from regular chess , as it was played on a circular board , rather than square . castar 's system is made of a pair of glasses and a surface . the frames of the glasses are fitted with two micro-projectors - one for each eye . each projector beams a . perspective view of a stereoscopic 3d image onto the retro-reflective surface . a tiny camera , fitted between the projectors , scans for infrared . identification markers placed on this surface . the camera uses these . markers to precisely track a player 's head position and orientation in the . physical world . the so-called magic wand can be used as a joystick and a ' 3d input device . ' the handheld part of the wand has buttons , a trigger , and a thumb . stick . the wand also tracks its own movement in 3d space , allowing players to interact with virtual environments . a kickstarter project has now launched in the hope of raising $ 400,000 -lrb- # 250,000 -rrb- to fund production of this system . ` castar is a projected augmented reality system that displays . holographic-like 3d projections right in front of you , ' said the system 's washington-based maker technical illusions . ` star wars : . episode iv -- a new hope sparked our imaginations of what might be . possible in the future by showing r2-d2 and chewbacca playing a . holographic chess-style game . ` it has taken years for this technological dream to come to reality , but . with castar , that reality can be yours . ' castar 's system is made of a pair of glasses and a surface . the frames of the glasses are fitted with two micro-projectors - one for each eye . each projector beams a . | <t> researchers have created the first rewritable and erasable holographic images . </t> <t> holographic televisions could come out of the wall or up from a table . </t> <t> the 3-d hologram technology could have uses in surgery or in the military . </t> | scientist : holographic television to become reality<T> |
editor 's note : bryan batt , who plays the closeted art director salvatore romano in the emmy award-winning cable tv series `` mad men , '' has acted in nine broadway and nine off-broadway productions , such as `` sunset boulevard , '' `` beauty and the beast , '' `` jeffrey '' and `` starlight express . '' batt , who is 45 , has been acting for 23 years . he spoke to cnn.com about being an openly gay actor . `` we have to work toward acceptance on all levels , '' says actor bryan batt , who is openly gay . -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- there was once a time when the revelation of one 's homosexuality in hollywood was thought to be a career-killer . now , out gays and lesbians such as tv host ellen degeneres and pop singer clay aiken are featured on the cover of people magazine . there are also more gay characters on prime-time television shows than ever before . but even with greater acceptance by the mainstream public , is coming out still a big deal ? to shed light on the issue , cnn recently spoke to bryan batt , 45 , about his experience as an openly gay actor in hollywood . cnn : has being openly gay affected your career ? batt : i came from the stage ; much of my experience has been on the broadway and off-broadway stage . being gay never really posed a problem . in the broadway community , it 's always been a little more accepted . there 's something different with film acting and tv acting . you 're in someone 's home -- it 's more intimate . when i look at someone , i really do n't care about whom they 're sleeping with or what they 're doing . i 'm thinking they either have talent or no talent . but people are really obsessed with wanting to know about the ins and outs of people 's private lives . it 's still like high school . batt plays both straight , gay roles '' cnn : when did you come out ? batt : my real broadway break was in `` starlight express . '' at that time , i was toying with -lsb- coming out -rsb- . it 's harder to live a lie than to try to hide your natural instincts and your natural longings just to conform to what other people think you should be . i 've heard of people doing it in hollywood . it 's a very sad and difficult choice . i think it 's a personal journey , and i think people on their own time will figure it out . clay aiken is still really very , very young ; he has to deal with his own issues . thank god , when it was my time , no one was pushing me ; no one was trying to force me . it was on my own terms intimately with my mother and brother . it went wonderfully . my mother said , `` no matter what , you 're my son . i 'm going to love you . '' not one of my family or friends turned their back on me . i was fortunate , but it was still a very difficult thing to do , and i was fearful . afterwards , it was like the heaviest weight was taken off my back ; all those years worrying for nothing . but not everyone is as lucky ; some people are shunned and kicked out of their homes and families , which is criminal . just this year , i was asked to host a fundraiser for the point foundation , a wonderful group that provides full college scholarships to gay and lesbian students of merit who have suffered such treatment by their families and can not afford tuition and the necessary funds for higher education -- an inspiring organization .<doc-sep>i only told my mother and my brother after i was cast in `` jeffrey , '' a play by paul rudnick that was the first aids comedy . i said to myself , if i get this , i 've just got to sit down and talk with my family . my partner and i have been together 19 years , and that was the same time he told his parents . a good parent knows ; they love and accept . what most good parents want for their children is for their child to be happy and healthy and be good contributing members of society . cnn : are there barriers to what openly gay actors can do today ? batt : it 's just like any prejudice , once you let go of any prejudice they all have to go . they 're not based on facts , just on stereotypes . i really think yes , there might be some homophobia in hollywood , but it 's based on what will sell . hollywood is a huge industry , a multibillion-dollar business . if actors who are gay will get ratings and will sell , they will get cast . there are always going to be people who look at people who are different and who disapprove -lsb- of them -rsb- either through fear or through ignorance . we have to work toward acceptance on all levels . how long ago were the civil rights movement and the women 's movement ? and , still today , women do n't make the same amount of money as men do for doing the same job . cnn : what 's your view of the character you play , salvatore romano , in `` mad men '' ? batt : the character basically is clearly gay to a 2007 audience , but no one in the world of 1960 is suspicious whatsoever . what a great role to play . this season , i 'm married . i get stopped all the time on the street , and i get asked , `` when is your character coming out ? '' what is he coming out to in 1962 ? i asked to get married this season . i thanked -lsb- series creator -rsb- matthew weiner , and he said , `` you asked . '' it provides another wonderful level to the character . that is what happened then and unfortunately still happens today . -lsb- in a recent episode , the `` gold violin , '' -rsb- the scene with my wife , it was just so poignant and painful , someone said to me that what she loved about the episode was that we clearly did love each other . we were like the gold violin , we were beautiful but we just did n't make music . cnn : what would you like to see hollywood do ? batt : continue to reward good work and put positive role models out there . the one thing about `` brokeback mountain '' -- it was a beautifully filmed and acted film depicting a tortured relationship . the reason i thought the movie was so great is people walked away thinking , `` why could n't they just be together ? '' the more positive or interesting the portrayal of gay and lesbian characters , the better . they should show people who are living their good , healthy , responsible , productive lives as role models who just happen to be gay . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the subject .<doc-sep>in response to such reactions , the vatican backtracked a bit tuesday . in a statement , it said the report on gays and lesbians was a `` working document , '' not the final word from rome . the vatican also said that it wanted to welcome gays and lesbians in the church , but not create `` the impression of a positive evaluation '' of same-sex relationships , or , for that matter , of unmarried couples who live together . but gay rights groups say that 's precisely the impression the vatican gave monday when it said : . `` homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the christian community . are we capable of welcoming these people , guaranteeing to them a fraternal space in our communities ? often they wish to encounter a church that offers them a welcoming home . are our communities capable of providing that , accepting and valuing their sexual orientation , without compromising catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony ? '' such statements seem to be in line with the more merciful approach the church has taken toward gays and lesbians under pope francis . in 2013 , francis famously said , `` who am i to judge ? '' gay people . on monday morning , just before the vatican released its positive report on gays , francis preached that laws that do not lead people to jesus are `` dead ; '' what 's more , christ did `` strange things '' such as hanging out with sinners and tax collectors , the pope preached , seemingly tipping his hand about the vatican 's direction . the overarching goal of the meeting here , officially called the extraordinary synod of bishops on the family , is to present proposals for a larger gathering to be held in october 2015 . which means there 's a long road ahead before any doctrinal or pastoral changes happen in the church .<doc-sep>`` the public continues to be far more supportive of gays and lesbians serving openly in the military than of allowing legal same-sex marriages , '' the pew 's polling analysis notes . sixty percent of americans favor allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military , while 30 percent oppose it . support for gays serving openly in the military has remained fairly stable over the last five years , pew said . on gay marriage , the new poll found significant differences of opinions along age , racial and partisan lines .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a florida circuit judge tuesday struck down a 31-year-old state law that prevents gays and lesbians from adopting children , allowing a north miami man to adopt two half-brothers he and his partner have raised as foster children since 2004 . martin gill looks on as a judge overturns a ban preventing gays and lesbians from adopting children . `` there is no question , the blanket exclusion of gay applicants defeats florida 's goal of providing dependent children a permanent family through adoption , '' judge cindy s. lederman wrote in her 53-page ruling . `` the best interests of children are not preserved by prohibiting homosexual adoption . '' the state attorney general 's office has appealed the decision . lederman said there is no moral or scientific reason for banning gays and lesbians from adopting , despite the state 's arguments otherwise . the state argued that gays and lesbians have higher odds of suffering from depression , affective and anxiety disorders and substance abuse , and that their households are more unstable . lederman said the ban violated children 's right to permanency provided under the florida statute and under the federal adoption and safe families act of 1997 . whether the ban violated the state 's equal protection clause by singling out gays and lesbians should be considered , she said . lederman 's ruling paves the way for martin gill to legally adopt the two half-brothers , ages 4 and 8 , whom he has cared for since december 2004 , the american civil liberties union said .<doc-sep>rome -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- under furious assault from conservative catholics , the vatican backtracked tuesday on its surprisingly positive assessment of gays and same-sex relationships . in a report monday , the vatican had said that gays and lesbians have `` gifts to offer '' the christian community and acknowledged that same-sex couples can give `` precious support '' to one other . the statement , an interim report from a closely watched meeting of catholic clergy here , was widely praised by liberals . it is believed to be the first time the vatican has said anything positive about gay relationships . one longtime vatican journalist called the statement a `` pastoral earthquake . '' but many conservatives complained that the statement watered down church teaching and did not accurately reflect their discussions here , where nearly 200 catholic leaders are meeting to debate pastoral approaches to modern family life . one south african cardinal called monday 's statement , which also included positive language about unmarried couples who cohabitate , `` irredeemable . '' `` the message has gone out that this is what the synod is saying , this is what the catholic church is saying , '' said cardinal wilfrid fox napier , referring to the special meeting of catholic clergy gathered here through saturday . `` it 's not what we 're saying at all . '' | <t> actor bryan batt , who 's openly gay , plays a closeted man in tv series `` mad men '' </t> <t> homophobia that still exists in hollywood is based on what will sell , batt says . </t> <t> he believes positive , interesting portrayals of gays and lesbians are beneficial . </t> | actor : more positive portrayals of gays , lesbians needed<T> |
istanbul , turkey -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- turkish authorities have arrested 13 people in connection with blasts that killed 17 people in istanbul last week , interior minister besir atalay said saturday . video from last week 's bombing in istanbul shows bloodied people being loaded into ambulances . of those arrested , 10 were sent to judicial court , atalay said in a televised news conference . he described the attack as the `` work of the bloody separatist group , '' but did not identify a group by name . no one has claimed responsibility for the blasts , which went off within minutes of each other in istanbul 's crowded gungoren community . about 154 people were wounded , state-run anadolu news agency reported . istanbul gov. muammer guler , who called the blasts `` an act of terror , '' said last week that the explosive devices were placed 15 meters -lrb- 49 feet -rrb- from each other . the first was a stun grenade that was detonated to draw attention before the second blast went off , he said .<doc-sep>the other , a bomb , had been placed in a trash can . turkey -- a candidate for european union membership -- has pushed its anti-terror campaign on multiple fronts . tensions between turkey '' and kurdish rebels have risen over the kurdistan workers ' party 's increasing attacks and turkey 's subsequent crackdown . the rebels , known as the pkk , have waged a decades-long battle for an autonomous kurdish region in turkey 's southeast . last month , 86 people -- including former military officials , journalists , politicians and businessmen -- were indicted on charges of being involved with an alleged terror group called ergenekon , which aims to topple the turkish government . the arrests and indictments dramatize the sharp and serious political tensions between the country 's islam-rooted ruling party -- the justice and development party , or akp -- and its outspoken critics from the nation 's secularist population .<doc-sep>istanbul , turkey -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- turkish authorities have arrested 13 people in connection with blasts that killed 17 people in istanbul last week , interior minister besir atalay said saturday . video from last week 's bombing in istanbul shows bloodied people being loaded into ambulances . of those arrested , 10 were sent to judicial court , atalay said in a televised news conference . he described the attack as the `` work of the bloody separatist group , '' but did not identify a group by name . no one has claimed responsibility for the blasts , which went off within minutes of each other in istanbul 's crowded gungoren community . about 154 people were wounded , state-run anadolu news agency reported . istanbul gov. muammer guler , who called the blasts `` an act of terror , '' said last week that the explosive devices were placed 15 meters -lrb- 49 feet -rrb- from each other . the first was a stun grenade that was detonated to draw attention before the second blast went off , he said .<doc-sep>dozens of demonstrators were faced with tear gas and water cannons by police in istanbul today as they protested against the turkish government 's policy towards syria . two groups of protesters were marching to besiktas district near the dolmabahce palace on the european side of the city when officers blocked their path , reports the state-run anatolia news agency . some of the demonstrators , said to be mainly students , tried to climb barriers while police used water cannons and tear gas on the groups . others took refuge in the historic dolmabahce mosque . protesters in istanbul clashed with riot police today during a protest against the turkish government 's foreign policy on syria . two groups had their paths blocked by police who unleashed water cannons and tear gas against them in the european side of the city . the crackdown followed similar scenes in ankara yesterday , where clashes between students and security forces using cannons and gas saw 30 arrested and two injured . crowds in istanbul and ankara were protesting against prime minister recep tayyip erdogan 's funding and support for the syrian rebels against president bashar assad . syria has accused the turkish government of facilitating the flow of arms , explosives , vehicles , fighters and money to rebels across the border . turkey , a nato member , has hosted opposition leaders , rebel commanders and thousands of refugees since the syrian civil war began . at the weekend , two car bombs killed more than 50 people in the turkish border town of reyhanli , with deputy prime minister bulent arinc blaming assad 's regime for the blasts.four suspects were formally arrested and remanded in custody yesterday over the bombings , anatolian news agency said . it was not clear what charges they faced . they were among nine turks , including the alleged mastermind of the attacks , detained soon after the bombings . foreign minister ahmet davutoglu has said the perpetrators were from an ` old marxist terrorist organisation ' with ties to assad 's government . syria has denied any involvement . turkey , which hosts about 400,000 syrians , is struggling to manage the flow of syrians across its border . the clashes happened near the dolmabahce palace , with some sheltering in the dolmabahce mosque . the police action in istanbul followed similar force against yesterday 's protesters in ankara . only around half of those who have fled live in refugee camps while tens of thousands of others have settled in towns and cities along the 560mile border . the united nations says the number of syrian refugees in turkey could climb to a million by the end of the year . ankara has grown increasingly troubled by what it calls international inaction on the crisis , which has long divided the big powers .<doc-sep>kuala lumpur , malaysia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- there are no immediate links between the 19 people arrested on suspicion of planning terror attacks on malaysia 's administrative capital , putrajaya , and the islamic state of iraq and syria -lrb- isis -rrb- , police said wednesday . `` these individuals , however , share a similar ideology with isis and other terrorist groups such as boko haram and jemaah islamiah . they come from a salafi-jihadist movement , '' the asian country 's counter terrorism deputy chief , ayob khan pitchay mydin , told cnn . al-qaeda-linked jemaah islamiah -lrb- ji -rrb- was behind the 2002 bali bombings , which left 202 people dead and other bombings in south east asia , while boko haram is the islamist militant group waging a campaign of terror in nigeria . however , malaysian police believe the individuals concerned were making their way to join isis in its war in syria after investigating their travel plans . `` we know they planned to join isis through their travel itineraries , '' said ayob khan . the 19 suspects -- 17 men and two women , who were arrested in operations between april and july -- had planned flights to istanbul , turkey before going to syria over land via turkey 's hatay province , the counter terrorism specialist said . seven people have already being charged in court for various terror-related activities . bars targeted . during their investigations , police say they uncovered plans by the group to bomb bars and other alcohol-related establishments , including a brewery , around the city . `` they were also using facebook to raise money for their activities under the guise of humanitarian efforts in the middle east , '' said ayob khan . he declined to reveal how much money had already been raised , or to identify the group 's name , as they are still investigating its links with other groups . in june , 26-year-old ahmad tarmimi maliki became the first malaysian suicide bomber linked to isis . the factory worker , who was behind an attack that killed more than 20 elite iraqi soldiers at their base in al-anbar in may , was identified after reports surfaced on an isis-linked website . his photograph was also featured .<doc-sep>istanbul , turkey -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the man who shot pope john paul ii in 1981 was released from prison in turkey monday , turkey 's anadolu news agency reported . mehmet ali agca , now 52 , severely wounded the pontiff in rome 's st. peter 's square on may 13 , 1981 . john paul spent six hours on an operating table and survived . four days later he announced from his hospital bed he had forgiven the attempted assassin and urged the faithful to pray for agca . the pope spent more than three weeks in gemelli hospital recovering . agca was arrested a few minutes after the attack , tried , and sentenced to 19 years in prison . | <t> attack was conducted by `` bloody separatist group , '' interior minister says . </t> <t> 2 explosions , minutes apart , hit residential area in turkey 's largest city sunday . </t> <t> those arrested were responsible for earlier bombing june 15 , says minister . </t> | 13 arrested in istanbul bombings<T> |
kabul , afghanistan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- fighting raged in afghanistan over the weekend , with a suicide bombing slaying six people , a nato-led soldier and an afghan police officer dying in an `` altercation , '' and troops killing several insurgents in battles , authorities said . fighting between the taliban and nato forces continues to rage in afghanistan . the suicide bombing on sunday killed six people in a bazaar in spin boldak , located in kandahar province , nato 's international security assistance force -lrb- isaf -rrb- said on monday . along with the deaths , at least 17 people were wounded , and isaf condemned the assault . four of those killed were afghan border police officers , isaf said . the location is in southern afghanistan . the isaf soldier and an afghan police officer were killed after seven people were apprehended in connection with a roadside bombing in paktia province on sunday that targeted an afghan national police and isaf patrol . the location is in eastern afghanistan . `` the detained civilians were then transferred to the anp station at the jaji district center . while at the district center , there was an altercation during which an anp officer and one isaf soldier were killed , '' isaf said in a monday news release . the u.s.-led coalition on monday reported fighting between u.s. and afghan troops and insurgents over the last two days -- sunday in kandahar province and saturday in helmand province . `` several insurgents '' were reported killed in both incidents . two insurgents died in fighting on friday in another southern region -- zabul province , the coalition said on monday .<doc-sep>mr rahman says the deadly strike happened while they were helping a cousin who was campaigning in the run-up to afghanistan 's elections . leigh day & co acknowledge they do not know whether information provided by the uk contributed to the attack but say they hope the legal challenge will force officials to be more open about the british contribution to the ` kill list ' . destruction : afghan villagers stand outside a house hit by a nato airstrike in june that claimed 15 lives . rosa curling , from leigh day & co , said : ` at a time when the uk government is arguing that our presence in afghanistan is needed to bring stability to the country and to establish and maintain the rule of law , ensuring that the uk government and its agencies themselves are operating within their legal obligations could not be more important . deadly : a us army kiowa warrior helicopter fires a rocket in afghanistan . ` our client 's case suggests that the establishment and maintenance of the `` killing list '' is not in line with the uk 's duties under international humanitarian law . ` our client lost five of his relatives in an attack by the international military forces as a result of this list .<doc-sep>as retaliation for the military presence , the taliban carried out a series of deadly attacks , beheadings and destruction of girls ' schools . they also continued to gain ground , setting up checkpoints throughout the area . pakistan is under enormous pressure to control the militants within its borders . the militants are blamed for launching attacks in neighboring afghanistan , where u.s. and nato forces are fighting militants . swat valley was once one of pakistan 's biggest tourist destinations . it is near the afghanistan border and is 186 miles -lrb- 300 kilometers -rrb- from the capital , islamabad .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- mountainous terrain and harsh weather in remote parts of afghanistan have proven a deadly combination for the u.s. military in its push to reduce mounting violence in the country . cnn obtained this photo of a u.s. helicopter above forward operating base keating in the nuristan province . on saturday , taliban militants attacked american and afghan troops in the nuristan province in eastern afghanistan . eight american troops and two members of the afghan national security forces were killed , according to the pentagon . it was the largest number of americans killed by hostile action in a single day since july 13 , 2008 , when nine troops died , according to cnn records . the fighting was so fierce that at one point u.s. forces `` had to collapse in on themselves , '' a u.s. military official with knowledge of the latest intelligence reports on the incident told cnn . these revelations about the battle that engulfed forward operating base keating are a further indication of how pinned down and outmanned the troops were . watch more on the attack in rural afghanistan '' the base was scheduled to be closed in the next few days , cnn has learned . gen. stanley mcchrystal , the top commander in afghanistan , wanted to cede remote outposts and consolidate troops in more populated areas to better protect afghan civilians . it 's a point he reiterated over the summer .<doc-sep>sixteen jihadist groups were responsible for the bloodshed . islamic state was the deadliest group , launching 308 attacks across iraq and syria which left 2,206 people dead -- 44 per cent of the total fatalities . boko haram , which has been terrorising nigeria and cameroon -- including the kidnapping of more than 250 schoolgirls -- carried out far fewer attacks , just 30 , but these were large and deadly , killing 801 people . some 151 incidents were attributed to the taliban in afghanistan and pakistan in which 720 people died . the four countries worst affected by jihadist strikes -- iraq , nigeria , syria and afghanistan -- accounted for 4,031 , or 80 per cent , of all deaths . iraq bore the brunt with 1,770 people -- mostly military or civilian -- killed , followed by nigeria -lrb- 786 -rrb- , afghanistan -lrb- 782 -rrb- and syria -lrb- 693 -rrb- . other nations terribly blighted by jihadist terrorism included yemen -lrb- 410 -rrb- , somalia -lrb- 212 -rrb- and pakistan -lrb- 212 -rrb- , where al qaeda offshoots operate with deadly menace . bombing accounted for the most deaths -- 1,653 people killed in 241 blasts . the deadliest single attack was the assault on the grand mosque at kano , nigeria , on november 28 in which 120 died . human cost : the four countries worst affected by jihadist strikes -- iraq , nigeria , syria and afghanistan -- accounted for 4,031 , or 80 per cent , of all deaths . gun attacks claimed 1,574 lives , and 666 deaths were described as ambushes , although many of these will have involved shooting . some 426 people were executed including 50 who were beheaded in syria , yemen and libya . | <t> militants kill eight people and injure at least 17 in latest attacks . </t> <t> insurgents killed a coalition soldier in eastern afghanistan . </t> <t> soldier 's name and nationality held until family members could be notified . </t> | deadly fighting in afghanistan claims more lives<T> |
editor 's note : bryan batt , who plays the closeted art director salvatore romano in the emmy award-winning cable tv series `` mad men , '' has acted in nine broadway and nine off-broadway productions , such as `` sunset boulevard , '' `` beauty and the beast , '' `` jeffrey '' and `` starlight express . '' batt , who is 45 , has been acting for 23 years . he spoke to cnn.com about being an openly gay actor . `` we have to work toward acceptance on all levels , '' says actor bryan batt , who is openly gay . -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- there was once a time when the revelation of one 's homosexuality in hollywood was thought to be a career-killer . now , out gays and lesbians such as tv host ellen degeneres and pop singer clay aiken are featured on the cover of people magazine . there are also more gay characters on prime-time television shows than ever before . but even with greater acceptance by the mainstream public , is coming out still a big deal ? to shed light on the issue , cnn recently spoke to bryan batt , 45 , about his experience as an openly gay actor in hollywood . cnn : has being openly gay affected your career ?<doc-sep>batt : i came from the stage ; much of my experience has been on the broadway and off-broadway stage . being gay never really posed a problem . in the broadway community , it 's always been a little more accepted . there 's something different with film acting and tv acting . you 're in someone 's home -- it 's more intimate . when i look at someone , i really do n't care about whom they 're sleeping with or what they 're doing . i 'm thinking they either have talent or no talent . but people are really obsessed with wanting to know about the ins and outs of people 's private lives . it 's still like high school . batt plays both straight , gay roles '' cnn : when did you come out ? batt : my real broadway break was in `` starlight express . '' at that time , i was toying with -lsb- coming out -rsb- . it 's harder to live a lie than to try to hide your natural instincts and your natural longings just to conform to what other people think you should be . i 've heard of people doing it in hollywood . it 's a very sad and difficult choice . i think it 's a personal journey , and i think people on their own time will figure it out . clay aiken is still really very , very young ; he has to deal with his own issues . thank god , when it was my time , no one was pushing me ; no one was trying to force me . it was on my own terms intimately with my mother and brother . it went wonderfully . my mother said , `` no matter what , you 're my son . i 'm going to love you . '' not one of my family or friends turned their back on me . i was fortunate , but it was still a very difficult thing to do , and i was fearful . afterwards , it was like the heaviest weight was taken off my back ; all those years worrying for nothing . but not everyone is as lucky ; some people are shunned and kicked out of their homes and families , which is criminal . just this year , i was asked to host a fundraiser for the point foundation , a wonderful group that provides full college scholarships to gay and lesbian students of merit who have suffered such treatment by their families and can not afford tuition and the necessary funds for higher education -- an inspiring organization .<doc-sep>i only told my mother and my brother after i was cast in `` jeffrey , '' a play by paul rudnick that was the first aids comedy . i said to myself , if i get this , i 've just got to sit down and talk with my family . my partner and i have been together 19 years , and that was the same time he told his parents . a good parent knows ; they love and accept . what most good parents want for their children is for their child to be happy and healthy and be good contributing members of society . cnn : are there barriers to what openly gay actors can do today ? batt : it 's just like any prejudice , once you let go of any prejudice they all have to go . they 're not based on facts , just on stereotypes . i really think yes , there might be some homophobia in hollywood , but it 's based on what will sell . hollywood is a huge industry , a multibillion-dollar business . if actors who are gay will get ratings and will sell , they will get cast . there are always going to be people who look at people who are different and who disapprove -lsb- of them -rsb- either through fear or through ignorance . we have to work toward acceptance on all levels . how long ago were the civil rights movement and the women 's movement ? and , still today , women do n't make the same amount of money as men do for doing the same job . cnn : what 's your view of the character you play , salvatore romano , in `` mad men '' ? batt : the character basically is clearly gay to a 2007 audience , but no one in the world of 1960 is suspicious whatsoever . what a great role to play . this season , i 'm married . i get stopped all the time on the street , and i get asked , `` when is your character coming out ? '' what is he coming out to in 1962 ?<doc-sep>i asked to get married this season . i thanked -lsb- series creator -rsb- matthew weiner , and he said , `` you asked . '' it provides another wonderful level to the character . that is what happened then and unfortunately still happens today . -lsb- in a recent episode , the `` gold violin , '' -rsb- the scene with my wife , it was just so poignant and painful , someone said to me that what she loved about the episode was that we clearly did love each other . we were like the gold violin , we were beautiful but we just did n't make music . cnn : what would you like to see hollywood do ? batt : continue to reward good work and put positive role models out there . the one thing about `` brokeback mountain '' -- it was a beautifully filmed and acted film depicting a tortured relationship . the reason i thought the movie was so great is people walked away thinking , `` why could n't they just be together ? '' the more positive or interesting the portrayal of gay and lesbian characters , the better . they should show people who are living their good , healthy , responsible , productive lives as role models who just happen to be gay . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the subject .<doc-sep>in response to such reactions , the vatican backtracked a bit tuesday . in a statement , it said the report on gays and lesbians was a `` working document , '' not the final word from rome . the vatican also said that it wanted to welcome gays and lesbians in the church , but not create `` the impression of a positive evaluation '' of same-sex relationships , or , for that matter , of unmarried couples who live together . but gay rights groups say that 's precisely the impression the vatican gave monday when it said : . `` homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the christian community . are we capable of welcoming these people , guaranteeing to them a fraternal space in our communities ? often they wish to encounter a church that offers them a welcoming home . are our communities capable of providing that , accepting and valuing their sexual orientation , without compromising catholic doctrine on the family and matrimony ? '' such statements seem to be in line with the more merciful approach the church has taken toward gays and lesbians under pope francis . in 2013 , francis famously said , `` who am i to judge ? '' gay people . on monday morning , just before the vatican released its positive report on gays , francis preached that laws that do not lead people to jesus are `` dead ; '' what 's more , christ did `` strange things '' such as hanging out with sinners and tax collectors , the pope preached , seemingly tipping his hand about the vatican 's direction . the overarching goal of the meeting here , officially called the extraordinary synod of bishops on the family , is to present proposals for a larger gathering to be held in october 2015 . which means there 's a long road ahead before any doctrinal or pastoral changes happen in the church .<doc-sep>`` the public continues to be far more supportive of gays and lesbians serving openly in the military than of allowing legal same-sex marriages , '' the pew 's polling analysis notes . sixty percent of americans favor allowing gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military , while 30 percent oppose it . support for gays serving openly in the military has remained fairly stable over the last five years , pew said . on gay marriage , the new poll found significant differences of opinions along age , racial and partisan lines .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a florida circuit judge tuesday struck down a 31-year-old state law that prevents gays and lesbians from adopting children , allowing a north miami man to adopt two half-brothers he and his partner have raised as foster children since 2004 . martin gill looks on as a judge overturns a ban preventing gays and lesbians from adopting children . `` there is no question , the blanket exclusion of gay applicants defeats florida 's goal of providing dependent children a permanent family through adoption , '' judge cindy s. lederman wrote in her 53-page ruling . `` the best interests of children are not preserved by prohibiting homosexual adoption . '' the state attorney general 's office has appealed the decision . lederman said there is no moral or scientific reason for banning gays and lesbians from adopting , despite the state 's arguments otherwise . the state argued that gays and lesbians have higher odds of suffering from depression , affective and anxiety disorders and substance abuse , and that their households are more unstable . lederman said the ban violated children 's right to permanency provided under the florida statute and under the federal adoption and safe families act of 1997 . whether the ban violated the state 's equal protection clause by singling out gays and lesbians should be considered , she said . lederman 's ruling paves the way for martin gill to legally adopt the two half-brothers , ages 4 and 8 , whom he has cared for since december 2004 , the american civil liberties union said .<doc-sep>rome -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- under furious assault from conservative catholics , the vatican backtracked tuesday on its surprisingly positive assessment of gays and same-sex relationships . in a report monday , the vatican had said that gays and lesbians have `` gifts to offer '' the christian community and acknowledged that same-sex couples can give `` precious support '' to one other . the statement , an interim report from a closely watched meeting of catholic clergy here , was widely praised by liberals . it is believed to be the first time the vatican has said anything positive about gay relationships . one longtime vatican journalist called the statement a `` pastoral earthquake . '' but many conservatives complained that the statement watered down church teaching and did not accurately reflect their discussions here , where nearly 200 catholic leaders are meeting to debate pastoral approaches to modern family life . one south african cardinal called monday 's statement , which also included positive language about unmarried couples who cohabitate , `` irredeemable . '' `` the message has gone out that this is what the synod is saying , this is what the catholic church is saying , '' said cardinal wilfrid fox napier , referring to the special meeting of catholic clergy gathered here through saturday . `` it 's not what we 're saying at all . '' | <t> actor bryan batt , who 's openly gay , plays a closeted man in tv series `` mad men '' </t> <t> homophobia that still exists in hollywood is based on what will sell , batt says . </t> <t> he believes positive , interesting portrayals of gays and lesbians are beneficial . </t> | actor : more positive portrayals of gays , lesbians needed<T> |
colombo , sri lanka -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a sri lankan government minister narrowly escaped injury thursday when a suicide bomber in a car detonated explosives , police said . file image of maithripala sirisena taken in may , 2007 . two of the minister 's bodyguards were hurt in the blast , which occurred in a southern suburb of the capital city , colombo .<doc-sep>the minister , maithripala sirisena , heads the agriculture department . he is also the secretary of the sri lanka freedom party , a partner in the ruling coalition . authorities blamed the attack on tamil tigers rebels .<doc-sep>the fighting in sri lanka pits government forces in a country dominated by the sinhalese ethnic group against rebels from the tamil minority . the rebels , formally known as the liberation tigers of tamil eelam , are fighting for the creation of an independent nation , citing discrimination by the sinhalese .<doc-sep>on monday , a suicide bombing blamed on rebels killed at least 27 people , including a prominent politician and his wife . another 60 were wounded . that bombing took place in anuradhapura , the capital of sri lanka 's north central province .<doc-sep>colombo , sri lanka -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- five members of the sri lanka 's civil defense force -lrb- cdf -rrb- were killed in a suicide blast in sri lanka at a church outside the capital of colombo sunday morning , police said . sri lankan police officers investigate sunday 's suicide bombing near colombo . eight other cdf officers and two civilians were wounded , police said . nobody immediately claimed responsibility for the blast , but police suspect the bomber was a member of the tamil tiger rebels . there was no immediate response from the tamil tiger rebels to the incident , which , police said , occurred at st. anne 's church in the colombo suburb of wattala , located on a roadway to the country 's only international airport about 15 kilometers -lrb- 9 miles -rrb- north of the capital .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sri lanka 's high commissioner to britain has blamed criticism of his country 's human rights record on a `` proxy propaganda war '' being carried out by those who funded the nation 's `` terrorist conflict . '' the prime ministers of canada , mauritius and india have withdrawn from the commonwealth heads of government meeting , or chogm , beginning in colombo on friday , amid concerns about the rights situation in sri lanka after its 26-year civil war with separatist tamil rebels . speaking to cnn 's fred pleitgen for the `` amanpour '' show on the eve of the summit , chris nonis said he was unsurprised by the criticism . `` one has to understand that there 's a tremendous influence from those who funded the terrorist conflict who are now carrying out , really , a proxy propaganda war . `` what we realize is that over the years -- as people realize the wonderful reconciliation , rehabilitation and reconstruction program that we are carrying out in sri lanka -- that gradually that proxy propaganda war will lose its currency and , in that context , i think it 's entirely right and fitting that we should host the commonwealth heads of government meeting , '' he said . `` there 's a huge dichotomy of disjuncture between what is said abroad in terms of criticism and lack of rights and the freedom and the justice and equality that people are experiencing here . '' the commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 nations that initially formed out of what had been the british empire . its charter focuses on developing `` free and democratic societies and the promotion of peace and prosperity to improve the lives of all peoples of the commonwealth . '' heads of member governments meet every two years . international investigation . asked about calls for an independent , international investigation into alleged war crimes -- a call repeated by british foreign secretary william hague when he met his sri lankan counterpart on the sidelines of the meeting this week -- nonis responded : . `` we do n't need an international investigation when we have had a vibrant civilization for 2,500 years . we have perfectly educated people and i think we 're perfectly capable of carrying out our own domestic inquiry . '' nonis said the leaders not attending the conference represent three of the five countries that are home to sri lanka 's largest , wealthiest and strongest diaspora communities . `` each country , each leader has their domestic political considerations . we understand that . after all , they 're politicians , '' he said . he described uk opposition leader ed miliband 's call for sri lanka to be stripped of its chairmanship of the commonwealth as `` extremely silly '' and uninformed , saying his country had made `` enormous progress '' since its war ended in may 2009 . `` we cherish the principles of democracy and development -- the twin pillars of the commonwealth , '' nonis said . `` we are a very decent , very human group of people . we 've had a terrible conflict with the terrorists -- finally the people of sri lanka are free . '' civilian deaths . as many as 70,000 people were killed in sri lanka 's war and in its final stage , which lasted from september 2008 to may 2009 , the sri lankan army advanced into an area of the north where about 330,000 people were trapped by fighting . a u.n. report in 2011 said the government used `` large-scale and widespread shelling '' that left a large number of civilians dead . the number of civilian deaths and injuries are unknown to this day , and u.n. figures greatly differ from those in reports from sri lanka 's government and various nongovernmental organizations . sri lankan president mahinda mahinda rajapaksa told media thursday he would `` not hesitate to take action against any human rights violations , adding that he has nothing to hide and is very open , '' according to a sri lankan government website . `` he said that sri lanka has a strong legal system , a human rights commission , and now the commonwealth is ready to strengthen it , '' it said . on october 7 , canadian prime minister stephen harper announced that he would not go to this week 's meeting and that deepak obhrai -- the parliamentary secretary to the minister of foreign affairs and for international human rights -- would attend in his place . canada is `` deeply concerned '' about the situation in sri lanka and believes that the government has failed to uphold the commonwealth 's core values , he said . `` the absence of accountability for the serious violations of human rights and international humanitarian standards during and after the civil war is unacceptable , '' harper said . `` canada noted with concern the impeachment of the sri lankan chief justice earlier this year and we remain disturbed by ongoing reports of intimidation and incarceration of political leaders and journalists , harassment of minorities , reported disappearances , and allegations of extra judicial killings . '' on november 12 , the prime minister of mauritius , navinchandra ramgoolam , told lawmakers that he would not be attending the summit , sending his minister of foreign affairs instead . a government statement said ramgoolam told the country 's parliament that he had been monitoring human rights in sri lanka and was gravely concerned about violations there . `` mauritius has never been and will never be indifferent to the human rights violation anywhere in the world , including sri lanka , '' he said . india 's foreign minister . the prime minister of india , which has a large tamil population , had faced domestic pressure to also withdraw from the conference . on november 10 , india 's ministry of external affairs said prime minister manmohan singh had written to president rajapaksa , saying that he too would not attend . external affairs minister salman khurshid was chosen to represent india instead . khurshid told cnn 's pleitgen on `` amanpour '' thursday that a number of factors may have influenced the decision to stay away , including coming elections and economic issues . `` and of course there were competing sentiments in the country about some outstanding issues with sri lanka , particularly on the rehabilitation and reconstruction that 's imperative after the end of the war , '' he said . `` we have urged the government of sri lanka to take steps forward towards real and meaningful devolution and accountability . '' he said india continues to urge speedier action but said : `` we ca n't see an alternative to engagement , particularly if it 's a matter that concerns a friendly country in the neighborhood of india . '' the sri lankan website says that rajapaksa `` expressed satisfaction over indian external affairs minister salman khurshid attending the chogm summit . when an indian reporter stated that prime minister manmohan singh has skipped the conference in acceding to demands made by tamil nadu , the president said that he has not informed this to him and pointed out that the indian prime minister did not even attend the previous summit in perth two years ago . '' ` must be accountability ' british prime minister david cameron , who is attending the summit , issued a statement thursday saying he sees it as `` an opportunity to raise our concerns clearly and directly , and to focus the eyes of the world on sri lanka . '' `` together we must say clearly to the government of sri lanka -- our hosts -- that there must be accountability for the past and respect for human rights today , '' he said . `` four years on from the end of the civil war and defeat of the ` tamil tigers , ' a brutal terrorist organization , there has been nowhere near enough improvement . we need to see more progress : genuine freedom of expression and the media , an end to the intimidation of journalists and human rights defenders , action to stamp out torture , demilitarization of the north and reconciliation between communities . `` and of course we need to see a thorough investigation into alleged war crimes . ''<doc-sep>billionaire casino mogul james packer has been declared unwelcome in sri lanka , with the country 's new prime minister announcing that the australian should not ` come to the country in this lifetime ' . the strong backlash from the sri lanka 's new government come after packer withdrew from long-standing plans to build a $ 350 million luxury resort in the country 's ` commercial capital ' , colombo . packer scrapped his development plans in the wake of the government 's ban on new casinos . unphased : australian billionaire james packer -lrb- right -rrb- grins during a press conference at the newly-opened city of dreams mega-casino in manila on february 2 , 2015 after the announcement by sri lanka 's prime minister . packer is pictured with his co-chairman lawrence ho . sri lankan president maithripala sirisena -lrb- right -rrb- and sri lankan prime minister ranil wickremasinghe -lrb- left -rrb- pose for photographers following the swearing-in ceremony of the new cabinet in colombo on january 12 . a woman past an advertising board at the proposed site for a resort and casino complex by australia 's crown resorts ltd in colombo january 29 .<doc-sep>by . daniel mills . scott morrison has confirmed that 41 asylum seekers have been sent back home to sri lanka . the australian government has ignored calls from the opposition and human rights groups and returned 41 asylum seekers to sri lanka . immigration minister scott morrison has received a lashing for his handling of the issue from all sides of government , including former liberal prime minister malcolm fraser , who said the return of asylum seekers at sea was similar to how jews were treated by the nazis back in the 1930s . the news has also outraged labor frontbencher penny wong who has hit out at mr morrison 's ` brief statement ' which confirmed asylum seekers had been intercepted back in june , and now some where being returned back to sri lanka . | <t> minister 's bodyguards hurt in blast in southern suburb of colombo . </t> <t> maithripala sirisena heads the agriculture department . </t> <t> authorities blamed the attack on tamil tigers rebels . </t> | minister escapes sri lanka bombing<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- britain 's prince william has helped the u.s. coast guard bust a drug smuggling boat carrying cocaine worth a minimum of $ 80 million . prince william has helped bust a speed boat smuggling $ 80 million worth of cocaine . william , who is serving in the royal navy , helped make the bust last weekend when he spotted a speedboat found to be carrying nearly a ton of cocaine in the atlantic ocean , britain 's ministry of defense said wednesday . william , 26 , was one of the crew members aboard a helicopter attached to the frigate hms iron duke who spotted the ocean-going speedboat hundreds of miles northeast of barbados , the defense ministry said . the 50-foot-long power boat raised suspicions because it was a small vessel far out to sea and resembled a `` go-fast '' boat commonly used for drug smuggling , the ministry said . the boat 's location suggested it was en route to europe or north africa , it said . the chopper 's crew informed the ship 's captain about the boat , and u.s. coast guard personnel who were on the frigate then boarded the boat . they found 45 bales of cocaine weighing a total of 900 kilograms -lrb- just under a ton -rrb- , the defense ministry said . the cocaine has a minimum street value of $ 80 million , the ministry said .<doc-sep>the bust went smoothly with no violence , defense officials said . navy crew detained the five men on the boat , which was in poor condition and later sank . william is in the middle of a two-month attachment with the royal navy as part of his continued experience with various branches of the military . the prince , who is called sub lieutenant wales in the navy , is also expected to spend time aboard a mine hunter and submarine during his attachment , which ends august 1 . william 's vessel , the iron duke , is a patrol boat which supports overseas british territories in the event of a hurricane and carries out counter-narcotic operations . william completed a four-month attachment with the royal air force earlier this year and received his pilot 's wings on graduation in april . he learned to fly three different aircraft during the attachment and is known as flying officer wales within the raf . william is already a second lieutenant in the british army , where he serves in the blues and royals regiment of the household cavalry . the attachments are designed to give the prince , who as king will be the head of the armed forces , experience with the military .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- britain 's prince william has helped the u.s. coast guard bust a drug smuggling boat carrying cocaine worth a minimum of $ 80 million . prince william has helped bust a speed boat smuggling $ 80 million worth of cocaine . william , who is serving in the royal navy , helped make the bust last weekend when he spotted a speedboat found to be carrying nearly a ton of cocaine in the atlantic ocean , britain 's ministry of defense said wednesday . william , 26 , was one of the crew members aboard a helicopter attached to the frigate hms iron duke who spotted the ocean-going speedboat hundreds of miles northeast of barbados , the defense ministry said . the 50-foot-long power boat raised suspicions because it was a small vessel far out to sea and resembled a `` go-fast '' boat commonly used for drug smuggling , the ministry said . the boat 's location suggested it was en route to europe or north africa , it said .<doc-sep>the chopper 's crew informed the ship 's captain about the boat , and u.s. coast guard personnel who were on the frigate then boarded the boat . they found 45 bales of cocaine weighing a total of 900 kilograms -lrb- just under a ton -rrb- , the defense ministry said . the cocaine has a minimum street value of $ 80 million , the ministry said . the bust went smoothly with no violence , defense officials said . navy crew detained the five men on the boat , which was in poor condition and later sank . william is in the middle of a two-month attachment with the royal navy as part of his continued experience with various branches of the military . the prince , who is called sub lieutenant wales in the navy , is also expected to spend time aboard a mine hunter and submarine during his attachment , which ends august 1 .<doc-sep>by . becky evans . and pa reporter . cocaine worth # 100million has been seized by royal navy sailors off the coast of puerto rico . sailors from hms lancaster seized 680kg of pure cocaine , made of 22 bales , after boarding a speedboat near the caribbean island . the ministry of defence said the 30ft speedboat , which was hidden by a tarpaulin , had been spotted by a u.s. customs and border agency aircraft , prompting the bust . a royal navy gunner on board hms lancaster using a machine gun to destroy a speed boat where sailors seized cocaine worth # 100million off the coast of puerto rico . the boat , which was carrying three people , was destroyed so it can not be used in further drug smuggling . a lynx helicopter and high-speed pursuit boat were launched from the portsmouth-based hms lancaster to intercept the vessel . three suspected smugglers threw the drugs overboard , but they were recovered by divers . a total of 22 bales of pure cocaine were . seized along with the three men . they , and the drugs , were handed over . to the coast guard cutter sapelo and then authorities in puerto rico . the empty drugs boat was then sunk . by royal navy gunfire - in line with standard procedure - to prevent . its use in future smuggling operations . the type 23 frigate 's commanding . officer , commander steve moorhouse , said it was the third success in as . many weeks for the ship , which is working with us authorities as part of . a joint effort to fight drug smuggling in the caribbean . armed royal navy personnel can be seen pointing guns at the three men after they intercepted the speedboat . a sailor carries two of 22 cocaine bales recovered from the ocean after being thrown overboard by the suspects . ` this . is a great result , not only for lancaster but also everyone involved in . the multinational effort to stem the flow of drugs in the region , ' he . said . ` my ship 's company can . be incredibly proud of what they have achieved , their professionalism . and teamwork continue to shine , and our close relationship with our . partner nations and law enforcement agencies is proving to be hugely . successful . ' he said in the past three weeks his crew have seized marijuana worth # 700,000 and large quantities of heroin and cocaine . defence secretary philip hammond praised the crew 's work today , saying : ` this extraordinary quantity of drugs has been stopped from reaching the streets by the swift actions of the royal navy , working closely with the u.s. coastguard . sailors look on as the speedboat burns in the ocean off the coast of puerto rico . a lynx helicopter -lrb- pictured -rrb- was launched from the lancaster after the coast guard spotted the boat . the hms lancaster is part of operation martillo , a 15-nation effort to fight smuggling in the caribbean . ` this is hms lancaster 's second . counter narcotics patrol in the caribbean to tackle the drugs trade and . the entire ship 's company should be proud of this remarkable . achievement . ` this is . another example of the skills and capability that mean our armed forces . are held in high regard by our partners around the world . ' hms . lancaster is currently on patrol with a team from the us coast guard . law enforcement detachment who provide intelligence in catching drug . runners . she is on her second counter-narcotics patrol of the caribbean region and will continue to fight drug smuggling until the end of the year . the patrols are part of operation martillo , a 15-nation effort to fight drug smuggling and to stop the movement of drugs from south america into the caribbean and onwards to the uk . over the past year the u.s. coast guard has seized 45,195 lb of cocaine and 8,500 lb of marijuana during 22 law enforcement interceptions . as well as counter-narcotic operations with the u.s. , hms lancaster is carrying out other tasks across the caribbean to support british interests , including providing reassurance and security for british overseas territories and the provision of humanitarian aid and disaster relief during the core hurricane season .<doc-sep>the loose . women star spoke in admiration of the young royal at london 's brasserie . blanc at the after party of her new play , chicken . ` she is very savvy and very smart , ' she said . sleeping rough : in the winter of 2009 , prince william and seyi obakin , ceo of homeless charity centrepoint , spent a night on the streets in freezing temperatures to experience being homeless . helping hand : prince william and catherine , pictured with centrepoint 's seyi obakin , are devoted to supporting the charity at a time when homeless figures are on the rise . three years ago , william was joined on his night sleeping rough by centrepoint chief executive , seyi obakin , and his private secretary , jamie lowther-pinkerton . it was n't a peaceful night under the stars for the three musketeers , who nearly got run over by a roadsweeper . writing on the centrepoint website , seyi revealed : ` william was determined to do it as patron to raise awareness of the problem and to be able to understand a little better what rough sleepers go through . ' charitable work : princess diana was the patron of the centrepoint charity for the homeless and introduced her son to the good cause . at the time , a st james ' palace spokesman said : ` prince william took away from the experience the importance of tackling all the issues that cause people to be homeless and stay homeless , from drug dependency to mental health problems . ' centrepoint helps the homeless in london and the north east and was one of six organisations diana remained patron of when she scaled back her charitable interests . kate and william visited the charity last year and joined in on a healthy eating cookery programme . the work of william and kate is fundamental to the charity as the latest figures reveal that there has been a 20 per cent increase in those sleeping rough in a year . | <t> prince william has helped the u.s. coast guard bust a drug smuggling boat . </t> <t> boat carrying cocaine with a street value of at least $ 80m , officials say . </t> <t> prince william helped spot the boat hundreds of miles northeast of barbados . </t> | prince william helps bust $ 80m drug smuggling boat<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- three aid workers have been shot over the last day in somalia , two of them fatally , somali media reports said . somalis prepare monday to bury murdered osman ali ahmed , the head of the u.n. development program . the first fatality was a somali , mohamed mohamud qeyre . he was the deputy director of the group daryeel bulasho guud -lrb- dbg -rrb- , funded by a german company and affiliated with the group bread for the world . qeyre was shot in the somali capital of mogadishu friday night in what appeared to be a targeted attack , the reports said . he was shot by three gunmen outside the facility where aid distribution is coordinated . the gunmen may have been staking out the facility waiting for qeyre to exit .<doc-sep>the head of dbg , in nairobi , kenya , said he will suspend all aid operations in somalia for the time being . the second fatality was a member of the sodra nongovernmental organization , which is helping with humanitarian efforts in somalia . officials said it appears that ali baashi was also specifically targeted by gunmen . earlier this week , the world food program said a truck driver carrying its relief supplies was killed -- the fourth wfp driver killed in somalia this year . ahmed saalim was shot when fighting broke out between convoy escorts and militiamen at a checkpoint , the u.n. aid agency said .<doc-sep>a growing percentage of the somali population has become dependent on humanitarian aid . a severe famine swept the nation in 1991-1993 , devastating crops , killing up to 280,000 people and displacing up to 2 million , according to the united nations high commissioner for refugees . the situation has been exacerbated by drought , continual armed conflicts in central and southern somalia and high inflation on food and fuel . journalist mohamed amin contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` the dangers are very real . since the last world humanitarian day , 19 aid workers were killed and eight others kidnapped in somalia , four of whom remain in captivity , '' bowden said . the world food programme has also suffered casualties while carrying out its work . in the past year , 12 wfp staff , contractors and partner staff have been killed while working to fight hunger in haiti , the ivory coast , somalia , sudan and south sudan , the group 's executive director , ertharin cousin , said in a statement . the u.n. chief said the best way to honor fallen aid workers is to carry on their mission by helping those who are suffering . `` individual actions may seem small , but collectively they will reverberate around the world , generating unstoppable momentum for a better future , '' ban said .<doc-sep>last year , a u.s. drone strike killed anwar al-awlaki and al qaeda founder osama bin laden was shot to death by u.s. commandos . al-shabaab , which has battled somalia 's weak transitional government since 2007 , controls much of southern somalia and is active around the capital city of mogadishu . the u.s. listed it as a terror organization in 2008 . `` the group is responsible for the killing of thousands of somali civilians , somali peace activists , international aid workers , journalists and african union peacekeepers , '' the state department said . kenyan blast injures 28 ; authorities disagree on cause . the state department is also offering up to $ 5 million each for information leading to the location of four of aw-mohamed 's associates , who make up his inner circle : ibrahim haji jama , fuad mohamed khalaf , bashir mohamed mahamoud , and mukhtar robow , who acts as the group 's spokesman and spiritual leader .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- doctors without borders is pulling out of somalia after more than two decades because of frequent attacks on its staff , the aid group said wednesday . the group , internationally known by its french name , medecins sans frontieres , has worked in the nation since 1991 . it said civilian leaders tolerate or `` condone the killing , assaulting and abducting '' of aid workers . `` the same actors with whom msf must negotiate minimum guarantees to respect its medical humanitarian mission have in some cases played a role in the abuses against msf staff , either through direct involvement or tacit approval , particularly but not exclusively in south-central somalia , '' it said . in 2011 , two msf members were killed in mogadishu , and their convicted killer was released early , the group said . aid worker dies after attack in south sudan . in addition , 14 other staff members have been killed and dozens of msf 's ambulances and medical facilities have been attacked , the group said . `` in choosing to kill , attack , and abduct humanitarian aid workers , these armed groups , and the civilian authorities who tolerate their actions , have sealed the fate of countless lives in somalia , '' said dr. unni karunakara , msf 's international president . '' ... the situation in the country has created an untenable imbalance between the risks and compromises our staff must make , and our ability to provide assistance to the somali people . '' the aid agency had a staff of about 1,500 in the nation to provide various services , including health care , malnutrition treatment , surgery and relief supplies . somalia has been plagued by a long-running struggle between government forces and al-shabaab , a militant islamist group with connections to al qaeda . it has waged a war to implement a stricter form of islamic law in the country . two years ago , somali and african forces pushed the militants out of the capital , mogadishu , raising hopes of a return to relative security after about 20 years of violence . but the militants have maintained control of large chunks of southern and central somalia , where they stage attacks . until last year , somalia had not had an effective government since dictator mohamed siad barre was overthrown in 1991 . rape and injustice : the woman breaking somalia 's wall of silence .<doc-sep>the aid agency said only that a convoy `` was involved in an incident '' in dadaab and that secretary-general elisabeth rasmusson and country director hassan khaire were at the camp but neither was in the convoy . while the four aid workers were taken , their kenyan driver was killed , police said friday . two other staff members were injured and treated at a hospital in the capital of nairobi , officials said . a norwegian refugee council vehicle also was taken . police have not said whether the kidnappers were from al-shabaab , an al qaeda-linked group that is fighting to impose islamic law in somalia and controls large parts of the troubled nation . kenya has blamed previous abductions of tourists and aid workers on al-shabaab . in september , armed bandits broke into a beachfront cottage where britons judith and david tebbutt , both in their 50s , were staying . david tebbutt was shot dead while trying to resist the attack . his wife was grabbed and spirited away on a speedboat . she was released months later in somalia after her family paid a ransom . in october , pirates made another cross-border raid , this time snatching a french woman in her 60s , who used a wheelchair and was believed to be in bad health , from a holiday home on manda island , where she lived part of the year . she later died , likely because of the kidnappers ' refusal to give her medicine , according to the french foreign ministry . also in october , gunmen abducted two spanish workers with the medical charity doctors without borders from dadaab , the world 's largest refugee camp , which houses nearly 500,000 people about 50 miles west of the somali border . cnn 's elizabeth joseph and journalist lillian leposo contributed to this report . | <t> three aid workers have been shot over the last day in somalia , two of them fatally . </t> <t> one victim worked for aid agency , dbg , which has suspended operations . </t> <t> four world food program drivers of relief supplies killed this year . </t> <t> somalis dependent on humanitarian aid since 1993 famine , ongoing war , drought . </t> | aid workers being shot , killed in somalia<T> |
new york -lrb- cnnmoney.com -rrb- -- jpmorgan chase & co. said sunday that it is buying troubled wall street firm bear stearns , amid deepening fears that bear 's demise could have sent shockwaves across already shaky financial markets . the deal to buy bear stearns is worth an estimated $ 236 million . the deal values bear stearns at $ 236 million , or just $ 2 a share . shares had closed at $ 30 on friday , down 47 percent that day . `` effective immediately , jpmorgan chase is guaranteeing the trading obligations of bear stearns and its subsidiaries and is providing management oversight for its operations , '' said a statement released sunday by jpmorgan . shareholders must approve the deal , which is expected to close by the end of june . jpmorgan is taking immediate responsibility for bear 's trading obligations and assuming `` management oversight '' of the firm 's operations . the deal has already been approved by the federal reserve and other regulators , according to the statement .<doc-sep>the fed is providing special emergency financing for up to $ 30 billion in bear stearns assets . `` jpmorgan stands behind bear stearns , '' said jamie dimon , chairman and chief executive of jpmorgan . `` bear stearns clients and counterparties should feel secure that jpmorgan is guaranteeing ... risk , '' he continued . the fast-track deal is expected to close by the end of june , the statement said . bear stearns was on the brink of financial collapse friday when jpmorgan and the federal reserve bank of new york said they would provide the brokerage a short-term loan . bear was dealing with a classic `` run on the bank . '' the firm 's short-term creditors refused to lend the firm any more money and simultaneously demanded repayment of outstanding debt . the one-two punch overwhelmed bear 's cash position .<doc-sep>with the global credit crisis worsening , the fed -- along with officials from the treasury department and other government agencies -- took the dramatic action to prevent the investment bank from going under and igniting widespread panic through the financial markets . watch a discussion on the impact on global markets '' treasury secretary henry paulson said on sunday that talks about how to rescue bear had continued throughout the weekend . he defended the fed 's bailout on friday as `` the right decision '' and said the bush administration was ready to take other actions to bring stability to the financial markets . he would not say what might have happened had the government failed to step in . `` i 'm not going to speculate about what-ifs , '' he said . `` i 'm just going to say our clear priority right now -- our number one priority , everything we 're doing in the economic arena -- is to minimize instability , minimize spillover into the real economy . '' bear stearns has approximately 14,000 employees worldwide . the deal marks an inglorious chapter for 85-year-old bear stearns , a storied wall street firm the unraveling of which has been fast and furious .<doc-sep>rumors that bear stearns was on the verge of collapse started buzzing around wall street trading desks last monday . chief executive alan schwartz -- who took over as ceo in early january from longtime chief jimmy cayne -- appeared on television on wednesday afternoon to reassure the markets that the firm was stable . but by thursday night , bear was in a severe crunch . some firms that trade with it effectively stopped offering it credit because they feared that bear was running short of short-term funding , or liquidity . `` the past week has been an incredibly difficult time for bear stearns , '' said alan schwartz , president and ceo of bear stearns . `` this transaction represents the best outcome for all of our constituencies based upon the current circumstances . '' white house spokesman tony fratto told cnn on sunday that paulson has briefed u.s. president george w. bush on the federal reserve 's role in helping to facilitate the purchase . `` we appreciate the actions taken by the federal reserve this evening , '' said fratto . `` secretary paulson and chairman bernanke are actively engaged in addressing issues affecting our financial markets . secretary paulson has kept the president briefed on recent developments . '' shares of bear stearns opened last week at $ 69.75 and traded as high as $ 159 last year . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- if the reports of a proposed $ 13 billion settlement between the justice department and jpmorgan chase & co. are correct , the public and the company 's shareholders will not see justice done . while the tentative deal is being portrayed as a larger settlement , it really represents the company coming forward with an additional $ 9 billion . the other $ 4 billion represents loan workouts that jpmorgan would do anyway to reduce its losses on mortgages that would otherwise cause it greater losses through foreclosure . from the perspective of the company 's shareholders , the problems amount to an even bigger loss because of alleged fraud . the full $ 13 billion would represent a loss to the shareholders , and jpmorgan estimates its future increased legal and investigative costs for its past scandals at $ 9.2 billion . and so , it will cost jpmorgan 's shareholders heavily to buy what could well be a `` get out of jail free '' card from doj for wrongdoers at jpmorgan and the banks it purchased . while the reported settlement would n't close down a federal investigation based in california , it remains to be seen whether it will target any current employees of jpmorgan . a settlement of this kind would release jpmorgan and its officers from civil and criminal liability for a wide range of alleged frauds . many of these alleged frauds added to the profits of jpmorgan and the companies it acquired . the shareholders should not be enriched by fraud . where officers ' frauds created profits that enriched the shareholders , jpmorgan should fire such officers , and the justice department should prosecute and recover any fraud proceeds . jpmorgan should pay the damages it caused to others through fraud . in cases where a firm 's senior officers engage in a wide range of frauds , the courts should award punitive damages against the officers and the firm . cnn money : five things to know about jp morgan settlement . the problem in terms of justice is when the frauds created fictional profits that enriched corporate officers through unjust bonuses but also created real losses that were booked by the company years later . the shareholders suffer twice from such frauds -- they paid the unjust bonuses and then have to bear the losses . the shareholders ' losses are compounded by the legal fees , which are primarily driven by the desire to keep the officers from being prosecuted or their unjust bonuses recovered , and by the fine . the appropriate policy would be for jpmorgan to fire such officers and for doj to prosecute them and recover their unjust bonuses . there is a triple failure of accountability for officers of wall street companies . doj failed to prosecute any elite wall street banker for the frauds that drove the financial crisis . the banks have failed to fire and `` claw back '' the compensation of the officers who led these massive frauds . we can not deter frauds when we do not prosecute them , fire those responsible or recover the wealth they gained through fraud . jpmorgan 's supporters argue that the settlement is unjust for two reasons . first , they argue that doj is engaged in a `` vendetta '' designed to shrink jpmorgan 's size to the point that it no longer poses a `` systemic '' risk to the global economy . dick bove , a wall street analyst , made the vendetta and shrinkage claims without presenting any supporting evidence . i wish that it were true that the u.s. government was requiring the systemically dangerous institutions -lrb- the `` too big to fail '' banks -rrb- to shrink to the point that their failures will no longer cause a global financial crisis . the bush and obama administrations have refused to require these huge institutions to shrink . the dodd-frank act does not require them to shrink and though it gives the regulators power to require these companies to shrink , they have refused to use the power . no doj settlement requires any of these institutions to shrink . jamie dimon , jpmorgan 's ceo , was an early and strong supporter of president barack obama -lrb- though he became critical of the administration subsequently -rrb- , so he is an unlikely vendetta target . second , jpmorgan 's supporters argue it is unjust for the justice department to hold jpmorgan financially liable for the damages caused by the frauds of the two enormous failed banks it acquired : bear stearns and washington mutual . it 's true that the bush administration did encourage jpmorgan to buy bear stearns and wamu . the owners are liable for the liabilities of companies they buy . any other rule would leave victims of misconduct and fraud unable to recover their losses . dimon knew that acquirers of failed banks can refuse to buy unless the fdic agrees to bear the banks ' liabilities for fraud . dimon appeared eager to buy wamu and bear stearns despite their terrible reputations and their collapse . bear stearns was notorious in the finance industry , inspiring the phrase : `` bear do n't care . '' yet dimon chose not to insist that the fdic retain the banks ' fraud liabilities or indemnify jpmorgan against losses because of those alleged frauds . first , the purchase price would have increased substantially if the fdic had to bear the banks ' fraud liabilities . second , dimon knew that if the fdic offered broad indemnification , rival banks could outbid jpmorgan and buy the banks . without doing the due diligence essential to judging the banks ' fraud liabilities , dimon likely decided that the purchase prices were so low that it was better to buy them immediately without indemnification . it would be unjust to allow dimon to change the deal five years later because his business decision proved disastrous . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of william black .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the credit crisis has transformed the global financial landscape , bankrupting established names and prompting unprecedented interventions by governments and central banks to save others from collapse as they buckle under the weight of `` toxic debts . '' this timeline charts the key moments in that process . 2007 feb. 7 : hsbc announces losses linked to u.s. subprime mortgages . may 17 : federal reserve chairman ben bernanke said growing number of mortgage defaults will not seriously harm the u.s. economy . a trader at the new york stock exchange reacts to the fall of global stock markets . june : two bear stearns-run hedge funds with large holdings of subprime mortgages run into large losses and are forced to dump assets . the trouble spreads to major wall street firms such as merrill lynch , jpmorgan chase , citigroup and goldman sachs which had loaned the firms money . aug. : french bank bnp paribas freezes withdrawals in three investment funds . sept. : crisis-hit uk bank northern rock admits financial difficulties as it asks bank of england for assistance . share prices fall as customers queue up to withdraw their money . oct. 1 : swiss bank ubs announces losses liked to u.s. subprime mortgages . oct. 5 : investment bank merrill lynch reports losses of $ 5.5 billion . oct. 15 : cititgroup announces $ 6.5 billion third quarter losses . oct. 24 : merrill lynch announces losses to be over $ 8 billion . 2008 jan : swiss bank ubs announces fourth quarter losses at $ 14 billion . jan. 11 : bank of america pays $ 4 billion for countryside financial . jan. 15 : citigroup reports $ 18.1 billion loss in fourth quarter . jan. 17 : merrill lynch reports $ 11.5 billion loss in fourth quarter . washington mutual posts losses . feb. 13 : uk bank northern rock is nationalized . march : uk hedge fund peloton partners and u.s. fund carlyle capital fail . march 16 : bear stearns , the u.s. 's fifth largest investment bank , collapses and is taken over by jp morgan . april 1 : german deutsche bank credit losses of $ 3.9 billion in first quarter . april 13 : u.s. bank wachovia corp. reports big loss for quarter . may 12 : hsbc writes off $ 3.2 billion in the first quarter linked to exposure to the u.s. subprime market . july 22 : wamu reports $ 3.3 billion loss for second quarter . aug. 31 : german commerzbank ag takes over dresdner kleinwort investment bank .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the credit crisis has transformed the global financial landscape , bankrupting established names and prompting unprecedented interventions by governments and central banks to save others from collapse as they buckle under the weight of `` toxic debts . '' this timeline charts the key moments in that process . 2007 feb. 7 : hsbc announces losses linked to u.s. subprime mortgages . may 17 : federal reserve chairman ben bernanke said growing number of mortgage defaults will not seriously harm the u.s. economy . a trader at the new york stock exchange reacts to the fall of global stock markets . june : two bear stearns-run hedge funds with large holdings of subprime mortgages run into large losses and are forced to dump assets . the trouble spreads to major wall street firms such as merrill lynch , jpmorgan chase , citigroup and goldman sachs which had loaned the firms money . aug. : french bank bnp paribas freezes withdrawals in three investment funds . sept. : crisis-hit uk bank northern rock admits financial difficulties as it asks bank of england for assistance . share prices fall as customers queue up to withdraw their money . oct. 1 : swiss bank ubs announces losses liked to u.s. subprime mortgages . oct. 5 : investment bank merrill lynch reports losses of $ 5.5 billion . oct. 15 : cititgroup announces $ 6.5 billion third quarter losses . oct. 24 : merrill lynch announces losses to be over $ 8 billion . 2008 jan : swiss bank ubs announces fourth quarter losses at $ 14 billion . jan. 11 : bank of america pays $ 4 billion for countryside financial . jan. 15 : citigroup reports $ 18.1 billion loss in fourth quarter . jan. 17 : merrill lynch reports $ 11.5 billion loss in fourth quarter . washington mutual posts losses . feb. 13 : uk bank northern rock is nationalized . march : uk hedge fund peloton partners and u.s. fund carlyle capital fail . march 16 : bear stearns , the u.s. 's fifth largest investment bank , collapses and is taken over by jp morgan . april 1 : german deutsche bank credit losses of $ 3.9 billion in first quarter . april 13 : u.s. bank wachovia corp. reports big loss for quarter . may 12 : hsbc writes off $ 3.2 billion in the first quarter linked to exposure to the u.s. subprime market . july 22 : wamu reports $ 3.3 billion loss for second quarter . aug. 31 : german commerzbank ag takes over dresdner kleinwort investment bank .<doc-sep>yet u.s. bank , despite being listed on their foreclosure , said they did n't own the property and were just one of several financial firms that possessed it . it prompted what the family has now called a ` run-around , ' connecting jpmorgan chase to the foreclosure as well . ` we have tried tirelessly to work with the bank to keep our home , but have been given the run-around by the bank each time - often calling and being forwarded to scores of representatives , none of which say they can do anything to negotiate ! ' mrs gearing writes with her petition that has received nearly 200,000 signatures of support . ` now , we have managed to find outside financing and are trying to submit an offer to jpmorgan chase to buy back our home -lrb- in cash -rrb- ... but jpmorgan chase , claiming bureaucratic process , is refusing to even hear or consider offers on the property until we have been evicted . ' ` in servicing a property , we follow the investors ' guidelines to avoid foreclosure when possible and to minimize the loss in the case of foreclosure , ' chase said in a statement to abc . ` after foreclosure , we seek to sell the home for fair market value . ' while possibly unable to offer much more for the home if asked by the bank , the family say there has been some good news as chase sent a real estate agent to assess the home 's value on thursday . on tuesday of next week , an appraiser is set to visit as well . the news could n't home faster for the family as the november 5 eviction date looms . if it does go through , the family said they will still try and buy the home back but do not want to have to move out and then move back in again . ` just to do that and move back in ? for what reason ? red tape ? ' she said . mrs gearing says she has since started looking at apartments in the area so her children can continue to attend their schools . asked if the family 's friend would be willing to pay more for the property , mrs gearing said they 'd pay only what she called a ` fair ' price . | <t> acquisition values bear stearns shares at $ 2 ; shares closed friday at $ 30 . </t> <t> u.s. fed providing financing for up to $ 30 billion in bear stearns assets . </t> <t> bear stearns was facing `` run on the bank '' on friday . </t> <t> deal , if approved by shareholders , will close in june . </t> | jpmorgan chase to buy bear stearns<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- doctors at the technical university of munich have conducted the world 's first double-arm transplant on a 54-year-old farmer who had lost both his arms in an accident , officials said . after transplant surgery , this farmer has new arms . his condition `` is very good under the circumstances . '' the operation was conducted at the university 's `` klinikum rechts der isar '' last week , the clinic said in a statement friday , following several years of preparatory work .<doc-sep>the man 's condition `` is very good under the circumstances , '' the statement said . `` now it is a matter of avoiding future wound healing disorders , infections , strong side-effects caused by the drugs and in particular any rejective reaction . ''<doc-sep>a team of 40 people participated in the transplant surgery , conducted july 25 and 26 . the donor matched the host in sex , age , skin color , size and blood group , the statement said . the transplant subject had lost both his arms at the upper arm level six years ago , and two attempts with artificial limbs had been unsuccessful .<doc-sep>by . james nye . surgeons have released pictures of the incredible moment an iraq veteran who lost all four limbs in a roadside bomb blast had a double-arm transplant . brendan marrocco , who was injured in the explosion almost four years ago , said he 's looking forward to driving and swimming after undergoing the operation . ' i just want to get the most out of these arms , and just as goals come up , knock them down and take it absolutely as far as i can , ' marrocco said yesterday . the 26-year-old new yorker spoke at a news conference at johns hopkins hospital , where he was joined by surgeons who performed the arduous and complex 13-hour operation . scroll down for video . u.s. army sgt. brendan marrocco of staten island , new york , who lost his four limbs in a 2009 roadside bomb attack in iraq , speaks during a news conference after receiving double arm transplants , performed at john hopkins hospital . experimental : the surgical team led by johns hopkins physicians performed the institutions first bilateral arm transplant , together with an innovative treatment to prevent rejection of the new limbs . after he was wounded , marrocco said , he felt fine using prosthetic legs , but he hated not having arms . ` you talk with your hands , you do everything with your hands , basically , and when you do n't have that , you 're kind of lost for a while , ' he said . marrocco said his chief desire is to drive the black dodge charger that 's been sitting in his garage for three years . ' i used to love to drive , ' he said . ` i 'm really looking forward to just getting back to that , and just becoming an athlete again . ' surgeons at john hopkins medical centre in performing double arm transplant on brendan m. marrocco attach one of the transplanted limbs -lrb- center circle -rrb- . intense concentration : this photograph from december 18th shows the surgical team at johns hopkins hospital during their 13-hour operation on brendan marrocco . the team at johns hopkins physicians perform the johns hopkins hospital 's first bilateral arm transplant on 26-year-old patient brendan m. marrocco . although he does n't expect to excel . at soccer , his favorite sport , marrocco said he 'd like to swim and . compete in a marathon using a hand-cycle . marrocco joked that military service members sometimes regard themselves as poorly paid professional athletes .<doc-sep>a former college professor who underwent a double arm transplant last month at brigham and women 's hospital in boston says the best thing about the operation is that he 's able to hug his loved ones again . will lautzenheiser with both arms still in partial casts on tuesday -- said at a news conference he 's grateful to the anonymous donor who ` will always be as close to me as my own skin . ' lautzenheiser is a former professor of film production and screenwriting at boston university and montana state university who became a quadruple amputee in 2011 following a streptococcal infection . scroll down for videos . happy to hug : will lautzenheiser hugs his partner angel gonzalez at a news conference to announce lautzenheiser 's successful double arm transplant in boston today . new possibilities : will lautzenheiser demonstrates some of the motion in his right arm at a news conference to announce his successful double arm transplant today . before his illness : will lautzenheiser , pictured here before falling ill , lost both arms following a streptococcal infection back in 2011 but luckily had life changing arm transplant surgery last month . hard work : will lautzenheiser 's rehabilitation has n't been easy but he has n't given up and now that he 's received a double arm transplant he can hug his loved ones once again .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 13:06 est , 28 january 2013 . | . updated : . 15:50 est , 28 january 2013 . the first soldier to survive after losing all four limbs in the iraq war has undergone an experimental double-arm transplant it was announced today . new york resident , brendan marrocco , 26 , underwent the operation on december 18th at johns hopkins hospital in baltimore , according to his father who confirmed the operation to the associated press . he also received bone marrow from the same dead donor who supplied his new arms - a new approach aimed at helping his body accept the new limbs with minimal medication to prevent rejection . brendan marrocco has become the first quadruple amputee injured in iraw to have a double arm transplant . the military is sponsoring operations like these to help wounded troops . about 300 have lost arms or hands in the wars . ` he was the first quad amputee to survive ' from the wars in iraq and afghanistan , and there have been four others since then , said brendan marrocco 's father , alex marrocco . ` he was really excited to get new arms . ' the marroccos want to thank the donor 's family for ` making a selfless decision ... making a difference in brendan 's life , ' the father said . surgeons plan to discuss the transplant at a news conference with the patient on tuesday . the 26-year-old veteran is recovering at johns hopkins hospital . he also received bone marrow from the same dead donor who supplied his new arms . that novel approach is aimed at helping his body accept the new limbs with minimal medication to prevent rejection . the 13-hour operation was led by dr. w.p. andrew lee , plastic surgery chief at johns hopkins , and is the . seventh double-hand or double-arm transplant completed in the united states . lee led three of those earlier . operations when he previously worked at the university of pittsburgh , . including the only above-elbow transplant that had been done at the . time , in 2010 . marrocco 's ` was the most complicated . one ' so far , lee said in an interview monday . it will take more than a . year to know how fully marrocco will be able to use the new arms , lee .<doc-sep>`` this is about it so far , '' lautzenheiser said , laughing and slightly stretching his arm , which was in a splint and cast , `` but i had nothing , so even that is incredible . '' there have been about 70 hand transplants around the world , according to dr. simon talbot , one of the surgeons on the team that performed the operation on lautzenheiser . in 2013 , an iraq war veteran who lost his limbs overseas underwent a successful double arm transplant surgery at johns hopkins hospital in baltimore . cell transplant allows paralyzed man to walk again , researchers say . | <t> technical university of munich doctors transplant arms on 54-year-old farmer . </t> <t> farmer had lost both his arms in an accident six years ago . </t> <t> 40 people conduct operation ; several years spent preparing for the surgery . </t> <t> donor matched the patient in sex , age , skin color , size and blood group . </t> | germans perform world 's first double-arm transplant<T> |
anchorage , alaska -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- republican vice presidential nominee sarah palin abused her power as alaska 's governor and violated state ethics law by trying to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from the state police , a state investigator 's report concluded friday . alaska gov. sarah palin is under investigation for the firing of her public safety commissioner . `` gov. palin knowingly permitted a situation to continue where impermissible pressure was placed on several subordinates in order to advance a personal agenda , '' the report states . public safety commissioner walt monegan 's refusal to fire state trooper mike wooten from the state police force was `` likely a contributing factor '' to monegan 's july dismissal , but palin had the authority as governor to fire him , the report by former anchorage prosecutor stephen branchflower states . the investigator 's report states palin 's efforts to get wooten fired broke a state ethics law that bars public officials from pursuing personal interest through official action . watch what led to investigation '' the lawyers representing both sarah and todd palin issued a three-page attack on the investigative report , including the contention that ethics act violations can only involve financial motives and financial `` potential gain , or the avoidance of a potential loss . '' `` here , there is no accusation , no finding and no facts that money or financial gain to the governor was involved in the decision to replace monegan , '' the lawyers said . any abuse of power , they said , was on the part of the legislative council members , not the palins .<doc-sep>`` sen. french and sen. green may have abused their government power by using public money to pursue a personal vendetta against the governor , and then agreeing to pursue the psea attack against an administration that would not cave in to outrageous union demands . '' `` put bluntly , branchflower completely misapplied the ethics act and has instead sought to create a headline to smear the governor , '' the lawyers wrote . monegan has said he was fired in july after refusing pressure to sack wooten , who had gone through an acrimonious divorce and custody battle with palin 's sister . view a timeline of the investigation '' monegan said he was `` relieved '' by the findings . `` i believed and had the opinion that i was terminated because i did not fire wooten , '' he told cnn . `` now these findings say that that 's what happened , so i feel relieved . '' palin and her husband , todd , have consistently denied wrongdoing , describing wooten as a `` rogue trooper '' who had threatened their family -- allegations branchflower discounted . `` i conclude that such claims of fear were not bona fide and were offered to provide cover for the palins ' real motivation : to get trooper wooten fired for personal family reasons , '' branchflower wrote . the branchflower report states todd palin used his wife 's office and its resources to press for wooten 's removal , and the governor `` failed to act '' to stop it . but because todd palin is not a state employee , the report makes no finding regarding his conduct .<doc-sep>the bipartisan legislative council , which commissioned the investigation after monegan was fired , unanimously adopted the 263-page public report after a marathon executive session friday . about 1,000 more pages of documents compiled during the inquiry will remain confidential because they involve private personnel matters , according to the council 's chairman , state sen. kim elton . `` i believe that these findings may help people come to a conclusion on how they should vote '' in the presidential election , elton said . mccain-palin campaign spokeswoman meg stapleton said palin would cooperate with the personnel board investigation . the palins ' lawyer has said an investigator named by that board wants to question them in late october . stapleton called the investigation `` a partisan-led inquiry '' run by supporters of democratic presidential candidate sen. barack obama , but hailed its finding that monegan 's firing broke no law . `` gov. palin was cleared of the allegation of an improper firing , which is what this investigation was approved to look into , '' she said . stapleton went on to say that the legislature exceeded its mandate in finding an ethics violation . `` lacking evidence to support the original monegan allegation , the legislative council seriously overreached , making a tortured argument to find fault without basis in law or fact . '' rep. john coghill , a republican who criticized the handling of the investigation , said it was `` well-done professionally . ''<doc-sep>he said palin `` bumped right against the edges '' of the state 's ethics laws but that he would give `` the benefit of the doubt to the governor , though , at this point . '' palin originally agreed to cooperate with the legislative council inquiry , and disclosed in august that her advisers had contacted department of public safety officials nearly two dozen times regarding her ex-brother-in-law . but once she became sen. john mccain 's running mate , her advisers began painting the investigation as a weapon of democratic partisans . ahead of friday 's hearing , palin supporters wearing clown costumes and carrying balloons denounced the probe as a `` kangaroo court '' and a `` three-ring circus '' led by supporters of democratic presidential candidate barack obama . the state senator managing the probe , sen. hollis french , fueled those complaints with a september 2 interview in which he warned the inquiry could yield an `` october surprise '' for the gop . but palin 's lawyers already had begun pushing for the state personnel board to launch its own investigation , calling it the proper legal venue for the matter . `` the report speaks for itself , '' french told cnn friday night . cnn 's tracy sabo contributed to this report .<doc-sep>stephen branchflower is one man who certainly thinks so . branchflower was hired by the alaska legislature to investigate governor palin 's firing of the state 's top cop - walt monegan - and whether the palins pressured him to fire the governor 's former brother-in-law , trooper mike wooten . sarah palin has said wooten repeatedly threatened her family amid a bitter divorce from her sister . she claims that he even threatened to kill her father , an accusation that wooten denies . branchflower wants to subpoena todd palin because the governor 's husband `` has spoken to numerous government employees . ... he 's such a central figure to the events . '' sarah palin has denied exerting any pressure to have anyone fired . todd palin has n't spoken publicly about the case , but his wife 's attorney said thursday mr palin would not comply with the subpoena request . the mccain campaign said the legislative council was no longer carrying out `` a legitimate investigation because it has been subjected to complete partisanship and does not operate with the authority that it had at the time of its initial authorization . '' how much power does todd palin have in alaska politics ? '' cnn has seen thousands of e-mails released this year from the governor 's office that show that todd palin was copied on hundreds of them . the topics of the e-mails ranged from public criticism of sarah palin to her meetings with corporate leaders . andrew halcro , who ran as an independent against sarah palin for governor in 2006 and is a critic of the palins , wants to know why todd palin was being copied on state correspondence . halcro wrote a blog post about todd palin called `` shadow governor '' and says , `` todd plays the role as kind of the fixer . '' even halcro found himself the subject of e-mails that todd palin was copied on . he wants to know why .<doc-sep>a bipartisan commission in the state legislature investigated allegations that palin fired monegan after he refused to sack her ex-brother-in-law , state trooper mike wooten . the governor , first elected in 2006 , has denied wrongdoing . in court papers , palin called her sister 's ex-husband a `` rogue trooper '' who threatened the governor 's family during a bitter divorce and custody battle . complaints from palin 's family led to a five-day suspension for the trooper in 2006 after his superiors found he had illegally shot a moose using his wife 's permit , drove his patrol car while drinking beer and used a taser on his 10-year-old stepson `` in a training capacity . '' in an interview last year , wooten said , `` i made mistakes . i ` fessed up to them . i was punished appropriately , and i 'm moving on . '' palin was republican sen. john mccain of arizona 's running mate in his unsuccessful campaign last year for u.s. president .<doc-sep>anchorage , alaska -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- if alaska gov. sarah palin thought her decision to step down might end ethics accusations against her , she quickly found out she was wrong . one dismissed claim cited gov. sarah palin 's decision to wear an arctic cat logo during a snowmobile race as a conflict of interest . just days after her bombshell resignation announcement , a new ethics complaint was filed with state authorities arguing that she should not be able to claim per diem funds when she stays at her wasilla , alaska , home instead of anchorage or juneau , where she has offices . the complaint says she was charging the state when she stayed in wasilla and commuted to her offices . the governor 's mansion is located in juneau . palin claims she is the target of the `` politics of personal destruction , '' as she and some staff members face 19 filings regarding allegations of ethical violations . `` it does n't cost the critics anything to file frivolous lawsuits or ethics violation charges . it costs our state such a great deal -- thousands of staff hours , millions of dollars in public resources that are n't going to things that it should be going to , '' palin told cnn . `` we have n't violated the ethics code . '' the pressure and financial cost of such ethical investigations are a major reason cited by the governor in her decision not to finish her term . she said her family is facing more than $ 500,000 in legal fees and has set up a legal defense fund to help defray the costs . many of the complaints have been dismissed . but palin last month reimbursed the state more than $ 8,000 for travel expenses for nine trips , accompanied by her children , after the state paid for them . another inquiry led to some new ethics training for a staff member . in all , state officials say they have spent $ 1,963,840 to answer records requests from the ethics filings and to respond in other ways to them . records show that since january 1 , 2008 , the state has spent $ 296,043 on such investigations . of these inquiries , the one that cost the most and drew the most attention was centered on whether palin inappropriately fired the state 's director of public safety . this complaint had been filed weeks before palin 's run for vice president . the public safety director claimed he was let go because of his refusal to fire a state trooper who was palin 's former brother-in-law and who was locked in a bitter divorce and custody battle with the governor 's sister . palin and her supporters argued it was because the director was insubordinate . an independent counsel found she had a right to fire him , but in doing so had violated a state ethics law . it found she had abused the powers of her office by pressuring employees to get the trooper fired .<doc-sep>palin initially denied that anyone in her administration or family had pressed for action against her former brother-in-law , mike wooten , whom she has branded a `` rogue trooper . '' but in august , just two weeks before her nomination , she acknowledged that members of her staff had contacted monegan 's office nearly two dozen times about the trooper and suspended one aide whose february call to a state police lieutenant on the matter was tape-recorded . and todd palin was a `` principal critic '' of wooten and had `` many contacts '' with department of public safety officials about his status , stephen branchflower , the former prosecutor hired by the state legislature to investigate the firing , told lawmakers last week . the controversy has led to more scrutiny of todd palin 's role in his wife 's administration . documents released during the monegan inquiry suggest that the oil-rig worker and champion snowmobile racer , nicknamed the `` first dude , '' has been copied in on e-mails on numerous issues ranging from public criticism of the governor to meetings with corporate leaders . but palin spokeswoman meg stapleton said todd palin 's role in the administration `` has not been inappropriate . '' `` his role is that he has been in and out of meetings that were appropriate , '' stapleton said . | <t> new : report : palin violated state ethics law . </t> <t> new : mccain campaign denounces affair as `` partisan-led inquiry '' </t> <t> legislative panel investigating july dismissal of public safety commissioner . </t> | panel : palin abused power in trooper case<T> |
new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- cnn 's lou dobbs is no fan of the $ 700 billion bailout plan that went down to defeat in the u.s. house of representatives on monday . he spoke with kiran chetry of cnn 's `` american morning '' on tuesday about how he thinks there are better ways to solve the financial problems plaguing the u.s. economy . lou dobbs : americans `` do n't want to hear this nonsense about $ 700 billion to bail out financial institutions . '' kiran chetry , cnn anchor : cnn 's lou dobbs joins us this morning from suffolk , new jersey . you expressed delight i guess you could say , at the fact that it did go down yesterday in defeat . we saw the largest point-drop on wall street ever . what happens now ? lou dobbs , cnn host of `` lou dobbs tonight '' : well , what happens now is that it sounds like the same fools who brought you this effort are going to try again . henry paulson saying he 's going to come right back , suggests he 's not learning . and he 's not paying attention to the congress . these congress people are all at home in their home districts , nearly every one of them and they 're hearing an earful . the american people do n't want to hear this nonsense about $ 700 billion to bail out financial institutions . frankly , kiran , they do n't need it . economist after economist , with whom i 've spoken , ceos , they acknowledge that there are far better ways to deal with the issues confronting our financial system than this bailout . and it 's absolutely obscenely irresponsible of house speaker -lsb- nancy -rsb- pelosi , treasury secretary -lsb- henry -rsb- paulson , president bush , sen. harry reid , the leader of the senate ; for these people to be clucking about like hysterical -- so hysterically . it really must stop . and to hear there -- go ahead . chetry : i was just going to ask you -- . dobbs : go ahead .<doc-sep>chetry : you say that there 's other ways around this . one of the things that everyone keeps talking about is the fact that credit markets are frozen and there has to be some way to free that up so that everyday business from wall street to main street can continue . do you buy that ? dobbs : no , not at all . and neither do most of the ceos and economists with whom i 'm speaking certainly . the real issue , they say , is liquidity . the fed has injected more than half a billion dollars in liquidity into this banking system . watch lou dobbs and economists discuss bailout effort '' what we are watching are business -- quote , unquote -- leaders who wo n't surface and put their faces before the american public who are hysterical . absolutely hysterical . these are not leaders of moment . they are not leaders of great character or vision . only warren buffett has had the courage to step forward . and that 's after he puts $ 5 billion into goldman sachs . to watch our political leaders , they have no idea in the world , kiran , what they 're doing . literally . and the arrogance with which this administration asks for , not only money , almost $ 1 trillion , and surely more in the months ahead . but the absolute power for treasury secretary paulson . give me a break . the american people want this stopped . those congressmen and women at home right now , in their districts , are getting an earful because this is an absurdity and it has to end . chetry : so in one way , you 're knocking congress . but on the other way you 're saying that , i guess the system works in that the brakes were pulled . whether or not you agree with the reasons why it did n't go through . so , were n't they doing their job and showing leadership ? dobbs : let me be clear , kiran . i 'm saying leadership -- i 'm saying the democratic leadership of this congress was absolutely in the same situation as this president . they do n't know what they 're talking about . they 're trying to ram this thing down the people 's throats and congress . and those house republicans and house democrats who voted against this bailout deserve a great , great expression of thanks from the american people . absolutely .<doc-sep>chetry : what do you think if you were up there making decisions ? what do you think we need to do ? dobbs : well , the first thing we need to do is return to a traditional role of regulation . ... the problem here is not simply the housing market . ... but $ 700 billion and nothing in that bill deals with the foreclosure crisis , if you can imagine that . that 's arrogance . that 's stupidity . that is your leadership in washington , d.c. democratic leadership in congress and republican leadership in the white house . so that 's an absurdity . the first thing that has to be dealt with is mitigating the foreclosure crisis , period . secondly , in terms of instilling confidence in the banking system and in our credit markets , the first thing to do is to deal with those institutions that are wildly out of balance , whose balance sheets , frankly , are a joke . and the regulators who should have been tending to them over the years are also a joke . it 's time to end the joke . that means aggressive regulation . it means aggressive intervention on an institution-by-institution basis . chetry : all right . well , they 're going to take this up again today , or throughout the week as they try to figure out what the best course of action is . maybe they should listen to you a little bit more . dobbs : they 'll be back thursday . chetry : right . dobbs : they 'll be back thursday to try this nonsense all over again , kiran .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- cnn 's lou dobbs stepped down from his controversial role as an advocacy anchor at the network at the end of his show wednesday night , saying he plans to seek a more activist role . `` over the past six months , it has become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country and affecting all of us , and some leaders in media , politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at cnn and to engage in constructive problem-solving as well as to contribute positively to a better understanding of the great issues of our day and to continue to do so in the most honest and direct language possible , '' dobbs said during his 7 p.m. broadcast . dobbs , 64 , said he had discussed the issue with cnn president jonathan klein , who had agreed to a release from his contract `` that will enable me to pursue new opportunities . '' in a written statement , klein called dobbs `` a valued founding member of the cnn family . '' `` for decades , lou fearlessly and tirelessly pursued some of the most important and complex stories of our time , often well ahead of the pack , '' klein said . `` all of us will miss his appetite for big ideas , the megawatt smile and larger-than-life presence he brought to our newsroom , and we 're grateful to have known and worked with him over the years . `` with characteristic forthrightness , lou has now decided to carry the banner of advocacy journalism elsewhere . we respect his decision and wish him , debi -lsb- dobbs ' wife -rsb- , and his family the very best . '' dobbs , who is the last of the 29-year-old network 's original anchors , said he was considering `` a number of options and directions . '' he cited the growth of the middle class , the creation of jobs , health care , immigration policy , the environment , climate change and the u.s. military involvement in iraq and afghanistan as `` the major issues of our time . '' but , he said , `` each of those issues is , in my opinion , informed by our capacity to demonstrate strong resilience of our now weakened capitalist economy and demonstrate the political will to overcome the lack of true representation in washington , d.c. i believe these to be profoundly , critically important issues and i will continue to strive to deal honestly and straightforwardly with those issues in the future . '' read dobbs ' full statement about his departure from cnn .<doc-sep>those issues , he added , are defined in the public arena `` by partisanship and ideology rather than by rigorous , empirical forethought , analysis and discussion , '' and he vowed to work to change that . in an e-mail to cnn staff members , klein described the parting as `` extremely amicable , '' and said dobbs ' replacement would be announced soon . dobbs was with cable news network from its initial broadcasts in 1980 , acting as chief economics correspondent and host of the business program `` moneyline . '' his coverage of the 1987 stock market crash won him the george foster peabody award for excellence in broadcasting . that was one of many awards he received while at cnn , including an emmy for lifetime achievement that he received from the national academy of television arts and sciences in 2005 . dobbs left the network in 1999 to found space.com , a web site devoted to space-related subjects . he returned to the network in 2001 as anchor and managing editor of cnn 's moneyline news hour , which became lou dobbs tonight . he also acted as lead business news anchor for cnn/u . s. and cnnfn , the forerunner of cnnmoney . during his second stint at cnn , dobbs positioned himself as `` tough , relentless , independent , '' lashing out at what he described as the deficiencies and `` partisan nonsense '' of both major political parties , and injecting advocacy journalism into his coverage of topics ranging from free trade to immigration . his no-holds-barred , sometimes acerbic style brought him a loyal following , but also attracted controversy both to him and to the network , especially over the subject of illegal immigrants . dobbs will continue as anchor of the lou dobbs show , a daily radio show that began in march 2008 and is distributed to more than 160 stations nationwide by united stations radio networks inc. .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a gunshot struck the home of cnn anchor lou dobbs this month , and police in new jersey are trying to determine whether the bullet was fired intentionally or was a stray . state police sgt. steve jones said thursday that his department received a call from dobbs ' wife , who heard a shot and said a bullet hit her house . jones said she had been outside her house with `` an employee who worked with dobbs '' at 10:25 a.m. october 5 . there were no injuries in the incident , which occurred in a small community in northern new jersey . jones said a bullet struck the section of the house where the attic is but did n't penetrate the dwelling . he said the bullet fell to the ground and was recovered . dobbs ' wife saw damage to the siding , jones said . `` the bullet was taken by our detectives and turned over to our ballistics unit for further analysis , '' jones said . `` at this point , all i can say is that it appears to be a long gun , not a handgun or shotgun . '' dobbs has declined comment because the police investigation is ongoing , his representative said . dobbs , who has been a vocal critic of illegal immigration , is the anchor and managing editor of cnn 's `` lou dobbs tonight . '' he mentioned the incident on his radio show monday , saying it comes amid an `` atmosphere '' of hostility from groups toward his stance on illegal immigration .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- cnn 's lou dobbs stepped down from his controversial role as an advocacy anchor at the network at the end of his show wednesday night , saying he plans to seek a more activist role . `` over the past six months , it has become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country and affecting all of us , and some leaders in media , politics and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at cnn and to engage in constructive problem-solving as well as to contribute positively to a better understanding of the great issues of our day and to continue to do so in the most honest and direct language possible , '' dobbs said during his 7 p.m. broadcast . dobbs , 64 , said he had discussed the issue with cnn president jonathan klein , who had agreed to a release from his contract `` that will enable me to pursue new opportunities . '' in a written statement , klein called dobbs `` a valued founding member of the cnn family . '' `` for decades , lou fearlessly and tirelessly pursued some of the most important and complex stories of our time , often well ahead of the pack , '' klein said . `` all of us will miss his appetite for big ideas , the megawatt smile and larger-than-life presence he brought to our newsroom , and we 're grateful to have known and worked with him over the years . `` with characteristic forthrightness , lou has now decided to carry the banner of advocacy journalism elsewhere . we respect his decision and wish him , debi -lsb- dobbs ' wife -rsb- , and his family the very best . '' | <t> `` same fools '' who brought you this effort are going to try again , dobbs says . </t> <t> house republicans , democrats who voted against bailout deserve thanks , he says . </t> <t> far better ways to deal with financial problems than this bailout , dobbs says . </t> <t> dobbs : first thing that should be addressed is mitigating foreclosure crisis . </t> | lou dobbs : hooray for those who defeated bailout<T> |
london , england -- lewis hamilton has escaped punishment after allegations of erratic driving behind the safety car in the japanese grand prix last weekend . vettel ran into the back of webber when they were racing behind hamilton . the fia ruled that hamilton would suffer no penalty after inquiring into the accident when sebastian vettel crashed into mark webber in fuji . vettel 's original 10-place penalty on the chinese grand prix starting grid was replaced with a reprimand . the stewards studied film of the incident , including amateur video footage , before announcing their verdict . they said : `` having heard the explanation of all concerned and viewed both the original film of the incident which was available to stewards at fuji as well as the new film , what has become apparent is the view clearly expressed by all drivers and team managers alike that the conditions at fuji were exceptionally bad and worse than those experienced when the race starts behind the safety car . `` because of those views , the stewards accept that it may be inappropriate to impose the penalty normally applied for an offence such as this .<doc-sep>`` in the circumstances the stewards will reduce the penalty imposed on vettel to a reprimand . `` the involvement of lewis hamilton in this incident has also been considered in the light of evidence given by him , his team manager and in particular all other parties present and no penalty is imposed upon him . '' the 22-year-old british rookie , who drives for mclaren-mercedes , leads the race for the world championship by 12 points , with two rounds left , and there had been speculation that he might lose some of those points if the fia found him culpable . hamilton had strengthened his title bid with a superb victory at fuji in appalling conditions which twice saw the safety car deployed . as the field trailed behind the safety car on the second occasion , toro rosso 's sebastien vettel drove into the back of red bull 's mark webber , causing them both to retire . the drivers , who were lying in second and third places behind hamilton a the time of the accident , both criticized hamilton for driving erratically and slowing up and down .<doc-sep>the incident was missed by television cameras but footage , taken from the grandstand , was shown on the youtube web site . it appeared to show hamilton pulling over to the right-hand side of the track and slowing down markedly , in turn forcing webber to slow down , which caught vettel on the hop . webber said : `` it definitely contributed to sebastian hitting me up the back because he -lrb- hamilton -rrb- was n't doing what he was supposed to be doing , clearly . `` he spoke in the drivers ' meeting about how good a job he was going to do and he did the opposite . still , we know for next time , '' added the australian . webber stressed , however , that he had not complained to the stewards about the incident . on friday he issued a statement saying : '' i would just like to make it clear that , although i criticized hamilton 's driving in yesterday 's fia press conference , at no time have i made any official complaint about anyone 's driving following sunday 's japanese grand prix . ''<doc-sep>hamilton , speaking at practice for the chinese grand prix in shanghai , had protested his innocence before the verdict was announced . `` i had a good weekend , i did n't put a foot wrong . i did n't do anything to put anyone else in danger , '' he said . `` i 've come away to china and all of a sudden i 'm going to be punished for something . `` i just think it 's a real shame for the sport . formula one 's supposed to be about hard , fair competition . that 's what i 've tried to do this year , just be fair . `` there 's been some real strange situations this year where i 'm made to look the bad person and , by the looks of it , this weekend be given a penalty . `` if this is the way it 's going to keep going , it 's not somewhere i really want to be . '' e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>` for that error of judgement , i apologise to lewis and the team . ' i also want to say sorry to the fans who were deprived of our battle for the lead in belgium . ' rosberg has now promised ` hard , fair competition on and off track right up to the final lap of the season in abu dhabi ' . that will serve mercedes well as they have vowed ` another such incident will not be tolerated ' , albeit confirming the duo ` remain free to race ' for the rest of the campaign . april 6 : during the third race of the season in bahrain , hamilton cuts across rosberg , almost causing a crash . rosberg appeals to the team over radio , saying ` tell him that was not on ! ' . the british driver holds on to win the race , with rosberg second . may 11 : in spain hamilton switches engine modes without the team 's permission to hold off rosberg and win the race . may 24 : qualifying for the monaco grand prix sees the two drivers have their most public flashpoint . rosberg crashes while on course for pole , denying hamilton the chance to set a quicker time . hamilton alleges the crash was deliberate but the german is cleared of any intent . rosberg wins the race from pole . august 24 : the two drivers collide on lap two in belgium , with rosberg later admitting he did not try to prevent the crash .<doc-sep>lewis hamilton , who won in japan to extend his championship lead over nico rosberg to 10 points , said on wednesday : ` i was pleased to have finally won at suzuka , but as soon as we heard what happened to jules it suddenly did n't seem relevant anymore . my thoughts and prayers are with him and his family . ' marussia driver bianchi spun off the road in treacherously wet conditions in japan and is still in hospital . the idea of closed cockpits has been raised in light of jules bianchi 's crash at the japan grand prix . sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article .<doc-sep>it then flew to hamilton , ontario , where it picked up cargo and continued to shreveport , louisiana , where it cleared customs , he said . it was close to the airport grounds in saltillo in clear weather when the crash occurred , he said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- britain 's jenson button won the belgian grand prix sunday after a spectacular first corner crash ended the hopes of championship leader fernando alonso and three other drivers . frenchman romain grosjean clipped the mclaren of button 's teammate lewis hamilton and catapulted into the air in his lotus , flying over ferrari 's alonso and narrowly avoiding the head of the two-time champion from spain . mexican sergio perez of sauber was also caught up in the crash . miraculously , no-one was injured in the incident , but a safety car was deployed while the debris was cleared off the circuit at spa-francorchamps . grosjean was later given a one-race ban by stewards after being held responsible for the carnage . | <t> lewis hamilton is cleared of erratic driving in the japanese gp . </t> <t> the fia probed a crash between sebastian vettel and mark webber . </t> <t> hamilton had been ahead behind the safety car . </t> | hamilton cleared over japan crash<T> |
-lrb- lifewire -rrb- -- after his father was diagnosed with dementia in 1996 , anthony lazzara jr. faced a difficult decision : he and his wife , gail , either could place his father , anthony lazzara sr. , in a facility , or they could care for him themselves . anthony lazzara jr. -lrb- right -rrb- and his wife , gail -lrb- left -rrb- , cared for anthony lazzara sr. at home for eight years . unable to afford a care facility , the lazzaras brought him home . so began eight long years of caring for the world war ii veteran and onetime truck driver as he slowly declined -- a burden borne largely by gail , 56 . she fed him , bathed him and changed his diapers on a daily basis while her husband , a truck driver , was on the road . slowly , she says , her marriage began to crumble . `` i could n't take my frustration out on my father-in-law , '' she says . instead , she took it out on her husband . `` we almost ended up divorcing over the whole deal , '' says anthony jr. , 56 . gail concedes she considered leaving , `` but i could n't walk away from my father-in-law . '' two years ago , the lazzaras finally threw in the towel . a bed became available at a local veterans affairs facility , and the elder lazzara was admitted . he remained there until april 2008 , when he died at age 95 . a difficult labor of love . as the lazzaras can attest , the stress of caring for an elderly parent can overwhelm a relationship . chauffeuring loved ones to appointments , handling their shopping , assuming their financial burden , even just living under the same roof can test even the most committed couples . in 2004 , the national alliance for caregiving and aarp reported that over 44 million americans care for an adult family member or friend . almost 80 percent of these are caring for someone older than 50 .<doc-sep>although caring for a parent in their twilight years can be rewarding , it can also be a trial , says beth witrogen , the pulitzer prize-nominated author of `` caregiving : the spiritual journey of love , loss and renewal . '' `` caregiving brings out the best and worst in us all , '' she says . al levi , 39 , a brooklyn , new york , occupational therapist , has experienced that kind of strain in his marriage . levi says he has been at odds with his wife since his father was diagnosed with alzheimer 's two years ago . `` i felt like my wife was n't taking this seriously enough , and that if it would have been her parents , it would have been more important , '' he says . for a while , the levis cared for al 's father at home , but eventually it got to be more than they could handle . levi placed his father in a nursing home this past summer . but he says the ordeal has continued to strain his marriage . `` it 's complicated , '' he says . ` your best is good enough ' often , couples will harbor unreasonable expectations of what they can or should do -- together or individually -- to care for an aging parent . `` you have to accept that your best is good enough , '' witrogen says . `` it may not be pretty , but you will get the job done . '' it 's also crucial that couples communicate clearly and effectively , witrogen says . too often , one partner will fixate on solving the problem while neglecting to listen to the other 's needs . in the lazzaras ' case , anthony jr. says he would search for care facilities for his father from time to time , but gail was still left to shoulder most of the daily duties of care -- something her husband still feels guilty about . with their three children grown , `` it was her time to have and here she was taking care of my dad , '' anthony jr. laments . it was n't until the lazzaras finally found room for anthony sr. at the va facility that they finally found some relief . `` we knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel , '' anthony jr. says . balancing your needs . although finding a balance between caring for an aging parent and maintaining a healthy marriage can be tremendously challenging , it can be done , experts say . part of that solution is ensuring the aging parent gets proper care , says leah siskin , senior psychologist at zucker hillside hospital in glen oaks , new york .<doc-sep>`` when the psychological needs of the care recipient are addressed , this can no doubt have a positive effect on the marital relationship of the caregivers , '' she says . it 's also important that couples care for one another . giuseppe manca , a 58-year-old holistic healer in manhattan , grew frustrated that he could n't take a vacation with his wife for fear of leaving his live-in mother-in-law alone , even though she was in good health . so the couple decided to take weekend trips , making sure neighbors and loved ones were on standby in case of an emergency . the lazzaras did n't have the luxury of traveling while anthony sr. was still alive . although they say their marriage has stabilized since his passing -- gail has been able to devote more time to her job coordinating a local volleyball league -- they admit that it could have crumbled . `` we nearly crashed and burned , '' anthony jr. says . how to cope . author witrogen offers the following tips for coping when a couple 's `` for better or worse '' turns to the latter in caring for an elderly parent : . • talk it out . bring in a third party such as an attorney to provide objective perspective . those short on money can invite clergy or a neighbor . • make time for yourself -- and each other . it takes willingness , intention and time management , witrogen says . `` get out your day planners and schedule the time in . i suggest that couples schedule ` play dates , ' even if for an hour . '' • do n't neglect your health . sleeping enough , eating right and exercising displaces stress from your partner . • set caregiving goals . `` write down objectively what needs to be done , '' witrogen says . divide the duties equitably . lifewire provides original and syndicated content to web publishers . ron dicker , a brooklyn-based journalist , frequently writes about relationship topics . he previously covered sports for the new york times .<doc-sep>` our mom and dad -lrb- aka our portable milk machine and our diaper changer -rrb- have ear plugs available if you need them , ' the note added . the idea sparked chatter on the social news site , garnering over 3,000 comments and one million views after it was posted online . most of the reaction was positive with one user calling it the ` most considerate thing i 've ever seen ... it has fully restored my faith in said consideration . ' but some thought it was a bit much . ` really ? you do n't find this to be overkill ? ' one user chimed in . ' i do n't require an apology for a crying baby on a plane . this is to be expected . i 'm ok with it . people have babies , and they need to travel too , they added .<doc-sep>jay-z : my mom set up a meeting . and now i realize why -- it makes all the sense in the world . i remember very distinctly that i had a conversation with her in my kitchen . i was saying , `` you know , ma , i 've really been trying to look inward , and maybe i 'm just not meant to fall in love like other people do . '' she just looked at me like , `` hush up , boy . '' oprah : wow . jay-z : and i guess from that point , she figured out what was wrong with me , and she planned a meeting between me and my father . i was like , `` ma , i 'm a grown man . i do n't need a dad now . '' oprah : you did n't feel a hole in your soul ? jay-z : i never looked at that . i guess i did n't want to deal with it . because , you know , once i looked , i 'd have to do something about it . and i guess i still had too much resentment and anger . oprah : in one of your songs , you wrote that you were n't sure if your father even remembered your birthday is in december . jay-z : i believed that . when i was a kid , i once waited for him on a bench . he never showed up . even as an adult , that affected me . so when my mom set up this meeting , i told her he would n't come -- and the first time , he did n't . at that point , i was really done , but mom pushed for another meeting , because she 's just a beautiful soul . oprah : the second time , your father showed up . jay-z : he showed up . and i gave him the real conversation . i told him how i felt the day he left . he was saying stuff like `` man , you knew where i was . '' i 'm like , `` i was a kid ! do you realize how wrong you were ? it was your responsibility to see me . '' he finally accepted that . oprah : where had he been ? jay-z : at his mom 's house 10 minutes away from me . that was the sad part . oprah : was there any explanation he could have offered that would have satisfied you ? jay-z : yes -- and that 's why we were able to mend our relationship . oprah : what was his reason ? jay-z : when i was 9 , my dad 's brother got stabbed , and my dad went looking for the guy who did it . people would call in the middle of the night and tell him , `` so-and-so is out here . '' so my dad would get up , get his gun , and go outside to look for the guy . after a while , my mom was like , `` hey , this is your family now . you ca n't do that . '' but this was my dad 's baby brother . and my dad was in so much pain that he started using drugs and became a different person . so i understand that the trauma of the event , coupled with the drugs , caused him to lose his soul . oprah : when you saw him again , had he come back to himself ? jay-z : he was broken . he had a bad liver , and he knew that if he continued drinking , it would kill him . but he did n't stop . oprah : how soon after you saw him did he die ? jay-z : a couple of months . i got him an apartment , i was buying furniture . and he passed away . oprah : did you instantly make peace with him during that conversation ? jay-z : pretty much . i felt lighter .<doc-sep>dr. barbara lips , on the other hand , says children should be involved in financial planning , but should not be made aware of family money problems at a young age . `` if -lsb- children -rsb- have a sense that mom and dad are ok then they are ok , '' says lips , a psychologist in iowa . `` mom and dad being ok really is their sense of security . '' molitor says she 's seen a wave of families come to her to talk about money and the stress it 's causing them . often , what they need is to talk to each other , says molitor . the gloer family agrees . melanie burns , evelyn 's 53-year-old daughter , says families should band together in hard times . `` that 's what family 's for ... we 're here to support each other if we need it . '' `` right , when somebody falls down we pick them up , '' evelyn gloer responded .<doc-sep>`` they felt crummy afterwards , '' said englander . `` that was actually the most common result , that they just felt worse . '' lori cunningham , founder of well connected mom , a site specializing in simplifying technology for families , said parents need to remind their children about their own self-worth . `` and that no matter how tempting it is to want to be ` liked ' by someone , they are worth more than degrading themselves for someone else 's enjoyment , '' said cunningham , a mom of two in los angeles . `` if parents are n't having this conversation , their kids could be going through some tremendous pressure . '' cunningham also says parents need to be actively involved in their children 's online lives . in a new ebook , she outlines the points parents should go over with their child when they get a phone , including setting up a contract so they understand their phone will be monitored . `` phones are a privilege , not a right . they should only be given to kids with the expectation that mom or dad will be checking it on a daily basis . '' what all the experts believe is that parents and educators should be talking to kids about obeying the law , protecting their privacy and reputation , and respecting everyone 's right to keep their bodies private , but also their own values about the issue . `` your kids can go into these things knowing absolutely nothing , having no idea of what you think is right or wrong , having no idea of the facts or you can talk to them about it . those are the only two choices , '' said englander . `` i do n't think in today 's world you can assume that they 're never going to run across sexting , they 're never going to see it , they 're never going to know it happens . '' `` that 's a big assumption to make . '' what do you think is the best way to talk to teens about sexting ? tell kelly wallace on twitter or cnn living on facebook . | <t> the stress of caring for an elderly parent can overwhelm a relationship . </t> <t> couples may have unreasonable expectations of what they can or should do . </t> <t> more than 44 million americans care for an adult family member or friend . </t> <t> almost 80 percent of these are caring for someone older than 50 . </t> | the honeymoon 's over -- mom and dad need you<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former finnish president martti ahtisaari has won the 2008 nobel peace prize , the norwegian nobel committee announced friday . former finland president martii ahtisaari twice worked to find a solution in kosovo . `` ahtisaari is an outstanding international mediator , '' said ole danbolt mjoes , chairman of the norwegian nobel committee . `` through his untiring efforts and good results , he has shown what role mediation of various kinds can play in the resolution of international conflicts . ''<doc-sep>the committee cited ahtisaari 's `` significant '' part in establishing namibia 's independence and his `` central '' role in solving the question of the indonesian province of aceh in 2005 . watch as finland celebrates the announcement '' ahtisaari twice worked to find a solution in kosovo -- first in 1999 and again between 2005 and 2007 . he also worked with others this year to find a peaceful solution to the problems in iraq , the committee said . ahtisaari and his group , crisis management initiative , also contributed to resolving other conflicts in northern ireland , central asia , and the horn of africa , the committee said .<doc-sep>`` the norwegian nobel committee wishes to express the hope that others may be inspired by his efforts and his achievements , '' mjoes said . the committee awards the peace prize annually according to guidelines laid down in the will of its founder , alfred nobel . he specified the prize should go to whoever `` shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations , for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses . '' the prestigious prize includes a medal , a personal diploma , and 10 million swedish crowns -lrb- $ 1.4 million -rrb- in prize money .<doc-sep>former u.s. vice president al gore shared last year 's prize with the intergovernmental panel of climate change . the committee plans to award the prize to ahtisaari on december 10 at oslo city hall in norway . the peace prize is one of five nobel prizes awarded annually . the others -- for physics , chemistry , physiology or medicine , and literature -- were announced this week and will be awarded in stockholm , sweden later this year .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former finnish president martti ahtisaari has won the 2008 nobel peace prize , the norwegian nobel committee announced friday . former finland president martii ahtisaari twice worked to find a solution in kosovo . `` ahtisaari is an outstanding international mediator , '' said ole danbolt mjoes , chairman of the norwegian nobel committee . `` through his untiring efforts and good results , he has shown what role mediation of various kinds can play in the resolution of international conflicts . '' the committee cited ahtisaari 's `` significant '' part in establishing namibia 's independence and his `` central '' role in solving the question of the indonesian province of aceh in 2005 . watch as finland celebrates the announcement '' ahtisaari twice worked to find a solution in kosovo -- first in 1999 and again between 2005 and 2007 . he also worked with others this year to find a peaceful solution to the problems in iraq , the committee said . ahtisaari and his group , crisis management initiative , also contributed to resolving other conflicts in northern ireland , central asia , and the horn of africa , the committee said . `` the norwegian nobel committee wishes to express the hope that others may be inspired by his efforts and his achievements , '' mjoes said . the committee awards the peace prize annually according to guidelines laid down in the will of its founder , alfred nobel . he specified the prize should go to whoever `` shall have done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations , for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses . '' the prestigious prize includes a medal , a personal diploma , and 10 million swedish crowns -lrb- $ 1.4 million -rrb- in prize money . former u.s. vice president al gore shared last year 's prize with the intergovernmental panel of climate change . the committee plans to award the prize to ahtisaari on december 10 at oslo city hall in norway . the peace prize is one of five nobel prizes awarded annually . the others -- for physics , chemistry , physiology or medicine , and literature -- were announced this week and will be awarded in stockholm , sweden later this year .<doc-sep>dapdave from holly springs , north carolina , sounded a note of caution with his tweet saying : `` i hope obama proves to us all that he deserves this nobel peace prize . '' equally vocal were those who did not think the u.s. president deserved the accolade , the first awarded to a white house incumbent in 90 years . ireport.com : share your reaction to obama 's win . ahlheid from germany wrote : `` ridiculous ! barack obama wins nobel peace prize . i am wondering what for ? replacing bush ? so far he has accomplished virtually nothing ! '' while michael lipkin in tehran , iran , wrote : `` if obama deserves the noble peace prize then so does every miss america contestant who babbles about world peace . '' boston-based marcela_elisa wrote : `` can someone explain ? i thought award was for accomplishments , not intentions . '' others like mohammed , from johannesburg , south africa , point to the irony of awarding the peace prize to someone who is presiding over two wars in iraq and afghanistan . he wrote : `` so barack obama wins nobel prize for literature for his books and not peace - cos last i heard afghanistan is still a war zone . '' while poipoi91 , from paris , wondered if `` they could n't find anyone else for the title . '' some users , such as nurdfighter joked that the prize is `` a pathetic way of getting obama to visit norway . '' meanwhile kzamri writing from kuala lumpur , malaysia , said : `` how can obama get the nobel peace prize hours before the u.s. is supposed to bomb the moon ?! '' in reference to nasa 's attempt to crash a probe into the lunar surface a few hours after obama 's win . spain 's leading newspaper el pais published a cartoon by political cartoonist forges depicting president obama as a black peace dove holding an olive branch .<doc-sep>he brought the world the brink of nuclear war but that has n't stopped the former cuban dictator fidel castro from being awarded china 's version of the nobel peace prize . hailing the aging revolutionary icon 's ` important contributions ' to world peace , he was selected to win the confucius peace prize , the state-run global times newspaper reported . ` while in office , castro did n't resort to violence or force to settle disputes in international relations , especially with the united states , ' the paper wrote , seemingly forgetting the cuban missile crisis . scroll down for video . cuban leader fidel castro was awarded the confucius peace prize china 's version of the nobel peace prize , on tuesday . he was praised for his ` important contributions ' to world peace . pictured with former soviet premier nikita khrushchev , when castro allowed the soviet union to build sites for nuclear missiles on cuban soil , it sparked a 13-day confrontation with the united states . it is widely considered the closest the cold war came to escalating in a full scale nuclear conflict . castro now 88-years-old , rarely makes appearances in public . he did not attend the confucius peace prize award ceremony . a cuban exchange student accepted the award on his behalf . the 13-day confrontation with the united states arose after castro allowed the soviet union to build sites for nuclear missiles on cuban soil in 1962 . it is widely considered the closest the cold war came to escalating into a full scale nuclear conflict . ` after his retirement , he has been actively meeting with leaders and groups from all over the world and has made important contributions to emphasising the need to eliminate nuclear war , ' the global times continued . a total of nine judges from a panel of 16 experts and scholars picked the 88-year-old to win , it added . however , the former communist leader who has been looking increasingly frail in recent years , did not collect the award in person . a cuban exchange student received the prize on his behalf at the ceremony on tuesday , one day before malala yousafzai and kailash satyarthi accepted their nobel peace prize in oslo . miss yousafzai became a household name after her campaigning for girls ' right to education led to an assassination attempt by the taliban two years ago , and has worked tirelessly as a human rights campaigner following her recovery . castro was given the award a day before malala yousafzai was given the nobel peace prize . here , the-17-year-old from pakistan receives her award from chair of the norwegian nobel committee , thorbjorn jagland . malala was jointly awarded the nobel peace prize with indian children 's rights advocate kailash satyarthi . here they hold up their medals during the award ceremony . she currently lives with her father , mother and two brothers in birmingham , attending a local school . castro who ceded power to his brother raul in 2008 after a nearly fatal health crisis in 2006 , has kept a low profile in recent years . it even fuelled rumours that he may have died but he has made short occasional appearances . he has also written books and articles for the official press in cuba . besting more than 20 nominees to win the confucius peace prize , he beat other candidates including un secretary general ban ki-moon and south korean president park geun-hye , the global times reported . previous winners of the five-year-old award include russian leader vladimir putin . the shadowy prize emerged in 2010 , when it was suddenly announced by the panel two days before jailed chinese dissident liu xiaobo was awarded the nobel to beijing 's anger . organisers of the prize denied links to the government , but the award 's executive chairman liu haofeng told afp later that it had been set up by an association overseen by china 's culture ministry . the confucius peace prize was established in 2009 , seemingly with official backing from beijing , shortly after the nobel committee announced it was awarding the peace prize to chinese dissident liu xiaobo . the long time human rights activist was given the award in 2010 for ` his long and non-violent struggle for fundamental human rights in china , ' while serving his fourth prison term for inciting subversion of state power . chinese authorities were reportedly enraged by the decision . perhaps the most famous winner of the five-year-old prize is russian leader vladimir putin , who scooped the award in 2009 . ` this year 's peace prize was given to him because his act this year was outstanding in keeping world peace , ' a spokesman told the afp news agency at the time . other winners include former un secretary-general kofi annan and yuan longping , a chinese agricultural scientist , known for developing hybrid rice varieties . yi cheng , a zen master who is the honorary head of the buddhist association of china , was awarded it last year .<doc-sep>the internet was alive with commentary from journalists , political leaders and others . the winner of 1983 's nobel peace prize , anti-communist polish leader lech walesa , was quoted in the wall street journal as expressing surprise . `` who , obama ? so fast ? too fast -- he has n't had the time to do anything yet , '' the paper 's web site quoted walesa as saying . one person expressed `` sheer disbelief '' that obama had won , in a twitter posting , saying the prize should have gone to a person such as zimbabwe 's prime minister morgan tsvangirai because `` he stood up to a murderous dictator . '' another person said she `` seriously can not believe they gave obama the nobel peace prize . ridiculous . '' others had praise . one person wrote : `` my president just won the nobel peace prize !!!! go prez obama . '' former nobel peace laureates weighed in . kofi annan , the former u.n. secretary general who won the peace prize in 2001 , called the choice `` unexpected but inspired . '' `` in an increasingly challenging and volatile world , president obama has given a sense of hope and optimism to millions around the world '' and `` has shown that the only way forward is through genuine cooperation with other nations . '' former finnish president martti ahtisaari , last year 's peace prize laureate , said it was clear the nobel committee wanted to encourage obama on the issues he has been discussing on the world stage . wangari muta maathai , the kenyan who won the 2004 peace prize , said obama 's win will help africa move forward . `` i think it is extraordinary , '' she said . `` it will be even greater inspiration for the world . he has shown how we can probably come together , work together in a cooperative way . '' former u.s. president jimmy carter , the 2002 peace prize laureate , called the selection `` a bold statement of international support for his vision and commitment to peace and harmony in international relations . '' he said the move reflects the `` hope '' the obama administration represents across the globe . at the united nations , secretary-general ban ki-moon congratulated obama , calling it `` great news for president obama , for the people of the united states and for the united nations . `` we are entering an era of renewed multilateralism , a new era where the challenges facing humankind demand global common cause and uncommon global effort , '' he said . `` president obama embodies the new spirit of dialogue and engagement on the world 's biggest problems : climate change , nuclear disarmament and a wide range of peace and security challenges . '' cnn founder ted turner , who now heads the philanthropic united nations foundation he also started , offered congratulations . `` we applaud his commitment to reengaging the international community and supporting global institutions , such as the united nations , '' turner said in a statement . `` in less than one year , president obama has elevated the importance of the united nations and global cooperation in its policies . '' | <t> committee cited ahtisaari 's `` significant '' part in namibia 's independence . </t> <t> worked with others this year to find a peaceful solution in iraq . </t> <t> helped broker a deal in troubled indonesian province of aceh in 2005 . </t> <t> ahtisaari left office in march 2001 . </t> | former finland leader wins nobel peace prize<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama 's reference to `` lipstick on a pig '' has republicans demanding an apology and democrats accusing sen. john mccain of a `` pathetic attempt '' to play the gender card . barack obama used the `` lipstick '' line at a campaign event in lebanon , virginia , on tuesday . mccain 's campaign said obama 's remarks were offensive and a slap at republican vice presidential nominee sarah palin -- despite the fact that the arizona senator himself used the phrase last year to describe a policy proposal of hillary clinton 's . obama shot back wednesday and accused the mccain campaign of engaging in `` lies '' and `` swift boat politics . '' `` i do n't care what they say about me . but i love this country too much to let them take over another election with lies and phony outrage and swift boat politics , '' he said in norfolk , virginia . `` enough is enough . '' watch obama deliver his harsh words '' the phrase `` swift boat '' comes from the 2004 presidential election , when the group `` swift boat veterans for truth '' launched an attack ad campaign against democratic candidate john kerry . read more about what obama said . obama made his controversial `` lipstick '' remarks at a virginia campaign stop late tuesday afternoon . watch what happens with politics and lipstick collide '' `` john mccain says he 's about change too , and so i guess his whole angle is , ` watch out george bush -- except for economic policy , health care policy , tax policy , education policy , foreign policy and karl rove-style politics -- we 're really going to shake things up in washington , ' '' he said .<doc-sep>`` that 's not change . that 's just calling something the same thing something different . you know you can put lipstick on a pig , but it 's still a pig . you know you can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change , it 's still going to stink after eight years . we 've had enough of the same old thing . '' watch how tensions are rising on the trail '' the crowd erupted in applause when obama delivered the line . the illinois senator then praised both mccain 's `` compelling story '' and palin 's `` interesting story , '' and said his `` hat goes off '' to anyone who 's looking after five kids -- `` i 've got two and they tire michelle and me out . ... `` that 's why john mccain 's campaign manager -lsb- rick davis -rsb- said this campaign is n't going to be about issues , this campaign is going to be about personalities . '' within minutes , the mccain campaign announced a conference call focused on the remark , which they said was a deliberate reference to palin 's line : `` you know the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull ? lipstick . '' palin used the line in the opening remarks of her convention speech , and she frequently uses it on the campaign trail . in iowa last october , mccain drew comparisons between hillary clinton 's current health care plan and the one she championed in 1993 : `` i think they put some lipstick on the pig , but it 's still a pig . '' he used roughly the same line in may , after effectively claiming the republican nomination . mccain spokesman brian rogers told cnn the campaign saw a `` big difference '' between the two references : `` mccain was referring to a policy proposal . obama was referring to -lsb- alaska -rsb- gov. sarah palin . it 's obviously disrespectful and offensive . ...<doc-sep>`` who has been talking about lipstick lately ? it was obvious . the crowd went crazy because of it . '' it was n't the first time obama used the line . in a phone interview with the washington post last september , he used it in reference to the situation in iraq . `` i think that both gen. -lsb- david -rsb- petraeus and ambassador -lsb- ryan -rsb- crocker are capable people who have been given an impossible assignment , '' obama told the post . `` george bush has given a mission to gen. petraeus , and he has done his best to try to figure out how to put lipstick on a pig . '' other politicians have also used the phrase in recent years , including vice president dick cheney , sen. maria cantwell of washington state , sen. james inhofe of oklahoma , sen. mitch mcconnell of kentucky , rep. john mica of florida and rep. tom tancredo of colorado , among others . torie clarke , a former mccain adviser , even wrote a book called , `` lipstick on a pig : winning in the no-spin era by someone who knows the game . '' still , the mccain campaign says obama 's use was intentional , and they want an apology . `` barack obama 's comments today are offensive and disgraceful . he owes gov. palin an apology , '' said maria comella , a mccain-palin spokeswoman .<doc-sep>obama 's campaign said `` enough is enough '' and accused mccain of running a `` dishonorable campaign . '' `` the mccain campaign 's attack tonight is a pathetic attempt to play the gender card about the use of a common analogy -- the same analogy that sen. mccain himself used about sen. hillary rodham clinton 's health care plan just last year , '' said obama campaign senior adviser anita dunn . `` this phony lecture on gender sensitivity is the height of cynicism and lays bare the increasingly dishonorable campaign john mccain has chosen to run . '' mccain ally mike huckabee took obama 's side on the issue , saying he did n't think it was a swipe at palin . `` it 's an old expression , and i 'm going to have to cut obama some slack on that one . i do not think he was referring to sarah palin ; he did n't reference her . if you take the two sound bites together , it may sound like it , '' he said on fox 's `` hannity and colmes . '' `` but i 've been a guy at the podium many times , and you say something that 's maybe a part of an old joke and then somebody ties it in . so , i 'm going to have to cut him slack . '' but mccain 's campaign is not about to let the issue go . they released a web ad wednesday that plays obama 's lipstick comments , then asks , `` ready to lead ? no . ready to smear ? yes . '' cnn 's rebecca sinderbrand , sasha johnson and chris welch contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama 's reference to `` lipstick on a pig '' has republicans demanding an apology and democrats accusing sen. john mccain of a `` pathetic attempt '' to play the gender card . barack obama used the `` lipstick '' line at a campaign event in lebanon , virginia , on tuesday . mccain 's campaign said obama 's remarks were offensive and a slap at republican vice presidential nominee sarah palin -- despite the fact that the arizona senator himself used the phrase last year to describe a policy proposal of hillary clinton 's . obama shot back wednesday and accused the mccain campaign of engaging in `` lies '' and `` swift boat politics . '' `` i do n't care what they say about me . but i love this country too much to let them take over another election with lies and phony outrage and swift boat politics , '' he said in norfolk , virginia . `` enough is enough . '' watch obama deliver his harsh words '' the phrase `` swift boat '' comes from the 2004 presidential election , when the group `` swift boat veterans for truth '' launched an attack ad campaign against democratic candidate john kerry . read more about what obama said . obama made his controversial `` lipstick '' remarks at a virginia campaign stop late tuesday afternoon . watch what happens with politics and lipstick collide '' `` john mccain says he 's about change too , and so i guess his whole angle is , ` watch out george bush -- except for economic policy , health care policy , tax policy , education policy , foreign policy and karl rove-style politics -- we 're really going to shake things up in washington , ' '' he said . `` that 's not change . that 's just calling something the same thing something different . you know you can put lipstick on a pig , but it 's still a pig . you know you can wrap an old fish in a piece of paper called change , it 's still going to stink after eight years . we 've had enough of the same old thing . '' watch how tensions are rising on the trail '' the crowd erupted in applause when obama delivered the line . the illinois senator then praised both mccain 's `` compelling story '' and palin 's `` interesting story , '' and said his `` hat goes off '' to anyone who 's looking after five kids -- `` i 've got two and they tire michelle and me out . ... `` that 's why john mccain 's campaign manager -lsb- rick davis -rsb- said this campaign is n't going to be about issues , this campaign is going to be about personalities . '' within minutes , the mccain campaign announced a conference call focused on the remark , which they said was a deliberate reference to palin 's line : `` you know the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull ? lipstick . '' palin used the line in the opening remarks of her convention speech , and she frequently uses it on the campaign trail . in iowa last october , mccain drew comparisons between hillary clinton 's current health care plan and the one she championed in 1993 : `` i think they put some lipstick on the pig , but it 's still a pig . '' he used roughly the same line in may , after effectively claiming the republican nomination .<doc-sep>mccain spokesman brian rogers told cnn the campaign saw a `` big difference '' between the two references : `` mccain was referring to a policy proposal . obama was referring to -lsb- alaska -rsb- gov. sarah palin . it 's obviously disrespectful and offensive . ... `` who has been talking about lipstick lately ? it was obvious . the crowd went crazy because of it . '' it was n't the first time obama used the line . in a phone interview with the washington post last september , he used it in reference to the situation in iraq . `` i think that both gen. -lsb- david -rsb- petraeus and ambassador -lsb- ryan -rsb- crocker are capable people who have been given an impossible assignment , '' obama told the post . `` george bush has given a mission to gen. petraeus , and he has done his best to try to figure out how to put lipstick on a pig . '' other politicians have also used the phrase in recent years , including vice president dick cheney , sen. maria cantwell of washington state , sen. james inhofe of oklahoma , sen. mitch mcconnell of kentucky , rep. john mica of florida and rep. tom tancredo of colorado , among others . torie clarke , a former mccain adviser , even wrote a book called , `` lipstick on a pig : winning in the no-spin era by someone who knows the game . '' still , the mccain campaign says obama 's use was intentional , and they want an apology . `` barack obama 's comments today are offensive and disgraceful . he owes gov. palin an apology , '' said maria comella , a mccain-palin spokeswoman . obama 's campaign said `` enough is enough '' and accused mccain of running a `` dishonorable campaign . '' `` the mccain campaign 's attack tonight is a pathetic attempt to play the gender card about the use of a common analogy -- the same analogy that sen. mccain himself used about sen. hillary rodham clinton 's health care plan just last year , '' said obama campaign senior adviser anita dunn . `` this phony lecture on gender sensitivity is the height of cynicism and lays bare the increasingly dishonorable campaign john mccain has chosen to run . '' mccain ally mike huckabee took obama 's side on the issue , saying he did n't think it was a swipe at palin . `` it 's an old expression , and i 'm going to have to cut obama some slack on that one . i do not think he was referring to sarah palin ; he did n't reference her . if you take the two sound bites together , it may sound like it , '' he said on fox 's `` hannity and colmes . '' `` but i 've been a guy at the podium many times , and you say something that 's maybe a part of an old joke and then somebody ties it in . so , i 'm going to have to cut him slack . '' but mccain 's campaign is not about to let the issue go . they released a web ad wednesday that plays obama 's lipstick comments , then asks , `` ready to lead ? no . ready to smear ? yes . '' cnn 's rebecca sinderbrand , sasha johnson and chris welch contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the subject of many of the celebrities ' ire is often other celebrities . scroll down for video . liberace pictured in 1978 -lrb- left -rrb- and -lrb- right -rrb- as played by michael douglas in the film behind the candelabra . liam gallagher , when talking about victoria beckham is included in the poll for saying : ` she ca n't even chew and walk in a straight line , let alone write a book . ' winston churchill appears in the new poll twice . 1 -rrb- winston churchill -lrb- when berated for being drunk by mp bessie braddock -rrb- : ` my dear , you are ugly , but tomorrow i shall be sober , and you will still be ugly . 2 -rrb- barack obama -lrb- after sarah palin 's quip that the only difference between a pitbull and a soccer mom is lipstick -rrb- : ` you can put lipstick on a pig ... it 's still a pig . ' 3 -rrb- liberace -lrb- in response to a negative review from a critic -rrb- : ' thank you for your very amusing review . after reading it ... i laughed all the way to the bank . ' 4 -rrb- noel gallagher -lrb- speaking about robbie williams -rrb- : ` you mean that fat dancer from take that ? '<doc-sep>in no particular order , here is a selection of some of the best : . 1 . crying game : back in january 's new hampshire primaries , hillary clinton welled up with emotion , almost crying into her coffee cup during a chat with voters . this unexpected exposure of her human side was credited with winning back some women supporters . read more . 2 . mccain bombs : john mccain displayed rather off-key singing and diplomacy skills when asked if there was a plan to attack iran back in april 2007 . changing the words to the classic beach boys ' song `` barbara ann , '' the arizona senator responded : `` bomb bomb bomb , bomb bomb iran . '' read more . 3 . pastor disaster : proving once again that religion and politics do n't mix , barack obama was forced to distance himself from his former pastor and mentor jeremiah wright , after a series of pulpit fulminations in which he made racially-charged criticisms of hillary clinton and said of the 9/11 terror attacks : `` american 's chickens are coming home to roost . '' read more . 4 . ramblin ' man : garrulous `` gaffe machine '' joe biden got the last word in a primary debate about his tendency to speak his mind and not shut up . asked if he could hold his tongue enough to `` reassure your voters in this country that you have the discipline you would need on the world stage , '' biden replied succinctly : `` yes . '' read more . 5 . the pig issue : obama may have been hoping to generate oinks of outrage when he commented in september that mccain 's policies were like `` lipstick on a pig , '' after the arizona senator named sarah palin as running mate . the democratic candidate refused to apologize for what republicans said was a misogynistic response to palin 's own claim to be a pitbull in lipstick . you could n't make it up . read more . | <t> new : barack obama slams republicans for `` lies '' and `` swift boat politics '' </t> <t> obama said tuesday `` you can put lipstick on a pig , but it 's still a pig '' </t> <t> mccain camp says line was an attack on palin ; obama camp says it was not . </t> <t> many politicians have used the line ; former mccain adviser used it in her book title . </t> | ` lipstick on a pig ' : attack on palin or common line ?<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the wiggles have been officially wiggling for 17 years now , entertaining children with music , television , videos and films that have become modern classics . the wiggles have been entertaining children with colorful , clean-cut songs since 1991 . in australia , their annual end of year national tour sells over 120,000 tickets , while their u.s. fans include john travolta , sarah jessica parker , matthew broderick , john fogarty , shaquille o'neal , chris rock , courtney cox-arquette and cate blanchett .<doc-sep>and since 2003 , in addition to their native english , they also wiggle in mandarin and spanish , reaching out to the taiwanese and latin american public , respectively . anthony field , murray cook and greg page met at macquarie university in sydney , australia , where they were studying early childhood education and writing children 's songs . together with fellow musician jeff fatt , who played with anthony in the popular 1980s band the cockroaches , they formed the wiggles and released a self-titled album on abc music in 1991 .<doc-sep>fifteen years and 27 dvd releases later , they had been awarded with 17 gold , 12 platinum , 3 double platinum and 10 multi platinum awards for sales of over 17 million dvds and 4 million cds worldwide . they have also been awarded with highest selling children 's video sales in 1995 , 1996 , 1998 and 1999 at the adsda awards . the wiggles made their u.s. debut at the famous wall mart in june 1999 , while performing in shopping mall parking lots . in 2003 they performed 12 sold-out shows at madison square garden in new york city and performed to over 250,000 people in november 2005 . that year also initiated a series of amusement-park openings , from wiggles world at dream world on the gold coast of australia , to a second wiggly play centre to be launched in dallas , texas , usa .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- they 've sold millions of albums and dvds and show no signs of slowing . much more than an overnight sensation like `` tickle me elmo , '' `` the wiggles , '' have stayed a children 's favorite for 16 years . sybil lane , right , and her family met the wiggles after sam moran stepped into his role yellow wiggle . the wiggles , an australian band , impart lessons through their songs and performances that some mothers happily admit have helped shape their little ones ' views on life . sybil lane says that her 6-year-old son brendan `` has a very positive outlook on life , and i think the wiggles helped him develop that . '' lane explains that the band members are positive role models who do n't wear makeup or dress up . `` they are themselves , '' she says , `` and children can relate to them . '' three of the four founding members of the wiggles met one another at the macquarie university institute for early childhood studies in sydney . they take their influence on their listeners seriously . one of their campaigns is to teach children the benefits of healthy eating . that lesson has rubbed off on 4-year-old jeffrey thompson , who , according to his mom krista , drinks only water after hearing the wiggles song `` gulp gulp drink some water . '' `` he drinks milk at bedtime , but other than that , it 's only water . '' jeffrey is so enamored of the wiggles that he has adopted an australian accent which his mom says is `` cute as all heck in a 4-year-old . '' carolina wiegers says that her 4-year-old son andrew has picked up some australian pronunciations , too . she also credits the wiggles with helping him learn routines and retain lessons . andrew exercises his memory learning wiggles dance routines and memorizing songs . she appreciates the content that her son is absorbing , and likens the wiggles to `` the teacher that wants to do all the cool stuff and has the money to do it . '' she says that their dvds and live shows have an instructive atmosphere and `` are n't really random at all . '' live shows are an important part of wiggles culture ; brendan lane has been to 41 shows . wiggles parents are `` kind of a community . we catch up with each other at shows , and talk almost daily on wiggles message boards , '' says sharon spray . suzy cato 's daughter , catie , has angelman syndrome , with symptoms such as impaired speech and development skills . cato says that because of her daughter 's disabilities , catie `` does n't really show a lot of preference for things . but when she sees the wiggles she gets very excited . we 're going to go see more wiggles shows . its one thing my daughter loves so much , i just want to keep doing it for her . '' catie , who is 16 , has met the wiggles several times because of the band 's practice of holding personal meet-and-greets with disabled or sick children . jennifer zink , whose 3-year-old son max is autistic and also a huge wiggles fan , has met the wiggles three times . zink explains that once the wiggles meet a child they arrange future meet-and-greets so that they can keep up with children . because of this personal contact , many children have developed a strong connection to greg page , the original yellow wiggle . on november 29 , 2006 , page announced that he was retiring because of health complications and would be passing his yellow `` skivvy , '' or shirt , off to former wiggles background dancer sam moran . for andrew weigers , the news of page 's departure came as a bit of a shock . his mom carolina says sam was so upset about greg 's departure that she almost felt bad for telling him about it . it 's understandable that children developed such an attachment to page ; he was the voice of the wiggles for so long . jenifer zink describes the first time she and her son max saw page perform live . `` my son and i both were absolutely mesmerized by his voice , his charisma , his style , and the way he interacted with the crowd . from that moment , i knew that he was something special ! '' by many accounts , though , page 's replacement sam moran seems to be holding up well as the wiggles new lead man . `` greg left him some hard shoes to fill , '' sybil lane says , but he seems very natural in that job . '' and quite a job it is . some would say that wiggles mania has reached fever pitch . christine kielbasa compared watching children react to seeing the wiggles live to watching the crowd at a beatles show . `` i must admit i was a little excited myself , '' she confesses . linda nuzzo saw her first wiggles show in 2001 , in the basement of a small australian church in new york . `` you could almost touch them , '' she says . `` and then to see them perform at madison square garden , it was amazing . '' and after all of their success ? `` they are still down-to - earth , nice people , '' nuzzo says . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . associated press . and daily mail reporter . a phoenix man starved his dog to death and sent a graphic image of the emaciated canine to an ex-girlfriend to try to win her back , authorities said thursday . luis moreno , 38 , was arrested wednesday after he turned over his pit bull terrier named wiggles to animal control as a stray when the ex-girlfriend refused all advances , the maricopa county sheriff 's office said . moreno and his girlfriend adopted wiggles in 2008 , according to deputies . but by 2012 , couple broke up , and moreno kept wiggles . in the name of ` love ' : luis moreno , 38 , starved to death his dog named wiggles in an attempt to get back with his ex-girlfriend . near the end of wiggles ' life , he sent this picture of the emaciated dog to his ex .<doc-sep>3-year-olds have never seen the wiggles before , so emma 's their superstar ' ` there were no reality tv cameras rolling at the time - it sort of sounds like it - but no one was going to be eliminated . it was just a lovely year , ' field said . field was studying childhood education with cook and page when he formed the group back in 1991 , hoping to combine what he was learning with his other passion , music . the wiggles became a sensation in australia and made their biggest splash across the pond about a decade later , helping launch ` playhouse disney ' on the disney channel . they helped popularize children 's music . on tv and ushered in an era of arena-packing kiddie concerts - at their . peak , they sold out 12 shows at the theater at madison square garden . ' i think the wiggles were the ones . who said , this is going to be a show . it 's going to be a rock concert of . sorts , and i think just like the tv show , they were doing these sorts . of big , energetic pop concerts , ' says stefan shepherd , who writes about . children 's music at zooglobble.com and reviews it for npr 's ` all things . considered . ' all told , . the wiggles sold more than 23 million dvds and videos , 7 million cds and . 8 million books . they have been broadcast in more than 100 countries . and performed more concerts than the rolling stones . the new guard : watkins is joined in the group by original blue wiggle anthony field and two fellow newbies : red wiggle simon pryce and purple wiggle lachlan gillespie . but she 's clearly a fan favorite . preschool hit : with their peppy dancing , waggling fingers , exaggerated facial expressions and maniacally catchy songs , the wiggles seem scientifically engineered to make a toddler , well , wiggle . but all that touring took its toll . in 2006 , page left the group because of a rare nervous system disorder . fatt briefly left the tour to be fitted with a pacemaker . page rejoined in 2012 , but soon he , fatt and cook announced their retirement . field , who documented his own struggles with depression in a book , ` how i got my wiggle back , ' says it was an easy decision for him to stay on and be joined by new members . ` the first month or so , it was very strange but it was still exciting , ' he says . ' i think one of the reasons i love being on the road and continuing on is i get a routine going , i keep myself healthy , i eat well and have a really , really healthy lifestyle and i exercise all the time . i 'm 50 now but i 'm in the best shape of my life . ' the wiggles may not be quite the phenomenon they used to be - when they stop in new york on this tour , they 'll be playing just one show at the best buy theater . seen as a refreshing alternative to barney when they debuted , they predated the revolution in more parent-friendly ` kindie ' music led by the likes of dan zanes , laurie berkner , elizabeth mitchell and they might be giants . ` if parents come away saying that was n't . nearly as bad as i expected , then that 's just gravy for them . because . they 're not playing for the parents ' but parents are n't the wiggles ' target audience , and there 's no doubt they can inspire a room of toddlers . ` if parents come away saying that was n't nearly as bad as i expected , then that 's just gravy for them . because they 're not playing for the parents , ' shepherd says . some songs impart a lesson - new song ` peanut butter ' is about food allergies , for example - while others are meant to get children up and dancing . -lrb- the group is conscious of the dangers of screen time , even if they are creatures of television . -rrb- . and for a new generation of fans , these are the wiggles - yellow bows and all . ' i think that wiggly music is so well known and it 's so dancey and catchy that the children - it does n't really matter who 's wearing the skivvies , as long as the music continues on , ' watkins says . having a girl in the group ` means the world ' to the young girls in the audience , field says . ` they turn up and all they do is look at emma the whole time , ' he says . ' a lot of these 2-year-olds and 3-year-olds have never seen the wiggles before . this is their first ever wiggles , so emma 's their superstar . '<doc-sep>as a last-ditch effort , moreno sent the woman a picture of wiggles emaciated and lying on the ground . ` it is sick and bizarre what some people do to animals , how they use and abuse them ' sheriff joe arpaio said . after giving up on any reconciliation with his ex , moreno turned wiggles over to animal control and said the dog was a stray . wiggles was in such bad shape that the dog had to be euthanized . moreno is facing domestic violence and animal cruelty charges . it was not known if he had an attorney . | <t> anthony field , murray cook and greg page studied early childhood education . </t> <t> entertain children with music and visuals in english , mandarin and spanish . </t> <t> u.s. fans include john travolta , sarah jessica parker , chris rock , cate blanchett . </t> | about the wiggles<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a strong earthquake measuring 6.1 in magnitude struck southern iran on wednesday , according to a report from the u.s. geological survey . the citadel at the city of bam , iran in 2005 , hit by a quake in 2003 when 30,000 people died . the quake demolished nearly 200 villages in iran 's hormozgan province , according to iran 's press tv , citing the head of the provincial disaster management headquarters , yasser hazbavi . at least six people were killed and 46 others were injured , hazbavi told press tv . people panicked and fled buildings when the temblor struck in the quake-prone region around 3:30 p.m. iranian time -lrb- 1100 gmt -rrb- , iran 's state-run irna news agency reported . it also knocked out power to the region . see map of quake 's epicenter ''<doc-sep>the epicenter was located 35 miles -lrb- 55 km -rrb- west-southwest of bandar e-abbas , iran -- just across the narrow strait of hormuz from the united arab emirates -- according to usgs . mehdi rezapoor , head of the iranian seismological center , said it was `` a medium-sized quake . '' speaking on press tv , rezapoor had no details on damage , but said that based on the quake 's strength , `` i do n't think it was very extensive . '' the quake shook nearby dubai , where cnn staff members said they felt the building they were in shake for about 15 to 20 seconds .<doc-sep>`` from my office window at the dubai media city where all foreign media are located , i can see that a lot of offices have evacuated buildings , '' cnn dubai bureau chief samson desta said . `` i can see up to perhaps 200 people who have taken refuge out in the streets , causing somewhat of a traffic jam . '' there was no evidence of any damage in dubai , where there are a lot of high-rise buildings . iran lies on a series of seismic fault lines and has experienced devastating earthquakes -- most notably in december 2003 when a 6.6 magnitude quake devastated the ancient city of bam in southeast iran , killing at least 30,000 people .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a strong earthquake measuring 6.1 in magnitude struck southern iran on wednesday , according to a report from the u.s. geological survey . the citadel at the city of bam , iran in 2005 , hit by a quake in 2003 when 30,000 people died . the quake demolished nearly 200 villages in iran 's hormozgan province , according to iran 's press tv , citing the head of the provincial disaster management headquarters , yasser hazbavi . at least six people were killed and 46 others were injured , hazbavi told press tv .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- rescuers in iran worked furiously tuesday to free people trapped under rubble , a day after a powerful earthquake rippled through a rural stretch of villages in the country 's southeastern region , iranian media reported . iran 's press tv said aftershocks followed the 6.5 magnitude monday quake that struck at least 70 villages in kerman province . iranian authorities recorded seven deaths and dozens of injuries so far , but authorities expect the casualty toll to rise in the quake -- just over 60 miles away from the site of a deadly tremor that killed 30,000 people seven years ago in the city of bam . iran 's islamic republic news agency reported that scores of people are trapped in the debris of buildings that have been destroyed . many such sites are in hard-to-reach locations , making any rescue operations even more difficult . are you there ? share earthquake stories with cnn ireport . jessica sigala , a u.s. geological survey physicist in golden , colorado , thinks the number of deaths could range from between 10 to 1,000 , based on statistics and information about past earthquakes . she said that while this latest event was similar in magnitude to the bam quake , which measured at 6.6 magnitude , the monday quake struck a more remote region about 63 miles away from that city . `` that 's an important thing to realize . that distance will help decrease the fatality rate as well as the damage , '' she said . `` there is n't a big city anywhere to be seen . '' but , she said , that does n't mean the quake was n't felt through the region . in fact , said kerman governor esmail najjar , the tremors were felt as far away as hormozgan province , which lies on the persian gulf , and sistan-baluchestan province , which borders afghanistan and pakistan . it was also felt in bam and other cities , such as zahedan , khash and iranshahr . `` considering the dimensions of the damage , the death toll is expected to rise , '' najjar was quoted as saying by the irna news agency .<doc-sep>pakistani officials said hundreds of houses had been destroyed , while iran appeared to have emerged relatively unscathed with reports that just 27 people were injured . the epicentre of the 7.8 magnitude earthquake was measured at 51 miles below ground , which was the likely reason for the relatively low level of damage in iran . however , a number of remote pakistani villages took the brunt of the shockwave , with many reporting rising death tolls . people evacuate buildings bringing traffic to a halt in karachi , pakistan , the city nearest the border with iran where a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck . early reports suggest that 40 have so far died but there is no information on damage . pictured here is the aftermath in karachi in pakistan , which was also shaken . the u.s. geological survey said the quake hit at 10.44 gmt at a depth of 9.4 miles . people in the city of zahedan poured into the streets when the earthquake struck , iran 's fars news agency reported .<doc-sep>tehran , iran -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at least 250 people were killed and 2,000 others injured when two strong earthquakes jolted northwestern iran on saturday near the city of tabriz , state-run news agencies said . iran 's state-run press tv said 250 people had died . officials feared the casualties would rise . the city of ahar was home to 45 of the deaths and 500 of the injured , a local official told state-run irna media . the first earthquake , a magnitude 6.4 , hit at 4:53 p.m. local time 37 miles northeast of tabriz , according to the u.s. geological survey -lrb- usgs -rrb- , which measured 11 aftershocks . just 11 minutes later a second quake , measuring 6.3 , struck 30 miles northeast of tabriz . authorities reported 17 aftershocks in the region , state-run irna media said . the semi-official fars news agency reported 35 aftershocks . officials asked residents , as a safety precaution , to spend the night outdoors . the quakes affected tabriz , the capital of east azarbaijan province , and nearby cities . it razed four villages and another 60 villages sustained heavy damage , said fars . it said 40 people died in the city of varzaqan and 50 were killed in haris . initial reports said some buildings in tabriz suffered structural damage and power lines were down . telephone lines were down in ahar , the quake 's epicenter . the extent of the damage was still being assessed . | <t> strong quake measuring 6.1 in magnitude strikes southern iran . </t> <t> epicenter located about 55 km west-southwest of bandar e-abbas , iran . </t> <t> new : quake destroys nearly 200 villages , according to iran 's press tv . </t> <t> new : head of provincial disaster management : at least 6 dead , 46 others injured . </t> | ' 200 villages destroyed ' as quake hits iran<T> |
waxahatchie , texas -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- julie quiroz clutches her teddy bear crying . `` mommy , '' she says softly , as her mother wraps her arms around her and rubs her back . one of her brothers tries to console her . `` you 're going to come back , '' he says . julie quiroz , a 13-year-old u.s. citizen , went back to mexico when her mom was deported . the 13-year-old quiroz begins to walk away to catch an airplane from mexico to the united states . within moments , she rushes back to her mother 's arms . `` mommy , '' she says again , tears streaming down her face . quiroz is one of an estimated 3 million american children who have at least one parent who entered the united states illegally , according to the urban institute , which researches and evaluates u.s. social and economic issues . in quiroz 's case , she was born in washington state , lived there her entire life and went to school there . but her mother , ana reyes , entered the united states illegally before quiroz was born and u.s. immigration officials caught up with her last year on her birthday . watch how deportation separates family '' `` i was there when they handcuffed her , '' quiroz says . `` i was there when they took her down . '' two of her brothers , who had come with their mother to the united states when they were young children , also were taken into custody . it was the start of a downward spiral for quiroz . when her mother and brothers were deported , quiroz and her 6-year-old , american-born sister had no choice but to return to mexico city with them . her seventh-grade year was spent in a classroom where she did n't understand the language . `` i never belonged there , '' she says . `` i 'd just come home , sit down , cry . i 'd say , ` mom , i ca n't do it . ' ... i ca n't read or write spanish . '' she adds , `` i felt like there were no dreams for me . '' stories like these are becoming more common , immigration analysts say , with american children caught in the middle of their mother or father 's illegal status . a report last month in the journal of the american medical association said these children face `` increasing risk of family separation , economic hardship and psychological trauma . '' `` it 's really hard to imagine something that can be more traumatic than to be forcibly separated from their caregiver . that 's the enforcement climate that we 're operating in now , '' says miriam calderon , the associate director for education and children 's policy at the national council of la raza , the largest hispanic advocacy group in the united states . calderon says the nation needs to enforce immigration laws , but currently there is a lack of a `` consistent and comprehensive standard to ensure that children will be protected '' when undocumented parents are taken into custody . `` until a major immigration reform is enacted , the country will continue to cope with challenges resulting from the presence of roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants in our workforce and in our communities , '' said janet murguia , the president of nclr , before congress in may . u.s. immigration and customs enforcement says it 's simply enforcing the laws on the books .<doc-sep>`` ice agents and officers are sworn to uphold all of our nation 's immigration and customs laws , '' ice press secretary kelly nantel said in a written statement . `` we can not pick and choose the laws we enforce . parents make decisions that affect their families everyday . `` there are known consequences for violating our nation 's immigration laws . it 's unfortunate that parents choose to place their children in these difficult situations . '' for quiroz , her journey from america to mexico city took an unexpected turn when her plight caught the attention of joe kennard , a land developer and christian philanthropist . kennard reached out to quiroz 's mother and told her the teen could live with his family in texas and enroll in school there . `` you can make all the arguments that -lsb- the mother -rsb- deserved what she got because she was an adult , she made the choice , she was here illegally , '' kennard says . `` but why -lsb- punish -rsb- the children ? they 're innocent and they 're born here and they 're u.s. citizens . '' his group , organization to help citizen children , works with churches along the u.s.-mexico border to provide support for children whose mother or father is deported to mexico . kennard hired a private tutor to get quiroz up to speed for missing a year of schooling . `` she 's conflicted because she knows that she 's got to get an education and this is the only way to do it . but she also feels the love for her mother and that 's the torture . '' quiroz 's mother then made the incredibly painful decision to implore her daughter to go to texas , an unbearable decision for the teen to leave her family for her country and her future . her older brother , carlos quiroz , was about 3 years old when his mom took him to the united states last decade . he misses his sister , but knows he ca n't return . `` i have to accept that ... and try to make it work , '' he says . watch why carlos quiroz feels like an american '' he 's working to get a job and hopes to enter college in mexico . but his mind is still in the land he grew up in . `` i do n't feel like i belong here . i feel like i was taken out of somewhere where i belonged , '' he says . `` my whole life is over there . '' his sister is now living in texas , adjusting to eighth grade and all the changes around her . when she 's alone , she says it still hurts . `` i want to be in my mom 's arms , '' she says , choking back tears . the dream that keeps her going ? she 's determined to become a lawyer to fight for kids who are forced to endure painful separations . `` my mom only came here to make a better life , '' she says . `` i want to be a lawyer to help people in the same situation as me . '' cnn 's gregg canes and traci tamura contributed to this report .<doc-sep>a 14-year-old boy in san francisco has been arrested as the suspect in the fatal stabbing of a former classmate who went on to attend a private high school on a football scholarship and had dreams of playing in the ivy league . because of his age , police have not named the teenager who killed 14-year-old rashawn williams on tuesday outside a convenience store in the city 's mission district . witnesses say rashawn , a freshman at sacred heart cathedral preparatory , was buying chocolate at rubin 's market with one of his younger brothers when he was attacked on his way out of the store about 7pm , nbc bay area reported . two teenagers had been waiting for him outside . one of them , who relatives say had been threatening rashawn over facebook , stabbed the teen and fled . ` everything happened fast , ' store clerk adbulwahab alshami , 33 , told the san francisco chronicle . tragic : rashawn williams , 14 , was stabbed by a 14-year-old former classmate outside a convenience store in san francisco . scene : rashawn was leaving rubin 's market -lrb- pictured -rrb- in san francisco when he was stabbed by a 14-year-old boy . rashawn was rushed to san francisco general hospital 's trauma center , where he was pronounced dead shortly after . he had just finished his first week of high school . ` even after all my time in the police department , there are just some things that make no sense to me , and . this is one of them , ' said chief greg suhr , of the san francisco police department , the chronicle reported . ' i do n't know what was going on from . this other kid 's perspective where he felt like he needed to do this , . but we have an ultimate tragedy for the victim 's family and now this . other kid 's life is ruined , too . '<doc-sep>in recent months , the former teen idol acknowledged that he was on a downward spiral . in addition to the most recent arrest , his third wife filed for divorce . asked how she would react to how the drinking affected his behavior , he told morgan , `` she 'd just say it made me an ass . ... you know it made me a fricking d ** k. and you know , i was n't ... authentic , ok . it 's because i have an allergy to it . my personality changes i 'm not aware of it . i never stop talking , you know . ... it 's obnoxious . it 's embarrassing . '' despite all his recent setbacks , cassidy said he had recently had a life-altering `` spiritual experience . '' `` i dropped to my knees and i felt something go through me that was like , i felt this experience that was just , thank you god . i felt this relief . i begged it and i was crying and weeping like a little boy , like a , like a sobbing little infant , like i 'm sure i did many times as a kid . and i felt this incredible sense of relief because i stopped lying to myself , '' he said .<doc-sep>`` musicals felt like a place where i could express myself in a safe way , even if my feelings were a little bit too big for school or home . it was the one place i really felt like , there 's lights , there 's scenery , and finally everything around me feels as big as my dreams , '' federle said . whether it 's musical theater , sports or academics , federle encourages young people to find that thing that makes them unique and hold on to it , because it could very well be their ticket to greatness and success as an adult . `` i think so often when you 're a kid , we mellow out those more interesting edges in order to coast through middle school quietly . by the time you get to high school , you 're left asking , who the heck am i ? i would encourage kids to try and figure out the thing that sets you apart , not publicly but that you 're passionate about internally . '' watch a video from tim federle about his new novel , `` better nate than ever '' federle hopes readers find `` nate '' especially relevant in a day where many kids who want to perform on stage are bullied or picked on for being different . `` every time i think we 've gotten past the point where it 's weird to be a boy who performs , a girl who does n't quite fit in , i turn on the news , and i see another tragic story of a kid who could n't quite face what it felt to be alive amidst a group of kids who just did n't get them or would n't leave them alone . that tells me we can never have enough voices and mentors and stories . ''<doc-sep>one woman 's courageous decision to live the life of her dreams . by the time she was 29 , liz was a successful banking executive on wall street . she made vice president in her division and earned a healthy salary . she says she had `` a traditional definition of success that had a lot to do with material things , '' but after eight grueling years in business , liz says she knew she was not on the road to happiness . `` i felt proud , but the work was not inspiring me . i did n't have passion for that work . i felt like i had to stifle parts of myself in order to be what wall street wanted from me . i felt like i was playing a corporate character , like it was n't coming from inside of me , who i really am , '' she says . liz knew that making a big change meant taking an even bigger risk . `` i was about to turn 30 , and i realized it was time for me to live the life i wanted for myself , not the life that other people wanted for me , '' she says . `` it 's not making me happy to sit here at this desk anymore . i can not blame anyone else for my unhappiness . i completely believe life is short . you do not get a second chance . i was standing at an edge , and for me it was time to jump . '' liz took a 90 percent pay cut and traded the high-wire act of finance for a career as a trapeze artist ! following her dream is `` like laughter in my heart , '' she says . `` it 's hard to quantify that fulfillment that comes with it , but it greatly exceeds the compensation that i sacrificed . '' dr. holden says the key to being happy is overcoming `` destination addiction , '' which he defines as `` living in the not-now . '' `` it 's always about tomorrow , so you 're chasing ` more , ' ` next ' and ` there , ' '' he says . `` you promise yourself that when you get there , you 'll be happy . and i promise you , you wo n't , because you 'll always set another destination to go for . '' | <t> 3 million u.s. citizen children are believed to have one undocumented parent . </t> <t> julie quiroz , 13 , was born in the u.s. but had to return to mexico with her mom . </t> <t> `` i never belonged there ... i 'd just come home , sit down , cry , '' she says . </t> <t> thanks to a philanthropist , quiroz was able to come back to study ; but without mother . </t> | u.s. teen : ` i felt like there were no dreams for me '<T> |
-lrb- aol autos -rrb- -- have you ever wondered what your neighbors are carrying around in their car 's trunk or suv 's cargo hold ? i decided to find out -- by asking 100 strangers in a department store parking lot . strollers , playpens , toys and diapers take up a lot of space , but a lot of parents still had organized trunks . the mission . to uncover the secret contents of the average american trunk and cargo hold . the stakeout . i spent two weekend afternoons at the empire center in burbank , california , with my camera and notebook , approaching shoppers as they arrived or departed . i identified myself as a reporter for aol autos , and asked if i could see what they had in their trunk , and maybe take a picture . i hoped that i 'd be able to see a trend in trunks . aol autos : small cars with room in the trunk . the raw data my decidedly unscientific study yielded some interesting results . first of all , i discovered that even in a big city -lrb- burbank is a suburb of los angeles -rrb- , people are exceedingly nice if you are respectful and forthright . about 80 % of the people i approached were kind , open and helpful , and gladly opened their trunks for a glance . the 20 % who refused were either in a rush , guarded or shy -- but they were still remarkably polite .<doc-sep>the second surprising thing was that the vast majority of trunks and cargo holds were clean and uncluttered . i really expected to discover overstuffed trunks , full of cast-off items and flea market finds . but even the most fully-used storage areas were tidy and organized . aol autos : used fuel-efficient crossovers . not surprisingly , people with small children tended to have the most crowded trunks and cargo holds . strollers , playpens , toys and diapers take up a lot of space , but most families have discovered that clean , organized trunks make getting to your kids ' supplies much easier and more efficient . aol autos : best new cars for 2009 . another trend i noticed was that athletic folks tend to use their car 's trunk as a portable gym locker . i saw a lot of gym bags , sports equipment and sneakers . on a hot day , this was a bit of a mixed blessing ; baked sneakers have a decidedly pungent odor . no one seemed to have a good solution to this problem . i would put a cabin air freshener , like the little tree , in my trunk if i regularly carried my tennis shoes . aol autos : celebrity cars you can afford . for the non-athletic , the most common item i saw was the collapsible chair . one family had an entire beach setup in their trunk : four collapsible chairs , a beach blanket , a sun umbrella and an empty cooler , all neatly tucked against the back wall . they said that they always wanted to be ready for a beach day , should the opportunity arise . some people were extremely proud of their trunks . one woman bragged that her brother taught her how to organize her tools , and that she had taken the organization to the next level . she had multiple storage boxes in her neat , clean trunk , each with a different set of useful items . aol autos : most fun cars for under $ 20,000 . a few families were downright sheepish about the state of their cargo holds . they apologized in advance before opening the trunk , and said that they were in the middle of a project that had foiled their attempts at organization and cleanliness . i have to take them at their word ; i 'm not making a return trip to that hot parking lot to follow up . the conclusion . after two days pounding the asphalt , i 'm pleased to report that i actually uncovered some useful information and some fun trivia .<doc-sep>there are good reasons for keeping your trunk as empty as possible : . 1 . less junk in the trunk equals less weight , and less weight can mean greater fuel efficiency . 2 . under certain circumstances , shifting content in your trunk can adversely affect handling . 3 . an empty trunk provides space for that roadside find or warehouse store bargain . how else are you going to get that pallet of pickled asparagus spears back to your garage ? here are a few tips that i picked up from the best -lrb- and worst -rrb- of trunks : . 1 . use boxes or containers in your trunk to keep your emergency kit organized and all together . 2 . purge non-essential items from your trunk on a regular basis . 3 . vacuum your cargo space whenever you wash your car so that whatever you put in your trunk does n't get dirty and dusty . 4 . keep a few reusable shopping bags in your trunk so that you always have them when you get to the store . 5 . be sure to carry a few essential tools -- screwdrivers , wrench , tire-changing tools , a rubber mallet , etc. -- for emergency repair .<doc-sep>6 . a cargo net or bungee cords will help keep your boxes and other items from rolling around in the trunk during hard cornering . last , but not least , here 's a list of the oddest items that i saw in any trunk : . • . a machete , an axe and a hammer , wrapped in a colorful sheet -lrb- i did n't ask any questions -rrb- . • a pair of old-school quad roller skates . • an ice scraper -lrb- odd because the temperature was 97 degrees in the shade -rrb- -- and we never get frost in southern california . • a tube of butt paste -- a highly useful concoction that combats diaper rash . • nothing . i can guarantee that this is the one thing you 'll never find in my trunk .<doc-sep>but the defense rebutted these claims , with attorney jose baez blasting what he called `` the state 's fantasy of forensics '' in his closing argument . defense attorneys maintained the child , caylee , drowned in the anthony 's above-ground pool on june 16 , and that casey anthony and her father , george anthony , panicked upon finding her there and covered up the death . george anthony denied that in his testimony . baez claimed a `` phantom stain '' in the trunk should have included more in the way of dna evidence . he said the state used `` junk science '' relating to the odor and stain in the pontiac 's trunk to reach its conclusions .<doc-sep>by . sara malm . when you spend your days running up and down trees and hunting for nuts , it is important that you get your stretches done properly . this squirrel appears to have taken the advice to heart as it was caught ` doing yoga ' in a park in lyon , france . the ginger climber can be seen stretching high towards the sky - and even practicing some ` anti-gravity yoga ' from a tree trunk . going nuts : the adorable squirrel stretches out on a tree trunk during a snack break in lyon , france . reaching for the stars : the energetic little rodent made sure he got his sun salutation right . stretch and pull : the squirrel has come up with his own version of anti-gravity yoga , preferring to dig his claws into a tree rather than hang from the ceiling in a hammock . photographer thanh ha bui , who captured the image in his home city of lyon , france , said : ` it 's uncommon . '<doc-sep>` i 'm not slim and i 've got plenty of junk in my trunk but i 've never been happier , ' added the optimistic star . entrepreneur : gemma , who has been linked to i 'm a celebrity , says she ca n't wait for 2015 and has lots of exciting ventures in the pipeline . the future is looking bright for gemma , who shot to fame as a car dealer from romford . gemma is the latest star to be linked to i 'm a celebrity get me out of here , with sources telling the daily mirror that she and melanie sykes been added to the cast in a last-minute shake-up . responding to the rumours , gemma said : ` the i 'm a celebrity rumour mill is going crazy and if they asked me in the future i would never turn it down . ' for now , gemma has plenty on her plate and ca n't wait for the coming year . speaking about her future plans , gemma said : ` i 've got lots of exciting plans with my clothing range and tv stuff so i am really looking forward to next year , bring on 2015 ! ' . businesswoman : gemma collins opened her new shop in brentwood over the weekend to an army of waiting fans . fashion fans : gemma poses outside her new shop and cites victoria beckham as her inspiration . idol : gemma , who has plans to expand her fashion empire , said : ` victoria beckham was just a normal girl and look how much she has achieved - nothing will stop me '<doc-sep>` her dressing gown was still on the bed and the dry cleaning was still in the bedroom . all their drawers were still full and there was food in the pantry . ' i think their grandchildren were involved in selling the house but they could n't have been interested because the estate agent asked us if we wanted to clear the house out . ` we declined because it was too big a job and i think they just got some house clearing firm in . ` lewis and his dad were up in the attic clearing it out for the extension when they found the trunk . ` my dearest henry , . ` this is a line so that you wo n't have to wait till tues for a reply to your last letters . ` yes darling , i did n't have your thursday letter till yesterday morning and i had your little friday note by the same post . ' ` they brought it down to have a look and there was about 700 or 800 letters . ` we have had a flick through them and handpicked a few to read . ` once they got married they obviously put them together because you have got both sides of the story . ` from as far as we can tell he was living here and she appeared to be living in newport . ` all the envelopes are dated but we have n't got time to sit down and read all 800 letters in order . ` long before the days of mobile phone text messages and emails this is how people expressed their love and you have to say it is much more romantic . ' ` my darling henry , 'm afraid i had only a minute or two to scribble a few lines last night ' one letter begins . the semi-detached house lay empty for 18 years after henry died and moira went into a care home . lewis , who lives with kerrie and the couple 's three children , added : ` we were starting to extend the house , so my dad and i went to clear out the attic . ` i 'd been up there plenty of times before and never seen the trunk . ` my darling henry , . ' i thought i 'd drop a line now to ask you when i can expect you darling . ' i believe you 'll be coming saturday morning as i have the day off , i 'd like to meet you - if you let me know the time your train is leaving birmingham . ' i packed a few presents last night - but had several interruptions - so that i still have some cards to do . ` i 'll be hoping to hear tomorrow , darling . look after yourself . ` all my love and lots of kisses , moira ' ` the trunk was hidden right down in the eaves , wrapped in blankets . . it was as if no one wanted it to be found . | <t> reporter tries to uncover secret contents of average american trunk . </t> <t> unscientific study finds vast majority of trunks are clean and uncluttered . </t> <t> athletic folks tend to use their car 's trunk as a smelly , portable gym locker . </t> <t> one trunk includes machete , axe and hammer wrapped in sheet . </t> | got junk in your trunk ?<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- michelle rhee says she runs at 100 miles per hour . as the chancellor of one of the nation 's lowest-performing school districts , she says she has no choice -- too much bureaucracy to cut through , too many problems to fix after decades of neglect . michelle rhee says a sense of urgency has been missing for years in the district of columbia 's schools . rhee closed 23 schools in her first year as the head of the district of columbia 's public schools , fired 36 principals and cut 15 percent -- about 121 jobs -- from the central office staff . and she 's making no apologies . `` i think it 's that sense of urgency that has been lacking for far too long in our public schools , '' rhee told cnn as she began her second year on the job in late august . `` we are always going to put the best interests of kids above the rights , privileges and priorities of adults . '' watch fighting for `` radical changes '' '' rhee said `` radical '' changes are needed because only 12 percent of the district 's eighth graders are proficient in reading and just 8 percent are proficient in math , but was quick to add that they 're already seeing improvement . she highlighted gains in elementary reading and secondary level math and reading in the past year that outstripped all of the four prior years put together . an annual report card by education week , a newspaper that follows the nation 's education system , earlier this year ranked the district 's school system last , giving it a d + overall and an f for student achievement in kindergarten through 12th grade . those grades were based on data prior to rhee 's arrival . `` we need to see radical changes because the outcomes for kids that are happening right now are robbing them of their futures , '' said rhee , a democrat who supports president bush 's landmark education law known as no child left behind . watch rhee describe telling employee : `` you need to find another job '' '' `` we have scores of kids in this city who do n't have the advocates that they need in their lives who are able to maneuver and jockey through the public school system . and we ca n't allow those children to languish in classrooms where teachers are not performing . '' her plan is ambitious : to completely transform the district 's system within eight years for its 50,000 children . the plan focuses on top-down accountability , quantitative results like standardized test scores and , ultimately , working to close what she describes as `` the achievement gap between wealthy white kids and poor minority kids . '' `` i think it 's absolutely possible within an eight-year period , '' she said . watch d.c. schools need `` urgency '' '' rhee , who is korean-american , is operating in a largely african-american district . it is a district where 57 percent of the students qualify for the free or reduced lunch program . rhee said when she first arrived on the job in 2007 she first heard whispers of : `` she 's not from d.c. , she 's not african-american : is she going to be able to relate to students and their families ? '' `` i think that all dissipated quite quickly after i started getting out into the community and talking to people , '' said rhee , a 38-year-old mother of two children attending local public schools . `` i think one of the things that comes across very clearly is the fact that i 'm very passionate about this work . i 'm very focused on it . '' but her plan to turn the failing school district on its head has met protest every step of the way , even from teachers . `` i think the people who view her aggressive actions as a positive thing , i think they are missing the boat because if it results in more chaos and more dysfunction , it 's not the solution that we need , '' said kerry sylvia , a teacher at cardozo senior high school in her ninth year .<doc-sep>sylvia says the district has seen far too many superintendents over the years and fears rhee is just another in the long list of those who come in touting their reforms and then leave . she does offer praise for rhee holding teachers and administrators accountable for their lack of performance . however , she does n't always care for rhee 's style , saying rhee makes it seem like `` there 's a lot of lazy teachers . '' `` she 's pitting adults against children . she couches things in terms of ` i 'm not here to keep jobs for adults . i 'm not here to keep people 's paychecks . i am here for the children , ' '' sylvia said . `` well , guess what ? i 'm here for the children too . '' before taking on her current role , rhee founded the new teacher project , a non-profit organization that recruits quality teachers to high-poverty schools . rhee holds a master 's degree in public policy from harvard university . one of the most controversial programs rhee has introduced is a joint venture between d.c. schools and harvard that pays middle school students cash -- up to $ 100 a month -- for good behavior and attendance . rhee says such pilot programs have worked in other cities . she says the district 's students have far too many bad incentives on the streets , from hustling to drug dealing , and need something to keep them focused . `` we 're preparing them to understand that if you do the right thing , then good things will happen to you , '' rhee said . some in the district are skeptical , including clarence cherry , a fourth-generation washingtonian and father of five . he calls the cash and rhee 's overall direction misguided and reckless . `` it 's a very dangerous game that she 's playing with , '' he said . but cherry added , `` i want to give her an opportunity to prove to me as a parent that she genuinely ... is here for the kids . '' others are fervent supporters of the new superintendent . dr. waheedah shakoor , another teacher at cardozo , has been in the district since 1979 . he says he 's been stunned at the amount of change that 's happened in just one year under rhee , from freshly painted walls to improved athletic facilities . `` things that we 've been asking for for many , many years have come to fruition within just the last 12 months , '' shakoor said . rhee is an appointee of mayor adrian fenty , who has backed her every move . `` i had the highest expectations of michelle rhee when she came into the job . she has exceeded every expectation , '' fenty said . `` when you have a system that 's been as underperforming as the district of columbia public schools , you need to shake things up . '' rhee says she 'll continue to shake things , working at break-neck speed to improve the education and opportunity for her students and urban students across the country as fast as she can .<doc-sep>sports cars may not have the best reputation for being environmentally-friendly , but this sleek machine has been designed to reach 217.5 mph -lrb- 350 km/h -rrb- -- using nothing but saltwater . its radical drive system allows the 5,070 lbs -lrb- 2,300 kg -rrb- quant e-sportlimousine to reach 0-60 mph -lrb- 100 km/h -rrb- in 2.8 seconds , making it as fast as the mclaren p1 . after making its debut at the 2014 geneva motor show in march , the saltwater technology has now been certified for use on european roads . scroll down for video . sports cars may not have the best reputation for being environmentally-friendly . but this sleek machine has been designed to reach an impressive 217.5 mph -lrb- 350 km/h -rrb- -- using nothing but saltwater . the 920 horsepower -lrb- 680 kw -rrb- quant e-sportlimousine uses something known as an electrolyte flow cell power system to power four electric motors within the car . it works in a similar way to a hydrogen fuel cell , however , the liquid used for storing energy is saltwater . the liquid passes through a membrane in between the two tanks , creating an electric charge . this electricity is then stored and distributed by super capacitors .<doc-sep>miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the storm called hanna weakened from a hurricane to a tropical storm tuesday morning as maximum sustained winds eased down to 70 mph , the national hurricane center said . this satellite image from monday shows hanna over the southern bahamas and the turks and caicos islands . despite the downgrade , hanna dropped torrential rain on the eastern bahamas , the turks and caicos islands , and haiti . hurricane warnings remained in effect . hanna 's path and strength remain uncertain , but the latest forecast map from the national hurricane center predicts it still could make landfall as a major hurricane on the southeastern u.s. coast by friday evening . hanna 's path early tuesday appeared to be a `` meandering '' loop across turks and caicos , but atmospheric changes over the western atlantic are expected to steer the storm northwestward over the next two or three days , according to forecasters . as of 5 a.m. et , hanna was a category 1 storm on the saffir-simpson hurricane scale with sustained winds of 80 mph -lrb- 129 kph -rrb- and gusts of up to 100 mph . ireport.com : watch hanna lash turks and caicos islands .<doc-sep>` it seemed there was an anomaly on our approach to landing , '' ray siebring told the canadian press from the crash site . ` it was just a sharp left turn that turned into a spiral , so the spiral took at least three rotations . ' as the maverick -- which looks like a dune buggy with a large propeller on its rear -- started losing altitude , siebring realized there was a semi-populated area that included a school directly in his path . the situation called for quick thinking . ' i experienced one of those ... moments where time slows down , ' he said . ` the training kicked in so that we were able to operate the aircraft and move it to a safe area . dangerous : the aircraft crashed into a tree as it was on final approach . ` we were able to stop the rotation , but our altitude was critically low . i gave full power to dampen the forced landing and directed the aircraft ... away from the school and into some woods . ' no one was hurt on the ground although children from the school were preparing take to the nearby grounds for a track and field day . dale olsen , a teacher at the nearby fulton secondary school , and said it was the talk of the morning . ' a lot of the kids saw it around school this morning , ' he said . ` they said it looked like it stalled , the parachute started crumpling up and they could n't get it going again . ' the maverick which costs at least $ 94,000 can travel at speeds up to 100 mph and up to 40 mph in the air . the car uses a 100-metre runway to take off and flies under a parasail , but it also needs a 100-metre runway to make a safe landing .<doc-sep>the high-speed winds , peaking at 100 mph , hit the george e. peters adventist school especially hard , tearing off a portion of the roof and flinging it and mounds of debris into the parking lot . a nearby construction trailer was also knocked over . e-mail to a friend . | <t> d.c. schools chief michelle rhee closed 23 schools , fired 36 principals in first year . </t> <t> `` we are always going to put the best interests of kids above the rights ... of adults '' </t> <t> critic says rhee has created `` more chaos and more dysfunction '' </t> <t> mayor backs his appointee , says when schools fail , `` you need to shake things up '' </t> | ' 100 mph ' school chief seeks ` radical changes '<T> |
-lrb- travel + leisure -rrb- -- it 's no surprise : americans are super-opinionated , especially about the cities they live in and the places they visit . in fact , their feelings are so strong that in the 2008 america 's favorite cities survey -- conducted by travelandleisure.com and cnn headline news -- americans voted more than 600,000 times on 45 characteristics of 25 cities , weighing in on things like shopping , food , culture and nightlife , as well as cleanliness and affordability . new orleans earned no. 1 rankings for fine dining and live music . in 2007 , there was a lot of cheering from cities that clinched the no. 1 spots , like chicago , illinois , -lrb- dining -rrb- and austin , texas , -lrb- best singles scene -rrb- . but we also saw a lot of upsets -- upset people , that is . after all , someone had to come in last . unfortunately for the proud people of philadelphia , pennsylvania , america voted them dead last in the category of attractive people . and los angeles , california , took the prize for least friendly city , a category that most expected new york city to sweep . notable changes . for the winners in each category , 2008 brought some surprises . new orleans , louisiana , elbowed new york aside as the best city for fine dining . las vegas , nevada , took the no. 1 spot for best singles scene as former no. 1 austin tumbled to no. 5 . in the cleanliness category , portland , oregon , swept minneapolis , minnesota , out of first place this year . see all the america 's favorite cities results -- and play the new afc game , what 's your fave ? but other cities maintained their dominant positions . new york held its no. 1 ranking as the country 's best spot for people-watching , while charleston , south carolina , was once again voted america 's friendliest city . find your vacation .<doc-sep>there 's plenty more to explore beyond the rankings . if you 're in the market for a great destination , the vacation finder at travelandleisure.com can help you find the perfect city for your interests . austin and new orleans , for example , are rollicking destinations for live music , cheap ethnic food and vintage shopping . if something more high-minded is your style , check out washington d.c. -lrb- no. 1 for museums -rrb- or new york -lrb- no. 1 for classical music -rrb- . travelers seeking the sophistication of cities paired with the exhilaration of the outdoors should head to honolulu , hawaii , -lrb- no. 1 for active/adventure vacations -rrb- , portland -lrb- no. 1 for public parks and access to outdoors -rrb- , or denver , colorado , -lrb- no. 1 for athletic/active citizens -rrb- . if you 're planning a trip with the kids , orlando , florida , is still on top , but alternatives like san diego , california , and washington d.c. still rate high with travelers . seekers of romantic getaways should try their luck in honolulu , charleston or san francisco , california , which hold their own particular charms . and what happened at the bottom of the scale ? did philadelphia rally voters and push themselves up the attractiveness scale ? did angelenos take the criticism about being the least-friendly city to heart and begin using a kinder , gentler salute to fellow drivers on the freeway ? read on to find out . here are the top three cities '' in some of the categories , as voted by visitors . visit travelandleisure.com for the full results , best and worst , for each city and category , as ranked by residents and by visitors . ` what 's your fave ? ' you 've voted on your favorite cities ' characteristics , but what 's america 's favorite city overall ? tell us ! vote for america 's best in our new bracket game , what 's your fave ? go to travelandleisure.com/afc and each week for the next four weeks , we 'll pit cities head-to-head . your vote decides whether they move on to the next round or get eliminated !<doc-sep>the ranking is part of the magazine 's annual `` america 's favorite cities '' survey . here are the top 10 cities to make the t+l `` america 's snobbiest cities '' list . 1 . san francisco . 2 . new york city . 3 . boston . 4 . minneapolis/st . paul . 5 . santa fe , seattle -lrb- tie -rrb- .<doc-sep>direct , she told travel & leisure magazine . ` while that can be fine . it 's no excuse for being rude . ' but . some say new yorkers may just be misunderstood . with eight million . people all in a hurry , the perception of rudeness may just be a . byproduct of a bustling metropolis . ` people . in new york are constantly in a rush , ' said big apple manners expert . thomas farley , who writes the blog what manners most . ` certainly , they do n't linger on corners smiling , waving , and waiting to help people . but once you 've stopped a new yorker and asked them for directions , they 're usually more than helpful . ' the award was determined as part of magazine 's america 's favorite cities survey , in which readers rank 35 major cities based on categories such as best pizza , the most pedestrian-friendly streets and the most reliable wireless coverage . smaller , slower-paced southern cities like new orleans and charleston made the top five of a list of friendly cities .<doc-sep>find a place to `` go '' like it or not , starbucks outposts have unofficially replaced service stations as america 's favorite rest stops . fortunately for travelers , both are mapped on the sitorsquat app . more than 99,000 restrooms are represented -lrb- concentrated in larger cities in the u.s. and europe -rrb- , with details like hours , changing-table availability , and , of course , a `` sit '' or `` squat '' recommendation . free . download it : android , blackberry , iphone/ipad . get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you free - click here ! copyright © 2011 newsweek budget travel , inc. , all rights reserved .<doc-sep>within hours of posting , i had invitations from students in more than 50 cities across the country . in early november , i set off on my journey , traveling across america by bus , by train , just me and my red-tipped cane . over the next three months , i traveled more than 8,000 miles from miami to new york , to america 's heartland and san francisco 's golden gate , visiting hundreds of my former students along the way . i had hoped i would discover that i 'd instilled in at least some of them a lasting love of books and literature , and a deep curiosity about the world . but what my trip taught me was something even more gratifying . what i learned from my travels was that my students had grown up to be kind and caring people . people who picked me up when i fell over curbs , read to me from books i could no longer see , and cut my food when i could not grasp a knife . they shared with me their deepest secrets , introduced me to their families and friends , sang to me my favorite songs and recited my favorite poetry . as i had hoped , they recalled favorite lessons and books from class , but , to my great surprise , it was our personal time together that seemed to have meant the most to them . those brief , intimate interludes between lessons when we shared heartaches and vulnerabilities and victories were the times my students remembered . | <t> new orleans elbowed new york aside as the best city for fine dining . </t> <t> portland , oregon , swept minneapolis out of first place for cleanliness . </t> <t> new york held its no. 1 ranking as the country 's best spot for people-watching . </t> | america 's favorite cities in 2008<T> |
editor 's note : join roland s. martin for his weekly sound-off segment on cnn.com live at 11:10 a.m. wednesday . if you 're passionate about politics , he wants to hear from you . a nationally syndicated columnist and chicago-based radio host , he is the author of `` listening to the spirit within : 50 perspectives on faith '' and `` speak , brother ! a black man 's view of america . '' please visit his web site . roland martin says americans need to rise above issues of race , age and gender when they vote . -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- one of the most intriguing conversations i had at either the democratic or republican convention was with a white labor leader from ohio . i ca n't remember his name , but he made it clear that he is going all around the rust belt state looking his white union brothers and sisters in the eye and essentially shaming them into supporting sen. barack obama for president . no , he 's not saying vote for the black man for president because he 's black . he said he 's telling them that it 's shameful that as democrats , they agree with him on various political issues , but because of his skin color , they are refusing to cast ballots for him . `` we have gone to our black brothers and sisters for years to support our -lsb- white -rsb- candidates , and it 's wrong for us to stand here and not support one of their own , even though we 're democrats , '' he barked . there is nothing more in-your-face than to hear someone speak truthfully to the inherent racism that is at play in this election . for all the talk about inclusion and the historic nature of this campaign , the true tribal feelings of so many people will come into play , whether we want to admit it or not . we are seeing remarkable bias playing strongly in this election . exit-polling data in the primaries showed some evidence of bias when it came to age , race and gender , but the great concern is whether people are as honest in talking to pollsters as they are in the voting booth . because sen. john mccain is 72 and would be the oldest person to be sworn in as president , there is a lot of dialogue about how old this white guy is , and how wrong it is that he 's running . age questions also have been raised about the 47-year-old black guy from chicago and whether he is too young and inexperienced to lead . while there is a lot of talk and excitement surrounding alaska gov. sarah palin being named as the first woman on a republican ticket , and what that may mean in terms of widespread female support coming the way of mccain-palin , there are some voices who refuse to vote for a woman . we 've also seen a number of prominent women -- including washington post columnist sally quinn and radio talk show host dr. laura schlessinger -- who have questioned whether the 44-year-old white mother of five children should be vice president , considering she has five children , including a special needs child . it 's wonderful to talk about the economy , immigration , the war in iraq , health care and education , but we ca n't be naïve to the reality that when voters go into that voting booth , they will , as one person told me during an interview , `` vote with their tribe . '' that was one of the arguments we heard during the democratic primaries when obama enjoyed overwhelming support from african-americans -- to the tune of 90-plus percent -- while sen. hillary clinton had major female support , largely white , in the range of 65 to 70 percent . so what do we do when it comes to our tendency to follow group identification ? 1 . stop dancing around the topic . when you watch tv and hear folks talk about wal-mart moms or small , rural towns , they are talking about white americans . these catch phrases never include african-americans or hispanics . 2 . confront bias where it is . ask your friends , neighbors , co-workers and church members who they are voting for . when they give you the `` i really ca n't put my finger on it '' line , then press them . hard . you know the real answer , so do n't beat around the bush . the best folks to challenge americans on their hang-ups regarding age , race and gender are n't the aarp , naacp or now . it 's y-o-u . do n't give in to the `` that 's the way i was raised '' mantra . when someone suggests that flags and faith show that a candidate is n't one of us , drill down . 3 . accept the fact that some people will not change . we all think that we have been gifted to the degree that our sane and logical arguments can get folks off their biased stumps . some people just wo n't give in . fine , move on . the goal is to rid our society of as much bias as possible . if someone is so hard-headed , then you have to go on to the next person and try to change them . it 's critical that we be as honest as possible about the impact of race , age and gender in campaigns . a lot of people love to toss around the rev. martin luther king jr. 's quote that he hoped one day people would be judged by `` the content of their character . '' but it 's still a reality that skin tone , gender and our birth date means more than character to a lot of americans . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .<doc-sep>by . richard spillett . tackling ` accentism ' - discriminaton against people with regional accents - is as important as the fight against racism , ageism and sexism , it has been claimed . prejudice against certain accents is the ` last taboo ' , according to manchester university linguist dr alex baratta , who says people are made to feel ` fake ' when they have to ` posh up ' while talking . dr baratta is calling on employers to promise that job applicants ' accents will not be used against them in the same way as gender , sexual orientation , religion , age and race are ignored . he said : ` we should acknowledge that any form of workplace discrimination , to include accentism , should not be tolerated in a society which seeks to be more inclusive . ` this is why `` accentism '' should be taken seriously as a problem which affects many of us .<doc-sep>so , i suggest , the essence of the bible -- its ultimate authority -- is not in its individual pronouncements , but in its underlying message : equal , even loving , treatment of all persons , regardless of their age , gender , socio-economic status , ethnicity , or sexual orientation . the opinions in this commentary are solely those of michael coogan .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- this year is the 150th anniversary of one of the greatest and least remembered political media hoaxes in american history , one with startling parallels to 21st century politics and the internet age . it involved abraham lincoln , covert governmental programs for interracial sex , pro-slavery politicians and scheming newspaper editors . on februrary 17 , 1864 , a shocking scandal erupted early in lincoln 's re-election campaign : `` proof '' that lincoln had a secret plan to solve america 's `` race problem '' with a campaign of interracial sexual relations that would create a new `` american race . '' this was the bombshell that pro-slavery ohio rep. samuel cox claimed to have uncovered . his evidence was a pamphlet titled `` miscegenation : a theory of the blending of the american white man and negro , '' whose anonymous author urged republicans -- then the abolitionist party -- to openly confess their desire for race mixing by adding it to their official political platform for the upcoming presidential election . speaking before congress , cox brandished letters of support the pamphleteer received from a handful of abolitionist newspaper editors , which cox claimed proved the pamphlet 's `` disgusting theories , '' which `` seem so novel to us , have been a part of the gospel of abolition for years . '' foreshadowing the fictitious `` death panels '' with which today 's republicans recently tried to kill obama 's health care proposals , cox 's conjured apocalyptic visions of a `` department for the hybrids '' empowered to achieve miscegenation 's `` practical realization by a bureau , '' indicting the freedmen 's bureau recently established to aid the formerly enslaved . the ensuing controversy dogged lincoln for the remainder of the election campaign , and `` miscegenation , '' this new word for race mixing coined by the pamphleteer , was widely adopted in place of `` amalgamation , '' its predecessor . the hot-button issue of race mixing could now no longer be discussed without invoking lincoln 's supposed enthusiasm for this cultural taboo . the president 's re-election hopes had been dim enough with the war dragging on with no end in sight , and this new trumped up scandal did n't help matters . lincoln 's political enemies in the north could n't have been more pleased with the scandal if they 'd designed it themselves . in fact , one of them had done just that . the `` miscegenation '' pamphlet was a forgery , and the entire scandal an artfully managed hoax . it was the work of new yorker david goodman croly , managing editor of the world , the leading democratic-aligned , pro-slavery newspaper in the north , and george wakeman , one of his reporters .<doc-sep>voters believed it , not because it was something new or groundbreaking , but because this has been the template of many of our character-building institutions -- our public schools , our colleges , and public universities -- for the past 50 years . go to any major university in america and this is the mindset that is taught , preached , and ingested . it also gets an assist from television drama , from the movies , and from much of the mainstream media . for decades liberals have succeeded in defining the national discourse , the terms of discussion , and , therefore , the election , in these terms . they have successfully set the parameters and focus of the national and political dialogue as predominantly about gender , race , ethnicity , and class . this is the paradigm , the template through which many americans , probably a majority , more or less view the world , our country , and the election . it is a divisive strategy and democrats have targeted and exploited those divides . poll : fiscal cliff headache for middle class . how else can we explain that more young people now favor socialism to capitalism ? according to a pew research poll taken last year , 49 % of americans age 18-29 have a positive view of socialism while just 46 % have a positive view of capitalism . such a view has roots . so while we republicans opine about election strategies and changing demographics , and appropriately so as that is our immediate order of business , in the long run we must address the problem at its source : the culture . politics are downstream from the culture . plato summarized the two most important questions in a society : who teaches the young and what do we teach them ? for the past 50 years liberals have had majority control of the character-forming institutions . if the national dialogue stays on their terms -- gender , race , ethnicity , class -- republicans will continue to lose . opinion : failure to attract millennials is sinking the gop . we must counter the discourse and speak and educate in terms of family , faith , freedom , principle , values , work , country , community , improvement , growth , and equality of opportunity . no longer can the republican party be solely the party of business . who controls the terms of discussion , dialogue , and education controls the country and , therefore , the election . it 's time for republicans to take it back . this will require much work and time , but there is no more important business . | <t> roland martin says people talk about issues but conceal their biases . </t> <t> martin : race , age , gender issues affect support for obama , mccain , palin . </t> <t> americans need to be open about how `` tribal '' concerns influence them , he says . </t> <t> martin : let 's stop dancing around the topics of race , age and gender . </t> | commentary : race , age , gender are taboo in election<T> |
charleston , south carolina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- tropical storm cristobal was forecast to move `` parallel and very close '' to the north carolina coast sunday morning , but the storm is not expected to make landfall along the eastern u.s. shores . satellite image taken at 1:15 p.m. saturday shows tropical storm cristobal off the coast of the carolinas . at 11 p.m. et saturday , the center of the storm was about 45 miles southeast of cape fear , north carolina , and about 170 miles southwest of cape hatteras , north carolina . the national hurricane center said cristobal was moving northeast at about 6 mph , with maximum sustained winds of about 45 mph and some higher gusts . `` the center of the tropical storm is expected to move parallel and very close to the coast of north carolina for the next day or so , '' the nhc said . it is expected to dump between three and five inches of rain along the carolina coast this weekend , it said . the storm had not strengthened beyond the 45 mph top winds measured earlier on saturday , according to the nhc . a discussion posted online by nhc forecasters called cristobal `` convectively challenged '' and predicted the storm would `` become absorbed ahead of an approaching cold front '' by late monday . although the center of the storm was forecast to remain off the coast through the weekend , tropical storm warnings were in effect from the south santee river in south carolina to the north carolina-virginia state line , including pamlico sound .<doc-sep>flood advisories were posted for coastal counties , and wilmington , north carolina , received 2 1/2 inches of rain saturday , said stephen keebler , a meteorologist at the national weather service there . cristobal 's winds were not expected to be a problem , keebler said . `` it 's some rain and a little bit of relief for the coastal areas and a lot of excitement , but that 's about it , '' he said . the rain bands were weakening as they spun farther inland , providing little relief for parched areas near interstate 95 in north carolina , he said . forecasters predicted up to 5 inches of rain along the north carolina coast , with heavier amounts in some areas . eastern north carolina is under a moderate drought , and areas along south carolina 's northern coast are considered abnormally dry , according to the u.s. drought monitor . officials have blamed the persistent drought for a massive wildfire that has burned more than 40,000 acres in eastern north carolina since it began june 1 with a lightning strike . as cristobal lurked offshore , the storm was keeping many boaters off the waters -- and surfers in the waves . on north carolina 's outer banks , surfers reveled in the waves as the storm churned offshore well to the south .<doc-sep>bradley rose , a surf instructor at sandbarz in carolina beach , north carolina , said the waves were a bit choppy . `` it looks pretty fun out there , '' rose said . at the by the sea motel in north myrtle beach , south carolina , out-of-state vacationers took to the beach , trying to photograph the outer rain bands of cristobal , hotel manager charlie peterson said . intermittent rain showers during the afternoon were not enough to chase them away , and there were even brief moments of sunshine . `` they 've got their cameras set , and they think there is going to be lightning over the water and all , '' he said . `` they have never seen this . '' elsewhere saturday , hurricane fausto strengthened far off mexico 's pacific coast , while hurricane bertha , located east of cape race , newfoundland , was downgraded to tropical storm status . neither of those storms currently threatens land . bertha had blustered across bermuda this week , knocking out electricity to thousands there .<doc-sep>forecast : this map shows how meteorologists expect hurricane cristobal to track over the coming days as it moves north up the atlantic coast . aerial : the storm front started around the turks and caicos islands on friday and strengthened as it moved north . hurricane force winds extended outward up to 60 miles -lrb- 95 kilometers -rrb- from the center . cristobal was expected to dump up to 4 inches -lrb- 10 centimeters -rrb- of rain over bermuda and lesser amounts over the already sodden bahamas and the turks and caicos . hotel owners and tourist operators in bermuda were dismayed at the forecast , noting that august already has been one of the rainiest months in recent history for the british island territory . ` it 's been a ridiculous , endless amount of rain , ' said marlie powell , owner of the kingston house bed & breakfast . ` it 's the height of our tourist season , so it 's not a happy thing . ' turks and caicos officials said flights resumed tuesday at the islands ' international airport , which closed as the hurricane dumped some 12 inches -lrb- 30 centimeters of rain -rrb- on the islands .<doc-sep>by . reuters reporter . and joel christie for mailonline . jellyfish stung at least 400 florida beachgoers over the weekend , prompting lifeguards to raise purple flags warning of hazardous marine life off the state 's east coast , authorities said on monday . officers said the jellyfish swarm arrived on friday and has remained concentrated around new smyrna beach , on the atlantic coast in the north-central part of the state . tropical storm cristobal , a potential hurricane headed towards the us after wreaking havoc in the caribbean , is believed to have pushed the jellyfish closer to shore , according to my fox tampa bay . ` it could be thousands , ' said volusia county beach safety captain tammy marris . write caption here . ` thousands ' : volusia county beach patrol officials believe the swarms of jellyfish were forced closer to shore by winds from the storms in the tropics . proceed with caution : lifeguards put up purple flags to warn swimmers of what was in the water , causing many to get out . moving fast : by momday evening hurricane . cristobal had maximum sustained winds of 75 mph -lrb- 120 kph -rrb- and was . tracking east at 2 mph -lrb- 4 kp -rrb- . this map shows its expected path this week . east coast : officials have not said whether the jellyfish problem will continue north as cristobal tracks the coast . ` it 's hard to see them in the water right now . all you can see are the ones on shore . ' no one was seriously injured , marris said . lifeguards treated most of the victims with a splash of vinegar , which quickly halts the burning pain of the sting . jellyfish stings can be dangerous or fatal in rare cases in which the victim is severely allergic to the venom . marris said the size of the swarm and number of people stung are not unusual , adding that it is hard for beachgoers to predict when the jellyfish will wash towards shore . ` they 're at the mercy of the wind and the current , ' she said . jellyfish are gelatinous , umbrella-shaped animals with long , trailing tentacles that release venomous stingers on contact with skin or prey . they can appear in various colors but typically surface with a translucent milky color on central florida beaches . smart : some clever beachgoers decided the best way to deal with the jellyfish was to put their chairs in the shallows . high winds : twenty five mph winds from the northeast and rough surf hit the jacksonville beach in florida on monday as a result of tropical storm cristobal traveling up the coast . local lifeguards stock vinegar , which can deactivate the stingers , as can salt water . fresh or tap water can reactivate them . stung beachgoers can also find relief by submerging their wounds in hot water . a storm front on monday churned up the surf , which was calm over the weekend , but so far has not washed the jellyfish out to sea , officials said . officials expect conditions to become rougher as tropical storm cristobal passes offshore , east of florida , and tracks north along the atlantic . fox 13 news .<doc-sep>by . ben spencer for the daily mail . another hurricane is heading our way - but rather than battening down the hatches , it might be time to reach for the sunglasses . hurricane cristobal , which is gathering speed in the bahamas , is forecast to narrowly miss britain at the end of the week . experts say it will drag an area of high pressure behind it , creating a dry , warm and sunny start to september - a welcome relief after the end-of-august washout created spectacular scenes over the seven sisters cliffs in sussex . scroll down for video . silver lining : hurricane cristobal is forecast to narrowly miss britain next week , dragging warmer weather in its wake . pictured are the cliffs at seven sisters , sussex . storm 's end : much of britain has been hit by miserable weather , but a rainbow shone through the gloom today on the sussex coast . beauty spot : the cliff range in east sussex is one of the most visited on the south coast and is also home to the famous beachy head . hurricane cristobal taking shape over the bahamas on august 25 . it is forecast to narrowly miss britain next week - but drag behind it warm , dry and sunny weather . the remnants of the last caribbean storm , hurricane bertha , struck the uk a fortnight ago causing dramatic downpours and some flash flooding . but the tail-end of cristobal is likely to veer north and miss us , sucking a warm air mass up from spain and creating at least a few days of dry weather . it will come as a relief after a sodden bank holiday weekend and a bitterly cold week . hurricane cristobal , which last night whipped across the caribbean at 75mph and dumped 4 inches -lrb- 10cm -rrb- of rain on bermuda , is expected to move up the east coast of the united states before hurtling across the atlantic . though showing a similar path to ex-hurricane bertha which caused havoc at the beginning of august , it is not expected to have anywhere near the same impact on britain 's weather when it arrives at the weekend . according to america 's national hurricane centre , cristobal will weaken to a storm as it moves towards europe on sunday . divine intervention ? the striking shaft of light on the east sussex cliffs made them look almost as if they were being smiled upon from above . idyll : the met office said after a generally unsettled picture this week the hurricane 's tail could trigger more wind and rain in some regions in the north . unlike bertha , which tracked right across the uk , the remnants of cristobal are unlikely to hit the country directly but instead veer to the north . the met office said after a generally unsettled picture this week it could trigger more wind and rain in some regions . forecaster dan williams said : ` we might see a bit of wind and rain in the northwest from the remnants of cristobal on sunday and it might get a bit breezy . ` for many places cristobal could bring some decent weather at the weekend by dragging high pressure towards the uk . ' meteogroup .<doc-sep>hurricane cristobal hurled heavy rains across atlantic and caribbean islands on tuesday as it headed toward bermuda , and officials said the storm had caused at least five deaths . the u.s. national hurricane center in miami said the hurricane would likely avoid a collision with the u.s. eastern seaboard , but it was generating life-threatening surf and rip current conditions from central florida to north carolina . the storm had maximum sustained winds of 80 mph -lrb- 130 kph -rrb- , and it was expected to pass northwest of bermuda on wednesday , and strengthen slightly by thursday . on tuesday night , it was centered 435 miles -lrb- 700 kilometers -rrb- west-southwest of bermuda and was moving north at 16 mph -lrb- 26 kph -rrb- . scroll down for video . dangerous swirl : this nasa aqua satellite image released tuesday shows hurricane cristobal brewing off the coast of the united states , strengthening as it makes its way for bermuda . florida weather : winds from the northeast and rough surf hit the beaches on monday morning . high winds : twenty five mph winds from the northeast and rough surf hit the jacksonville beach in florida . | <t> tropical storm cristobal `` very close '' to north carolina coast . </t> <t> storm expected to dump three to five inches of rain along coast . </t> <t> cristobal evolved saturday from a tropical depression on friday . </t> | cristobal inches closer to north carolina coast<T> |
bogota , colombia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- colombian president alvaro uribe admitted wednesday that the symbol of the neutral red cross organization was used in a hostage rescue mission that freed 15 people from leftist rebels two weeks ago . what seems to be part of a red cross is seen on a bib worn by a man involved in the rescue in this official image . uribe made the admission after cnn reported on unpublished photographs and videos that clearly showed a man wearing a red cross bib . wrongly using the red cross logo is prohibited by the geneva conventions . the man was a member of the colombian military intelligence team involved in the daring rescue , uribe said in an address carried on national tv and radio . the president said that as the constitutional head of the armed forces , he takes full political responsibility for what he described as a slip-up . `` this officer , upon confessing his mistake to his superiors , said when the -lsb- rescue -rsb- helicopter was about to land ... he saw so many guerrillas that he went into a state of angst , '' uribe said . `` he feared for his life and put on the red cross bib over his jacket . '' however , the confidential military source who showed cnn the photographs that included the man wearing the bib said they were taken moments before the mission took off . uribe said he was sorry for the mistake and has apologized to icrc officials . there will be no official sanction against the man wearing the bib , he indicated . such a use of the red cross emblem could constitute a `` war crime '' under the geneva conventions and international humanitarian law and could endanger humanitarian workers in the future , according to international legal expert mark ellis , executive director of the international bar association . the icrc mission in bogota said in a written statement that it `` noted '' uribe 's announcement . the icrc mission in bogota said in a written statement : `` as guardian of international humanitarian law , the icrc reminds that the use of the red cross emblem is specifically regulated by the geneva conventions and its additional protocols . `` the red cross emblem has to be respected in all circumstances and can not be used in an abusive manner .<doc-sep>`` the icrc as neutral and impartial must have the confidence of all the sides in the conflict in order to carry out its humanitarian work . '' colombian military intelligence used the red cross emblem in a rescue operation in which leftist guerrillas were duped into handing over 15 hostages , including former presidential candidate ingrid betancourt . photographs of the colombian military intelligence-led team that spearheaded the rescue , shown to cnn by a confidential military source , show one man wearing a bib with the red cross symbol . the military source said the three photos were taken moments before the mission took off to persuade the revolutionary armed forces of colombia -lrb- farc -rrb- rebels to release the hostages to a supposed international aid group for transport to another rebel area . ellis said the conventions were `` very strict '' regarding use of the symbol because of what it represented : impartiality , neutrality . watch possible misuse of emblem '' `` if you use the emblem in a deceitful way , generally the conventions say it would be a breach . -lsb- based on the information as explained to me , -rsb- the way that the images show the red cross emblem being used could be distinguished as a war crime , '' ellis added . the unpublished video and photos of the mission , hailed internationally as a daring success , were shown to cnn by a military source looking to sell the material . cnn declined to buy the material at the price being asked ; it was therefore unable to verify the authenticity of the images . uribe and his top generals had categorically denied that international humanitarian symbols were used in the july 2 rescue mission that freed the prized hostages . the hostages had endured years of harsh captivity and deprivation in jungle camps since being captured or kidnapped . some were held for as long as 10 years . the rescue ruse also included bogus communications , sent electronically and by human couriers , to convince farc rebels that superiors were ordering them to hand over hostages to the group posing as aid workers for transfer to another rebel camp . misuse of the red cross emblem is governed by articles 37 , 38 and 85 of additional protocol one to the geneva conventions , the international rules of war . the articles prohibit `` feigning of protected status by the use of ... emblems '' of neutral parties and say that such misuses are considered breaches of international humanitarian law that qualify as a `` war crime . '' colombia signed the geneva conventions in 1949 . that prohibition was put in place to protect the neutrality of the international committee of the red cross and the united nations in an armed conflict and to guarantee their access to all sides . use of those emblems by one side of a conflict , for example , could endanger aid workers because those on another side might no longer trust that symbols they see really represent those humanitarian organizations .<doc-sep>among the photos shown to cnn are some bearing a date stamp of july 2 , taken at an unidentified landing site in the jungle alongside a farm house . in one of those photographs , about 15 members of a colombian military intelligence-led team pose for a photo alongside a helicopter . one of the members , dressed in a dark red t-shirt or polo shirt , khaki cargo pants and a black-and-white arab-style scarf , also wears a bib of the type worn by red cross workers . the bib bears the red cross symbol in the center of two black circles on a white background . in the space between the two black circles appear in capital letters the french words `` comite international geneve '' -lrb- international committee geneva -rrb- . the same man is standing in the doorway of the helicopter , a russian-made mi-17 painted white and orange , in another photo . in a third photo , he is pictured walking near the helicopter still wearing the bib . the same man pictured in the photos can be seen fleetingly in a heavily edited video of the rescue mission issued to the media by the defense ministry two days after the hostages were freed . in one frame , part of what appears to be the red cross bib is visible as the man wearing it stands in a jungle clearing alongside guerrilla commanders gerardo antonio aguilar , alias cesar , and alexander farfan , known as enrique gafas , who were captured in the operation . the red blur of a red cross can be seen and part of the two black circles of the emblem and the capital letters `` eve '' . those are also the last three letters of word geneve -lrb- geneva -rrb- , which appears on the official icrc emblem and bib . in two other frames of the officially released video , the same man , dressed in the same clothes as in the pre-departure photos , can be seen still wearing the predominantly white bib tied at the sides . in those shots the icrc logo is not visible . the unpublished video also reveals an emblem that bears the spanish words `` mision internacional humanitaria '' -lrb- international humanitarian mission -rrb- and a stylized red bird made up of wavy red lines above two curved branches of blue leaves . in the 3 1/2 - minute video of the operation issued by the military , emblems pasted on the side of the rescue helicopter can not be seen . but in the unpublished video and photos shown to cnn , emblems measuring about one square meter -lrb- one square yard -rrb- are pasted onto the outside of the chopper . the same emblem appears on the web site for mision internacional humanitaria , which describes itself as a non-governmental organization based in barcelona , spain , that `` works to improve the processes of development to guarantee equality of opportunity for individuals and peoples . '' although the site says the group is registered with the spanish interior ministry and the regional department of justice , the site is littered with misspellings , and the telephone number that 's listed is 000000000 . cnn was unable to contact the group to verify its existence . the group 's web site could not be accessed early tuesday . additional video clips show how the emblems on the side of the helicopter were stripped off and burned once the rescue mission had been completed . the fate of the bib is not clear from the clips .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the international committee of the red cross expressed its concern wednesday over what may have been the improper use of its emblem in the daring rescue last month of 15 hostages in colombia . what seems to be part of a red cross is seen on a man involved in the rescue in this official image . `` we are in contact with the colombian authorities to ask for further clarifications as to exactly what happened , '' icrc deputy director of operations dominik stillhart said in a written statement . video and photographs originally shown to cnn appeared to show one of the hostage rescuers wearing a bib with a red cross on it , and colombian president alvaro uribe admitted july 16 that colombian military intelligence used a single red cross symbol in the rescue mission . the icrc statement said video aired on colombian television earlier this week `` reveals that a member of the army team involved was wearing a tabard marked with the red cross emblem before the operation had even begun , suggesting intentional misuse . '' watch where bib appeared in video '' `` if authenticated , these images would clearly establish an improper use of the red cross emblem , which we deplore , '' stillhart said . defense minister juan manuel santos blasted the leaking of the video as `` an act of disloyalty , possibly corruption or even treason , '' although he defended the right of the media to publish the material once it had been leaked . speaking at a news conference at a military base in san jose del guaviare on tuesday , santos said the military had launched an investigation into the leak and said that those responsible would be `` severely disciplined . '' uribe said in july that the man wearing the bib was a member of the colombian military intelligence team involved in the rescue who panicked and used the emblem to protect himself . `` this officer , upon confessing his mistake to his superiors , said when the -lrb- rescue -rrb- helicopter was about to land ... he saw so many guerrillas that he went into a state of angst , '' uribe said . `` he feared for his life and put on the red cross bib over his jacket . ''<doc-sep>however , a confidential military source who showed cnn the photographs that included the man wearing the bib said they were taken moments before the mission took off . the use of the `` red cross , red crescent and red crystal emblems is governed by the geneva conventions and their additional protocols . '' `` these emblems may not be used by bodies or persons not entitled to do so under international humanitarian law , '' the icrc statement said . uribe said in july that as the constitutional head of the armed forces , he takes full political responsibility for what he described as a slip-up . he said he has apologized to icrc officials . previously , the colombian president and his top generals had categorically denied that international humanitarian symbols were used in the july 2 rescue mission that duped the revolutionary armed forces of colombia -lrb- farc -rrb- rebels into handing over prized hostages including former presidential candidate ingrid betancourt , three u.s. military contractors and 11 colombian police and soldiers . learn about some of the freed hostages '' such a use of the red cross emblem could constitute a `` war crime '' under the geneva conventions and international humanitarian law , according to international legal expert mark ellis , executive director of the international bar association . such a move could endanger humanitarian workers in the future , he said . `` if you use the emblem in a deceitful way , generally the conventions say it would be a breach . -lrb- based on the information as explained to me -rrb- the way that the images show the red cross emblem being used could be distinguished as a war crime , '' he said in an interview with cnn on july 16 . `` complete and total respect for the red cross emblem is essential if the icrc is to be able to bring assistance and protection to the people worst affected by armed conflicts and other situations of violence , '' the icrc 's statement said . `` as a neutral and impartial humanitarian organization , the icrc depends on the trust of all the parties to the conflict to be able to carry out its humanitarian work . ''<doc-sep>in a nationally televised news conference , uribe asked betancourt whether she had seen any emblems on the helicopter that came to pick her and the other hostages up . she replied that she had not and that the lack of markings had puzzled her . `` after all these years of guerrilla war , we have become experts in identifying who is before us , '' she answered . `` that 's why i said it was very strange to me . i said , ` well , what is this ? a helicopter , a white helicopter . red cross ? no . france ? no . ' there was no flag . there was nothing ; there was no sign anywhere . '' in the official video released by the military , the man wearing what appeared to be a red cross bib is standing alongside betancourt and another rescued hostage just before they board the rescue helicopter . that is in the part of the video in which the logo is blurred and not readily identifiable . both of colombia 's two main guerrilla armies , the farc and the smaller national liberation army , have been known to misuse the red cross symbol , sometimes transporting fighters in ambulances . the colombian government frequently makes international denunciations of rebel violations of international humanitarian law . the international committee of the red cross and the red cross and red crescent societies around the world are highly respected international and national organizations , especially for their work in combat zones . their statutes establish a position of strict neutrality in a conflict , which guarantees their ability to bring humanitarian aid to all sides in a conflict . other national and international aid organizations do not have such strict rules on neutrality and operating procedures . international humanitarian law , partly enshrined in the geneva conventions , is seen as a systematic attempt to establish certain rules of war and limit the savagery of conflict . the laws seek to set clear distinctions between warring factions , neutral parties and civilians and what rights and responsibilities each of these has in a combat zone . additional protocol one and the articles referring to the misuse of international emblems technically refers to international armed conflicts . but signatory nations as well as the international committee of the red cross also consider it a benchmark for internal conflicts , such as the four-decade-old war in colombia . other photos shown to cnn indicate how little was done to disguise equipment used in the rescue . the two military mi-17 helicopters used in the rescue were repainted white and orange without removing armor-plated panels positioned around the outside of the cockpit . another shot shows the pilots wearing what appear to be military pilots ' helmets that have been repainted white with orange or red v-shaped stripes . the helmets still have prominent mounts on the front used for attaching night vision goggles . one other video clip shows the two guerrilla commanders , who had boarded the helicopter with their hostages , carried out of the chopper over the shoulders of two men the cnn source identified as plain-clothes military personnel . the rebels were blindfolded and partially stripped . as they were dumped on the ground , they appeared groggy and stunned . before the departure of the operation , two soldiers in camouflage uniforms can be seen on the farm where the helicopters were staged , chasing a chicken and stunning it with a stun gun .<doc-sep>bogota , colombia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- colombian military intelligence used the red cross emblem in a rescue operation in which leftist guerrillas were duped into handing over 15 hostages , according to unpublished photographs and video viewed by cnn . what seems to be part of a red cross is seen on a bib worn by a man involved in the rescue in this official image . photographs of the colombian military intelligence-led team that spearheaded the rescue , shown to cnn by a confidential military source , show one man wearing a bib with the red cross symbol . the military source said the three photos were taken moments before the mission took off to persuade the revolutionary armed forces of colombia rebels to release the hostages to a supposed international aid group for transport to another rebel area . such a use of the red cross emblem could constitute a `` war crime '' under the geneva conventions and international humanitarian law and could endanger humanitarian workers in the future , according to international legal expert mark ellis , executive director of the international bar association . `` it is clear that the conventions are very strict regarding use of the symbol because of what it represents : impartiality , neutrality . the fear is that any misuse of the symbol would weaken that neutrality and would weaken the -lsb- red cross -rsb- , '' ellis said . watch possible misuse of emblem '' `` if you use the emblem in a deceitful way , generally the conventions say it would be a breach . -lsb- based on the information as explained to me , -rsb- the way that the images show the red cross emblem being used could be distinguished as a war crime , '' he added . the unpublished video and photos of the mission , hailed internationally as a daring success , were shown to cnn by a military source looking to sell the material . cnn declined to buy the material at the price being asked ; it was therefore unable to verify the authenticity of the images . colombian president alvaro uribe and his top generals have categorically denied that international humanitarian symbols were used in the july 2 rescue mission that freed the prized hostages , who included former presidential candidate ingrid betancourt , three u.s. military contractors and 11 colombian police and soldiers . the hostages had endured years of harsh captivity and deprivation in jungle camps since being captured or kidnapped . some were held for as long as 10 years . the rescue ruse also included bogus communications , sent electronically and by human couriers , to convince farc rebels that superiors were ordering them to hand over hostages to the group posing as aid workers for transfer to another rebel camp . | <t> new : . </t> <t> president alvaro uribe says one red cross symbol was used in hostage rescue . </t> <t> photos from military source show man wearing bib with red cross logo . </t> <t> such misuse of symbol could be violation of geneva conventions . </t> | uribe : betancourt rescuers used red cross<T> |
washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- an ohio death row inmate who says he is too overweight to be executed took his plea to the supreme court on friday . richard cooey , 41 , and an accomplice were convicted of the 1986 murders of two college students . richard cooey is scheduled to die by lethal injection tuesday and has exhausted most of his state and federal appeals . gov. ted strickland earlier friday denied the 41-year-old prisoner 's clemency petition . cooey murdered two college students in 1986 . the justices were expected to decide whether he should receive a stay of execution , and whether to address the larger constitutional claims over when a convicted person is medically unfit for capital punishment . his lawyers have argued that the inmate -- at 5-foot-7 and 267 pounds -- is `` morbidly obese , '' and has gained about 70 pounds since his incarceration at age 19 . prison food and confinement in his cell for 23 hours a day , limiting his opportunities for exercise , contributed to his weight problem , his legal team said in recent court filings . cooey also says regular medication he takes for migraines will weaken the effectiveness of an anesthetic used in the a three-drug cocktail administered during execution . he says his veins are weakened because of his health issues , and the lethal drugs would amount to cruel and unusual punishment . in 2003 , one day before cooey was scheduled to die , a judge stopped his execution on issues unrelated to his health claims .<doc-sep>a federal appeals court ruled thursday that cooey waited too long to raise the medical issues , saying he `` knew of and could have filed suit over vein access prior to july 2005 . '' cooey and a then-17-year-old accomplice were convicted of the brutal murders of wendy offredo and dawn mccreery , students at the university of akron . the men had been tossing concrete slabs onto interstate 77 , and one of them struck offredo 's car . pretending to rescue the women , cooey and clinton dickens took them to a remote field , according to prosecutors . there , the students were subjected to 3 1/2 hours of rape , torture , stabbings and fatal bludgeonings . cooey had carved an `` x '' into the stomachs of both women , prosecutors said . each man blamed the other for delivering the fatal blows , but both were convicted of murder . dickens received a life sentence because of his age . cooey tried to escape from death row in 2005 , when corrections officials said he constructed a ladder from magazines and bedsheets in an effort to scale the barrier around an outdoor recreation area . at an august clemency hearing , jon offredo , brother of one of the victims , said , `` our family has never gotten an apology from richard cooey . we 've gotten blatant lies and excuses . is an apology too much to ask ? how could he commit such a heinous act and not feel regret ? '' but cooey 's lawyer , dana cole , said his client is sorry for his crimes .<doc-sep>the high court has not offered clear guidelines on what medical standards need to be met before an inmate is eligible for death . but in a case five years ago , the justices allowed inmates to at least make a claim that their specific physical or medical issues could be cause to block an execution . the high court had sided with a convicted alabama killer who claimed his veins were so damaged from years of drug abuse that executioners might have to cut deeply into his flesh to administer the deadly drugs . writing for the unanimous court , then-justice sandra day o'connor said the court was not going to `` open the floodgates to all manner of method-of-execution challenges , '' as alabama feared . `` our holding is extremely limited . '' that inmate is still on death row . richard dieter of the death penalty information center , a data-resource group that opposes capital punishment , said the supreme court indicated that `` how you 're going to be executed is a civil rights matter , the same as if you were discriminated -lsb- against -rsb- on the basis of race or gender or something like that . '' a washington state killer was given a reprieve in 1994 after claiming he was too obese to hang . mitchell rupe at one time was more than 425 pounds , but weight-loss surgery in prison had reduced that to 275 pounds over the years . subsequent legal efforts to execute him failed . he died in prison two years ago from a long illness . the ohio case is cooey v. strickland .<doc-sep>last month , oklahoma used a new three-drug injection protocol to execute convicted murderer and rapist clayton lockett , but his vein collapsed , and he died of an apparent heart attack . a full investigation and autopsy results are still pending , but witnesses said they saw lockett struggling to speak as he convulsed and writhed on the gurney . previously , oklahoma inmate michael lee wilson said during his january execution , `` i feel my whole body burning . '' wilson was executed using a cocktail that included pentobarbital , as was texas ' jose luis villegas , who also complained of a burning sensation during his april execution . also in texas , robert james campbell 's attorneys challenged the state 's plan to administer pentobarbital to their client . a federal court stayed his execution last week , not because of the drugs texas planned to use but because his defense team deserved more time to make the case that campbell was intellectually disabled . on monday , the georgia supreme court weighed in on the issue , reversing a stay of execution for inmate warren lee hill after his attorneys argued last year that a statute keeping the compounders of lethal injection drugs `` a confidential state secret '' was unconstitutional . `` we hold that it is not , '' justice p. harris hines wrote in the 33-page majority opinion .<doc-sep>attorneys for death row inmates in several states have flooded the court system , arguing that correctional facilities ' secrecy over where and how they obtain drugs is unconstitutional and violates the eighth amendment 's `` cruel and unusual '' punishment clause . last month , oklahoma used a new three-drug injection protocol to execute convicted murderer and rapist clayton lockett , but his vein collapsed , and he died of an apparent heart attack . a full investigation and autopsy results are still pending , but witnesses said they saw lockett struggling to speak as he convulsed and writhed on the gurney . previously , oklahoma inmate michael lee wilson said during his january execution , `` i feel my whole body burning . '' wilson was executed using a cocktail that included pentobarbital , as was texas ' jose luis villegas , who also complained of a burning sensation during his april execution . also in texas , robert james campbell 's attorneys challenged the state 's plan to administer pentobarbital to their client . a federal court stayed his execution last week , not because of the drugs texas planned to use but because his defense team deserved more time to make the case that campbell was intellectually disabled . on monday , the georgia supreme court weighed in on the issue , reversing a stay of execution for inmate warren lee hill after his attorneys argued last year that a statute keeping the compounders of lethal injection drugs `` a confidential state secret '' was unconstitutional .<doc-sep>atlanta , georgia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a georgia man convicted of kidnapping and killing his girlfriend was executed tuesday . a geogia official says executed killer william earl lynd did not make a final statement . william earl lynd was the first inmate to die by injection since september , when the u.s. supreme court agreed to consider whether the three-drug combination represented cruel and unusual punishment . the process began at 7:34 p.m. and ended 17 minutes later at 7:51 p.m. , said paul czachowski , public affairs manager for the georgia department of corrections . `` the condemned declined to make a last statement or accept a prayer ; he remained quiet and calm throughout the whole procedure , '' he said . lynd , 53 , had requested as his last meal two pepper jack bbq burgers with crisp onions , two baked potatoes with sour cream , bacon and cheese and a large strawberry milkshake -- all from a local restaurant . the u.s. supreme court had refused to stay lynd 's execution hours earlier tuesday . `` the application for stay of execution of sentence of death presented to justice -lsb- clarence -rsb- thomas and by him referred to the court is denied , '' the court said . georgia became the first state to resume executions since the court validated the lethal injection process last month with a ruling in a kentucky case . all but one of the 36 states with capital punishment use a three-drug mixture : an anesthetic , a muscle paralyzer and a heart-stopping substance . death penalty opponents have argued that if inmates are not given enough anesthetic , they could be conscious enough to suffer excruciating pain without being able to express it because of the paralyzer . the court 's decision in the kentucky case prompted about a dozen states to announce they would resume executions . watch a report on the decision '' on monday , texas officials said they plan to execute mexican-born jose medellin in august for the gang rape and murder of two teenage girls 15 years ago in houston . in mississippi , authorities had planned to execute earl wesley berry on monday , but the state supreme court set the date for may 21 . berry was convicted of kidnapping a woman from a church parking lot in 1987 , beating her to death and dumping her body in a wooded area . in the georgia case , lynd was convicted of fatally shooting his girlfriend , virginia `` ginger '' moore , in berrien county in 1988 . during the trial , prosecutors painted moore 's death as especially agonizing and lengthy .<doc-sep>according to local news station wbstv , he attacked joseph handspike with a nail-studded board and beat him to death . protest : many had gathered in the hope that warren 's execution would be stayed because of his mental condition . argument : lawyers for hill tried to get the supreme court to intervene - but they did not stay the execution . georgia corrections officials said that hill declined to request a last meal . as such he was given shepherd pie with mashed potatoes , and fruit punch to drink . he made no final statement . a statement from his lawyers , issued after the supreme court decision but before hill was killed , said : ` tonight , georgia will unconstitutionally execute mr. hill , a man with the emotional and cognitive ability of a young boy . this execution is an abomination . ' they had brought dozens of witnesses and experts who said warren was not of sound mind , but say that georgia 's standard of proof for mental capacity are so high that they are impossible to meet in practice . his execution date had been set three times before , but each time the courts issued temporary stays in response to new legal challenges . | <t> richard cooey , set to die tuesday , has exhausted most state , federal appeals . </t> <t> justices are expected to decide whether he should receive stay of execution . </t> <t> they could also address constitutional claims about medical fitness for execution . </t> <t> cooey : drug interaction , weakened veins would make punishment cruel , unusual . </t> | inmate takes too-fat-to-execute argument to supreme court<T> |
bangalore , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- two-year-old lakshmi tatma , an indian toddler born with four arms and four legs , made her first public appearance tuesday , a week after surgeons in india successfully removed her additional limbs . doctors said lakshmi was recovering well as she appeared tuesday at a news conference . lakshmi , wearing a plaster cast on her legs to keep her feet up and her legs together to help her wounds heal , was carried into a news conference tuesday as her doctors announced she was being released from intensive care . `` she is coping very well , '' lead surgeon dr. sharan patil said . `` she is being carried around by her mother and her father . '' several of her doctors , all of them smiling , described her recovery over the past week `` very steady and good progress , '' one saying she is `` out of the woods '' as far as serious medical issues are concerned . watch the recovering little girl meet the media '' the operation a week ago lasted 27 hours and involved a team of some 30 surgeons , all specialists in pediatrics , neurosurgery , orthopedics , and plastic surgery , working in eight-hour shifts . lakshmi 's extra limbs were part of a conjoined twin which stopped developing in the womb . it had a torso and limbs but no head , and was joined to lakshmi at the pelvis . doctors said that without the surgery , lakshmi would have been unlikely to survive beyond early adolescence . the surgery involved the removal of the extra limbs and the repositioning of lakshmi 's organs . when lakshmi was born into her poor , rural indian family , villagers in the remote settlement of rampur kodar katti in the northern state of bihar believed she was sacred . as news of her birth spread , locals queued for a blessing from the baby . her parents , shambhu and poonam tatma , named the girl after the hindu goddess of wealth who has four arms . however , they were forced to keep her in hiding after they were approached by men offering money in exchange for putting their daughter in a circus . the couple , who earn just $ 1 a day as casual laborers , wanted her to have the operation but were unable to pay for the rare procedure , which had never before been performed in india . after patil visited the girl in her village from narayana health city hospital in bangalore , the hospital 's foundation agreed to fund the $ 200,000 operation . planning for the surgery took a month , patil said , and lakshmi spent that month in the hospital . many villagers , however , remained opposed to surgery and were planning to erect a temple to lakshmi , whom they still revere as sacred . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 13:07 est , 8 july 2013 . | . updated : . 13:07 est , 8 july 2013 . the 2-year-old girl who was the youngest person to ever receive a bio-engineered organ has died two months after doctors implanted her with a new windpipe . hannah warren was born without a windpipe and underwent an experimental procedure to be implanted with one made from stem cells . the procedure took place on april 9 , and the spokesman for the children 's hospital of illinois announced that she died on saturday . new windpipe : in this april 26 , 2013 photo provided by osf saint francis medical center in peoria , ill. , hannah warren , 2 , lies in bed in a post-op room at the children 's hospital of illinois in peoria , after having received a new windpipe . the hospital says in a statement that hannah could n't ` overcome additional health issues that were identified as her care progressed . ' the stem cells came from hannah 's bone marrow , extracted with a special needle inserted into her hip bone . they were seeded in a lab onto a plastic scaffold , where it took a few days for them to multiply and create a new windpipe . hannah was born in south korea and traveled to illinois for the surgery .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 22:51 est , 7 october 2013 . | . updated : . 05:19 est , 8 october 2013 . as soon as animal welfare workers placed disabled kitten thumper in his custom-made walker , they knew he was ready to make some giant leaps . footage shows the long-limbed kitten take a few tentative steps forward , and then , seeming to realize he 's walking all by himself , thumper takes off . thumper was found with his brothers and sisters abandoned in a yard with two other litters of kittens by people and cats together -lrb- pact -rrb- .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the following are whatsapp message exchanges between oscar pistorius -lrb- op -rrb- and reeva steenkamp -lrb- rs -rrb- , as read in court monday during the athlete 's murder trial . january 11 , 2013 : . op to rs : angel please do n't say a thing to anyone . darren told everyone it was his fault . i ca n't afford for that to come out . the guys promised not to say a thing . rs to op : i have no idea what you talking about :-rrb- . rs to op : but thank u for telling me i appreciate it x . january 19 , 2013 : . rs to op : baba . op to rs : yes . rs to op : there are a lot of things that could make us both feel like s ** t. rs to op : i 'm just very honest . rs to op : i wo n't always think before i say something just appreciate that i 'm not a liar . op to rs : i know . it was just when you got back from tropica you made it sound like you had only smoked weed once and then last night that came out . i do n't know how many times you took or if you took other things or what you did when you were on them . rs to op : i 'm sorry if it upset you it was n't my intention . op to rs : i do appreciate it . could never be with someone that was . rs to op : me neither . rs to op : it 's like i see rabbit things in your house and when we go places you take pics of them everywhere . for me i 'm thinking who do you have that connection with ? and the same things will play on your mind . at the end of the day this is now not then . rs to op : i was n't a stripper or a ho . rs to op : i certainly have never been a prude and i 've had fun but all innocent and without harmful repercussions . january 27 , 2013 : . rs to op : i 'm not 100 % sure why i 'm sitting down to type you a message first but perhaps it says a lot about what 's going on here . today was one of my best friend 's engagements and i wanted to stay longer i was enjoying myself but it 's over now . you have picked on me incessantly since you got back from ct -lrb- cape town -rrb- and i understand that you are sick but it 's nasty . yesterday was n't nice for either of us but we managed to pull through and communicate well enough to show our care for each other is greater than the drama that attacked us . i was not flirting with anyone today . i feel sick that you suggested that and that you made a scene at the table and made us leave early . i 'm terribly disappointed in how the day ended and how you left me . we are living in a double standard relationship where you can be mad about how i deal with stuff when you are very quick to act cold and offish when you 're unhappy . every 5 seconds i hear how you dated another chick . you really have dated a lot of people yet you get upset if i mention one funny story with a long term boyfriend . i do everything to make you happy and to not say anything to rock the boat with u . you do everything to throw tantrums in front of people . i have been upset by you for 2 days now . i 'm so upset i left darren 's party early . so upset . i ca n't get that day back . i 'm scared of you sometimes and how u snap at me and of how you will react to me . you make me happy 90 % of the time and i think we are amazing together but i am not some other bitch you may know trying to kill your vibe . i am the girl who let go with u even when i was scared out of my mind to . i 'm the girl who fell in love with u and wanted to tell u this weekend . but i 'm also the girl that gets sidestepped when you are in a s ** t mood . when i feel you think u have me so why try anymore . i get snapped at and told my accents and voices are annoying . i touch your neck to show u i care and you tell me to stop . stop chewing gum . do this do n't do that . you do n't want to hear stuff cut me off . your endorsements your reputation your impression of someone innocent blown out of proportion and f *** ed up a special day for me . i 'm sorry if you truly felt i was hitting on my friend sams husband and i 'm sorry that u think that little of me . from the outside i think it looks like we are a struggle and maybe that 's what we are . i just want to love and be loved . be happy and make someone so happy . maybe we ca n't do that for each other . cos right now i know u are n't happy and i am certainly very unhappy and sad . op to rs : please let me know when i can call you . rs to op : i 'm here . op to rs : i want to talk to you . i want to sort this out . i do n't want to have anything less than amazing for you and i. i am sorry for the things i say without thinking and for taking offense to some of your actions . the fact that i 'm tired and sick is n't an excuse . i was upset that you just left me after we got food to go talk to a guy and i was standing right behind you watching you touch his arm and ignore me . and when i spoke up you introduced me which you could 've done but when i left you just kept on chatting to him when clearly i was upset . i asked martin to put on that kendrick lamar album in the car and do n't know it . granted that it was a s ** t song but you should 've just lent forward and whispered in my ear to change it seeing as i had to drive to pick up your friend . i was 30 minutes late and i know you do n't like it when i drive fast but then you could 've asked gina to drive herself so that we would n't have to . when we left i was starving the only good i had had was a tiny wrap and everyone was leaving for lunch . i 'm sorry i wanted to go but i was hungry and upset and although you knew it , it was n't like you came to chat to me when i left the table . i was upset when i left you cos i thought you were coming to me . i 'm sorry i asked you to stop tapping my neck yesterday , i know you were just trying to show me love . i had a mad headache and should 've just spoken to you softly . in sorry for asking you not to put on an accent last night pretty much the same and did n't have the energy . february 8 , 2013 . rs to op : i like to believe that i made you proud when i attend these kind of functions with you . i present myself well and can converse with others while you are off busy chatting to fans and friends . i also knew people there tonight and whilst you were having one or two pics taken i was saying goodbye to the people in my industry and fitz wanted a photo with me . i was just being cordial by saying goodbye whilst you were busy . i completely understood your desperation to leave and thought i would be helping you by getting to the exit before you because i ca n't rush on the heels i was wearing . i thought it would make a difference in us getting out without you getting harassed anymore . i did n't think you would criticize me for doing that especially not so loudly so that others could hear . i might joke around and be all tom boyish at times but i regard myself as a lady and i did n't feel like one tonight after the way you treated me when we left . i 'm a person too and i appreciate that you invited me out tonight and i realize that you get harassed but i am trying my best to make you happy and i feel as though you sometimes never are , no matter the effort i put in . i ca n't be attacked by outsiders for dating you and be attacked by you -- the one person i deserve protection from . live blog .<doc-sep>now , three weeks after surgery at mulago hospital the baby looks set to make a full recovery and is now breastfeeding from his mother . an an eight-limbed girl , lakshmi tatma , made headlines when she underwent a similar separation surgery from a parasitic twin in 2007 . parasitic twins are extremely rare . identical twins form when a single egg splits during fertilisation - as opposed to two eggs both being fertilised . conjoined twins form when a split egg fails to fully separate . a ` parasite ' conjoined twin can survive but not when one absorbs the other . in 2012 surgeons in peru operated on a three year old boy to remove a 9in-long parasitic twin weighing a pound and a half . in 2008 doctors had to remove a 2in embryo from the body of a nine-year-old girl in greece . the brain , lungs and heart are some of the last parts of the body to develop . removing a parasitic twin is usually easier than attempting to separate conjoined twins . | <t> girl born with eight limbs makes first public appearance since surgery . </t> <t> surgeons say lakshmi tatma , two , `` coping very well , '' making good progress . </t> <t> lakshmi released from intensive care tuesday ; appears at press conference . </t> <t> operation lasted 27 hours and involved 30 surgeons working eight-hour shifts . </t> | post-op 8-limbed girl ` doing well '<T> |
jerusalem -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- israeli police divers found a suitcase thursday containing human remains that are believed to be the body of a missing 4-year-old girl , an israeli police spokesman said . french-israeli girl rose poses for a photograph with her mother , marie pizem . the suitcase was pulled out of the yarkon river in tel aviv , where police have been searching for rose pizem , mickey rosenfeld said . two weeks ago , the girl 's grandfather roni ron , 45 , told police he stuffed her body in a suitcase and dumped it in the yarkon river . the remains will be tested to confirm the identification of the body , and the tests could be completed within 24 hours , rosenfeld said .<doc-sep>`` the body was found in a very bad , severe condition , as you can imagine after being in the water for weeks , '' rosenfeld said , explaining why the tests could not be completed sooner . ron initially told police he accidentally killed rose when he slapped her in a fit of rage but then changed his account . police transcripts quote ron as saying , `` i parked the car on the sidewalk . i opened the trunk , pulled out the suitcase and when i reached the banks of the river , i threw it . she 's finished . i finished her . i saw the water seeping in and the suitcase slowly sinking . '' the family drama centers on rose 's mother , marie-charlotte renault-pizam , 23 , and ron -- her estranged husband 's father -- with whom authorities say she has had two more daughters . rose 's father lives in france . both the mother and grandfather are in custody .<doc-sep>renault-pizam has denied any role in her daughter 's disappearance . she told police she thought ron sent rose to an institution in france , although police , without elaborating , have said they have a telephone conversation that shows she knew the child 's fate . rose 's great-grandmother , vivienne yaakov , reported the girl missing in late july , saying she had not seen her great-grandchild for about two months . rose and her mother had been staying with yaakov , who told police that ron had taken the child and she never returned . police searched ron 's apartment in mid-august and arrested him . the investigation has uncovered a twisted family love triangle that may have contributed to the girl 's murder . the british media call the case israel 's madeleine mccann , a reference to the 3-year-old child who disappeared may 3 , 2007 , while on vacation with her british family at the portuguese resort of praia da luz . she has never been found .<doc-sep>rose was born in france in 2003 . her mother moved to israel after a custody battle with rose 's father , benjamin pizem . renault-pizam had fallen in love with ron on a previous trip to israel with her father-in-law . israel 's minister of interior security , avi dichter , said everything would be done to find rose and give her a proper burial . `` there is no doubt that as a society , israel was not there for the child when she was in need of help , '' dichter said . benjamin pizem told israel 's haaretz newspaper that he still hopes rose is alive . he described his father , from whom he is estranged , as manipulative and said more details may be uncovered . `` when i see him in videos , i see in his face , even if it 's quite a neutral one , he has an expression that says , ` you do n't know everything , and i 'm manipulating all of you . ' that 's the reason why we think there 's hope rose is still alive . ''<doc-sep>by . jill reilly and daily mail reporter . published : . 09:08 est , 16 may 2013 . | . updated : . 09:12 est , 16 may 2013 . police arrest a 20-year-old man from maine as he allegedly killed a 14-year-old girl in brooklyn whose body was found naked and charred on a beach who admitted to killing her because he thought she was pregnant . christian ferdinand was arrested on tuesday for the second degree murder of shaniesha forbes who was found in early january on a brooklyn beach having been burned . the new york post reports that ferdinand was dating the 14-year-old girl and that he suffocated her in his brooklyn apartment . scroll down for video . dead : the body of a missing 14-year-old school girl shaniesha forbes has been found naked and burnt in a nature reserve . he then kept the body there for . anywhere between one and three days before putting it in a suitcase and .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- thousands of mourners filled a tracy , california , high school gym thursday to remember slain 8-year-old sandra renee cantu . sandra cantu , 8 , had been missing almost two weeks before her body was found . the little girl made national headlines after she went missing march 27 from a mobile home park in tracy where she lived with her family . she was on her way to a friend 's home and her playful skipping down an alley was caught by a surveillance camera . police later found her body stuffed into a suitcase and submerged in a pond at a nearby dairy farm . photos of sandra , flowers and stuffed animals covered the front of the stage . family members , friends and state dignitaries memorialized the child during a ceremony that lasted just over an hour .<doc-sep>huckaby 's relatives know no more on the investigation than what has been reported by the media , the relatives said , and were not told why police were searching the church . `` the only reason why our family is making it through this at all is because of our faith in god and because of his mercy , '' the woman said . asked whether she believes huckaby is innocent , she declined comment . in a friday interview with the tracy press newspaper , huckaby acknowledged owning the black rolling suitcase in which sandra 's body was found , but said she reported it missing the day before the child 's body was found . she said the suitcase disappeared at about the same time sandra did . sheneman told reporters saturday that `` inconsistencies '' between that interview and statements huckaby had made to police were one reason police asked to re-interview her friday night . he would not say whether police believe sandra 's death was planned . police said earlier saturday that they believe sandra was already dead by the time she was reported missing . the day sandra was last seen , she came home from school , kissed her mother and left to play with a friend who lives nearby . a short time later , she left to go to another friend 's home , a family spokeswoman has said . huckaby told the tracy press that sandra came by her home to see if she could play with huckaby 's daughter , but huckaby would not let her daughter play because she wanted her daughter to pick up her toys . sandra left for another friend 's house , huckaby told the newspaper . the girl was last seen wearing a pink hello kitty t-shirt and black leggings . police later used that clothing description to identify her body .<doc-sep>the court heard how ms kovacs ' house mates heard screams at around 3am on july 18 and never saw her again . they reported her missing to the police two days later . police discovered her body stuffed in a suitcase and abandoned in bushes at around 5pm on july 21 . scene : police tape over the entrance to the woodlands where kovacs ' body was found in a suitcase near her home in mill hill , north london . missing : miss kovacs ' housemates heard her screaming in the early hours of july 18 but never saw her again . but a post mortem examination has not been able to establish her cause of death and further tests have been ordered . | <t> israeli police divers on find suitcase with human remains inside . </t> <t> body believed to be that of missing 4-year-old girl . </t> <t> disappearance of rose pizam likened to that of madeleine mccann . </t> | body of missing girl found in suitcase<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- maoist insurgents killed a dozen soldiers and two civilians during an ambush in southeastern peru , the military said friday . the military blamed `` narco-terrorists '' of the shining path for the attack thursday night in tayacaja province as the soldiers were returning by truck to their counterterrorism base in cochabamba grande . the region is where most of the country 's coca leaf and cocaine are produced . `` at the height of the place named sajona curve , terrorists detonated an explosive charge under a civilian truck carrying villagers , and immediately fired with long-range weapons on all vehicles , '' the military said in a statement .<doc-sep>`` the military reacted immediately , engaging in a clash that lasted several hours , '' the statement said . `` this unfortunate act shows that the narco-terrorist organization sendero luminoso -lsb- shining path -rsb- is continuing in its bloodthirsty actions ... without discriminating among women and children . '' the shining path and the smaller tupac amaru revolutionary movement are blamed for the deaths of thousands of peruvians . the rebels have been targets of a fierce government crackdown in the mountainous region of peru .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- after battling government forces , a maoist guerrilla group in peru has released 36 hostages it captured earlier this week , state media reported saturday . peru 's defense ministry said that 1,500 government troops had encircled members of the shining path in southern peru , the state-run news agency andina reported . this action prompted the release of the hostages , who were identified as oil and gas workers . masked attackers had kidnapped dozens of workers in the town of kepashiato early monday morning , andina reported earlier . it is not clear if all of the hostages have been released and are now safe . a police captain was killed and two people were injured during a search operation thursday , when suspected rebels opened fire on a military helicopter , peru 's government ombudsman said in a statement . the maoist guerrillas had demanded $ 10 million in ransom for the hostages , in addition to explosives and weapons . but government officials said they would not not negotiate with terrorists , calling the effort to locate and secure the release of the kidnapped workers a top priority . some of the hostages were employees of the international construction company skanska , according to andina . a company spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment . the kidnapping comes after authorities ' recent announcements that they had significantly dismantled and defeated the rebel group . at its peak , the shining path spread terror in the country through a bombing campaign that targeted buildings and key infrastructure , such as electricity towers . throughout the 1980s and 1990s , the peruvian government fought a campaign that greatly reduced the capacity of the group . after peruvian authorities captured a longtime leader of the group in february , president ollanta humala said the group was `` no longer a threat to the country . ''<doc-sep>he called statements by high-level venezuelan and bolivian officials `` an act of intervention into peru 's internal affairs . '' regardless of the cause , analysts agree this is the worst violence in peru since the brutal marxist shining path guerrilla insurgency died down in the 1990s . `` that 's a lot of violence , '' said peter hakim , president of the washington-based inter-american dialogue policy group . `` there 's no question the government is in a very difficult period . '' bernard aronson , who was u.s. president george h.w. bush 's assistant secretary of state for inter-american affairs from 1989 to 1993 , sees a danger that the violence could escalate . `` when there are that many people in a clash , that 's very bad regardless of the specifics , '' he said . `` that 's worrisome . ... it obviously raises fears and concerns that you could have some kind of rekindling of violence . '' the crux of the issue concerns peru 's economy and how the indigenous population fit in a 21st-century world . `` garcia has committed to rapid growth , rapid development , '' hakim said . that means garcia has opened up vast parts of undeveloped land to companies that want to extract natural resources . the indigenous populations feel they are being displaced and are pushing back . `` this is very different from what happened with the shining path because these are indigenous people . they are not political people , '' maclennan said . `` all they are asking for is their rights . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a brutal maoist guerrilla group that terrorized peru during the 1980s but pretty much disappeared when top leaders were captured in the 1990s is making a resurgence . police in lima , peru , carry coffins of officers killed in a november ambush by suspected shining path rebels . in the latest of several recent attacks by the sendero luminoso , known in english as the shining path , 14 government soldiers were killed in an ambush this month . it was , a sendero leader said afterward , `` the strongest blow '' against the government in quite a while . it also was not an isolated incident . `` it 's like that horror movie , ` friday the 13th , ' '' said bernard aronson , president george h.w. bush 's assistant secretary of state for inter-american affairs from 1989 to 1993 . `` you think you 've killed the beast , and the beast returns . '' sendero declared war on the government in 1980 , carrying out bombings and assassinations that by official accounts killed more than 30,000 peruvians during the next 20 years . another 30,000 peruvians died at the hands of the government and paramilitary groups in the fight against the sendero , a government commission determined in 2003 . in the countryside of central and southern peru where the rebels were strongest , sendero waged an assassination campaign against government officials , the heads of state-owned farming collectives , business owners and even peasants who opposed the guerrillas . political rivals , including other marxists or leftists , were not immune either . sendero also conducted daring attacks in lima , the capital . rebels blew up electrical transmission towers to cause citywide blackouts , bombed factories and set off explosives near government offices and inside the ruling party 's political headquarters . assassinations were carried out with seeming impunity on the streets of lima . `` they terrorized peru , '' said alvin adams , a former u.s. ambassador to venezuela and the state department 's associate coordinator for counterterrorism from 1987 to 1989 .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the shining path , the maoist terrorist group that wreaked havoc in peru in the 1980s , has admitted defeat and seeks to negotiate an end to its war with the government , one of the group 's top leaders told a nongovernmental organization . reporters working for legal defense institute on wednesday published a far-ranging interview with `` comrade artemio , '' who said his real name is jose flores , though the government has disputed that . at its peak , the shining path spread terror in the country through a bombing campaign that targeted buildings and infrastructure such as electricity towers . throughout the 1980s and 1990s , the government fought a campaign that greatly reduced the capacity of the terrorist group , but it made a resurgence in recent years . but the government has responded forcefully to the resurgent shining path , and the leader said that the time for armed conflict is over . the shining path has been defeated , artemio said . `` yes , that 's a fact . we are not going to deny it , '' he said . the insurgents have not given up their ideology , he said , but in practice , a war with the government is no longer an option . what the group wants is to negotiate with the government a deal that would result in members ' laying down their arms in exchange for the release of prisoners . `` we do n't have the smallest intention to brandish the weapons of war , of armed conflict . sincerely ... we want a political solution ; we want this to end , but through the methods of a negotiation , '' he told the reporters for the legal defense institute , known as the idl , the initials for its name in spanish . . artemio suggested a truce as a first step toward demobilization , and suggested a group like the red cross or the church to act as a mediator with the government . since as early as 2003 , the shining path has sent feelers out to several peruvian administrations in an effort to begin negotiations , he said . in recent months , the group has invited the government of president ollanta humala to enter into talks . but the answer the terrorists have been met with -- unconditional surrender , laying down of arms , and coordinates for stockpiles -- is untenable , artemio said . | <t> ambush kills 12 soldiers and two civilians in southeastern peru . </t> <t> peru 's military blames `` narco-terrorists '' of the shining path for attack . </t> <t> rebels have been targets of a fierce government crackdown . </t> | peru 's military blames shining path for deadly attack<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sarah palin : politician and mother . ireporters weigh in on the difficulty of balancing those two roles . ireporter christina walker says its very challenging to balance work and caring for her 1-year-old child . since sen. john mccain named alaska go . sarah palin as his vice presidential pick , she has been closely scrutinized by both the public and the media . palin has served as governor of alaska for almost two years . she also has five children , including a 4-month-old son with down syndrome and a 17-year-old daughter who is 5-months pregnant . her choice to run as the republican vice presidential nominee has drawn both praise and criticism from the left and right alike . now ireporters are asking : was it the right decision ? some feel that palin 's choice to run shows poor judgment . `` i think she made the wrong call . it 's not her time , '' said andy stably of salem , new hampshire . `` given her personal situation and her special circumstances , it does seem more important than the nomination she 's accepting . i do n't think that should be blanket statement for all moms . but the job she 's about to interview for is the job of jobs , and it 's going to require her to sacrifice what she has at home . ''<doc-sep>stably has children of his own , and his wife works full-time . he says this experience has helped shape his views on palin : `` does n't everyone , male or female , think about the impact a job offer would have on their personal life before accepting the offer ? '' `` it 's not a sexist thing , '' said jeanette lee , who is raising a 15-month-old baby of her own . `` if my family was having these sorts of issues , i would n't be putting them in the spotlight and making them go through this publicly . for her to walk away from her baby with special needs just shows her character . i feel like she should pay more attention to her whole family . '' `` if her children were older , it would n't be an issue , '' lee added . others feel palin 's family situation would have a negative impact on her effectiveness as vice president . `` i want my president to be my president . it is a difficult , sometimes thankless , and emotionally devastating job that requires 100 percent resolve at all times , '' said carlton madden , from west monroe , louisiana . `` i think she has a lot on her plate ... i have no problem with a woman being president , but i 'm going to hold her to the same standards i 'd hold a man . if -lsb- obama -rsb- had a pregnant teen daughter and a child with special needs , i 'd have serious reservations about his ability to make a split-second decision , too . '' christina walker , of austin , texas , who has a 1-year-old daughter , says her experience as a mom has led her to the same conclusion .<doc-sep>`` i opted to change my career path so i could spend more time with my child , and i 'm trying to manage both the career and the child , '' she said . `` it 's very challenging , and i 'm not in nearly the type of stressful role that she would be in . '' but some think palin 's experience as a mom would only make her a better vice president . carolyn jasper of shreveport , louisiana , says palin 's experience as a mother makes her a better candidate because she knows what it 's like to balance life and work and can understand the lives of `` regular '' americans . `` i can tell you one thing about being a mom . you learn real quick how to work through all of life 's huge problems and bring them down to a manageable size , '' said jasper , who has three children of her own . `` i do think she 'll be more capable of understanding what the regular american people need from their government because she is a mom and a family person . '' so is there a double standard at work ? some ireporters think so . `` why are n't we questioning how obama can raise his kids ? '' asked shawn strode of orlando , florida . `` mind you , having a down syndrome child is going to be more challenging , but are we assuming the dad ca n't step in and be a parent ? we automatically assume that first ladies can be great parents and that it wo n't take away from the father being the president . i do n't think it will affect her job that much . ''<doc-sep>`` i 'm a little tired of hearing about bristol and her pregnancy , '' said katy brown , a freshman at kent state university in ohio . `` this has nothing to do with the campaign . it has nothing to do with how well sarah palin will lead the country . ... this just shows that they 're a normal family . '' lisa stiles , of richmond , virginia , has been involved in grassroots campaigning for nuclear energy throughout her career and says palin inspired her to consider running for office in the future . she thinks this discussion would never have come up if palin was a man . `` are people forgetting that she has a husband ? '' stiles asked . `` i would think people would be applauding the fact that such a reversal of traditional gender roles is possible . '' and jordan saver of athens , georgia , believes there is a different kind of sexism going on in the race : `` we 're giving -lsb- palin -rsb- credit for being a mother and a politician , but barack obama does n't get credit for being a father and a politician , '' he said . `` it 's reverse discrimination . but if they mentioned it , it would be seen as sexist . '' `` it 's the wrong conversation to be having , '' added kathryn ova of new york city , who describes herself as a `` die-hard feminist . '' `` our overall belief system of putting work ahead of family for both men and women is kind of dominating right now . it 's coming up because she 's a woman , but putting work ahead of family is a major issue regardless of gender . ''<doc-sep>editor 's note : matthew continetti is the associate editor of the weekly standard . his book `` the persecution of sarah palin '' is slated for publication by penguin sentinel in the spring of 2010 . sarah palin 's charisma is such that she does n't need to hold an office to wield influence , matthew continetti says . -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- `` everything changed on august 29 in politics in alaska , '' sarah palin told nbc 's andrea mitchell this week . the reference was to the day last year when john mccain announced that palin , a 44-year-old mother of five who became alaska 's governor only in december 2006 , would be his presidential running mate . mccain 's surprise pick altered the trajectory of the 2008 campaign -- for a few weeks , at least -- and launched palin , until then an unknown political neophyte , on the path to global celebrity . but it also set in motion a chain of events that , a little more than 10 months later , would culminate in palin 's surprise announcement that she would leave her office effective july 26 . before the day she joined the 2008 republican presidential ticket , alaskans saw sarah palin as a champion of ethics in government who had twice defeated oil interests , governed with democrats in a bipartisan manner and brought down powerful members of her own party . she enjoyed record approval ratings , and her major initiatives had all been signed into law .<doc-sep>by . associated press . published : . 11:32 est , 21 november 2013 . | . updated : . 13:28 est , 21 november 2013 . sarah palin 's alaska hometown is auctioning an suv she drove when she was mayor , years before the 49-year-old skyrocketed to fame . the small town of wasilla listed the 1999 ford expedition with 74,188 miles on ebay monday with a minimum bid of $ 10,000 . the listing 's photo shows the tan suv with a cardboard cutout of palin in the driver 's seat . the 1999 ford expedition is seen with a cardboard cut out of sarah pain in the driver 's seat . a 1999 ford expedition in excellent condition at that mileage has a kelly blue book value of $ 2,318 in the wasilla area . but city officials are hoping palin 's role in history will bring out fans willing to pay a lot more . ` we put it out there to get a better return on taxpayer dollars by listing it as her car than just selling it ` as-is , ' public works director archie giddings said wednesday . ` it may have some value to somebody ... knowing who had it originally . ' only two bids had been submitted as of thursday morning . the listing expires nov. 27 at midnight alaska standard time . palin drove the vehicle during her second term as mayor , which ended in october 2002 . sarah palin seen at her book signing for good tidings and great joy : protecting the heart of christmas , in wisconsin last week . the cardboard cutout of her used for the ebay photo was borrowed from the local chamber of commerce , which has the life-size image on display for visitors , giddings said . after her stint as mayor , palin went on to become alaska 's governor and republican presidential nominee john mccain 's running mate in 2008 . she resigned as governor in 2009 , about halfway through her first term . palin 's mayoral vehicle was used by other city workers after she left office . like other old city vehicles that become surplus , any money earned from the sale of the expedition would go toward replenishing the city 's vehicle replacement fund , giddings said . according to the ebay listing , the suv is in storage and needs new brakes , wheel seals and an idle air control valve . the listing says the vehicle is being sold ` as-is , ' with no warranty .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. john mccain said monday that rep. john lewis ' controversial remarks were `` so disturbing '' that they `` stopped me in my tracks . '' sen. john mccain says comments made by rep. john lewis were `` unacceptable . '' lewis , a georgia representative and veteran of the civil rights movement , on saturday compared the feeling at recent republican rallies to those of segregationist george wallace . `` that 's not from some , quote , party official , that 's from one of the most respected people in america . it 's unfair . it 's unfair and it 's outrageous , '' he said in an exclusive interview with cnn 's dana bash . `` i never believed that john lewis , who is an american hero whom i admire , would ever make a comment of that nature . he even referred to the bombing of a church in birmingham . that 's unacceptable , '' he said . watch mccain 's reaction '' lewis on saturday said in a statement that mccain and gov. sarah palin `` are sowing the seeds of hatred and division . '' `` during another period , in the not too distant past , there was a governor of the state of alabama named george wallace who also became a presidential candidate . george wallace never threw a bomb . he never fired a gun , but he created the climate and the conditions that encouraged vicious attacks against innocent americans who were simply trying to exercise their constitutional rights . because of this atmosphere of hate , four little girls were killed on sunday morning when a church was bombed in birmingham , alabama , '' wrote the democrat . he later said a `` careful review '' of his comments `` would reveal that i did not compare sen. john mccain or gov. sarah palin to george wallace . ''<doc-sep>sarah palin strongly rebuked president barack obama on monday for trading known terrorists for accused military deserter bowe bergdahl . palin , . an increasingly outspoken critic of the president 's ability to . effectively carry out his duties as commander in chief of the nation 's . armed services , said the president 's actions ` just destroyed troop . morale . ' ` you blew it again , barack obama , ' the former republican vice presidential candidate said in a facebook post on monday afternoon , ` by negotiating away any leverage against the bad guys as these bad guys . -- osama bin laden 's partners in evil crime -- joyfully celebrate their . `` win '' in the deal you sealed . ' scroll down for video . fresh off of claims that barack obama a ` weak ' president who does n't understand ` the mission of the military , ' former alaska governor sarah palin criticized obama for trading terrorists for american solider bowe bergdahl , who may have deserted the military just before he was captured by taliban forces five years ago . palin is among those who believe that bergdahl was trying to desert the army when he was captured by taliban forces five years ago . it 's unknown whether bergdahl actually abandoned the military but its clear he voluntarily left his post in afghanistan on the day in question . on saturday the taliban released bergdahl , the last known u.s. solider in captivity , to u.s. special forces in exchange for five enemy combatants being held at guantanamo bay . at least one of the detainees the u.s. agreed to swap for bergdahl was tied to bin laden . president obama formally announced bergdahl 's release at a ceremony in the rose garden at the white house on saturday evening . he was accompanied on stage by bergdahl 's mother jani and his father bob . the u.s. ` made an ironclad commitment to bring our prisoners of war home , ' obama said . ` it 's . who we are as americans . ` today , at least in this instance , . it 's a promise we 've been able to keep . ' an undated image of sgt. bowe bergdahl , the remaining known u.s. solider being held in captivity , provided by the u.s. army . u.s. army private bowe bergdahl watches as one of his captors displays his identity tag to the camera at an unknown location in afghanistan , july 19 , 2009 . president barack obama formally announced the release of bowe bergdahl on saturday in the white house rose garden , flanked by bergdahl 's mother jani bergdahl , left , and father bob bergdahl , right . obama said saturday that making sure no man is left behind is ` who we are as americans . ' responding to national security adviser susan rice 's claim on abc yesterday that bergdahl ` served the united states with honor and distinction , ' palin shared on her facebook today a link to an article in the new york post that included details of an email bergdahl sent his parents days before he was captured . ' i am ashamed to be an american . and the title of us soldier is just . the lie of fools , ' he said in the email . ' i am sorry for everything . the horror . that is america is disgusting . ' palin latched onto the email as proof that obama should n't have handed over suspected terrorists to the taliban to get bergdahl released . ` no , mr. president , a soldier expressing horrid anti-american beliefs -- . even boldly putting them in writing and unabashedly firing off his . messages while in uniform , just three days before he left his unit on . foot -- is not `` honorable service . '' ' palin wrote . ` unless that is your . standard . ' instead of praising bergdahl , palin said , obama should be praising the soldiers who died looking for him . ` praise . the soldiers who fought with everything they had to defeat islamic . terrorists , those whom you just freed from prison , ' palin said . ` our men gave all . our . surviving combat vets will forever live with the effects of the . missions they willingly engaged in to protect you , our country , and . certainly their brothers and sisters who are proud to wear the uniform . ' palin 's scathing facebook post comes on the heels of comments she made last week on fox news about the president 's handling of the veterans affairs scandal . during an interview with sean hannity , palin called obama ` weak ' and accused him of undervaluing the service of the nation 's men and women in uniform . ' i think there 's a lack of understanding on our . commander in chief 's part on what the mission of the military is and why we owe . a debt of gratitude that 's manifested in benefits paid to those who have . already earned them , ' she said . | <t> ireporters weigh in on sarah palin 's roles of politician and mother . </t> <t> some say she ca n't be both a good mother and a good vice president . </t> <t> others say palin is being held to an unfair standard as a woman . </t> <t> ireport.com : is there a double-standard ? </t> | is sarah palin being held to an unfair standard ?<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- residents living in single-family homes in some parts of coastal texas face `` certain death '' if they do not heed orders to evacuate ahead of hurricane ike 's arrival , the national weather service said thursday night . texans sit in bumper-to-bumper traffic thursday on a highway from galveston county into houston . the unusually strong wording came in a weather advisory regarding storm surge along the shoreline of galveston bay , which could see maximum water levels of 15 to 22 feet , the agency said . `` all neighborhoods ... and possibly entire coastal communities ... will be inundated during the period of peak storm tide , '' the advisory said . `` persons not heeding evacuation orders in single-family one - or two-story homes will face certain death . '' the maximum water level forecasts in nearby areas , including the shoreline of matagorda bay and the gulf-facing coastline from sargent to high island , ranged from 5 to 8 feet . but authorities warned that tide levels could begin rising friday morning along the upper texas coast and along the shorelines of the bays . the advisory summoned memories of the language used to describe 2005 's hurricane katrina , which devastated parts of the u.s. gulf coast . `` most of the area will be uninhabitable for weeks ... if not longer , '' an advisory issued at the time said . `` the vast majority of native trees will be snapped or uprooted . only the heartiest will remain standing . '' the ike advisory follows comes on the heels of similarly urgent messages earlier thursday from federal authorities , who warned of a `` massive storm '' that could affect roughly 40 percent of the u.s. gulf coast . `` do not take this storm lightly , '' michael chertoff , secretary of the u.s. department of homeland security , said thursday afternoon . `` this is not a storm to gamble with . it is large ; it is powerful ; it carries a lot of water . '' chertoff and representatives from the federal emergency management agency said their efforts were focused on evacuations as ike moved northwest at 12 mph across the central gulf of mexico with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph . track the storm '' chertoff also urged people not to succumb to `` hurricane fatigue , '' referring to concerns that authorities were overestimating ike 's potential impact . `` unless you 're fatigued with living , i suggest you want to take seriously a storm of this size and scale , '' he said thursday . houston mayor bill white said he 's heard that people who live in areas under a mandatory evacuation order say they plan to stay in their homes . he strongly urged against it . `` if you think you want to ride something out , and people are talking about a 20-foot wall of water coming at you , then you better think again , '' white said . at 5 p.m. thursday , the national hurricane center said a hurricane warning was in effect between morgan city , louisiana , and baffin bay , texas . a warning means hurricane conditions are likely within 24 hours .<doc-sep>ike 's forecast track was through galveston and the houston metro area as a category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph . currently a category 2 storm about 700 miles across , ike could make landfall near galveston island as early as saturday morning . watch cnn meteorologists track hurricane ike '' at 11 p.m. et , the national hurricane center said hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 115 miles from ike 's center , and tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 275 miles . the storm was centered 445 miles east-southeast of corpus christi , texas , and about 340 miles east-southeast of galveston , and was moving west-northwest at near 10 mph . watch : national hurricane center predicts ike 's path '' roughly 3.5 million people live in the hurricane 's potential impact zone , fema administrator david paulison said thursday . in galveston , mayor lyda ann thomas told the island 's 60,000 people that they should leave . by 7:30 et , the city had finished evacuating to austin thousands of residents who needed assistance leaving because of age , disability or lack of reliable transportation . mandatory evacuations remained in effect for low-lying coastal areas northeast and southwest of galveston , in chambers , matagorda and brazoria counties . some brazoria county residents said they did n't want to leave but realized it was in their best interest to do so . `` you do n't have a choice when you have kids , '' deborah davis of freeport told cnn affiliate kprc-tv in houston . farther inland , about 100,000 residents in low-lying areas surrounding houston began evacuating thursday afternoon as ike headed for the texas coast , officials said . watch gov. rick perry warn residents of ike 's potential '' but the remaining 4 million residents were told they could stay home , even as government offices and schools prepared to close friday in houston in anticipation of the hurricane . `` we are only evacuating areas subject to a storm surge , '' said harris county judge ed emmett , the county 's chief executive officer . `` yes , we know you will lose electricity . but you 're not in danger of losing your life , so stay put . '' ships in port were told to leave , said port of houston spokeswoman linda whitlock . the area 's two major airports , george bush intercontinental and william p. hobby , also halted all commercial flights . more than 1,300 inmates from the texas correctional institutions division 's stevenson unit in cuero were being evacuated to facilities in beeville and kenedy , perry 's office said , and 597 were transferred from the substance abuse glossbrenner unit in san diego , in south texas , to dilley . cnn 's mike mount contributed to this report .<doc-sep>chicago , illinois -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- chicago authorities asked illinois gov. rod blagojevich to issue a disaster declaration after rainfall saturday in the windy city broke a single-day record that had stood for more than two decades . chicago received more than 6 inches of rain saturday , breaking a 1987 record . the deluge flooded streets and stranded residents in their homes . officials worked to rescue people sunday as the city grappled with another day of drenching . o'hare international airport recorded 6.64 inches of rain saturday -- breaking the all-time record of 6.49 inches set in 1987 , according to the national weather service . records have been kept since 1871 . by 4:30 a.m. ct on sunday , emergency management and law enforcement officials were reporting widespread flooding across much of northern illinois and extreme northwest indiana , with rainfall totals of 4 to 7 inches in certain areas , the weather service said . commissioner john spatz of chicago 's department of water management said the north branch of the chicago river `` rose quickly and began to flow down the 5000 block of north monticello , '' causing flooding northward and southward . watch how chicago flooded before ike 's rains arrived '' in the worst-hit area , albany park , about 340 homes were in danger . about 40 residents were evacuated -- some of them by boat -- and taken to a shelter .<doc-sep>arguments broke out at gas stations and tensions were high everywhere . thousands of people remained in shelters , wondering what homes they had to return to . others waited in line to get water , ice and food at 60 distribution sites the federal emergency management agency had established across texas . perhaps the most dire area of the state was bolivar peninsula , a resort on galveston bay where entire neighborhoods were destroyed . a rescue team on monday saved 60 people who were stranded there among homes leveled to their foundations . on sunday , a galveston county sheriff 's official said three bodies were pulled from storm wreckage in port bolivar . galveston residents had been warned as ike approached the texas coast to leave or face `` certain death '' from its 12 - to 15-foot storm surge . ireport.com : facing the deadly storm . `` sometimes the aftermath of the storm is worse than the storm itself , '' galveston mayor lyda ann thomas said . `` there 's nothing to come here for right now . ... please leave . '' ike and its remnants left at least 27 people dead from the u.s. gulf coast to the great lakes . the remnants moved into canada early monday . hurricane-force winds from the storm were felt as far north as kentucky , and heavy rains flooded streets in chicago , illinois . see chicago 's swamped streets . deaths related to the storm were reported in louisiana , arkansas , indiana , missouri and ohio as well as texas . the toll could go higher . chambers county , texas , judge jimmy sylvia said late sunday that there is nothing left of oak island , a city on the coast in galveston bay . smith point , to the south , has `` mounds and mounds of debris , '' the judge said , and he fears they may find bodies in the rubble . watch how ike wiped out neighborhoods '' louisiana chief medical officer louis cataldie confirmed four deaths as a result of the hurricane -- two in terrebonne parish and two in jefferson davis parish . watch how ike flooded one louisiana parish '' two people drowned in indiana and another in missouri . two others died in the st. louis , missouri , area , but the cause of their deaths was unclear , said missouri state emergency operations center spokeswoman susie stonner . wind gusts as high as 74 mph ripped the roof off a delta airlines hangar at cincinnati/northern kentucky international airport , according to an associated press report . the airport 's control tower had to be evacuated during the worst of the storm , the ap said . in kentucky , more than 340,000 louisville gas and electric co. customers were without power monday morning , cnn affiliate wlky-tv reported . across the region , more than 1.3 million people were without power , the ap reported . `` over 90 percent of our customers are without service , '' kathy meinke of duke energy , which serves southwest ohio and northern kentucky , told the ap . ireport.com : ike soaks , smashes texas home . copyright 2008 cnn . all rights reserved.this material may not be published , broadcast , rewritten , or redistributed . associated press contributed to this report .<doc-sep>` we 're ok , we 're ok , ' he said as he hauled himself indoors with a grin on his face . the year before mr roker already assured his place in the weatherman hall of fame when he apparently stumbled across a reporter making a live broadcast in west palm beach , florida , and decided to lend him a hand . the footage shows the weather channel 's mike siedel being held up by mr roker as the two lean into the 70mph wind - and get rather too close for comfort . toppled : during hurricane ike in 2008 , a weather channel anchor was swept by a gust of wind into bushes while he was delivering a report . ` hurricane hug ' : nbc 's al roker helped weather channel reporter mike seidel in need of assistance in 2004 in west palm beach , florida . ` you know i 'm glad you showered this morning , al ' said mr siedel . ` you know , we ought to just lay down . ' in another clip from 2008 a weather channel reporter was blown into a shrub mid-broadcast . the hilarious footage shows the the man tumble onto his side and land in a bush due to the force of hurricane ike . with admirable dedication to the cause he says into his microphone : ` hold on ' as he is upended and thrown onto a plant .<doc-sep>at 11 p.m. et monday , ike was moving west-northwest through the atlantic ocean . the storm will be over open water for two days , forecasters said . earlier wednesday , ike intensified into the fifth hurricane of the 2008 atlantic season when its winds reached 80 mph . but before ike can reach into the caribbean or threaten florida , tropical storm hanna was getting more organized in the bahamas , according to the hurricane center . at 2 a.m. , hanna was about 325 miles east-southeast of nassau in the bahamas , with winds of 65 mph . hanna was drenching the bahamas and haiti with torrential rains . haitian officials put the nation 's death toll in the wake of hanna and hurricane gustav at 61 , said abel nabaire , the deputy coordinator of the civil protection service . | <t> life-threatening floods expected in parts of coastal texas , agency says . </t> <t> hurricane ike could make landfall near galveston island as early as saturday . </t> <t> about 100,000 evacuated from houston ; 4 million more told to stay . </t> <t> all of galveston island ordered to evacuate ; special needs evacuations completed . </t> | weather service warns of ` certain death ' in face of ike<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- ambitious plans to build a revolutionary 420-meter shape-shifting skyscraper in dubai have been unveiled by architects . the 80-story dynamic tower , described as the `` world 's first building in motion , '' will also be the first skyscraper constructed from prefabricated units , according to a press statement released by new york-based architect david fisher 's dynamic group . each floor would be capable of rotating independently , powered by wind turbines fitted between each floor . `` you can adjust the shape the way you like every given moment , '' fisher said . `` it 's not a piece of architecture somebody designed today and that 's it . it remains forever . it 's designed by life , shaped by time . '' watch how the tower would spin and twist '' apartments will sell for about $ 3,000 per square foot , making each unit range in price from about $ 4 million to $ 40 million . work on the tower is to be completed by 2010 , according to dynamic 's web site .<doc-sep>fisher said that plans to build a second rotating skyscraper in moscow were at an advanced stage and that the group intended to build a third tower in new york . he said developers and public officials in canada , europe and south korea had also expressed interest in the project . but some have expressed skepticism . fisher has never built a skyscraper before . he says he has teamed up with reputable architects and engineers in the united kingdom and india . although he has received a development license for construction in dubai , in the united arab emirates , he has not disclosed the site of the building . the moscow mayor 's office said that it was looking into the project and that a decision had not been made . fisher has called prefabricated construction techniques the `` future of architecture '' and says they will radically transform 4,000-year-old `` brick-on-brick '' building methods . by using preconstructed parts , fisher said each story could be built in just seven days , resulting in environmentally cleaner building methods .<doc-sep>he said that just 600 people on an assembly site and 80 technicians on the construction site would be needed to build the tower , compared with about 2,000 workers for a traditional project of a comparable scale . `` it is unbelievable that real estate and construction , which is the leading sector of the world economy , is also the most primitive , '' fisher is quoted as saying on dynamic 's web site . `` most workers throughout the world still regularly use trowels that was first used by the egyptians and then by the romans . buildings should not be different than any other product , and from now on they will be manufactured in a production facility . '' dubai is experiencing a construction boom , with the burj tower set to claim the title of the world 's tallest building when it is completed in 2009 . it is already home to the world 's largest mall , and despite being in the middle east , it boasts the largest indoor snow park in the world .<doc-sep>by . sarah griffiths . published : . 08:21 est , 25 february 2014 . | . updated : . 10:10 est , 25 february 2014 . a futuristic skyscraper measuring more than 3000ft tall is planned to be built in saudi arabia . but for engineers , it 's a tall order and they are trying to work out how to construct the massive tower by testing methods of pumping wet concrete , which would need to travel half a mile skywards . the kingdom tower , which is intended to be erected in jeddah , is planned to be 3,280 ft -lrb- 1km -rrb- tall but there are huge challenges to be overcome in its construction , including how to build tall lifts and reduce its overall weight . a tall order : the kingdom tower , which is intended to be erected in jeddah , is planned to be 3,280 ft -lrb- 1,000 metres -rrb- tall . an artist 's impression of what the finished development could look lie is pictured . the shape of the tower is designed to reduce ` wind load ' which increases with height . its tapering wings are an aerodynamic shape to reduce structural loading due to wind . it is a similar shape to the burj khalifa tower in dubai , which also has quite a stiff shape . the differing shapes at different levels mean wind loads will go around the building .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- dubai on monday officially inaugurated the centerpiece of its decade-long construction boom , with the surprise revelation that the world-beating 168-story skyscraper -- seen by some as a symbol of the city 's economic excess -- was even bigger than previously thought . in a glitzy firework-lit ceremony , the city-state 's ruler sheikh mohammed bin rashid al-maktoum unveiled a plaque commemorating the event and also announced that the $ 1.5 billion structure has a new name : the burj khalifa . named after khalifa bin zayed , the president of the united arab emirates -- and ruler of abu dhabi , which recently bailed out debt-ridden dubai to the tune of $ 10 billion -- the tower was officially recorded as 828 meters tall , adding 10 meters on to previous height claims . six years in the making , and now 319 meters higher than previous skyscraping record-holder taipei 101 , dubai 's newest edifice commands dizzying views of the ambitious building program that has transformed the emirate . the structure 's architects , chicago-based skidmore , owings & merrill , have called the burj khalifa `` a bold global icon that will serve as a model for future urban centers . '' declaring that `` tall buildings are back , '' the company predicts that the groundbreaking techniques it used to push the burj khalifa to new heights should enable the construction of even taller towers in the future . ireport : share your photos of the world 's tallest buildings . `` as with any project , som 's architects and engineers learned a great deal and are ready to apply this to the next world 's tallest building as it is certainly possible to go taller , '' it said . despite such lofty claims , the burj khalifa -- and other construction projects including the palm jumeirah and world archipelagos of man-made islands built for the super-rich -- have cast a financial shadow over dubai . last year the emirate shocked investors by asking for a freeze on payments owed on its $ 26 billion in debts . the announcement by dubai world -- an umbrella group which includes the burj khalifa 's developers -- delivered a cold dose of reality to speculators worldwide who believed the oil-rich region was impervious to the global financial crisis . facts and figures : why dubai is looking up . while predicted economic recovery are likely to help dubai to shake off some of its debt woes , if not fully regain its boom-time ebullience , some say the city 's path of prestige over practicality will leave projects like the burj khalifa struggling to justify their place in the gulf state 's skyline . `` dubai does n't really need to have to build tall asides from prestige purposes , '' jim krane , author of `` city of gold : dubai and the dream of capitalism '' told cnn in a recent interview . `` if you look at it , it 's a really bad idea . it uses as much electricity as an entire city . and every time the toilet is flushed they 've got to pump water half a mile into the sky , '' he said . the telescopic shape also presents problems of a more practical nature krane says . `` the upper 30 or 40 floors are so tiny that they 're useless , so they ca n't use them for anything else apart from storage . they 've built a small , not so useful storage warehouse half a mile in the sky , '' he said . cnn 's barry neild and matt knight contributed to this story .<doc-sep>by . anna edwards . published : . 11:05 est , 13 june 2013 . | . updated : . 08:00 est , 14 june 2013 . it took eight years to build , is 310m tall and will surely drive buyers round the bend to nab an apartment here . this is cayan tower , the world 's tallest twisted building - and has finally opened with much fanfare in dubai . built at a cost of around rs . 1578 crores , the 80-storey residential cayan tower is twisted at 90 degrees from top to bottom and boasts 570 plush apartments . scroll down for video . the cayan infinity tower in dubai now holds the record as the world 's tallest twisting structure . and it look slike the appeal of living in a record-breaking property has already lured in buyers - 80 per cent of its residential units have already been sold , ndtv reported . the twisting tower is the creation of skidmore owings and merrill , the same team behind the world 's tallest tower burj khalifa . it spirals in a smooth curve by 90 degrees to give every apartment a stunning view of the sea or marina . the unveiled 310m high cayan tower in dubai 's prestigious marina district has already sold 80per cent of the properties inside . the architects used open-space architectural concepts to ensure that there are no pillars anywhere in the building . the team also designed trump tower in chicago and jin mao in shanghai . the cayan tower website boasts about . the property 's location - it was built at the mouth of dubai marina - . and boasts views across the marina , sea and the palm . it offers a pool , whirlpool , spa , massage rooms , nursery and gym . the burj khalifa tower , the world 's tallest structure , still soars over the twisted building . on a secondary market property website , a one-bedroom apartment carries a price tag of $ 435,000 , cnn reported . but it is dwarfed by the burj khalifa , which at over 828 metres -lrb- 2,716.5 feet -rrb- and more than 160 stories is the tallest skyscraper and tallest free-standing structure in the world . other soaring structures to dwarf the cayan are the 553m-tall cn tower in toronto , canada and the taipei 101 tower in taiwan , which measures 501m high . another twisting tower is the hsb turning torso in malmo , sweden . it is the tallest skyscraper in sweden the tallest building in scandinavia . it holds the accolade of being the the third tallest residential building in europe , reaching 190 metres and boasting 54 storeys containing 147 apartments .<doc-sep>skyscraper building boom , reflecting a widespread mis-allocation of . capital and an impending economic correction . ` investors should therefore pay particular attention to china and india , ' they added . barclays capital 's skyscraper index has been published every year since 1999 . it concluded : ` our skyscraper index continues to show an unhealthy correlation between . construction of the next world 's tallest building and an impending . financial crisis : new york 1930 ; chicago 1974 ; kuala lumpur 1997 and . dubai 2010 . ' | <t> plans for revolutionary 420-meter rotating skyscraper in dubai unveiled . </t> <t> 80-story dynamic tower has been designed by architect david fisher . </t> <t> advanced plans to build second tower in moscow . </t> <t> tower will be built from prefabricated units ; due to be completed by 2010 . </t> | dubai ` shape-shifting skyscraper ' unveiled<T> |
atlanta , georgia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- terrorism , a slow economy and rising gas prices are issues that can keep american voters awake at night . undecided voters gathered at emory university , where dr. drew westen studies how brains react to messages . political strategists know that the most successful candidates are masters at capitalizing on fears such as these , and that can make a huge difference at the polls . in 1964 , lyndon johnson was running for president against conservative barry goldwater when his campaign unleashed the `` daisy ad . '' it showed a little girl counting as she plucked a daisy , charmingly mixing up her numbers . then a baritone voice takes over , counting down to an overwhelming nuclear explosion . it 's followed with a warning that the stakes are too high not to vote for johnson . the ad , which ran only once , was so chilling and effective , analysts say , it helped johnson win the presidency by one of the widest margins in u.s. history . cnn recently gathered eight undecided voters to see how they would respond to attack ads and how the ads might affect their choices . they met at emory university in atlanta , georgia , where psychologist drew westen studies how brains react to candidates ' messages . westen , who wrote `` the political brain , '' said fear-based attack ads are effective because they tap into a voter 's subconscious .<doc-sep>`` those kinds of gut-level reactions tell us things like , ' i do n't feel like this person is telling us the truth , ' '' westen said . `` unless someone is a really good con man , those reactions are extremely helpful . the conscious brain processes only a tiny percent of information . '' westen and his business partner , joel weinberger , have created software , through their company thinkscan , that looks into a voter 's subconscious . the software does this by measuring people 's reaction time to certain words after they watch attack ads . the undecided voters in cnn 's group watched the ads and were then asked to identify the color of words such as `` weak , '' `` inexperienced '' and `` terrorist . '' if they hesitated , even for one-thousandth of a second , before they clicked on the color that corresponded with the word , weinberger said , it meant the word had an impact . `` if the word is on their mind , if the word was activated , it will slow them down , '' weinberger said . westen predicted that the undecided voters would say they did n't like the ads and that the ads had no impact on them . he was right . the group watched hillary clinton 's `` 3 a.m. '' campaign ad , which was intended to make voters question barack obama 's experience . viewers said that the ad was fear-mongering and that it did not make them think clinton was a stronger leader than obama . but the data , westen said , showed that their brains reacted differently . voters had the greatest hesitation with words like `` weak '' and `` lightweight '' during the color test . westen said this meant the ad made them question obama 's readiness .<doc-sep>`` the purpose , too , is to make him seem scary , dangerous . ` you need to be afraid of this guy as president , ' '' westen said . `` that message unconsciously got through . '' the undecided voters also watched an ad attacking john mccain for saying the u.s. could be in iraq for the next 100 years . after watching the ad , the group gave it a thumbs-down . but researchers said the data showed that it left them feeling mccain has poor judgment and is too close to president bush . the results were identical when the same test was given to a much larger group of 100 voters . this happens because the ads trigger a response in the part of the brain called the amygdala , which experiences emotions such as fear . when it is aroused , it overrides logic , according to westen . despite the ability of attack ads to affect voters ' subconscious thinking , westen cautions that fear-based ads are risky because they can backfire . what advice does westen have for presidential hopefuls ? `` they should make voters feel inspired by them and worried about their opponent at the same time , '' westen said . `` it works . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- health.com -rrb- -- more than 100 million people are expected to tune in to super bowl xlv this weekend , but only some of them are football fans . thanks to pregame hype and hollywood-quality production values , super bowl commercials have become the main attraction for many viewers . but are these blockbuster ads bad for our waistlines ? food and beverage companies are expected to account for roughly one-third of the ads that will air during sunday 's game , according to advertising age . -lrb- car companies will take up another one-third or so , with the remainder split among websites , film studios , and retail chains . -rrb- viewers and partygoers -- including millions of children -- can expect to see ads from doritos , coca-cola , pepsi , snickers , and budweiser . health.com : 25 diet-busting foods you should never eat . in other words , a high proportion of ads are pitching soda , snacks , and other junk foods loaded with calories , sugar , sodium , and fat . `` studies show -lsb- that -rsb- if you see an ad for a product and try it for the first time , you like it more than if you did n't see the ad , '' says jennifer harris , ph.d. , the director of marketing initiatives at yale university 's rudd center for food policy & obesity , in new haven . `` it really is shaping our preferences as well as triggering us to eat more . '' yes , advertising works . humor , suspense , and sexy people digging into supersize bags of doritos have become a staple of super bowl commercials . it 's the oldest trick in the book : make a product or brand attractive and appealing by surrounding it with attractive and appealing stuff . it 's tempting to believe that this strategy wo n't work on you . in the real world , nearly everyone recognizes that people who consume a lot of soda , junk food , and beer are often overweight and unhealthy -- not exactly what 's depicted on-screen . and yet we give in to the ploy . health.com : 11 healthy super bowl snacks . `` we know the effects of excessive snacks are quite adverse to people 's health . if you drink a lot of beer , you are n't going to get all the attractive women , '' says frederick j. zimmerman , ph.d. , an economist and professor of health services at the ucla school of public health . `` that may seem obvious , but those images work on us on a subconscious level . '' zimmerman believes the true culprit behind the obesity epidemic is n't high-fructose corn syrup , sodium , or saturated fat , per se , but rather the ubiquitous marketing that makes foods containing those ingredients appealing to americans . in his research on the health effects of television on children -lrb- and more recently adults -rrb- , zimmerman found that the number of commercials people see is more closely linked to the risk of being overweight or obese than the total time they spend watching tv . health.com : how junk foods are marketed to kids . and the subconscious impact of super bowl ads might be even greater than that of everyday commercials , because the ads are part of the entertainment , harris says . `` if you see a commercial trying to give you information , you know exactly what it 's doing , '' she says . `` but if you 're just being entertained , you 're not looking at it in that same way , which is probably what makes it more effective . '' the power of advertising has largely had a negative effect on our health , but in theory that power could be harnessed for good , says jonathan h. whiteson , m.d. , who has seen the fallout from the obesity epidemic firsthand as the director of cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation at new york university 's langone medical center . `` we 're led to the watering hole -- or really to the burger and the beer , '' whiteson says . `` if fruit companies and tap water companies were advertising , we 'd be going in that direction instead . '' can commercials make you hungry ? research suggests that tv commercials can prompt you to eat . advertising triggers an `` automatic eating response '' that can make you eat more of `` basically any food that 's in front of you , '' harris says . health.com : how the pros curb food cravings http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20394811,00.html . this effect was demonstrated during an experiment that harris and her colleagues at the rudd center conducted in 2009 . the researchers randomly divided 98 young adults into three groups and showed each group an episode of the tv show whose line is it anyway ? the participants were told that the study was about the effect of tv on mood . the episodes the groups watched were identical -- except for the commercial breaks . one version contained ads for junk foods -lrb- such as candy , soda , and fast food -rrb- that emphasized `` fun and excitement , '' another version had ads for nutritious foods -lrb- such as oatmeal and oj -rrb- , and a third version contained no food advertising at all . -lrb- all three versions had some nonfood commercials as well . -rrb- . after watching the show , the study participants were moved to another room , where they were told that they could eat as much as they wanted from an array of snack foods , ranging from healthy -lrb- vegetables and dip -rrb- to not so healthy -lrb- cookies -rrb- . the participants who saw the unhealthy snack commercials ate the most food -- even if they reported not feeling hungry . the volunteers in experiments like these generally do n't think that advertising can affect their behavior in this way , harris says . `` most people believe they have more control over everything than they actually do , '' she says . `` once people know they are influenced , then they 're better able to control behaviors . '' commercials and parties : a dangerous combo ? super bowl partygoers probably wo n't have to go far to fulfill their cravings for the soda , chips , and other foods that they see in high definition . there appears to be a certain synergy between super bowl ads and the menu at most super bowl parties . health.com : the ultimate tv party . a 2001 study in the journal of marketing communications that analyzed the `` likability '' of every super bowl ad that aired in the 1990s found that viewers consistently ranked ads from `` party-food marketers '' -- including anheuser-busch , pepsi , and frito-lay -- high on the likability scale . by contrast , ads for `` party-busting products '' such as over-the-counter medications were far less popular with viewers . `` consumers are sending a clear message that certain products interest them more than others during super bowl broadcasts , '' the authors concluded . `` it is a good strategy to continue to advertise food and beverage products extensively during the super bowl because consumption peaks during the game . '' indeed , americans are said to consume more food on super bowl sunday than on any day of the year except thanksgiving . according to whiteson , that 's not such a good thing . `` a little bit of soda is okay , a hot dog is okay , '' he says , but he adds that even just one day of excessive drinking or gorging on chips and soda is enough to do real harm . -lrb- some studies suggest that a big meal can even trigger a heart attack . -rrb- . super bowl may trigger heart attacks . the larger problem , whiteson says , is that the dynamic on super bowl sunday is n't all that unusual . the relationship between tv commercials and unhealthy eating may be more pronounced on the biggest football day of the year , but it 's simply an exaggerated version of what has become a part of everyday life . `` the foods that are eaten are a reflection of what people are doing throughout the year , not an isolated event , '' whiteson says . copyright health magazine 2010 .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the super bowl may be the most watched television event in the united states , but that wo n't be the primary focus for millions of people tuning in this year . stephen master , vice president of nielsen sports media research , told cnnmoney.com that close to 50 percent of viewers actually watch the commercials more than they watch the game . this does n't surprise 24-year-old chantal paradis of austin , texas , who is among the tv followers who care more about the ads and less about the green bay packers-pittsburgh steelers matchup . see a sneak peak of this year 's ads . `` i plan to record the super bowl before i start watching it so i can fast-forward to the commercials , '' paradis said . `` i really do n't care who wins the game . '' twenty-five-year-old carmelo giangrande of crystal lake , illinois , says he only watches the ads , too , and could n't care less about football . he prefers to watch ice hockey . `` i like how the super bowl brings people together for parties , but i think the advertisements are more interesting than the game , '' giangrande noted . `` i 'll eat , drink and socialize during the super bowl , then tune in when the commercials air , '' he said . that 's good news for companies paying the reported $ 100,000-per-second ad rate to showcase their products on fox this year . although 106.5 million people tuned into last year 's super bowl , it 's the buzz before , during and after the game about an ad that advertisers really care about . paradis , a married insurance sales professional , says she 'll be on the lookout for commercials that make her laugh . `` i think the most memorable super bowl commercials are the funny ones , '' she said . `` i 'm a big fan of justin timberlake , so i liked the one with him in the pepsi ad a few years ago where he was playfully beat up . '' giangrande says he enjoys the beer ads and prefers commercials that make him laugh , too . mainstream media outlets and social media sites devote space and time to highlight the spots , too , which can add to the excitement and build up this pop culture phenomenon . both paradis and giangrande are among the growing number of members of facebook fan pages dedicated to super bowl commercials . `` it 's almost become a sort of holiday or an american tradition to watch the ads , '' she said . viewers interested in the ads this year will get to view a variety of spots featuring beer , soda , cars -- and celebrities like kim kardashian , justin bieber and ozzy osbourne , to name a few .<doc-sep>london -lrb- cnn -rrb- one of the most successful businessmen of all time , henry ford , once said : `` whether you think you can , or think you ca n't -- you are right . '' the implication is that your mind is a powerful tool -- if not the most powerful tool -- in securing your success . so , how do you begin to leverage that power ? `` goal setting is possibly the most powerful skill a person can have , '' says brian mayne , author of `` goal mapping . '' `` the key is to command your subconscious . it is like your own personal navigation or satellite system . '' research tells us that the subconscious might indeed be a powerful partner . according to a study by former stanford cell biologist bruce lipton , the conscious mind can process roughly 40 bits of data per second , while the subconscious mind can process over 40 million per second . studies also show that if you plant a goal in your awareness -- your subconscious will keep you working towards it -- even without you being aware that you are doing so . read more : is a wandering mind a creative mind ? essentially , your conscious mind can be compared to the front screen of your computer , while the subconscious is like the internal control program that runs the show , says mayne . the trouble of course , is that we generally have no clue what 's going on behind the scenes of our consciousness -- let alone how to direct it . get out the crayons . one way to start taking charge of your subconscious , says mayne , is to get out the crayons . `` typical goal setting involves only words , and words have limited power on the subconscious . '' `` drawing up a map of your goal does two things , '' he says . it engages both the analytical and creative side of the brain -- creating more clarity and more access to the subconscious . '' putting a box of crayons in front of leaders and asking them to draw a picture , may seem a rather bold move . but , the reviews are impressive . brian mayne 's 7 steps to goal mapping . step 1 : dream : what do you want to achieve . step 2 : order : which goals take priority . step 3 : draw : communicate your goals to your subconscious . step 4 : why : identify your emotional drivers . step 5 : when : define your timeline . step 6 : how : what are the actions you will need to take . step 7 : who : choose the people or organizations that can support you . mayne 's creative-analytical approach has been picked up by companies and school systems around the world . british telecom uses goal mapping with new employees and in performance reviews . read more : why we all have creative powers . microsoft 's united kingdom division had their best results ever , the year they were introduced to goal mapping . `` we got a lot of credit for that , '' says mayne , `` and they then asked us to duplicate it in an online program , which they have used with 65,000 of their people around the world . '' the process , he says , is similar to the use of visualization in sports -- where the technique is well-known and well documented . but drawing , he says , can be especially helpful to people who have a harder time visualizing . `` science tells us again and again , that athletes who visualize sinking the putt or getting it in the hoop do a better job , '' says frank niles , ph.d. , social scientist and managing partner of scholar executive group . `` those moments when you think about an experience and get excited about it -- what happens to your pupils , your skin , your breathing -- that is exactly what visualization does . it primes you to act . you are basically tricking your brain into thinking you are an expert already . '' world kickboxing champion katalin konya , says mapping out her goal , helped her to win the championship . `` it is hard to explain what it does , but it gives me a feeling of ` yes , i can do it , ' and ` yes i can achieve it . ' i usually explain it as a bridge between my dreams and my reality . '' konya did n't just draw her way to a kickboxing championship -- just like you probably wo n't dream your way to a senior vp position . the steps to success . effective goal setting involves planning , practice , and action . `` you can visualize the mountain peak , but if you do n't know how to get there , you wont get there , '' says niles . `` the difference is known as process versus outcome visualization . break the goal down into small steps , and that basically sums up what science tells us about how visualization works , '' he says . and that may be why goal mapping is so effective . in one study , university of california researchers had a group of students visualize doing well in an exam , and another group visualizing taking the necessary steps to reach the goal . the results were clear in favor of the group who visualized studying , reading and gaining required skills and knowledge . they not only did better , but spent longer preparing , focused more attention on the steps needed to reach the goal , and reduced anxiety in the process . `` goal settting is a science , '' says mayne . `` a lot of people think goal setting is something you do once per year , around sports . but we should all be setting goals for ourselves all the time . '' nothing 's impossible . mayne 's first goal ? learning how to read at 29 . read more : the power of positive thought . `` i grew up in a traveling family , and never really went to school , '' he says . at the age of 30 , having just learned to read -- his passion for learning and teaching people how to set goals , took off . so , whatever your goal , you may want to get out the crayons , and convince your subconscious you 've got what it takes . because whether you think you can or think you ca n't -- you may be right . brian 's 7-step process is available for free at : goalmappingonline.com . doodling in a meeting ? maybe you 're just drawing inspiration . noreena hertz : do n't get stuck in your own success . can wearable technology boost productivity ?<doc-sep>of brain , heart and hormones , ' says john studd , professor of gynaecology . and libido expert based in wimpole street , london . however , the ` problem ' of low libido in women is controversial . other experts are far from convinced it is a condition requiring medical treatment , arguing the concept has been created by drug companies in order to sell more of their products -- and there is nothing intrinsically problematic about not having a high sex drive . indeed , women interviewed by the new york times were unable to say exactly why they had lost interest in sex . ` sometimes i wonder whether it ' - h.s.d.d. - is n't so much about libido as it is about boredom , ' lori brotto , a psychologist at the . university of british columbia who works with patients with clinically . low libidos , told the times . ` the impact of relationship duration is something that comes up constantly . ' however , the researchers on the lybridos study have admitted that if the drug works too well , the fda might not approve it or fear of creating ` female excesses , crazed binges of infidelity , -lsb- and -rsb- societal splintering . ' there are fears , apparently , that the researchers are attempting to create ` nymphomania ' in women . ` there 's a bias against -- a fear of creating the sexually aggressive woman , ' andrew goldstein , a washington-based researcher told the paper . | <t> fear-based attack ads are sometimes used by candidates to influence voters . </t> <t> cnn gathered eight undecided voters to measure the impact of attack ads . </t> <t> psychologist drew westen says fear-based ads appeal to voters ' subconscious . </t> | fear-based ads sneak into subconscious , researcher says<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- seven years after devastating terrorist attacks brought death to new york 's world trade centers , the pentagon and a pennsylvania field , the first permanent , on-site memorial is being dedicated thursday at the pentagon . an artist 's rendering shows the new york 9/11 memorial , with the museum entry pavilion between two pools . official memorials at the other two sites are still years away . in new york , construction has begun on a complex that will include a memorial with a tree-shaded plaza and reflecting pools , and an underground museum with an entry pavilion . it 's part of a bigger project , including new office towers and a transportation hub , whose target date has been repeatedly delayed . the goal is to open the memorial to the public by the 10th anniversary of the attacks , in 2011 , and the museum by the year after . new york mayor michael bloomberg stressed the importance of those dates and called progress `` frustratingly slow '' in an opinion piece published wednesday in the wall street journal .<doc-sep>`` the memorial must be completed by the 10th anniversary , '' bloomberg wrote . `` no more excuses , no more delays . '' watch and listen to thursday 's memorial services '' however , on cnn 's `` american morning '' thursday , bloomberg said quality is more important than speed of construction . `` we want to make sure what we build is the right thing , that 100 years from now people will look back and say , ` they built it well and built the right thing , ' '' bloomberg said . `` nobody 's going to remember if it took five years or 10 years . i 'd like it to go faster . i 've recommended we reduce the level of bureaucracy , but that 's not our number one priority . '' federal , state and local governments , as well as several agencies and private developers are involved in the planning and construction . `` it 's a complex site , and there was an extensive public process involved in determining the plans for the site , '' lynn rasic of the national september 11 memorial & museum said wednesday . `` and i think what 's important now is that we look forward and do everything possible to meet the 10th anniversary date . '' ireport : how are you observing 9/11 ? the port authority of new york and new jersey , which owns the trade center site , says it 's on board as far as the date for opening the memorial . completion dates for the museum and pavilion are part of a review to be finished by september 30 , port authority spokesman steve coleman said .<doc-sep>`` we do n't want to put any more false hopes , false dates out there in the public domain that ca n't be met . that 's why they want to make sure this thing is a thorough review and we have realistic and achievable dates that we come out with , '' he said . coleman said the port authority has n't felt pressure from families of september 11 victims to speed up the process . `` what we 're hearing from family members is that they want to see it done right , rather than rushed , '' he said . the memorial will feature two huge reflecting pools , with waterfalls flowing down their sides , where the iconic twin towers stood , according to the memorial 's web site . engraved around the pools will be the names of those who died in the september 11 attacks as well as the victims of a 1993 terrorist attack on the world trade center . watch and listen to sights and sounds from 9/11 '' the steel and glass entry pavilion will include two large steel columns salvaged from the twin towers . as visitors descend underground into the museum , they 'll see the slurry wall , the bedrock that held back the hudson river when the towers collapsed . the pennsylvania memorial is also scheduled to be completed by the 10th anniversary of the attacks . it will center on the site where united flight 93 crashed after passengers apparently wrested control of the plane from the hijackers . a plaza will surround the crash site , known as sacred ground . plans call for a tower of voices , with 40 windchimes representing the 40 passengers and crew members who died .<doc-sep>the pentagon memorial , opening thursday , includes a bench , a tree and a pool for each of the 184 people killed there when another hijacked airliner crashed into the building . watch a victim 's family tour pentagon memorial '' the areas are arranged in order of the victims ' ages , ranging from the youngest , 3-year-old dana falkenberg , to the oldest , john d. yamnicky , 71 , according to a defense department web site . `` when we learned that there were five children who lost their lives that day , that 's really what sparked the idea , '' designer keith kaseman said . to read the name of a person killed in the pentagon , a visitor must look toward the building ; if the victim was on board the airplane , the name can be seen by looking up . after dedication ceremonies , the memorial opens to the public at 7 p.m. et . `` this place is really all about the visitor 's thoughts , your interpretation , '' kaseman said .<doc-sep>jonathan , he said , wanted to go beyond wearing the red , white and blue colors the school suggested . son 's name missing from 9/11 memorial . ireporter snaps poignant photo at memorial wall . brian monahan , a sociology professor at pennsylvania 's marywood university , said social media helps americans remember 9/11 in an anniversary year that is not a milestone 10th , 20th or 25th . it also provides ways to remember events other than the structured process of scheduled memorials , said monahan , who has studied coverage of 9/11 . there was a proscribed way before of how to be solemn . the symbolism went through official channels . `` it was an informal process but it was structured , '' he said . social media takes all the barriers away . the conversation about 9/11 is also different now on twitter and facebook , especially after the killing of osama bin laden , monahan said . `` there was only one way to talk about 9/11 and that was tragedy , ' monahan said . `` but now it 's about core american values . '' espn reporter darren rovell 's tweet may have reflected a chunk of how americans were feeling tuesday . they had not forgotten . but 9/11 was 11 years ago and life does go on . dan rather : media 's balancing act with terrorism . `` this day will always serve as a reminder that life can be taken from you at any moment . cherish every minute , '' rovell tweeted . the next tweet , an hour later , was about tennis sensation andy murray 's u.s. open victory . cnn 's dorrine mendoza contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- seven years after devastating terrorist attacks brought death to new york 's world trade centers , the pentagon and a pennsylvania field , the first permanent , on-site memorial is being dedicated thursday at the pentagon . an artist 's rendering shows the new york 9/11 memorial , with the museum entry pavilion between two pools . official memorials at the other two sites are still years away . in new york , construction has begun on a complex that will include a memorial with a tree-shaded plaza and reflecting pools , and an underground museum with an entry pavilion . it 's part of a bigger project , including new office towers and a transportation hub , whose target date has been repeatedly delayed . the goal is to open the memorial to the public by the 10th anniversary of the attacks , in 2011 , and the museum by the year after . new york mayor michael bloomberg stressed the importance of those dates and called progress `` frustratingly slow '' in an opinion piece published wednesday in the wall street journal . `` the memorial must be completed by the 10th anniversary , '' bloomberg wrote . `` no more excuses , no more delays . '' watch and listen to thursday 's memorial services '' however , on cnn 's `` american morning '' thursday , bloomberg said quality is more important than speed of construction .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- whether evoking loss or hope , music performed sunday at manhattan 's ground zero served as soothing support for family members still grieving 10 years after the 9/11 attacks . a somber paul simon , wearing a 9/11 memorial cap , performed `` the sound of silence , '' a change from `` bridge over troubled water '' listed on the program . people in the crowd cried , embraced or sang along . others milled around the water memorials at the world trade center 's towers . many did paper rubbings of victims ' names or left flowers . sixty bagpipers and drummers led a processional at the beginning of the ceremony . the brooklyn youth chorus sang `` the nation anthem '' and cellist yo-yo performed a bach selection .<doc-sep>by . sara malm . published : . 07:38 est , 7 march 2014 . | . updated : . 11:53 est , 7 march 2014 . a swedish artist has won the bid to create the three memorials for the victims of the 2011 utøya tragedy in norway . the july 22 terror attacks killed eight in a bombing at the government headquarters in oslo and 69 people , mostly teenagers , were murdered by anders breivik in a shooting spree at a youth camp organised by norway 's social-democratic arbeiderpartiet . artist jonas dahlberg 's memory wound will be a 3.5 metre -lrb- 11ft 6in -rrb- channel cut in the mainland facing utøya , creating a ` physical wound ' in the landscape . in memoriam : swedish artist jonas dahlberg 's winning bid for the memorials honouring the victims of the july 22 attacks include a 11ft6in cut in the mainland facing utøya , a ` physical wound ' in the landscape . the excavation will represent the physical experience of something being taken and ` reflect the abrupt and permanent loss of those who died on utøya ' . the 3.5 metre wide gap will have the names of all 77 victims , both oslo and utøya , engraved on its sides . the material cut from the site at sørbråten opposite utøya island will be transported to oslo to be used to build a memorial at the site of the bombings . it will also be used to create a temporary memorial pathway in oslo 's government quarter to connect the two memorial sites . all three memorials will cost the norwegian government # 27million nok , approximately # 2.7 m. never forget : the memorial on sørbråten peninsula opposite the island will have the names of all 77 victims , both oslo and utøya , engraved on its sides . honour : visitors will not be able to touch the names engraved on the opposite wall of memory wound . | <t> world trade center memorial plaza scheduled to open in 2011 , museum in 2012 . </t> <t> memorial at pennsylvania plane crash site also due to open in 2011 . </t> <t> pentagon memorial including benches , trees , pools is dedicated thursday . </t> <t> watch 9/11 memorials in new york and washington on cnn.com live . </t> | creating 9 ⁇ 11 memorials a slow process<T> |
miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a tropical storm watch was issued friday for bermuda as hurricane bertha moved closer to the atlantic island , causing swells and high turf on its beaches . a satellite picture from 5:45 a.m. et friday shows hurricane bertha over the atlantic . as of 8 p.m. et friday , the center of bertha was about 250 miles -lrb- 402 km -rrb- southeast of bermuda . the category 1 storm was moving north-northwest at near 5 mph -lrb- 8 km/h -rrb- . the national hurricane center said a gradual turn toward the north is expected friday night and saturday , followed by a continued slow motion toward the north or north-northeast on sunday . `` on this track , the center of bertha is expected to slowly pass to the southeast and east of bermuda during the next couple of days , '' the agency said in an advisory . bertha 's maximum sustained winds are at near 90 mph -lrb- 145 km/hr -rrb- , with higher gusts , the hurricane center said . see bertha 's path '' the bermuda weather service issued a tropical storm watch for the island around midday , meaning tropical storm conditions are possible in the area , the hurricane center said . the center advised those on the island , a self-governing british colony , to monitor bertha 's progress closely . bertha 's intensity has fluctuated . at its peak monday , it was a major category 3 hurricane with top winds of 120 mph -lrb- 193 km/h -rrb- . its wind speed dropped to 75 mph -lrb- 121 km/h -rrb- , barely hurricane strength , before picking up once again and reaching category 2 intensity late wednesday , with top sustained winds of 105 mph -lrb- 169 km/h -rrb- . see how hurricanes are classified '' the storm formed july 3 off africa near the southern cape verde islands . it strengthened into a hurricane monday . the first tropical storm of the season , arthur , formed may 31 near the coast of belize and dumped heavy rain on central america and southern mexico .<doc-sep>miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- hurricane bertha -- the first hurricane of the 2008 atlantic season -- increased in strength monday evening , according to the national hurricane center . a satellite picture from 5:45 a.m. et monday shows hurricane bertha over the atlantic . while bertha 's power may fluctuate over the next day , it is expected to begin gradually weakening by wednesday , the center 's 11 p.m. et advisory said . bertha 's became a major -- or category 3 -- hurricane monday afternoon . a category 3 has wind speeds of 111 to 130 mph . as of 11 p.m. et , bertha was 695 miles -lrb- 1,115 km -rrb- east-northeast of the northern leeward islands and about 1,085 miles -lrb- 1,745 km -rrb- southeast of bermuda . the eye was moving toward the west-northwest at about 12 mph . its maximum sustained winds were clocked at 120 mph -lrb- 195 km/hr -rrb- , up from the 115 mph mentioned in a 5 p.m. advisory .<doc-sep>the hurricane is expected to turn to the northwest and decrease its forward speed in the next 24 to 48 hours , the center said . there is a very small chance bertha will make landfall in the united states . bermuda could be affected by the hurricane this weekend . see bertha 's projected path '' `` it is still way too soon to determine whether or not bertha will affect bermuda , '' the center said . the storm formed thursday in the far eastern atlantic , off the coast of africa , near the southern cape verde islands . it strengthened into a hurricane early monday . learn more about hurricanes '' the first tropical storm of the season , arthur , formed may 31 near the coast of belize and dumped heavy rain on central america and southern mexico .<doc-sep>forecasters say hurricane gonzalo has strengthened overnight and is once again a dangerous category 4 storm as it barrels toward the small british island territory of bermuda . the u.s. national hurricane center in miami says gonzalo reached category 4 strength early on thursday for the second time in two days while fluctuating in intensity . it says gonzalo is howling with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph and is centered about 540 miles south-southwest of bermuda . scroll down for video . forecasters say hurricane gonzalo has strengthened overnight and is once again a dangerous category 4 storm as it barrels toward the small british island territory of bermuda . hurricane gonzalo has top sustained winds near 125 mph and was centered about 555 miles south south-west of bermuda in the early hours of thursday morning . this satellite image shows hurricane gonzalo with maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour currently moving northward at 9 miles per hour . gonzalo is threatening bermuda with heavy storms and high wind gusts sometime on friday . the storm is moving toward the north at 9 mph toward bermuda , where a hurricane warning is in effect as the territory rushes to batten down . the hurricane center says the eye of gonzalo is expected to pass near bermuda sometime friday , and a dangerous storm surge is expected along with heavy rainfall . florida looks set to avoid the severe weather , reports the sun sentinel , although it could generate large swells and an increased risk of rip currents later in the week . after smashing into bermuda , gonzalo is expected to head northeast and hit newfoundland in far eastern canada by late saturday . gonzalo is the atlantic 's first category 4 hurricane since october 2011 when hurricane ophelia 's winds reached 140 mph , according to jeff masters , a hurricane expert with private forecaster weather underground .<doc-sep>bradley rose , a surf instructor at sandbarz in carolina beach , north carolina , said the waves were a bit choppy . `` it looks pretty fun out there , '' rose said . at the by the sea motel in north myrtle beach , south carolina , out-of-state vacationers took to the beach , trying to photograph the outer rain bands of cristobal , hotel manager charlie peterson said . intermittent rain showers during the afternoon were not enough to chase them away , and there were even brief moments of sunshine . `` they 've got their cameras set , and they think there is going to be lightning over the water and all , '' he said . `` they have never seen this . '' elsewhere saturday , hurricane fausto strengthened far off mexico 's pacific coast , while hurricane bertha , located east of cape race , newfoundland , was downgraded to tropical storm status . neither of those storms currently threatens land . bertha had blustered across bermuda this week , knocking out electricity to thousands there . | <t> new : bermuda weather service issues tropical storm watch . </t> <t> new : hurricane bertha 's fringes expected to reach bermuda on saturday . </t> <t> the category 1 hurricane is causing large swells , high surf on bermuda beaches . </t> | hurricane bertha chugs toward bermuda<T> |
los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- los angeles fire officials say they 're worried that nighttime winds could push two major wildfires , which already are blamed in two deaths , closer to pricey neighborhoods on the pacific coast . fire draws near homes in the los angeles-area community of porter ranch , california , on monday . `` we are concerned about what will happen tonight when the winds pick up , '' los angeles fire chief douglas barry said monday . california gov. arnold schwarzenegger monday declared a state of emergency monday in los angeles and ventura counties because of the fires . democratic rep. brad sherman , whose district covers the area where the fire is burning , called on president bush to issue a federal disaster declaration for the area . at least two people have died because of the blazes , which have burned 8,000 acres in the hills and mountains of los angeles and ventura counties , fire and police officials said . one was identified as a man who died in a makeshift wood-and-cardboard shelter and appeared to be homeless . a dog 's body also was found . the other victim was killed in a collision of motorists who were trying to exit a freeway that was closed because of one of the wildfires , a fire official said .<doc-sep>no identity or age was available for either victim . `` winds are causing fire conditions to change by the hour , '' schwarzenegger said in a statement released monday . `` several thousand acres have already burned with minimal containment and more acres are threatened . '' ireport.com : are wildfires affecting you ? residents downwind were warned to remain alert into the night . `` it can go from here to the ocean in a matter of two to three hours , '' said los angeles county supervisor zev yaroslavsky , the associated press reported . barry said investigators have not determined a cause for either blaze . fire officials warned that strong winds , predicted to reach more than 60 mph after 11 p.m. , could send fire roaring south down the pacific coast near highway 101 . officials have shut two freeways north of los angeles and authorities dispatched water-dropping helicopters and more than 200 fire engines as the blaze `` started to push toward the city , '' said john tripp of the los angeles county fire department . about 350 police officers are on the scene , patrolling evacuated neighborhoods and warning residents ahead of the flames . officials shut down part of interstate 210 , also known as the foothill freeway , and any residents north of the freeway were under a mandatory evacuation order . the fire jumped the interstate in one spot and headed toward the lake view terrace area .<doc-sep>a portion of state route 118 , known as the ronald reagan freeway , also was closed . the larger of the two fires has charred more than 3,500 acres in the angeles national forest , officials said . see video of the angeles national forest fire '' that fire destroyed several structures , including about 30 mobile homes in the lopez canyon area , said los angeles county fire inspector sam padilla . the mobile homes had been evacuated sunday . the other fire , burning nearby , is expected to expand as the winds push the flames away from the center . in san diego county , a wildfire that began on an explosives training range at camp pendleton had grown to more than 1,500 acres by nightfall and forced the evacuation of 1,400 homes , the ap reported . in northern california , a wildfire that started sunday on angel island in san francisco bay had spread across 250 acres as of monday morning but had n't damaged any buildings in the historic state park , a marin county fire official said . see video of the angel island fire ''<doc-sep>`` it will be a while before these people will come back . when they do come back , unfortunately they 'll have this pretty much to look at , '' he said wednesday . watch rowlands describe a major battle with the flames '' about 500 homes were lost in the mountainous region in san bernardino county east of los angeles . see photos of the fires '' `` yesterday we could n't be here , because just this little flame and smoldering pieces of wood would be thrown by the intense winds . ... now you can see the flames just basically burning themselves out , '' said rowlands . the fires have already destroyed 1,664 structures -- including 1,436 homes -- and they still threaten 25,000 more , schwarzenegger said wednesday . the blazes have killed three people and left 40 hurt , he said . the governor will fly over the area thursday with president bush , who signed a major disaster declaration wednesday . watch bush emphasize the need to be responsive '' it 'll speed federal dollars to people whose property losses are n't covered by insurance and will help local and state agencies pay for the emergency response . the cost of homes destroyed by the wildfires is likely to top $ 1 billion in san diego county alone , an emergency official said . federal help keeps arriving as officials promise a response based on lessons learned from hurricane katrina . people left homeless by the fires can go online to apply for federal help at fema.gov , he said . there were 76,000 people staying in the 42 shelters opened in san diego county wednesday morning , according to san diego emergency spokeswoman lynda pfieffer . qualcomm stadium -- home to the nfl 's san diego chargers -- housed 11,000 evacuees at the peak of the disaster , but that number dropped to 5,000 wednesday morning . watch how evacuees are being taken care of at the stadium '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's kate bolduan contributed to this report .<doc-sep>fire officials could n't say whether the rash of fires was the work of a copycat as there was a series of other arson fires early thursday , also in hollywood . two people have been arrested and remain in custody for those blazes , officials said . scary : there were no civilian injuries but one city fireman was treated and released from a hospital after a fall while battling one blaze . emergency : it was the second day of arson fires locally after two people were arrested on thursday following a spate of similar car and rubbish fires . burnt out : los angeles fire officials say they do not yet have any suspect description . ` it was a long , tough night ' l.a. county fire spokesman . samuel arrington , 22 , of sunland , l.a. , was arrested along with another person on thursday when a shop worker allegedly saw him trying to cause damage . ` we have so many that are going around hitting occupancies just like this , carports with residents above , ' an l.a. city fire spokesman told kabc . hollywood is served by the l.a. city police and fire departments . but the fire and sheriff 's departments of l.a. county serve west hollywood . see video here .<doc-sep>of san diego county 's 10 major fires , the witch fire in the north , which has grown to 200,000 acres , is the priority because of its significant threat to structures , said ron lane , the county 's director of emergency services . the harris fire had burned more than 70,000 acres by mid-morning . in northern los angeles county , the ranch , buckweed , and magic fires have charred more than 93,000 acres and fire officials fear they could merge . `` we want to keep these fires as small as we can , '' said capt. barry parker of the ventura county fire department . the 54,500-acre ranch fire was only two miles away from the 1,200-acre magic fire . the blazes are straddling the l.a.-ventura county line . asked if he had enough resources , parker said , `` we truly do n't . '' `` we 're using a limited amount of resources to go in and fight these fires , '' he said . `` we 've got about 600 people on the ranch fire ; we normally would have about 1,500 . `` so we have to be absolutely surgical in how we plan and how we tactically use our fire equipment because we just simply do n't have enough fire engines in the state of california to battle these blazes . '' in san diego county , a utility spokesman said a 500,000-volt transmission line was damaged when the harris fire expanded , and it will be out of service until at least wednesday . other transmission lines have been destroyed . sanders said mexico 's federal electrical commission was providing power to the area 's grid to help make up for the losses . california also received extensive offers of manpower and equipment from the military . a total of 550 marines were ready for deployment from camp pendleton , north of san diego , and 67 defense department employees -- 12 firefighting teams -- already were engaged . eleven defense department helicopters equipped with water buckets and more than 17,000 national guardsmen were available , along with six c-130 aircraft able to drop water and flame retardant on the flames . but aerial attacks on the fires have been limited by the fierce santa ana winds . the red cross and other groups also were in the wings . they and some other groups were waiting for the flames to die down before bringing in their volunteers . the red cross has set up 11 shelters in the area and housed 3,000 people monday night . more were expected tuesday . a firefighter at rancho bernardo in san diego county showed distress . `` every one of us out here feels like these homes are our own . we know what it 's like to see people 's faces when they 've lost everything . it 's devastating to see so much of this all at once . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's thelma gutierrez and dan simon contributed to this report .<doc-sep>blue mountains , australia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- more than 70 wildfires -- including 29 that are uncontained -- are raging across a wide swath of australia 's most populous state , now threatening the western suburbs of sydney , authorities said wednesday . `` it 's only a matter of hours before we see a flare-up in fire activity and a breach of these tenuous containment strategies , '' said shane fitzsimmons , rural fire service -lrb- rfs -rrb- commissioner , in sydney earlier in the day . the wildfires stretch along a nearly 1,000-mile line in new south wales , from the far north of the state south of brisbane -- which lies just across the queensland border -- to east of canberra , the country 's federal capital . fires in the blue mountain range west of sydney are a particular worry as rough terrain has impeded firefighting efforts . `` if our strategies do n't work and weather materializes tomorrow that is forecast ... it could be absolutely devastating , '' said rural fire service -lrb- rfs -rrb- deputy commissioner rob rogers in new south wales on tuesday . `` we lost a couple hundred homes the other day -- we could get worse losses than that . '' wednesday is expected to be `` about as bad as it gets , '' added fitzsimmons . with high temperatures , low humidity and strong winds forecast , fire officials have urged residents to evacuate from the path of the fires . `` on days like today , minutes really matter , '' fitzsimmons said . at least one death has been reported . a 63-year-old man died of a suspected heart attack friday while defending his home against a blaze on the new south wales central coast , the australian broadcasting corporation , or abc , reported . ` eerie ' skies over city of sydney . some urban areas that border the australian bush have been devastated by the fires , which have destroyed more than 200 homes in the blue mountains region since thursday . scores of fires now have burned 25,800 hectares -lrb- 310,859 acres -rrb- -- an area greater than the size of los angeles . on tuesday , officials said they were bringing in 1,500 firefighters to join the more than 1,000 emergency crews already on the ground . at blue gum forest inside the blue mountains national park , firefighters were doing controlled burns -- setting fires in the bush ahead of the frontline of the blazes to eliminate tinder and slow the progress of the fires . instead of cloud-shrouded mountaintops , the valleys of the region were covered with a dense layer of smoke . fears are still high that fires could join to form a `` mega-fire '' and endanger heavily populated areas of this popular natural retreat west of sydney . most of the firefighters in the area were volunteers who 've left their ordinary jobs to put out the fire , pouring in from different parts of australia . `` there 's a sense of community , doing what they can -- you can get a sense of resilience , strength , and a deep sense of pride of each brigade pulling their weight , '' said cnn 's robyn curnow , reporting from the blue mountains . the state of emergency issued by authorities gives firefighters and police the authority to carry out measures such as cutting off water , power and gas and ordering mandatory evacuations of areas at risk . a total fire ban is in place for the greater sydney region until further notice , officials have said , meaning no fire may be lit in the open , and all fire permits are suspended . the fires have spread a cloak of smog over sydney in recent days . the bush fires in the area spread out of control thursday amid high temperatures and powerful winds . emergency officials said the region is emerging from a very dry winter and has had little rain in recent months . the causes of the blue mountains fires are still under investigation -- officials are looking into whether one major blaze was caused by a military training exercise . police said monday they had arrested two boys , age 11 and 15 , over two earlier bush fires in the port stephens area , more than 100 kilometers -lrb- 60 miles -rrb- north of sydney , that began october 13 . one of the fires they are accused of starting burned more than 5,000 hectares -lrb- 12,000 acres -rrb- in the surrounding area . the 11-year-old has been placed under house arrest , charged with two counts of intentionally causing fire and being reckless as to its spread , nsw police force said . the child is scheduled to appear in court next month where he is expected to plead not guilty to the charges , cnn affiliate sky news reports . cnn 's madison park and jethro mullen contributed to this story . | <t> new : california gov. arnold schwarzenegger monday declares a state of emergency . </t> <t> new : officials warn fire could possibly reach ocean in matter of hours . </t> <t> winds could push fires to pricey neighborhoods near coast , officials say . </t> <t> two deaths are connected to fires in los angeles , ventura counties , officials say . </t> | winds a major worry in l.a. fires ⁇ governor declares emergency<T> |
harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- robert mugabe 's political rivals saturday accused the zimbabwean president of `` ambush '' in allocating key ministries to his own party in defiance of a power-sharing agreement aimed at ending political turmoil in the country . the opposition mdc accuses mugabe of `` ambush . '' zimbabwe 's state-run herald newspaper reported that ministries inlcuding defense , justice , and media , were being placed in the hands of mugabe 's zanu-pf . party spokesman bright matonga said the move had cross-party support but the movement for democratic change 's nelson chamisa decried the move is an `` ambush '' that puts the power-sharing deal in jeopardy . under the deal reached last month , mugabe stays in office but shares power with mdc leader morgan tsvangirai , who became vice president . arthur mutambara , who leads a splinter mdc faction , became deputy vice president . `` the mdc dismisses zanu-pf 's unilaterally gazetted wish list of ministries , which is a betrayal of the wishes , expectations and aspirations of the majority of zimbabweans , '' the mdc said in a statement . `` it is a giant act of madness which puts the whole deal into jeopardy . '' the plan outlined in the herald would give 14 government ministries to zanu-pf and 13 to the mdc . three ministries would go to mutambara 's faction .<doc-sep>among the ministries reportedly allocated to zanu-pf are defense , home affairs , foreign affairs , justice and legal affairs , and media and information . ministries given to tsvangirai 's mdc would include constitutional and parliamentary affairs , economic planning , health , labor , and sport , arts and culture , the paper said . mutambara would oversee education , industry and commerce , and regional integration and international cooperation . the ministry of finance , the paper said , remains in dispute . the mdc accused the zanu-pf of trying to undermine the work of former south african president thabo mbeki , who helped broker a deal to end months of violence following a disputed election . the paper said mbeki was due to to go zimbabwe to resolve the question of the finance ministry . mbeki mediated the power-sharing talks that aimed to resolve the disputed march election . tsvangirai won the most votes in march but not enough to avoid a runoff , according to the government 's official count . tsvangirai withdrew from the june 27 runoff days before the vote , saying mugabe 's supporters had waged a campaign of violence and intimidation against opposition supporters .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- power-sharing talks in zimbabwe have stalled , with the government and main opposition parties unable to agree on the distribution of ministries . a women holds a sign inside a harare hotel where power-sharing talks took place thursday . just one day earlier , there were reports that president robert mugabe 's ruling zanu-pf party and the opposition movement for democratic change -lrb- mdc -rrb- were close to reaching an agreement . but that fell apart thursday . `` we 've reached a deadlock on the issue of allocating ministries , therefore we 've referred the issue to the facilitator hoping that he finds creative ways of unlocking that deadlock , '' said mdc spokesman , nelson chamisa . `` we are hoping that tomorrow the process will continue to try and find a resolution to the outstanding issues . '' mugabe acknowledged that the negotiations have stalled . `` we are hopeful for a breakthrough , '' he said . `` the mdc has their position , and we have ours . `` what we need is a compromise on both sides . '' it was reported wednesday that the zanu-pf party would oversee the justice and legal affairs ministry , while the mdc would control the finance ministry . mugabe sounded confident at the conclusion of wednesday 's negotiations , saying : `` we finish tomorrow . '' but mdc leader morgan tsvangirai was cautious . `` the proceedings have been going on quite circuitously , but we have not concluded , '' he said . both parties said they would consider the deal overnight . however , mdc spokesman chamisa said thursday that the two sides were deadlocked . `` there has been some movement , but not enough to seal the deal , '' he said . it also appeared that more ministries remained on the table than had been indicated wednesday . `` what we seek is to achieve an equal distribution of the key ministries and responsibilities for the sake of giving the deal a chance , '' chamisa said . `` it is not on just finance . they range up to 10 : justice , information , defense . '' the allocation of government ministries had emerged as the latest hurdle in efforts to sort out the power-sharing deal signed by mugabe and tsvangirai on september 15 . the deal allowed mugabe to retain his office while making tsvangirai the prime minister . arthur mutambara , head of an mdc splinter group , became deputy prime minister .<doc-sep>the two sides were sorting out the distribution of cabinet posts last saturday , when the state-run newspaper published what it said was the official list . that list gave key government ministries to the zanu-pf , including defense , home affairs , foreign affairs and justice and legal affairs . the mdc said it had not agreed to the selections , but a zanu-pf spokesman said all parties had given their approval . former south african president thabo mbeki , who mediated talks to reach the power-sharing deal , arrived in zimbabwe on monday to participate in the negotiations . media reports wednesday had suggested the talks were stalled because mugabe wants to shield his generals -- accused of election violence earlier this year -- from prosecution . giving zanu-pf control of the justice ministry would ensure no generals are tried , and the mdc has assured mugabe they will not go after those allegedly responsible for the violence , according to another cnn source . of the other ministries , zanu-pf was fighting hardest to retain finance , sources told cnn . they said the party fears that if the mdc controls that ministry , it could audit how money has been spent by mugabe 's government . it is widely believed that the government misappropriated funds and used the public purse for itself , enriching party loyalists with government contracts and neglecting to develop the economy , which has all but collapsed . zanu-pf would let go of finance only if the mdc promised not to investigate how government money was used in the past , the sources said . the contention around the home affairs portfolio is more complex . mugabe had suggested that zanu-pf and mdc share that ministry , with each party having control for six months . for years , the home affairs portfolio has been under the control of a key mugabe ally , a zanu-pf faction called zapu that has helped mugabe retain influence in matabeleland , an area where the president is hated . mugabe fears giving home affairs to the mdc will alienate zapu members , causing them to join the opposition and further weakening the ruling party . home affairs also controls the voter rolls , which mugabe 's government has been accused of manipulating . the recent disputes threatened the power-sharing agreement , which was to end months of turmoil and violence after the country 's presidential election in march . tsvangirai garnered the most votes but did not win enough to avoid a runoff with mugabe , who has ruled the country since independence from britain in 1980 . the mdc leader withdrew days before the june 27 runoff , alleging that mugabe 's supporters had waged a campaign of violence and intimidation against opposition supporters . cnn 's nkepile mabuse contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` so let him keep his comments to himself . they are undeserved , irrelevant and quite stupid and foolish . who are they to decide who should be included or should not in an inclusive government ? '' mugabe and tsvangirai , who leads the opposition movement for democratic change , signed the unity deal september 15 , but mugabe 's zanu-pf party and the mdc have failed to implement it because they can not agree on who should control key ministries . under the power-sharing proposal brokered by former south african leader thabo mbeki , mugabe would remain president while tsvangirai would become prime minister . watch what options the international community has in zimbabwe '' u.s. president george w. bush and other leaders have urged mugabe to step down amid a cholera epidemic that the united nations says has killed more than 1,000 people since august .<doc-sep>harare , zimbabwe -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- zimbabwe 's opposition said sunday that it will not `` commit political suicide '' by entering into a government with president robert mugabe without the power to deliver change , food and jobs . zimbabwe president robert mugabe , in a speech to supporters saturday , refused calls to step down . movement for democratic change spokesman nelson chamisa made that comment after his party 's national executive meeting and ahead of talks slated for monday on forming a government of national unity . last september , mugabe and mdc leader morgan tsvangirai signed a power-sharing deal , but they have not formed a government of national unity . the agreement , brokered by former south african president thabo mbeki on behalf of southern african development community -lrb- sadc -rrb- , stalled as tsvangirai accused mugabe of grabbing all key ministries such as defense , information , foreign affairs , finance and home affairs . south african president kgalema motlanthe , chairman of the regional body sadc , is coming to zimbabwe monday with his predecessor , mbeki , and with mozambique leader armando guebuza to try to resolve the impasse . in an interview with cnn , chamisa said of monday 's planned meeting : `` we can not go into positions of authority without the attendant and consequent power to enable us to deliver on change , food and jobs . | <t> mdc decries mugabe move to allocate key ministries to his zanu-pf party . </t> <t> defense , justice , and media given to party , report says . </t> <t> mdc says move violates power-sharing agreement . </t> | fury as mugabe party gets key ministries<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- residents of a western pennsylvania neighborhood can return home sunday after a chemical leak forced them to evacuate the night before . hundreds of residents were forced to flee saturday after a chemical leak in petrolia , pennsylvania . authorities surveyed the neighborhood in petrolia and determined that no traces of the toxic chemical remained , said freda tarbell , spokeswoman for the pennsylvania department of environmental protection . a leak at the indspec chemical corp. plant in petrolia on saturday formed a cloud affecting at least 2,000 residents -- some of whom fled their homes . others huddled indoors with their windows shut , authorities said . three people were taken to hospitals , but officials could not immediately say why . watch why residents were asked to evacuate ''<doc-sep>it was not immediately clear how many people were injured , though plant manager dave dorko said all employees and inspectors at the plant were safe and accounted for . tarbell described the chemical as fuming sulfuric acid , which is also known as oleum . the plant uses the chemical during its production process , she said . the plant produces a chemical called resorcinol -- essentially a strong glue used in the tire industry . the leak affected between 2,000 and 2,500 residents , tarbell said . some stayed the night with friends and relatives and some sought refuge in shelters . others opted to stay indoors and `` shut their windows and doors to make sure the acid cloud was not entering their home , '' she said .<doc-sep>ed schrecengost , a former indspec employee , said firefighters showed up at his son 's wedding reception , urging the guests to leave . `` it 's about as dangerous as you can get , '' schrecengost told cnn affiliate wpxi . `` it 's a very fuming acid . a quart bottle of this material could fill a household in two seconds . '' dorko said the leak was caused by an overflow from a tank . the material , he said , evaporates easily , creating a toxic cloud . cnn 's saeed ahmed and janet digiacomo contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- residents of a western pennsylvania neighborhood can return home sunday after a chemical leak forced them to evacuate the night before . hundreds of residents were forced to flee saturday after a chemical leak in petrolia , pennsylvania . authorities surveyed the neighborhood in petrolia and determined that no traces of the toxic chemical remained , said freda tarbell , spokeswoman for the pennsylvania department of environmental protection . a leak at the indspec chemical corp. plant in petrolia on saturday formed a cloud affecting at least 2,000 residents -- some of whom fled their homes . others huddled indoors with their windows shut , authorities said . three people were taken to hospitals , but officials could not immediately say why . watch why residents were asked to evacuate '' it was not immediately clear how many people were injured , though plant manager dave dorko said all employees and inspectors at the plant were safe and accounted for . tarbell described the chemical as fuming sulfuric acid , which is also known as oleum . the plant uses the chemical during its production process , she said . the plant produces a chemical called resorcinol -- essentially a strong glue used in the tire industry . the leak affected between 2,000 and 2,500 residents , tarbell said . some stayed the night with friends and relatives and some sought refuge in shelters . others opted to stay indoors and `` shut their windows and doors to make sure the acid cloud was not entering their home , '' she said . ed schrecengost , a former indspec employee , said firefighters showed up at his son 's wedding reception , urging the guests to leave . `` it 's about as dangerous as you can get , '' schrecengost told cnn affiliate wpxi . `` it 's a very fuming acid . a quart bottle of this material could fill a household in two seconds . '' dorko said the leak was caused by an overflow from a tank . the material , he said , evaporates easily , creating a toxic cloud . cnn 's saeed ahmed and janet digiacomo contributed to this report .<doc-sep>two train cars leaked highly corrosive hydrochloric acid after the six-car train jumped the tracks saturday about 2:30 a.m. ct -lrb- 3:30 a.m. et -rrb- , according to police . the chemical spill caused a toxic cloud to form above the site . lafayette authorities evacuated about 3,500 homes and businesses -- including a nursing home -- within a mile of the derailment location . watch traffic detoured from cloud '' the red cross opened a shelter at carencro high school for residents to stay saturday night , while another 40 to 50 families were put up at hotel rooms , police said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a foul-smelling cloud wound its way through argentina 's capital thursday , but it was not toxic as initially feared , officials said . civil defense authorities in buenos aires advised residents to remain indoors with windows and doors shut as a cloud emanated from a container fire at the city 's port . the smelly cloud and reports that the burning container had chemicals inside caused alarm throughout the capital . but it was quickly determined that the fumes were not dangerous .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a toxic cloud that formed after 300 gallons of hydrochloric acid leaked at a southeast texas storage facility sent nine people to hospitals and forced thousands of residents indoors , an emergency management official said thursday . four firefighters were among those who were hospitalized for exposure after a tank ruptured at a storage facility near the port of texas city , bruce clawson of the local emergency management office said . more than 45,000 residents of texas city were ordered by emergency management officials to remain indoors , turn off air conditioning units and make sure all windows and doors were closed until the vapor cloud dissipated . | <t> new : environmental official says area surveyed , no traces of chemical remain . </t> <t> toxic cloud forms saturday after chemical leak at pennsylvania plant . </t> <t> three residents taken to hospital ; extent of injuries not known . </t> | toxic cloud passes , residents allowed home<T> |
new delhi , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police in india have charged 63 people with murder in the beating death of a company boss who fired them . labor minister oscar fernandes was criticized for saying chaudhary 's death was warning to management . the 63 were among 137 people police had rounded up by wednesday -- two days after a mob of fired employees attacked l.k. chaudhary , the chief executive of an italian car parts manufacturing company . the others were charged with disturbing the peace in the monday incident in noida , located in the outskirts of the capital new delhi . more arrests are likely , said r. k. chaturvedi , the senior superintendent of police in noida .<doc-sep>the former employees of graziano transmissioni had gone to meet with company management over their reinstatement , said noida police inspector manoj pathak . the meeting turned violent , and the mob attacked chaudhary with iron rods , pathak said . on tuesday , india 's labor minister , oscar fernandes , drew sharp criticism after he said chaudhary 's death should serve as a warning to management , according to cnn 's sister network in india , cnn-ibn . `` the workers should be dealt -lrb- with -rrb- with compassion and should not be pushed so hard that they resort to whatever that had happened in nodia '' cnn-ibn quoted fernandes as telling reporters .<doc-sep>the minister later apologized , telling cnn his comments had been taken out of context . he said the murder of the boss could never be justified . the italian embassy said the company had , for several months , been facing `` violent forms of protest by self-proclaimed workers ' representatives . '' `` the situation had been repeatedly brought to the attention of the competent indian authorities , both at central and local level , '' it said in a statement . business groups condemned the killing with the confederation of indian industry calling it `` tragic , unwanted and gory . ''<doc-sep>`` such instances of industrial violence can not be a solution to any problem and must not be tolerated , '' said salil singh , chairman of the group that promotes industrial growth . meanwhile , authorities sought to appease businesses that police were aggressively investigating the case . `` the legal course will be followed and all culprits brought to book , '' commerce minister kamal nath said . `` this stray tragic occurrence would not be allowed to mar india 's position as an investment-friendly destination . '' cnn 's harmeet shah singh contributed to this report .<doc-sep>new delhi , india -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police in india have charged 63 people with murder in the beating death of a company boss who fired them . labor minister oscar fernandes was criticized for saying chaudhary 's death was warning to management . the 63 were among 137 people police had rounded up by wednesday -- two days after a mob of fired employees attacked l.k. chaudhary , the chief executive of an italian car parts manufacturing company . the others were charged with disturbing the peace in the monday incident in noida , located in the outskirts of the capital new delhi . more arrests are likely , said r. k. chaturvedi , the senior superintendent of police in noida . the former employees of graziano transmissioni had gone to meet with company management over their reinstatement , said noida police inspector manoj pathak .<doc-sep>by . daily mail reporter . published : . 13:00 est , 10 april 2013 . | . updated : . 13:05 est , 10 april 2013 . a man who has been charged with killing his wife and adult son allegedly told police he stabbed them because he had slept with prostitutes and feared he 'd given his wife aids . eugene maraventano , 63 , told police he stabbed his wife , janet , with a 14-inch kitchen knife as she slept in their home in goodyear , arizona and then killed their son , bryan maraventano , 27 . maraventano told police that his wife , 63 , had become ill and they thought she might have cancer . but when the tests came back negative , he concluded she must have aids .<doc-sep>by . alasdair glennie . jeremy paxman has been scolded by the boss of radio 1 after claiming the station 's music made travelling in bbc lifts ` hell ' . the newsnight presenter was told he should ` take the stairs ' if he did not like tunes from the youth music station piped into elevators . in a terse email fired off by radio 1 controller ben cooper , the 63-year-old was also asked to keep his outspoken views under control . newsnight presenter jeremy paxman , who has been scolded by the boss of radio 1 after claiming that listening to the station 's music while he was in the lift was ` hell '<doc-sep>a husband and wife who are both lawyers have been charged with two brutal stabbings that occurred on sunday . andrew and alecia schmuhl are accused of driving to the home of her 61-year-old boss in the wealthy suburb of mclean , virginia , and stabbing him and his wife , also 61 . this after alecia was fired from her job as a corporate attorney at a nearby arlington law firm , bean , kinney & korman , where her boss leo fisher was a managing partner . scroll down for video . charged : andrew -lrb- left -rrb- and alecia schmuhl -lrb- right -rrb- have been charged with stabbing her boss and his wife after alecia was fired from her job . alecia 's boss leo fisher -lrb- pictured -rrb- and his wife susan have been identified as the victims . it is alleged that andrew knocked on the door of the $ 1 million home and began stabbing mr fisher , when he answered . then , when mr fisher 's wife susan , a lawyer herself , heard a commotion and came over to see what was happening , he stabbed her as well . mrs fisher was able to set off an alarm luckily , which sent the couple running . emergency responders who arrived at the home on the 900 block of spencer rd found the fishers suffering from stab wounds to their upper body , and the couple was rushed to inova fairfax hospital . | <t> police in india charge 63 people with murdering company boss who fired them . </t> <t> mob of fired employees attacked chief executive of italian car parts company . </t> <t> india 's labor minister apologizes for saying death is warning to management . </t> | 63 charged with killing boss who fired them<T> |
editor 's note : glenn beck is on cnn headline news nightly at 7 and 9 et and also is host of a conservative national radio talk show . glenn beck has some lines mccain can use in tonight 's speech to articulate his vision for change . new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- campaigns are ugly . watching the way politicians act makes you long for the respect and self-control of the sopranos . throughout , there are legitimate attacks and outright lies . every once in a while , i get a call on my radio show from someone telling me that barack obama is secretly a muslim , who admitted it in an interview with george stephanopoulos , and has a fake birth certificate . no , no , and no . as i tell them , there are legitimate reasons not to vote for barack obama , no need to make them up . but the newest target is sarah palin . let 's take a quick look at just a fraction of what she has faced in her first few days as john mccain 's choice for vice president . ireport.com : do you think palin is being treated unfairly ? `` sarah palin believes god told her to go to war with iraq ! '' there has been some hard-core journalistic malpractice on this one . the associated press ran this headline about a speech she gave at her church : `` palin : iraq war ' a task that is from god ' '' in the story , they omit the first part of the sentence they 're quoting along with the entire previous sentence for good measure .<doc-sep>here are her actual words : `` pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right . also , for this country , that our leaders , our national leaders , are sending them out on a task that is from god . that 's what we have to make sure that we 're praying for , that there is a plan and that that plan is god 's plan . '' palin is clearly praying that we 're doing the right thing in iraq , something sensible for an introspective woman of faith concerned about the lives of our troops to do . she 's not saying that she just received a text message from heaven 's blackberry ordering her to launch missiles . sorry to disappoint you . and for those of you who think politicians asking god for guidance is offensive , might i remind you of this famous politician 's prayer : . `` give me the wisdom to do what is right and just . and make me an instrument of your will . '' -- barack obama . `` she has no experience ! '' it 's fair to assume that barack obama believed he was qualified to be in the white house when he announced he was running for president . at that point , he had been a u.s. senator for 767 days . when sarah palin was announced as a vice presidential candidate , she had been the governor of alaska for 634 days . while i 'm sure those extra 133 days were filled with personal discovery , i ca n't imagine anyone seriously trying to make the case that obama is experienced and palin is n't . unless , of course , you 're matt damon , who said a palin presidency would be a really `` scary thing '' because she has been `` governor of alaska for ... for less than two years ! '' -lrb- damon originally expressed his presidential preference for obama in december 2006 , when he had been a senator for less than two years . -rrb- .<doc-sep>more importantly , palin 's career has been filled with executive experience . she 's the only one of the four in this race who has run a business , town , and/or state -lrb- a state that gives her crucial energy experience in the middle of an energy crisis -rrb- . when obama 's campaign complains that palin would be one heartbeat away from the presidency , they should consider that their candidate would be zero heartbeats away . `` but obama is running a huge campaign -- palin was just a small town mayor ! '' believe it or not , this one was actually trotted out by obama himself . `` my understanding is , is that gov. palin 's town of wasilla has , i think , 50 employees . we 've got 2,500 in this campaign . i think the budget is maybe $ 12 million a year . we have a budget of about three times that just for the month . '' apparently , barack missed that she 's become the governor of alaska in the interim . why would he compare his current duties with her former duties ? well , since he announced his candidacy , barack obama has raised about $ 22 million a month . that 's a large organization for sure , unless you are directly comparing it to sarah palin , who is handling state revenues that are about 61 times as large , or more than $ 1.3 billion per month . `` palin only supports abstinence to be taught in sex-ed ! ''<doc-sep>this claim is usually followed by a super classy comment about her daughter and the use of contraception , but the premise is false . palin has n't said she does n't want condoms discussed in sex-ed , calling their discussion `` relatively benign . '' `` i 'm pro-contraception , and i think kids who may not hear about it at home should hear about it in other avenues . so i am not anti-contraception . but , yeah , abstinence is another alternative that should be discussed with kids . i do n't have a problem with that , '' palin said . hers is hardly an extreme point of view in america today . `` if she cares about children with special needs , then why did she cut spending on them by 62 percent ? '' actually , palin almost tripled their funding in only three years from $ 26,900 per student to $ 73,840 per student . incidentally , the amount of government money you spend on a specific group does n't equal the amount you care for that group , but that 's another story for another column . all of these represent just a small percentage of the bizarre collection of claims being thrown at palin by her opponents and some in the media -- who are desperately hoping something will stick . i leave you with my favorite so far : the internet rumors that she harbors racism against eskimos . if true , she sure has a strange way of expressing it -- her husband , todd , is half yupik inuit eskimo . to balance that out , she must really love his other half . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .<doc-sep>by . associated press reporter . controversial conservative sarah palin has launched her own subscription-based online network in order to ` stay in contact ' with her supporters . and it only costs them $ 99.95 a year . the sarah palin channel , which went live on sunday , bills itself as a ` direct connection ' for the former alaska governor and gop vice presidential candidate with her supporters , bypassing ` media filters ' . palin says she oversees all content posted to the channel . this will include her own political commentary . ` tired of media filters ? well , so am i ! ' the former alaska governor says on the first video posted to sarahpalinchannel.com . scroll down for video . new vision : sarah palin announced sunday that she has launched a ` rogue ' internet channel , for which she serves as executive editor .<doc-sep>sarah palin , the tea-party-darling former alaska governor who ran for vice president in 2008 , is leaving the door open for a presidential run in 2016 , but mostly hawking a soon-to-premiere tv show . as the final speaker at the conservative political action conference near washington , palin praised conservative leaders and trashed president barack obama , including a political smack-fest hidden in a dr. seuss-style children 's rhyme . ' i do not like this , uncle sam . i do not like his health care scam , ' she recited in a sing-song voice . ' i do not like these dirty crooks , or how they lie and cook the books . i do not like when congress steals . i do not like their crony deals . i do not like this spying , man . i do not like `` oh , yes we can . '' ' the effort won her cheers of ` run , sarah , run ! ' from some of the more than 1,000 activists who stayed at the cpac event until the bitter end . scroll down for video . palin pontificating : conservative pundit , television personality and former vice presidential candidate sarah palin speaks during the 41st annual conservative political action conference at the gaylord international hotel and conference center on march 8 . anti affordable healthcare : palin uses children 's rhymes to get her points across to her audience . palin was reprising an event from a . quasi-filibuster staged last year by texas sen. ted cruz , an . extended-play effort to tie obamacare 's defunding to avoiding a partial . government shutdown . at one point cruz read ` green eggs and ham ' to his . children over live television at their bedtime . palin . fed red meat to her fans , insisting that ` hope & change , ' and ` yes . we can ' has become ` no you ca n't ' under president obama . ` no you ca n't log on to the website , no you ca n't keep your health . care , no you ca n't make a phone call without michelle obama knowing , ' she jabbed . in between . snipes at the president 's ` dopey wobbling on the world stage ' and his . pledge that he had al-qaeda on the run -- ` yea , possibly toward us , ' she .<doc-sep>those cameras and bullhorns and journalists were there . palin had just arrived from new jersey , where she had endorsed the hopeless tea party candidacy of steve lonegan , who lost , soundly , but not without sarah getting tv time in new york . in business school , they teach `` know your customer . '' palin might have attended that class because she is promising to help tea party candidates unseat gop u.s. senators in south carolina , kentucky , mississippi and tennessee in 2014 . the sarah promoting sarah tour begins , however , several months ahead at the iowa faith and freedom foundation dinner on november 9 . in what is almost certainly a coincidence of timing , just three days later , palin 's new book goes on sale for the holidays . she has not written about the constitution or her understanding of paul revere in the revolutionary war ; palin , instead , is doing the much more challenging work of preventing further harm to christmas . `` good tidings and great joy : protecting the heart of christmas , '' can already be pre-ordered . get yours now . or just send a check to palin . she might not understand politics or policy , but palin knows money . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of james c. moore .<doc-sep>sure , her supporters will say she 's talked to the `` media . '' she was questioned by laura ingraham , rush limbaugh and that self-described journalist -- yes , he really called himself that -- fox 's sean hannity . palin has done interviews with abc 's charlie gibson and cbs 's katie couric , and local tv folks . but why is she so scared of nbc 's brian williams ? and why is she so fearful of cnn ? does she somehow think that our big guns like wolf blitzer , anderson cooper and campbell brown are just too tough in asking questions ? my goodness , tina fey has actually done more interviews about playing sarah palin than sarah palin has done about being sarah palin ! hmmm . mccain , sen. joe biden , barack and michelle obama , sen. hillary clinton , cindy mccain and even mccain 's 95-year-old momma and palin 's daddy have all done interviews with cnn , sharing their thoughts on the campaign . but palin ? not a whisper . it 's clear that palin really is n't a true frontier woman . see , when you tote a gun , carry a big stick and spit fire , you are n't afraid to take on all comers . so , sarah , if you want to talk big on the campaign trail to those audiences that do n't talk back , go right ahead . but if you truly are the maverick politician you say you are , come on and talk to us soft , coddled , elitist journalists . surely we are n't as tough as the moose you like to take down with your second amendment-protected hunting rifle . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer . | <t> glenn beck : many of the things you 've heard about sarah palin are n't true . </t> <t> beck : she did n't say the iraq war is a task from god . </t> <t> palin has substantial executive experience in several jobs , beck says . </t> <t> beck : she does n't oppose teaching contraception in sex-ed classes . </t> | commentary : the sarah palin smear-fest<T> |
houston , texas -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- even with hurricane ike more than 100 miles away , authorities began rescue efforts friday , picking up more than 120 people stranded by rising seas along the southeast texas coast . the u.s. coast guard rescues a person trapped in a car on friday as hurricane ike hits texas . most of the rescues occurred in galveston county , where rising water and other effects of the storm began hours before expected landfall early saturday . stranded residents have been airlifted from crystal beach , bolivar peninsula and other communities in the galveston area . many of those rescued were motorists stranded on flooded roads . in surfside beach , police waded through chest-high rushing water to rescue five people trapped in their homes . one man refused to leave , said surfside beach police chief randy smith . watch rescuers save a motorist from floods '' `` some of them took convincing , some of them did n't , '' he said . police also rescued another five people who waded out to meet the officers . about half of those rescues were done by helicopters out of several bases along the coast , said coast guard petty officer david schulein . three hh-65c helicopters from coast guard air station houston rescued more than 20 people and were continuing to fly round-the-clock rescue missions until weather grounds them , said petty officer renee aiello , a station spokeswoman . the coast guard helicopters from air station houston could make their last flights friday afternoon as rain starts to move in , aiello said . watch ike begin to spill water into texas '' `` we 'll be out as long as the weather permits us , '' she said . `` we 're still working . '' some 37,000 people may need to be rescued after hurricane ike strikes , a u.s. military official said friday .<doc-sep>texas already has asked for help , and the active-duty military has 42 search-and-rescue helicopters on standby , the official said . ireport.com : commander briefs coast guard crews . meanwhile , the coast guard and air force were unable to rescue 22 people aboard a freighter adrift in the gulf of mexico because of weather , the two military branches said friday . `` weather on scene deteriorated to a point that made the rescue impossible , '' the coast guard said in a statement issued friday . first lt. lauren johnson , an air force spokeswoman , confirmed the report . aircraft were used in the effort , a spokeswoman for the u.s. coast guard said . coast guard officials had said earlier they thought the best way to help the 584-foot freighter might be to let the storm push it to shallow water where it can drop anchor . watch the captain of the freighter talk with cnn '' the freighter had been headed south from port arthur , texas , and is loaded with petroleum coke -- a petroleum byproduct . the coast guard said in a news release it received a distress call around 4 a.m. from the antalina , a cypriot-flagged freighter . it said the vessel had `` lost main propulsion 90 miles southeast of galveston '' and was unable to steer . coast guard capt. bill diehl said the freighter had been `` in the direct line of the path of the storm and lost its engines . '' he said the coast guard is keeping radio communications with the freighter , and its news release said the coast guard is in hourly contact with the crew . there had been warnings for residents to evacuate beforehand , and chief petty officer michael o'berry , interviewed by cnn , was asked why they did n't get out in time . watch last-minute evacuees explain their change of heart '' he said he thinks the residents `` did n't understand , i guess , the strength of the storm . as it came about , they realized it 's a lot stronger than they may have anticipated . '' cnn 's mike ahlers , jeanne meserve and barbara starr contributed to this report .<doc-sep>this is the dramatic moment a three-month-old baby is rescued from heavy flooding that has so far killed at least 40 people in the balkans . members of the slovenian military winched the baby into a helicopter as floodwater ravaged the northern bosnian town of šamac on saturday . the rescue was part of a wider mission to deliver food and equipment to people affected by floods in the region . the slovenian armed forces helped 52 people to evacuate the severely flooded area during the mission . warning graphic content . scroll down for video . rescued : a three-month-old baby is winched into a helicopter by a member of the slovenian military as floodwater ravages the bosnian town of samac . bosnia 's government says more than one . million people have been affected by the flooding and landslides after . days of the heaviest rainfall recorded in the balkans since records . began 120 years ago . the . video emerged as authorities warned of a new threat of disease from the . corpses of thousands of tonnes of livestock which drowned in the floods . with the rainfall stopping and temperatures rising , the withdrawing floodwaters revealed a harrowing sight : thousands of dead cows , pigs , sheep , dogs and other animals that were left behind after their panicked owners fled rapidly advancing torrents . ` there are tons of dead animals that we must dispose of , ' serbian prime minister aleksandar vucic told a government meeting tuesday . the rescue was part of a wider mission by the slovenian military to deliver food and equipment to people affected by floods in the region . the slovenian armed forces helped 52 people to evacuate the severely flooded area during the mission . one farm near the northern bosnian town of samac reported losing 450 of its 500 cows . authorities are also warning that many . of the more than 100,000 remaining landmines dotted across bosnia have . been dislodged by heavy rain , flood waters and hundreds of landslides , . shifting beyond their markers . mine . removal experts estimate that more than 120,000 landmines remain . planted across bosnia , the legacy of a war that killed 100,000 people .<doc-sep>two stranded russian brown bears were dramatically rescued from rising flood waters after emergency services scrambled helicopters to airlift them to safety . the bears were stuck in cages and could not escape the floods , which are the worst the country 's far east has seen in 120 years . russia 's emergencies ministry launched a pair of helicopters on saturday to rescue the bears from the flooded region near blagoveschensk . the animals were found by rescue workers at a tourist camp base where they were being kept in cages . they had been bought several years ago from a zoo in ivanovo . helicopters winched the cages from the site and delivered them to higher ground . both the amur .<doc-sep>the storm caused the largest power outage in kentucky 's history , with more than 607,000 customers out of power . watch residents of grayson county , kentucky , try to cope with outage '' but melnykovych said that while the state is saying 607,000 customers have lost power , he thinks the number is closer to 650,000 because the state figure comes only from utilities it regulates . when hurricane ike hit in september , 600,000 customers lost power . melnykovych said the temperature was around 75 degrees and power outages were more of an `` inconvenience than a life-threatening situation . '' ireport.com : send your wintry weather photos , videos . `` hurricane ike did n't have this kind of impact , '' he said . of the state 's 120 counties , 78 have declared emergencies . so have 47 cities , the governor 's office said . at least 113 emergency shelters have been opened . jewel tomes , who lives in leitchfield , took shelter at a high school after a complex for the elderly lost power and was `` thrilled to have a place to come to . '' `` the high school here was generous , and more than 500 people have been sheltered here , and we have had cots and blankets and three meals a day . and we had medication , '' she said . around 93,000 customers on 55 water systems remain without access to water because of outages and storm damage . photos of storm 's impact '' crews across the state were working to clear roads of snow , ice and trees . a key concern is getting generators to water treatment facilities because of the large number of people without water .<doc-sep>on sunday , president bush declared a state of emergency in florida . the hurricane 's outer bands could start affecting the florida keys by monday afternoon . watch floridians react to the threat of ike '' evacuations began in the lower florida keys and key west at 8 a.m. residents of the upper keys and mainland monroe county began evacuating at 4 p.m. keys residents can evacuate their pets to a shelter at florida international university as long as the pet is properly caged , monroe county emergency management director irene toner said in a statement . watch residents prepare to evacuate '' about 15,000 tourists left the area saturday as a hurricane watch was issued for the florida keys from ocean reef southward , key west mayor morgan mcpherson said . ireport.com : fleeing the keys as ike nears . `` we understand the inconvenience to the residents , to the tourists , to the businesses , '' monroe county administrator roman gastesi said . `` but this one is just too close , folks . it 's just too close to say , ` bunker down and we 'll be ok . ' '' at 11 p.m. et , ike had sustained winds near 120 mph -lrb- 195 kph -rrb- , with higher gusts . it was located about 135 miles -lrb- 100 km -rrb- west of cabo lucrecia , cuba . the storm was moving westward at about 13 mph -lrb- 20 kph -rrb- , and forecasters expect it continue on that track and turn west-northwest monday . ike has raised fears about flooding , as rain from tropical storm hanna saturated the ground when it struck last week , he said . the hurricane 's eye never touched haiti . but the storm system did bring heavy rains and winds . | <t> new : coast guard helicopters airlift stranded residents from galveston area . </t> <t> new : many of those rescued were motorists stranded on flooded roads . </t> <t> coast guard , air force unable to rescue 22 people stranded on freighter . </t> <t> active-duty military has 42 search-and-rescue helicopters on standby . </t> | more than 120 rescued from ike 's floods<T> |
san francisco , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a wildfire threatened to decimate historic angel island , the largest in the san francisco bay , and a marin county fire official warned it could take up to four days contain the blaze . at 9:15 p.m. sunday the fire was burning only on the southeast side of the island . the fire , which began about 9 p.m. sunday , had consumed about 250 acres of vegetation near the top of mount livermore 's 788-foot peak , battalion chief mike giannini said monday . ireporter bob austrian , 45 , of tiburon , said he could see the blaze from his home about 4 or 5 miles from the island . he noticed the blaze at 9:15 p.m. sunday . it `` started as a little red glow '' on the southeast side of the island and worked its way over the top and around the side of mount livermore , he said early monday morning . watch the island burn ''<doc-sep>`` it 's still ripping right now , '' austrian said at 5 a.m. , noting that the blaze posed `` quite a spectacle '' with the town of belvedere in the foreground and the bay bridge that connects oakland and san francisco serving as a backdrop . fire crews and equipment were being ferried to the island to battle the blaze , giannini said . about 200 firefighters were already involved in the effort or en route , he said . none of the blaze is contained , and giannini said he expects the firefighting effort to last for three to four more days . austrian , who has visited the island at least a dozen times , said he 's concerned that firefighters wo n't be able to douse the blaze . the island is mostly vegetation with a few historic buildings , foot trails and access roads . ireport.com : see , share images of the blaze . even with the necessary manpower and firefighting resources , he said , it will be difficult to reach the actual blaze .<doc-sep>`` it 's just the saddest thing because there 's no way to stop it , '' austrian said . fire officials said earlier that all of the park workers and campers on the island were safe . angel island -- a hilly grass - and forest-covered island -- is the largest in san francisco bay . the island was used as a quarantine station for immigrants suspected of carrying diseases starting in the late 19th century . it 's now a place for hiking , biking , camping and boating .<doc-sep>the larger of the two fires has charred more than 3,500 acres in the angeles national forest , officials said . see video of the angeles national forest fire '' that fire destroyed several structures , including about 30 mobile homes in the lopez canyon area , said los angeles county fire inspector sam padilla . the mobile homes had been evacuated sunday . the other fire , burning nearby , is expected to expand as the winds push the flames away from the center . in san diego county , a wildfire that began on an explosives training range at camp pendleton had grown to more than 1,500 acres by nightfall and forced the evacuation of 1,400 homes , the ap reported . in northern california , a wildfire that started sunday on angel island in san francisco bay had spread across 250 acres as of monday morning but had n't damaged any buildings in the historic state park , a marin county fire official said . see video of the angel island fire ''<doc-sep>a portion of state route 118 , known as the ronald reagan freeway , also was closed . the larger of the two fires has charred more than 3,500 acres in the angeles national forest , officials said . see video of the angeles national forest fire '' that fire destroyed several structures , including about 30 mobile homes in the lopez canyon area , said los angeles county fire inspector sam padilla . the mobile homes had been evacuated sunday . the other fire , burning nearby , is expected to expand as the winds push the flames away from the center . in san diego county , a wildfire that began on an explosives training range at camp pendleton had grown to more than 1,500 acres by nightfall and forced the evacuation of 1,400 homes , the ap reported . in northern california , a wildfire that started sunday on angel island in san francisco bay had spread across 250 acres as of monday morning but had n't damaged any buildings in the historic state park , a marin county fire official said . see video of the angel island fire ''<doc-sep>the trouble with paradise , say some , is that there is nothing to do . but they miss the point . the maldives is a disneyland for adults . palm trees and pale powder beaches , a translucent , turquoise sea full of fish with names like parrot , surgeon and emperor angel , and the scent of bougainvillea , hibiscus and frangipani everywhere . it 's pure castaway , only with air-con , wi-fi and your very own man friday . there are around a hundred resorts , each on its own island , and what sets each apart is not geography but style and service . four seasons has the answer for anyone who fears that they will get bored staying on one small island - a few nights each at kuda huraa and landaa giraavaru , punctuated by a stay on explorer , a luxury three-deck cruiser . the sandbank dinner is part of the itinerary for the boat stay , although it wo n't appear in the brochure . the secret is part of the surprise . we spent one night on the boat travelling between resorts . i rose at 6am from my queen-sized bed in the cream-carpeted cabin for a sunrise snorkel with the resident marine biologist . soon we were swimming among hundreds of yellow and blue striped sweetlip and an army of fusiliers . the biologist pointed to the cornets , easy to spot with their long and skinny bodies , and the butterflies , brown and white with a long nose , and she enlightened me on the difference between an emperor angel fish , left , and damsel angel .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a massive landslide in washington has destroyed one home and threatens more than a dozen others , an official and cnn affiliates in the seattle area reported wednesday . one home has only about 10 feet of its backyard left after the slide on whidbey island , north of seattle , cnn affiliate kiro reported . that home 's resident was able to escape , said ed hartin , fire chief at central whidbey island fire and rescue . no injuries have been reported . the landslide cut access to 17 homes , and residents have been taken out by boat , hartin said . others area homes also were evacuated . | <t> blaze not contained , firefighting efforts could last four days , official says . </t> <t> ireporter : `` it 's just the saddest thing because there 's no way to stop it '' </t> <t> blaze burning vegetation near the top of mount livermore 's 788-foot peak . </t> <t> all park workers , campers are safe , fire official says . </t> | tiburon resident : angel island fire ` still ripping '<T> |
los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- los angeles fire officials say they 're worried that nighttime winds could push two major wildfires , which already are blamed in two deaths , closer to pricey neighborhoods on the pacific coast . fire draws near homes in the los angeles-area community of porter ranch , california , on monday . `` we are concerned about what will happen tonight when the winds pick up , '' los angeles fire chief douglas barry said monday . california gov. arnold schwarzenegger monday declared a state of emergency monday in los angeles and ventura counties because of the fires . democratic rep. brad sherman , whose district covers the area where the fire is burning , called on president bush to issue a federal disaster declaration for the area . at least two people have died because of the blazes , which have burned 8,000 acres in the hills and mountains of los angeles and ventura counties , fire and police officials said .<doc-sep>one was identified as a man who died in a makeshift wood-and-cardboard shelter and appeared to be homeless . a dog 's body also was found . the other victim was killed in a collision of motorists who were trying to exit a freeway that was closed because of one of the wildfires , a fire official said . no identity or age was available for either victim . `` winds are causing fire conditions to change by the hour , '' schwarzenegger said in a statement released monday . `` several thousand acres have already burned with minimal containment and more acres are threatened . '' ireport.com : are wildfires affecting you ? residents downwind were warned to remain alert into the night . `` it can go from here to the ocean in a matter of two to three hours , '' said los angeles county supervisor zev yaroslavsky , the associated press reported .<doc-sep>barry said investigators have not determined a cause for either blaze . fire officials warned that strong winds , predicted to reach more than 60 mph after 11 p.m. , could send fire roaring south down the pacific coast near highway 101 . officials have shut two freeways north of los angeles and authorities dispatched water-dropping helicopters and more than 200 fire engines as the blaze `` started to push toward the city , '' said john tripp of the los angeles county fire department . about 350 police officers are on the scene , patrolling evacuated neighborhoods and warning residents ahead of the flames . officials shut down part of interstate 210 , also known as the foothill freeway , and any residents north of the freeway were under a mandatory evacuation order . the fire jumped the interstate in one spot and headed toward the lake view terrace area . a portion of state route 118 , known as the ronald reagan freeway , also was closed .<doc-sep>the larger of the two fires has charred more than 3,500 acres in the angeles national forest , officials said . see video of the angeles national forest fire '' that fire destroyed several structures , including about 30 mobile homes in the lopez canyon area , said los angeles county fire inspector sam padilla . the mobile homes had been evacuated sunday . the other fire , burning nearby , is expected to expand as the winds push the flames away from the center . in san diego county , a wildfire that began on an explosives training range at camp pendleton had grown to more than 1,500 acres by nightfall and forced the evacuation of 1,400 homes , the ap reported . in northern california , a wildfire that started sunday on angel island in san francisco bay had spread across 250 acres as of monday morning but had n't damaged any buildings in the historic state park , a marin county fire official said . see video of the angel island fire ''<doc-sep>`` it will be a while before these people will come back . when they do come back , unfortunately they 'll have this pretty much to look at , '' he said wednesday . watch rowlands describe a major battle with the flames '' about 500 homes were lost in the mountainous region in san bernardino county east of los angeles . see photos of the fires '' `` yesterday we could n't be here , because just this little flame and smoldering pieces of wood would be thrown by the intense winds . ... now you can see the flames just basically burning themselves out , '' said rowlands . the fires have already destroyed 1,664 structures -- including 1,436 homes -- and they still threaten 25,000 more , schwarzenegger said wednesday . the blazes have killed three people and left 40 hurt , he said . the governor will fly over the area thursday with president bush , who signed a major disaster declaration wednesday . watch bush emphasize the need to be responsive '' it 'll speed federal dollars to people whose property losses are n't covered by insurance and will help local and state agencies pay for the emergency response . the cost of homes destroyed by the wildfires is likely to top $ 1 billion in san diego county alone , an emergency official said . federal help keeps arriving as officials promise a response based on lessons learned from hurricane katrina . people left homeless by the fires can go online to apply for federal help at fema.gov , he said . there were 76,000 people staying in the 42 shelters opened in san diego county wednesday morning , according to san diego emergency spokeswoman lynda pfieffer . qualcomm stadium -- home to the nfl 's san diego chargers -- housed 11,000 evacuees at the peak of the disaster , but that number dropped to 5,000 wednesday morning . watch how evacuees are being taken care of at the stadium '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's kate bolduan contributed to this report .<doc-sep>fire officials could n't say whether the rash of fires was the work of a copycat as there was a series of other arson fires early thursday , also in hollywood . two people have been arrested and remain in custody for those blazes , officials said . scary : there were no civilian injuries but one city fireman was treated and released from a hospital after a fall while battling one blaze . emergency : it was the second day of arson fires locally after two people were arrested on thursday following a spate of similar car and rubbish fires . burnt out : los angeles fire officials say they do not yet have any suspect description . ` it was a long , tough night ' l.a. county fire spokesman . samuel arrington , 22 , of sunland , l.a. , was arrested along with another person on thursday when a shop worker allegedly saw him trying to cause damage . ` we have so many that are going around hitting occupancies just like this , carports with residents above , ' an l.a. city fire spokesman told kabc . hollywood is served by the l.a. city police and fire departments . but the fire and sheriff 's departments of l.a. county serve west hollywood . see video here .<doc-sep>of san diego county 's 10 major fires , the witch fire in the north , which has grown to 200,000 acres , is the priority because of its significant threat to structures , said ron lane , the county 's director of emergency services . the harris fire had burned more than 70,000 acres by mid-morning . in northern los angeles county , the ranch , buckweed , and magic fires have charred more than 93,000 acres and fire officials fear they could merge . `` we want to keep these fires as small as we can , '' said capt. barry parker of the ventura county fire department . the 54,500-acre ranch fire was only two miles away from the 1,200-acre magic fire . the blazes are straddling the l.a.-ventura county line . asked if he had enough resources , parker said , `` we truly do n't . '' `` we 're using a limited amount of resources to go in and fight these fires , '' he said . `` we 've got about 600 people on the ranch fire ; we normally would have about 1,500 . `` so we have to be absolutely surgical in how we plan and how we tactically use our fire equipment because we just simply do n't have enough fire engines in the state of california to battle these blazes . '' in san diego county , a utility spokesman said a 500,000-volt transmission line was damaged when the harris fire expanded , and it will be out of service until at least wednesday . other transmission lines have been destroyed . sanders said mexico 's federal electrical commission was providing power to the area 's grid to help make up for the losses . california also received extensive offers of manpower and equipment from the military . a total of 550 marines were ready for deployment from camp pendleton , north of san diego , and 67 defense department employees -- 12 firefighting teams -- already were engaged . eleven defense department helicopters equipped with water buckets and more than 17,000 national guardsmen were available , along with six c-130 aircraft able to drop water and flame retardant on the flames . but aerial attacks on the fires have been limited by the fierce santa ana winds . the red cross and other groups also were in the wings . they and some other groups were waiting for the flames to die down before bringing in their volunteers . the red cross has set up 11 shelters in the area and housed 3,000 people monday night . more were expected tuesday . a firefighter at rancho bernardo in san diego county showed distress . `` every one of us out here feels like these homes are our own . we know what it 's like to see people 's faces when they 've lost everything . it 's devastating to see so much of this all at once . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's thelma gutierrez and dan simon contributed to this report .<doc-sep>blue mountains , australia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- more than 70 wildfires -- including 29 that are uncontained -- are raging across a wide swath of australia 's most populous state , now threatening the western suburbs of sydney , authorities said wednesday . `` it 's only a matter of hours before we see a flare-up in fire activity and a breach of these tenuous containment strategies , '' said shane fitzsimmons , rural fire service -lrb- rfs -rrb- commissioner , in sydney earlier in the day . the wildfires stretch along a nearly 1,000-mile line in new south wales , from the far north of the state south of brisbane -- which lies just across the queensland border -- to east of canberra , the country 's federal capital . fires in the blue mountain range west of sydney are a particular worry as rough terrain has impeded firefighting efforts . `` if our strategies do n't work and weather materializes tomorrow that is forecast ... it could be absolutely devastating , '' said rural fire service -lrb- rfs -rrb- deputy commissioner rob rogers in new south wales on tuesday . `` we lost a couple hundred homes the other day -- we could get worse losses than that . '' wednesday is expected to be `` about as bad as it gets , '' added fitzsimmons . with high temperatures , low humidity and strong winds forecast , fire officials have urged residents to evacuate from the path of the fires . `` on days like today , minutes really matter , '' fitzsimmons said . at least one death has been reported . a 63-year-old man died of a suspected heart attack friday while defending his home against a blaze on the new south wales central coast , the australian broadcasting corporation , or abc , reported . ` eerie ' skies over city of sydney . some urban areas that border the australian bush have been devastated by the fires , which have destroyed more than 200 homes in the blue mountains region since thursday . scores of fires now have burned 25,800 hectares -lrb- 310,859 acres -rrb- -- an area greater than the size of los angeles . on tuesday , officials said they were bringing in 1,500 firefighters to join the more than 1,000 emergency crews already on the ground . at blue gum forest inside the blue mountains national park , firefighters were doing controlled burns -- setting fires in the bush ahead of the frontline of the blazes to eliminate tinder and slow the progress of the fires . instead of cloud-shrouded mountaintops , the valleys of the region were covered with a dense layer of smoke . fears are still high that fires could join to form a `` mega-fire '' and endanger heavily populated areas of this popular natural retreat west of sydney . most of the firefighters in the area were volunteers who 've left their ordinary jobs to put out the fire , pouring in from different parts of australia . `` there 's a sense of community , doing what they can -- you can get a sense of resilience , strength , and a deep sense of pride of each brigade pulling their weight , '' said cnn 's robyn curnow , reporting from the blue mountains . the state of emergency issued by authorities gives firefighters and police the authority to carry out measures such as cutting off water , power and gas and ordering mandatory evacuations of areas at risk . a total fire ban is in place for the greater sydney region until further notice , officials have said , meaning no fire may be lit in the open , and all fire permits are suspended . the fires have spread a cloak of smog over sydney in recent days . the bush fires in the area spread out of control thursday amid high temperatures and powerful winds . emergency officials said the region is emerging from a very dry winter and has had little rain in recent months . the causes of the blue mountains fires are still under investigation -- officials are looking into whether one major blaze was caused by a military training exercise . police said monday they had arrested two boys , age 11 and 15 , over two earlier bush fires in the port stephens area , more than 100 kilometers -lrb- 60 miles -rrb- north of sydney , that began october 13 . one of the fires they are accused of starting burned more than 5,000 hectares -lrb- 12,000 acres -rrb- in the surrounding area . the 11-year-old has been placed under house arrest , charged with two counts of intentionally causing fire and being reckless as to its spread , nsw police force said . the child is scheduled to appear in court next month where he is expected to plead not guilty to the charges , cnn affiliate sky news reports . cnn 's madison park and jethro mullen contributed to this story . | <t> new : california gov. arnold schwarzenegger monday declares a state of emergency . </t> <t> new : officials warn fire could possibly reach ocean in matter of hours . </t> <t> winds could push fires to pricey neighborhoods near coast , officials say . </t> <t> two deaths are connected to fires in los angeles , ventura counties , officials say . </t> | winds a major worry in l.a. fires ⁇ governor declares emergency<T> |
-lrb- oprah.com -rrb- -- oprah has always said that mothers have the most difficult job on earth , and actress jenny mccarthy is one mom who has never backed down from a challenge . doctors removed monica 's uterus , ovaries , gallbladder and part of her colon , along with her legs and arms . jenny has been an outspoken advocate for parents of children with autism since her son was diagnosed with the disease two and a half years ago . in her new book , `` mother warriors , '' jenny tells the story of other moms fighting for their special-needs kids . so when oprah heard about monica , another mom fighting for her children , she thought jenny would be just the person to get this mother warrior 's story . after going through a painful divorce , monica met tony when she least expected it . monica already had a 9-year-old daughter , but soon after she and tony got engaged , they were thrilled to be expecting another bundle of joy . in august 2007 , she had a c-section , and though she worried about complications , monica delivered a healthy baby girl . but hours after sofia was born , monica began running a fever . no one was concerned at first -- monica figured it was just hormones -- but three days later the fever had n't broken , and monica 's abdomen was swollen and painful . ireport.com : what do you think about this story ? sound off on video . the doctors at monica 's hospital thought she might be infected with a deadly strain of bacteria . they flew her to a hospital in boston where she was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis , also known as flesh-eating bacteria . defying the odds , monica survived , but many of her organs did n't . the doctors removed monica 's uterus , ovaries , gallbladder and part of her colon that same day . within four weeks , monica 's infection had restricted the blood flow to her arms and legs . her nurses cleaned her limbs every day , and she knew they were trying to keep her from seeing the damage . but monica wanted to face the disease head on . `` i needed to know what i was up against . i did n't want to be shielded anymore , '' monica says . eventually , doctors told monica they had to amputate both arms and both legs . the surgery sounded scary , but monica was determined to put it behind her and get back to her daughters . `` i was frightened at first , but when they told me -lsb- my arms and legs -rsb- had to be amputated , it was : ` do it . i 've got to go home , ' '' monica says . '' -lsb- i thought , -rsb- ' i have a life to live and it 's not here , and until you amputate , i ca n't move forward . ' '' after her amputation , monica spent two months in the hospital , where she underwent a total of 37 surgeries . as monica grew stronger , tony realized there was no reason to postpone their wedding any longer -- they got married in the hospital chapel in october , 2007 . monica spent the next two months going through grueling rehabilitation . `` she 's a fighter , '' tony says . `` if they told her two hours of physical therapy a day , she 'd ask to double it up to four . she wanted to come home as soon as possible . they did n't think she 'd ever walk again , but she made it happen . '' right before christmas , monica got what she 'd been waiting for . she was given the okay to go home to her husband and two daughters . a year later , jenny visited monica and her family at their home outside boston , massachusetts . `` i had a big aha ! moment after spending six hours with her . monica accepted what is . she looked down and said : ` okay , this is the situation . i ca n't change this , so i might as well surrender to it , ' '' jenny says . `` when she does that , she is able to move forward in peace . '' oprah.com : jenny mccarthy answers parenting questions .<doc-sep>nurses and doctors say they expected a `` why me ? '' breakdown from monica while she was in the hospital , but it never happened . `` i did have moments of ` if god just left me one arm or one leg , life would be a little bit easier , ' but that 's not the way it went , '' monica says . `` you make do with what you have . i could still love my girls . the bottom line was i am still here . '' monica 's not the only warrior in this family . jenny calls tony a daddy warrior because he always stood by monica and their family . `` i actually considered not marrying him because i was n't the person he agreed to marry , '' monica says . `` but then i realized he loves me . he 's here , and he 's my heart . i 'm still a woman , and i still have a heart and a mind , regardless of whether i have arms or legs . '' tony says that there was never even a moment when he considered leaving monica . `` she was the same person inside , so nothing had changed , '' he says . `` at one point , they went to bring in a preacher to give her last rights , and i turned him away and said : ` no , she 's got a lot to fight for . she 's not going anywhere , she 'll be here for our family . ' and she was . she is . '' monica 's family has been there for her too . when 9-year-old madalyn found out about the surgeries , she took the news well . `` she 'd been watching ` dancing with the stars , ' and heather mills was on , '' monica says . `` i told her , ` well , i wo n't be doing back flips . ' but she was excited and said , ` you can be bionic mom . ' '' at monica 's house , she and jenny had a mom-to-mom chat about the issues that mother warriors face . `` within the autism community , one of the things that we , as mothers , miss so much is being able to caress our children , because they do n't want to be touched , '' jenny says . `` do you experience that ? '' monica says she has similar moments of sadness . `` for a while , i really could n't lift sofia up , '' she says . `` i could hug madalyn and have her hug me back , so that was good , but i miss being able to braid her hair , paint her fingernails , toenails -- the things that moms and daughters do . '' all mothers face frustrations , but monica 's come with tasks that used to be simple . `` i get frustrated about not being to do everything that i used to do , '' she says . `` everything is different -- things as simple as picking up a pen or signing a paper for madalyn at school . '' monica has n't let any of these obstacles stop her from living her life to the fullest . she does everything a mom would do , including paying the bills , which can take her up to three hours . `` it 's the ultimate practice in patience , '' jenny says . oprah.com : meet more inspirational moms ! `` what good are you to your children if you 're miserable ? what are you teaching them ? that you give up ? that 's not what i want to teach my kids , '' monica says . `` i want my girls to know that their mother 's a fighter . '' monica 's been adjusting to her new life for a little over a year , and she says her strength comes from her support system -- from family and friends to people at the hospital and rehab facility . there are more surgeries to come , she says , but she 's taking it one day at a time . `` i 've come to the realization that things are as they are , and you have to move forward . life goes on , '' she says . `` there 's no sense dwelling on it -- that just hurts too much and you do n't live your life the way you want to . and with a wonderful husband and two great girls , life is fun . '' from `` the oprah winfrey show , '' `` actress jenny mccarthy : warrior moms '' subscribe to o , the oprah magazine for up to 75 % off the newsstand price . that 's like getting 18 issues free . subscribe now ! tm & © 2008 harpo productions , inc. . all rights reserved .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- the centers for disease control is raising a red flag that a potentially deadly bacteria may be lurking in your doctor 's office . the bacteria , c. difficile , is typically found in hospitals , but a study out wednesday reports a substantial number of people contracted the bug who had n't been in a hospital , but had recently visited the doctor or dentist . the bacteria can cause deadly diarrhea , according to the cdc , with infections on the rise . the new report shows nearly half a million americans infected in various locations in one year , with 15,000 deaths directly attributed to c. diff .<doc-sep>by . phil vinter . published : . 05:18 est , 14 june 2012 . | . updated : . 10:32 est , 14 june 2012 . tragic : pastor linda snyder , of sacramento 's united methodist church , died tuesday from complications from necrotizing fasciitis . a long-serving and well-loved pastor has been killed by a flesh-eating bacteria infection that has already left five others seriously ill . linda snyder , from sacramento , who is a preacher at city 's united methodist church , died this morning following a six-month battle with the deadly germ called necrotizing-fasciitis . she was the sixth person to have developed a flesh-eating infection over the course of the last two months . at the beginning of june south carolina . grandmother louise thompson underwent emergency surgery to remove . infected flesh from her leg and was in a coma for five days . and last month . student aimee copeland from georgia college had to have her leg , her foot and both hands . amputated and is still in intensive care after bacteria got into a cut . she developed following a fall . mrs snyder contracted the deadly . disease on january 6 after bacteria got into a wound , possibly an . abscess , she had developed in december . doctors tried to contain the spread of the bacteria , but her daughter karen told fox 40 that her mother had developed lots of complications and medical staff were unable to contain it . the horrible infection scarred her lungs and caused her to develop pneumonia . mrs snyder , who has given the sermons at the united methodist church for the last decade , was a popular figure and her daughter described her as her ` best friend . ' ` she was a woman of faith and that gave her strength and passion to live her life , ' she said . mrs snyder had been married to her husband chuck for 37 years and was said to adore her grandchildren . well-loved : mrs snyder has given sermons at the united methodist church for the last decade and was a popular figure and her daughter described her as her ` best friend ' the bacterial infection is called flesh-eating because of its particularly aggressive nature - skin rapidly disappears when the germ takes hold . family and friends of mrs snyder will gather at japanese united methodist church on june 30 to say their final goodbyes . while fellow victim miss copeland is still in intensive care , on tuesday doctors downgraded the 24-year-old 's condition from critical to serious , . indicating that she continues to improve after the horrible bacteria nearly . took her life . on the . same day , lana kuykendall , the new mother who was infected with the . bacteria days after she gave birth to twins at an atlanta hospital , . improved her condition to fair after spending weeks in intensive care . serious : at the beginning of june south carolina grandmother louise thompson underwent emergency surgery to remove infected flesh from her leg and was in a coma for five days . still in danger : aimee copeland , 24 , -lrb- left -rrb- remains in the hospital after . her leg , foot and both hands were amputated . lana kuykendall , 36 , . -lrb- right -rrb- had just given birth to twins before she was afflicted by the .<doc-sep>it was just like any other summer 's day for sharon camisa who enjoyed tending to her garden . so when she became gravely ill , she never thought that potting mix would be the fatal catalyst . little did she know that the common backyard material contains bacteria which can potentially be deadly . but by the time doctors found the cause ms camisa 's condition was deteriorating to the point that she was on life support and in a coma , a current affair reports . scroll down for video . the camisa family -lrb- from left -rrb- daughter tiala , husband mark , wife sharon and son michael . sharon died in january . the 42-year-old was diagnosed with legionnaires ' disease from bacteria which can be found in potting mix . by the time doctors found the cause , it was too late for the mother-of-two who was already on life support and in a coma . in december - a few days after ms camisa repotted some plants - the mother-of-two had trouble breathing , suffered sore joints and could n't sleep . the 42-year-old , from collie which is in the south west region of western australia , and her family did n't take it seriously , thinking it was just her arthritis .<doc-sep>tragedy : two-year-old gage lefevers has been identified as the first fatality of a deadly e. coli outbreak connected to a north carolina fair that has sickened at least 20 . deadly connection : all inflicted with the deadly bacteria attended the cleveland county fair between september 26 and october 7 but the site has yet to be declared the source . victims : so far 14 children and six adults have fallen victim to the bacteria transferred from animal waste with the latest being five-year-old hannah roberts , pictured . ` it saddens me for a little boy that young , ' claudine cobb , a secretary at the church gage and his family attended told wsoc through tears . ` but he 's with jesus now . i know where he 's at . ' gage died at charlotte 's levine children hospital on friday afternoon . he was one of six hospitalized with four said to currently have a life threatening strain of the bacteria that affects the kidneys . among the latest victims is five-year-old hannah roberts . jordan mcnair , 12 , who 's currently hospitalized at levine children hospital is one of three on kidney dialysis . ` the fair should have been a safer place , ' jordan 's grandmother bennie mcclannon told wsoc . family said jordan was doing much better on thursday but that he 's not out of the woods yet . | <t> monica was diagnosed with deadly , flesh-eating bacteria after c-section . </t> <t> doctors amputated monica 's limbs , did 37 surgeries . </t> <t> `` she 's a fighter , '' husband says of monica 's strength and determination . </t> <t> monica now does everyday things for her two girls no matter how long they take . </t> | ` mother warrior ' survives deadly bacteria<T> |
los angeles , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- krishna rajarman 's classmates and friends remembered him tuesday as a mentor and scholar who preferred to go home on weekends to spend time with his younger brothers than party on campus . krishna rajarman , a fulbright scholar and honors student , was a junior at ucla . `` we asked him , ` why not stay a weekend because we might do something fun ? ' '' said ashwin bhongir , krishna 's roommate and childhood friend . `` he said , ' i want to be here for my brothers . i like to spend time with my brothers , it 's important . ' '' krishna , a 19-year-old junior at ucla , a fulbright scholar and an honors student , was found monday fatally shot at his parents ' home in suburban los angeles . police said his father killed the teen , his two younger brothers , ages 7 and 12 , his grandmother and mother . karthik rajaram , a 45-year-old unemployed financial services expert , then killed himself , police said . the six bodies were discovered in their neatly tended home in an upscale suburb 20 minutes outside los angeles on monday . a neighbor called police to report that the wife had failed to pick her up to take her to her job . inside the house , police also found letters from the father explaining that mounting financial pressure had led him to kill . fraternity member vim mahadev remembered krishna as a devoted l.a. lakers fan who occasionally mentioned family problems , but nothing unusual . `` nothing ever came up serious , '' said mahadev . `` it was mostly his dad , about financial problems . but most of the time it was how he was his hero because he was intelligent and he always knew the right decisions to make . `` it 's just so ironic . '' krishna 's friends bhongir and nahel patel grew up around the rajaram family and told cnn they never saw signs of family turmoil during their teenage years . `` i knew his family very well , and every time i went there , it was one of the most welcoming homes i 've ever been to , '' said bhongir . `` it was always a fun loving place to be . '' `` he was one of the most promising friends that i ever knew , he was literally the smartest person i 've ever known , '' said bhongir . `` he was going to make it . '' bhongir and nahel , both business economic majors at ucla , said krishna 's father was a role model to them . krishna had wanted to follow his father 's footsteps in studies and career . the father received his mba from ucla in 1987 , according to ucla spokesman phil hampton . police said he went on to work in a financial holding company and for major accounting firms , such as price waterhouse . as a freshman , krishna joined the campus co-ed fraternity delta phi beta , organized by south asian students . fraternity member natasha parikh said she was one of krishna 's closest friends . `` i just talked to him on wednesday , and he was so excited about the new recruits we were having , '' she said . `` he was so excited about this year , and it 's so painful that he ca n't be here to experience the rest of our time at ucla . '' `` he really did n't talk about his personal life ; i always saw him as a happy guy who never once said he was going through any major difficulty , so this has come as a complete shock . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- walt hazzard , the dazzling point guard who led ucla to its first ncaa basketball title and starred in high school , the nba and the olympics , died after a long illness , according to the ucla bruins ' website . the 69-year-old hazzard died friday afternoon at ronald reagan ucla medical center surrounded by family and friends , according to a statement from his family . he had been recuperating from complications following heart surgery . `` this is a sad day for the ucla basketball family , '' ucla athletic director dan guerrero said in a statement . `` walt was the catalyst for coach john wooden 's first championship team and played the game with a style that excited bruin basketball fans everywhere . he contributed to his alma mater in numerous ways , including as a student-athlete , coach and honored alum , and he will be greatly missed by all of us who knew him . our thoughts and prayers are with his wife , jaleesa , and their four sons . '' hazzard starred at overbrook high school in philadelphia , where he led the school to an 89-3 record .<doc-sep>gone : wylie east high school senior ivan mejia was murdered over the weekend and two of his classmates confessed to the crime . police in garland , texas found the two boys while investigating a report of a suspicious unoccupied car that veered off state highway 78 . ` after fleeing and coming back to their vehicle they basically told the officers you caught us , ' sgt donna valdenpena of the wylie police department said . all three boys attended wylie east high school , and the alleged murder is said to have taken place behind the school . the two teen suspects then transported the body 10 miles away to a wooded area near the firewheel mall to bury , where they were caught . mourners : friends of mejia gather at a vigil sunday night . scene of the crime : the two 16-year-old subjects and mejia were all students at wylie east high school . the murder allegedly took place behind the school . memorialized : friends of mejia remembered him at a vigil held sunday night . the two boys were arrested and charged with first-degree murder . they are currently being held at the collin county juvenile detention center without bond . their names are not being released because they are underage and police have not released a motive in the killing . friends of mejia gathered to remember the rotc student at a vigil held sunday night . ` ivan was dedicated to the marines , ' fellow rotc student cody wilson told the dallas morning news .<doc-sep>a felony conviction in the case could severely damage nguyen 's future in medicine said cassandra hockenson , a spokesperson for the california medical board . the accused has declined to respond to interview requests . as nbc los angeles notes , nguyen 's linkedin profile lists her summary as ` committed to providing social justice and healthcare for diverse populations . ' however the university has issued a statement that she is : ` not currently employed at ucla . ' ucla would not comment on her current status as a student , only that the university enforces an honor code . ` in those instances when a student 's conduct does not meet those standards , we have administrative procedures that ensure appropriate due process is afforded to the student while also moving swiftly yet fairly to ensure accountability to these standards , ' read a ucla statement .<doc-sep>in 2011 alexandra wallace , a ucla student , posted an infamous online rant called ` asians in the library ' . antonette sadile , a student who found one of the messages , said : ' i thought -lsb- tuesday 's . incident -rsb- was a more personal attack . but this is a bigger impact . it is really scary . i did n't . feel safe . ' uyen hoang , the vsu 's external vice president , told abc : ` when i woke up on tuesday , the last thing i expected was to have racist and sexist slurs continuously thrown at my organisation , my community , and at my face , and at ucla of all places . ' ucla spokesman steve ritea said said : ` we share the students ' anger and sadness and condemn . this incident . ' | <t> krishna rajarman went home on weekends to be with family rather than party . </t> <t> friends say he was committed to mentoring his two younger siblings . </t> <t> police : teen 's father , jobless and in financial trouble , killed him and his family . </t> <t> friend describes krishna : `` he was literally the smartest person i 've ever known '' </t> | ucla student 's killing stuns friends , classmates<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- when sen. john mccain 's running mate , alaska gov. sarah palin , announced that her 17-year-old unmarried daughter was pregnant , the news prompted a big response from the ireport.com community . ireporter darla jones , who had a child at a young age , said she sympathizes with the palin family . palin revealed monday that her daughter bristol is pregnant and plans to marry the father . the announcement followed internet rumors that sarah palin 's 4-month-old baby was actually bristol 's . ireport.com users posted dozens of stories and hundreds of comments in response to the news . many ireporters said that the issue is a personal matter , while others believed that the pregnancy deserves public attention . republican presidential candidate mccain was aware of bristol 's pregnancy before he chose palin as his running mate , a top adviser to the arizona senator said . democratic presidential nominee sen. barack obama said that families should be off-limits in presidential campaigns after learning of the news . `` let me be as clear as possible , '' obama said . `` i think people 's families are off-limits , and people 's children are especially off-limits . ''<doc-sep>ireporter darla jones of roseburg , oregon , who supports mccain , agrees that the media and public should leave bristol and the palin family alone . ireport.com : were you married at a young age ? `` i had a daughter very young , '' jones wrote on ireport.com , explaining that being a young mother made it difficult to get jobs and complete her education . `` this should not affect the presidency in any way . '' sabrina lee also had a child at a young age , but believes that the news of bristol palin 's pregnancy merits attention . `` personally , i have a right to know anything and everything about the next president and vice president , '' she wrote on ireport.com . `` i want to know the truth , '' lee said . `` i feel as a voter i have the right to know everything about each nominee . this is just my opinion , but it 's also my vote and it 's precious . '' the laveen , arizona , resident said that she plans to vote for obama . although lee said she was previously undecided , she decided to vote for obama after mccain announced his running mate . `` family values are a republican platform , '' she said , describing the news of bristol 's pregnancy as `` a travesty . ''<doc-sep>alicia summers of el mirage , arizona , agrees that the vice presidential candidate and her family deserve scrutiny . `` did palin really think she could come into a race at the 23rd hour and not be subjected to questions ? '' she asked . ireport.com : see , share your thoughts on sarah palin . summers , an obama supporter , noted , `` the press only has two months to find out info about you that they took years to get on everyone else . '' she suggested that palin drop out of the race out of respect for the privacy of her family . graduate student kristine phillips also believes that palin should withdraw . `` an unmarried 17-year-old pregnant daughter is not consistent with conservative principles , '' she wrote on ireport.com . phillips , who describes herself as politically moderate , said conservatives ' support of palin is `` absolutely hypocritical . ''<doc-sep>`` while i understand that palin 's role as a mother may or may not be debated here for the political sphere , this situation does call into question some of her policies during her role as governor and her character as a person , '' phillips said . ireport.com : read more from phillips . mark swiger of jonesboro , georgia , urged ireporters to `` be professional and ethical by not bringing sarah palin 's teenage daughter into politics . '' swiger cited obama and senior mccain adviser steve schmidt , who both asked the media and public to leave politicians ' children out of the spotlight . swiger , who is leaning toward mccain , said he usually votes based on moral issues . he believes that bristol 's pregnancy should have no bearing on her mother 's political career . `` this is a moral line of decency that must not be crossed by democrats , republicans or human beings , '' he said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sarah palin : politician and mother . ireporters weigh in on the difficulty of balancing those two roles . ireporter christina walker says its very challenging to balance work and caring for her 1-year-old child . since sen. john mccain named alaska go . sarah palin as his vice presidential pick , she has been closely scrutinized by both the public and the media . palin has served as governor of alaska for almost two years . she also has five children , including a 4-month-old son with down syndrome and a 17-year-old daughter who is 5-months pregnant . her choice to run as the republican vice presidential nominee has drawn both praise and criticism from the left and right alike . now ireporters are asking : was it the right decision ? some feel that palin 's choice to run shows poor judgment . `` i think she made the wrong call . it 's not her time , '' said andy stably of salem , new hampshire . `` given her personal situation and her special circumstances , it does seem more important than the nomination she 's accepting . i do n't think that should be blanket statement for all moms . but the job she 's about to interview for is the job of jobs , and it 's going to require her to sacrifice what she has at home . ''<doc-sep>the network interview was bristol 's idea , the teen said . and she apparently sprung the news to her parents that she was going to speak publicly the day before the network taping . the teen said she wanted to tell her story so that other young people might think twice about having sex . `` i 'd love to -lsb- be -rsb- an advocate to prevent teen pregnancy because it 's not , like , a situation that you would want to strive for , i guess , '' bristol said . gov. palin made an unexpected appearance during the interview in alaska , and van susteren asked her about her daughter 's pregnancy . `` not the most ideal situation , certainly you make the most of it , '' the governor said . bristol is a `` strong and bold woman , and she is an amazing mom , '' palin said . `` and this little baby is very lucky to have her as a mama . he 's going to be just fine . ''<doc-sep>she told mailonline : ` they 're not divorced , but they are separated . pregnancy : britta , pictured , gave birth to daughter kyla three months after the wedding . happy : the couple seemed happy about the birth of their child , though things obviously went downhill . ` they 're both very private and all i can say is that . they 're concentrating on working to be the best parents they can be to their . daughter . ' abstinence . preacher sarah palin claimed she could n't be happier when the high . school sweethearts wed in a ski slope ceremony last may . delighted : at the wedding , sarah palin , pictured , said the families looked forward to the couple 's long life together . in a joint statement with britta 's parents , ms hanson and and reverend duane hanson , the palin 's said they looked forward to the couple 's ` blessed ' life together , but did n't mention the pregnancy . ` our families could n't be .<doc-sep>lopez was in palin 's hometown , wasilla , alaska , to interview her about her new sportsman channel show amazing america with sarah palin for a segment airing on the channel today . in a teaser of the interview released on tuesday , lopez asks palin if she thinks that chelsea 's pregnancy will make hillary ` more electable , ' as some pundits have suggested . palin said she that when hillary becomes a grandparent it will ` broader her world view ' on issues such as the national debt and abortion . ` so maybe even on a social issue like . that , she 'll open her eyes , ' palin said . sarah palin , left , and her mother , right , cooked a moose casserole for lopez during his trip to alaska . chelsea clinton announced that she and her husband marc medvinsky were having their first child at a clinton foundation event last month . she was on stage with her mother , former first lady hillary clinton , promoting global empowerment for women at the time . ' i certainly feel all the better whether it 's a . girl or a boy that she or he will grow up in world filled with so many . strong female leaders , ' chelsea said of her pregnancy . | <t> ireporters react to news that gov. sarah palin 's daughter is pregnant . </t> <t> sabrina lee questions mccain 's judgment in picking palin . </t> <t> darla jones sympathizes with the palin family . </t> <t> ireport.com : share your thoughts on mccain 's running mate . </t> | palin daughter 's pregnancy stirs strong emotions from ireporters<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a tugboat on saturday reached a disabled freighter carrying 22 people , hours after the ship rode out hurricane ike without power , coast guard spokesman mike o'berry said . o'berry said the tugboat rotterdam arrived shortly before 2 p.m. -lrb- 3 p.m. et -rrb- . repairs will be made aboard the antalina , which has a broken fuel pump , while at sea , o'berry said . the tugboat will then tow the ship to port arthur , texas , where it will undergo additional repairs and eventually offload more of its cargo -- petroleum coke , a petroleum byproduct -- o'berry said . the crew members aboard the antalina , a cypriot-flagged freighter , are all in good health , said coast guard cmdr. ron labrec . the freighter suffered no major damage from the storm , said darrell wilson , a spokesman for the company that manages the ship . aircraft from the coast guard and air force were sent friday afternoon to try to rescue the crew of the freighter , which is loaded with petroleum coke , a petroleum byproduct . but high winds forced the military to abort the rescue , o'berry said . the coast guard then instructed the freighter to contact it each hour . it also told told the crew to turn on the ship 's emergency radio beacon so its position could be monitored , o'berry said . watch the coast guard conduct a rescue operation '' onshore as well , rescuers found it too dangerous to respond to calls for help . in liverpool , texas , south of houston , a family called for help around 1 a.m. saturday when a tree crashed into their house , but authorities concluded that strong winds made it too dangerous to respond , said doc adams , brazoria county 's emergency management coordinator . `` you want to take care of people , and when you ca n't , it 's tough , '' adams said . `` unfortunately , someone has to make the decision about whether the risk is worth the benefit . are you willing to risk three or four lives to save one ? it 's not easy . '' adams said he did n't know if anyone in the house was hurt .<doc-sep>`` as far as i know , they 're still there in the house with a tree over it , '' he said at about 3:40 a.m. . the stranded freighter had been headed south through the gulf of mexico from port arthur , texas , but `` lost main propulsion 90 miles southeast of galveston '' and was unable to steer , the coast guard said . the coast guard received a distress call from the vessel at 4 a.m. friday . the antalina was `` basically adrift , at the mercy of the wind and sea currents , '' coast guard petty officer tom atkeson said at the time . `` we are in hell , '' one of the men aboard the freighter told cnn on friday before the rescue was called off . the man said the winds around the ship were strong but that the freighter still had power . on friday before the storm hit , authorities picked up more than 120 people stranded by rising seas along the southeast texas coast . most of the rescues occurred in galveston county , where rising water and other effects of the storm began hours before landfall early saturday . stranded residents were airlifted from crystal beach , bolivar peninsula and other communities in the galveston area . many of those rescued were motorists stranded on flooded roads . in surfside beach , police waded through chest-high rushing water to rescue five people trapped in their homes . one man refused to leave , said surfside beach police chief randy smith . `` some of them took convincing , some of them did n't , '' smith said . police also rescued five other people who waded out to meet the officers . about half of those rescues were done by helicopters out of bases along the coast , said coast guard petty officer david schulein . three hh-65c helicopters from coast guard air station houston rescued more than 20 people and continued to fly rescue missions until weather grounded them friday evening , said petty officer renee aiello , a station spokeswoman . some 37,000 people may need to be rescued in the aftermath of the hurricane , a u.s. military official estimated friday . texas already has asked for help , and the active-duty military has 42 search-and-rescue helicopters on standby , the official said .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a tugboat on saturday reached a disabled freighter carrying 22 people , hours after the ship rode out hurricane ike without power , coast guard spokesman mike o'berry said . o'berry said the tugboat rotterdam arrived shortly before 2 p.m. -lrb- 3 p.m. et -rrb- . repairs will be made aboard the antalina , which has a broken fuel pump , while at sea , o'berry said . the tugboat will then tow the ship to port arthur , texas , where it will undergo additional repairs and eventually offload more of its cargo -- petroleum coke , a petroleum byproduct -- o'berry said . the crew members aboard the antalina , a cypriot-flagged freighter , are all in good health , said coast guard cmdr. ron labrec . the freighter suffered no major damage from the storm , said darrell wilson , a spokesman for the company that manages the ship . aircraft from the coast guard and air force were sent friday afternoon to try to rescue the crew of the freighter , which is loaded with petroleum coke , a petroleum byproduct . but high winds forced the military to abort the rescue , o'berry said . the coast guard then instructed the freighter to contact it each hour . it also told told the crew to turn on the ship 's emergency radio beacon so its position could be monitored , o'berry said . watch the coast guard conduct a rescue operation '' onshore as well , rescuers found it too dangerous to respond to calls for help . in liverpool , texas , south of houston , a family called for help around 1 a.m. saturday when a tree crashed into their house , but authorities concluded that strong winds made it too dangerous to respond , said doc adams , brazoria county 's emergency management coordinator . `` you want to take care of people , and when you ca n't , it 's tough , '' adams said . `` unfortunately , someone has to make the decision about whether the risk is worth the benefit . are you willing to risk three or four lives to save one ? it 's not easy . '' adams said he did n't know if anyone in the house was hurt . `` as far as i know , they 're still there in the house with a tree over it , '' he said at about 3:40 a.m. . the stranded freighter had been headed south through the gulf of mexico from port arthur , texas , but `` lost main propulsion 90 miles southeast of galveston '' and was unable to steer , the coast guard said . the coast guard received a distress call from the vessel at 4 a.m. friday . the antalina was `` basically adrift , at the mercy of the wind and sea currents , '' coast guard petty officer tom atkeson said at the time . `` we are in hell , '' one of the men aboard the freighter told cnn on friday before the rescue was called off . the man said the winds around the ship were strong but that the freighter still had power . on friday before the storm hit , authorities picked up more than 120 people stranded by rising seas along the southeast texas coast . most of the rescues occurred in galveston county , where rising water and other effects of the storm began hours before landfall early saturday . stranded residents were airlifted from crystal beach , bolivar peninsula and other communities in the galveston area . many of those rescued were motorists stranded on flooded roads . in surfside beach , police waded through chest-high rushing water to rescue five people trapped in their homes . one man refused to leave , said surfside beach police chief randy smith . `` some of them took convincing , some of them did n't , '' smith said . police also rescued five other people who waded out to meet the officers . about half of those rescues were done by helicopters out of bases along the coast , said coast guard petty officer david schulein . three hh-65c helicopters from coast guard air station houston rescued more than 20 people and continued to fly rescue missions until weather grounded them friday evening , said petty officer renee aiello , a station spokeswoman . some 37,000 people may need to be rescued in the aftermath of the hurricane , a u.s. military official estimated friday . texas already has asked for help , and the active-duty military has 42 search-and-rescue helicopters on standby , the official said .<doc-sep>`` we lost everything , '' jamie holmes . curfews are in place in galveston until dawn monday and in houston 's harris county until 6 a.m. sunday . houston mayor bill white said his city appears to have avoided loss of life , but streets blocked by floodwaters , downed trees and power lines hampered efforts to determine the full extent of the damage . authorities shut down downtown houston , where the streets were littered with traffic lights and glass , for cleanup and damage assessment . the city 's tallest skyscraper , the 75-story jp morgan chase tower , was missing many of its windows . see ireporter 's images of destruction '' white advised residents to drink bottled or boiled tap water as a precaution after a power outage reduced water pressure , but he said nothing indicated that the water supply was contaminated . brennan 's , a popular restaurant in downtown houston for almost four decades , burned down friday night as ike battered the city . north of houston , a 10 - year-old boy died when a falling tree limb hit him in the head , the montgomery county sheriff 's office said . the boy 's father was cutting down a dead tree in the family 's yard in preparation for ike 's heavy winds early saturday . nearly 2.6 million customers in texas and louisiana lack power because of ike , the u.s. energy department said on saturday . in brazoria county , emergency management officials said the main power line for the texas/new mexico grid was down . centerpoint energy said 90 percent of its customers were without electricity and it could take a month or more to get power restored to all of them . ireporter jackie hensler of houston said her apartment building 's power was restored quickly on saturday morning after a stormy night . `` there are lots of trees down ; they 've been uprooted or snapped , '' she said after venturing outside . `` there 's lots of debris in the streets , like boards and plywood from homes . '' watch how the roof peeled off a building '' hurricane ike proved to be a huge storm system , 900 miles across at its largest . it remained a hurricane hours after crashing ashore over galveston at 2:10 a.m. its maximum sustained winds were near 80 mph , with higher gusts . it was expected to continue to weaken and move into western arkansas by saturday night . track the storm '' the storm surge , however , was smaller than forecast . the greatest surge , of 15 feet , happened at sabine pass , near the texas-louisiana line . authorities had predicted surges of 20 to 25 feet . authorities in orange county , texas , on the louisiana line , were using large dump trucks saturday to rescue residents trapped on their roofs by massive flooding , a county judge told cnn . the city of orange and the town of bridge city were flooded , beaumont emergency official brad peneffon said . watch the storm surge in beaumont '' rescuers fanned out in boats saturday in cameron parish , louisiana , after the storm surge flooded 1,800 homes . gas prices soared across the country amid fears the storm would disrupt fuel supplies . ike hit a region that is home to about 25 percent of the united states ' oil refining capacity , and the storm 's progress across the gulf of mexico shut down crude oil collection from gulf oil fields . the u.s. department of energy said 14 refineries were closed by the storm , along with two texas strategic petroleum reserve sites . in knoxville , tennessee , sean kennedy expressed dismay at the difference a day made to gas prices . ireport.com : evacuees , san antonio mayor talk about ike . `` i filled up my tank yesterday morning on the way to work for $ 3.59 a gallon , '' he said . `` this morning , gas prices at the same station were $ 5 a gallon for regular and $ 5.25 for premium . '' the coast guard said early saturday that 22 people aboard a freighter that was adrift in the gulf of mexico were safe after the storm . some good news came out of the region saturday . about 175 miles west of houston , a storm evacuee delivered a baby in the ladies ' bathroom at a shelter in new braunfels . `` the credit goes to the mother , '' said dr. mark burns , who helped deliver the baby . `` she did a beautiful job with her delivery . '' cnn 's jeanne meserve , rusty dornin , sean callebs , rob marciano , gary tuchman , arthur brice , deb krajnak and elise miller contributed to this report .<doc-sep>the category levels that are more widely cited to quantify the power of hurricanes purely measure wind speed . katrina was measured as a category 3 hurricane at landfall and later rose to a category 5 . the estimated cost of hurricane sandy is $ 20 billion . residents walk past burned houses in breezy point , a neighborhood located in the new york city borough of queens , after it was devastated by hurricane sandy . sandy , meanwhile , was measured as a category 1 hurricane at landfall . but sandy may end up being the second costliest hurricane in history after katrina because of its high ike , mcnoldy noted . ` sandy had category 1 winds at landfall yet was able to create very significant storm surge over hundreds of miles of highly populated coastline , ' he wrote . general view of downtown new orleans , louisiana after katrina hit in 2005 . ` katrina 's ike was more concentrated , sandy 's ike was more spread out . this metric -- more than wind speed -- encapsulates the respective storms ' horrific effects . ' sandy has been estimated to cost at least $ 20 billion in damage , whereas katrina cost roughly $ 106 billion .<doc-sep>miami , florida -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- hurricane ike grew from a category 1 into a menacing category 4 storm in about six hours wednesday as it fed on the warm waters of atlantic , the national hurricane center said . an infrared image from a noaa satellite shows ike swirling in the atlantic on wednesday night . `` ike is an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane '' with 135-mph sustained winds , the center said in its 11 p.m. et advisory . although it is likely to lose some strength during the next few days , ike is forecast to regain category 4 status by monday , the center said . `` it is too early to determine what , if any , land areas might be affected by ike , '' the hurricane center said . but the center 's potential four - to five-day track for ike puts it anywhere from north of jamaica to the coast of south florida on monday . ireport.com : are you in ike 's path ? at 11 p.m. et monday , ike was moving west-northwest through the atlantic ocean . the storm will be over open water for two days , forecasters said . earlier wednesday , ike intensified into the fifth hurricane of the 2008 atlantic season when its winds reached 80 mph . | <t> new : tugboat reaches stranded freighter . </t> <t> ship 's crew of 22 endures night without power in gulf of mexico . </t> <t> coast guard , air force had to abandon rescue because of poor conditions . </t> <t> authorities onshore find it too dangerous to respond to calls for help . </t> | freighter crew safe after riding out hurricane ike<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- saudi arabia could have helped the united states prevent al qaeda 's 2001 attacks on new york and washington if american officials had consulted saudi authorities in a `` credible '' way , the kingdom 's former ambassador said in a documentary aired thursday . the comments by prince bandar bin sultan are similar to the remarks this week by saudi king abdullah that suggested britain could have prevented the july 2005 train bombings in london if it had heeded warnings from riyadh . speaking to the arabic satellite network al-arabiya on thursday , bandar -- now abdullah 's national security adviser -- said saudi intelligence was `` actively following '' most of the september 11 , 2001 , plotters `` with precision . '' `` if u.s. security authorities had engaged their saudi counterparts in a serious and credible manner , in my opinion , we would have avoided what happened , '' he said . watch bandar 's comments '' bandar was the saudi ambassador to washington for nearly 22 years before he was replaced in 2005 . a knowledgeable u.s. official told cnn that bandar 's comments should be taken `` with a grain of salt . '' on monday , abdullah told the bbc that saudi arabia had sent warnings to british authorities before the london subway bombings that killed 52 people -- the city 's bloodiest day since world war ii .<doc-sep>`` we have sent information to great britain before the terrorist attacks in britain , '' abdullah said . `` but unfortunately , no action was taken , and it may have been able to avert the tragedy . '' the september 11 attacks killed nearly 3,000 people in new york , washington and pennsylvania . all but four of the suicide hijackers who carried out the plot were saudi nationals , and after the attacks , the kingdom was widely criticized for having tolerated islamic militancy . the saudis have called the criticism unfair , pointing out that al qaeda founder osama bin laden 's original grievance was against the country 's ruling family , which invited u.s. troops into the kingdom after the iraqi invasion of kuwait in 1990 . a string of attacks on western compounds , oil installations and saudi institutions between 2003 and 2006 were blamed on al qaeda 's followers . and saudi officials say that since 9/11 , they have taken steps to ensure charitable donations do not fall into the hands of al qaeda . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's pam benson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>a bi-partisan congressional group has called on president barack obama to publish 28 pages of dossier which they claim proves a financial link between saudi arabia and the 9/11 attackers . the report , which was produced by a joint congressional inquiry into the 9/11 attacks was heavily redacted by the then president george w bush . the joint inquiry into intelligence activities before and after the terrorist attacks of september 2001 was published in december 2002 . former senator bob graham , pictured , who co-wrote a report on the 9/11 attacks has called on president barack obama to publish the final 28 pages of the 828-page dossier relating to the financing of the atrocity . the classified 28 pages are believed to outline how the 9/11 terrorists were financed by saudi arabia . the 28 pages of the report were redacted , pictured , by george w bush when the report was published in 2002 . however , 28 pages of the report were blacked-out in a bid to protect the united state 's relationship with saudi arabia . the pages formed part of a wider 828-page dossier on the atrocity . former senator bob graham , who co-chaired the probe and helped write the report told abc news : ` the 28 pages primarily relate to who financed 9/11 and they point a very strong finger at saudi arabia as being the principal financier . ` the position of the united states government has been to protect saudi arabia . ` at virtually every step of the judicial process , when the united states government was called upon to take a position , it has been a position adverse to the interests of united states citizens seeking justice and protective of the government which , in my judgement , was the most responsible for that network of support . ' the former democratic senator has joined with republican walter jones and democrat stephen lynch as part of his campaign along with families of the victims . senators jones and lynch have introduced legislation to force president obama to publish the 28 pages . if evidence proving a firm link between saudi arabia and the attackers , who were led by egyptian-born mohamad atta , it would be possible for families of victims to sue the oil-rich kingdom through the u.s. courts . mohamed atta , left , led the 9/11 attacks which were blamed on al-qaeda leader osama bin laden , right . republican and democratic senators have launched a bid to force president obama to publish the report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- new allegations have emerged from the man described as the 20th 9/11 hijacker , alleging members of the saudi royal family supported al qaeda . zacarias moussaoui , who pleaded guilty in 2005 to six terror-related charges , makes the allegations in a sworn statement contained in a brief submitted tuesday as part of an ongoing civil case by the families of 9/11 victims . in the late 1990s , moussaoui says , he was tasked by osama bin laden to create a digital database cataloging al qaeda 's donors . every day for two or three months , he says , he entered names of the group 's donors into a toshiba computer , along with how much they gave . moussaoui , who has been in u.s. custody for more than 13 years , said the list featured high-profile people , including several members of the saudi royal family , whom he named in his testimony . they include prince turki al-faisal al saud , former director-general of saudi arabia 's foreign intelligence service and ambassador to the united states . moussaoui , a french national , said he was chosen for the database job because of his education and ability to speak english . `` shaykh osama wanted to keep a record who give money ... who is to be listened to or who contribute to -- to the jihad , '' he said in sometimes stuttered answers . cnn can not independently confirm the claims moussaoui makes in his new testimony , which was made under oath as part of a brief filed in opposition to a motion to dismiss a case against saudi arabia for its alleged involvement in the 9/11 attacks . unlike a deposition , moussaoui was not subjected to cross-examination by the defendants ' lawyers . moussaoui 's credibility has been called into question before . and though saudi arabia 's role in the attacks has long been a topic of suspicion , the 9/11 commission 's report , released in 2004 , concluded there was no evidence the saudi government funded al qaeda . see also : isis captors ` did n't even have the quran ' `` it does not appear that any government other than the taliban financially supported al qaeda before 9/11 , although some governments may have contained al qaeda sympathizers who turned a blind eye to al qaeda 's fund-raising activities , '' the report said . `` saudi arabia has long been considered the primary source of al qaeda funding , but we have found no evidence that the saudi government as an institution or senior saudi officials individually funded the organization . '' still , the report noted in parentheses , `` this conclusion does not exclude the likelihood that charities with significant saudi government sponsorship diverted funds to al qaeda . '' in a statement reacting to these latest allegations , the saudi embassy in washington said , `` there is no evidence to support moussaoui 's claim . the sept. 11 attack has been the most intensely investigated crime in history and the findings show no involvement by the saudi government or saudi officials . '' the saudi statement also referred to the assessment of the 9/11 commission . `` moussaoui is a deranged criminal whose own lawyers presented evidence that he was mentally incompetent . his words have no credibility , '' the statement said . '' -lrb- moussaoui 's -rrb- goal in making these statements only serves to get attention for himself and try to do what he could not do through acts of terrorism -- to undermine saudi-u.s. relations . '' moussaoui 's new sworn statements were taken in october at a supermax prison in florence , colorado , where he has been held since his life sentence was handed down in 2006 . related : saudi dilemma : how to spot potential terrorists . in them , moussaoui goes on to say he met with members of the saudi royal family in person more than once in saudi arabia , in order to hand-deliver letters to and from al qaeda 's notorious leader . `` i was introduced as the messenger for shaykh osama bin laden , '' moussaoui told attorneys on oct. 21 . `` did they treat you well during the -lsb- first -rsb- visit ? '' the lawyer asked . `` extremely well , '' moussaoui said . moussaoui said he traveled on private jets and in limousines . his meetings took place in luxury hotels and even saudi palaces . he was also given money for travel expenses at the saudi embassy in islamabad , which he considered a bribe , he said . furthermore , moussaoui said his primary point of contact with the royal family was prince turki al-faisal al saud , and that turki introduced him to other prominent members of the family , including another former saudi ambassador to washington , prince bandar bin sultan . tuesday 's court filing also included statements by three members of the 9/11 commission , former secretary of the navy john lehman , and former sens. bob graham and bob kerrey . their statements do not support the specific claims moussaoui makes , but do say that further investigation of saudi government involvement is necessary . `` i am convinced that there was a direct line between at least some of the terrorists who carried out the sept. 11th attacks and the government of saudi arabia , '' graham wrote . kerrey told cnn on friday that while he ca n't verify moussaoui 's specific allegations , he does believe the new information highlights the need for further investigation . `` it deepens suspicions that everything about saudi involvement is not as well-known as it should be , '' he said . but this suspicion of the saudi government is not shared by all . robert jordan , who was u.s. ambassador to saudi arabia from 2001 to 2003 , told cnn he `` was given no hint whatsoever of direct saudi leadership involvement -- any financing or any planning -- for these attacks . '' jordan said he was regularly in touch with robert mueller and george tenet , who led the fbi and cia , respectively , and felt assured over the course of their investigation that allegations against the saudi government were without merit . `` a lot of it was my own questioning , '' said jordan . '' ` are you sure ? have you made certain that none of the people we 're dealing with now at the senior level had anything to do with these attacks or with supporting the terrorists who financed and orchestrated them ? ' and i was routinely and universally given the information that they felt comfortable at least at the senior level they had n't . '' see also : why obama says fight with isis is n't a religious war . moussaoui has made incriminating claims about the saudi government before . last november , he said that saudi embassy officials were involved in a plot to shoot down air force one `` to assassinate bill clinton and/or hillary clinton . '' he also said at that time that he had met with a saudi prince and princess in early 2001 when he was taking flying lessons in norman , oklahoma , and that she `` gave me money . '' lawyers for the saudi government denied those claims , saying pointedly , `` the kingdom of saudi arabia had no role in the attacks of sept. 11 , 2001 . '' and the saudis are not the only ones who have refuted moussaoui 's account of the 9/11 plot . in 2006 , osama bin laden released an audiotape in which he denied moussaoui 's assertion that he was supposed to strike the white house with a 747 on september 11 , 2001 . `` i am the one in charge of the 19 brothers , '' bin laden said , referring to the 19 known hijackers , `` and i never assigned brother zacarias to be with them in that mission . '' many -- if not all -- of moussaoui 's statements over the years have been called into question . during his 2006 sentencing trial , an expert witness testified that moussaoui suffered from delusional paranoid schizophrenia . he was prone to loud and disruptive outbursts during that trial , and guards testified he would sometimes make irrational claims to them . he has also asked for certain concessions in exchange for testimony , such as a warmer cell in a different unit of the supermax prison . beyond his claims about the donor database , moussaoui also says in this latest sworn statement that he was involved in a series of other plots against u.s. targets . specifically , he says he was given explosives training to attack the u.s. embassy in london with a truck bomb . `` i conducted a trial test of explosives for bomb of 750 kilogram of ammonium nitrate , '' he said . `` the plot was agreed with shaykh osama bin laden . '' moussaoui said his team in that plot included richard reid , known as `` the shoe bomber , '' who moussaoui previously said was supposed to take part in the 9/11 attacks -- allegations that reid has denied . the plot against the embassy in london was eventually canceled , moussaoui said , and he was sent to malaysia to explore the possibility of attacking the u.s. embassy in kuala lumpur . that plot was also canceled , moussaoui told his attorneys , so he went to the u.s. to look into attacking air force one -- the plot he first revealed in november . `` my plan was not to launch the attack , '' he insisted in the statement . `` it was only to see the feasibility of the attack . '' cnn 's jennifer rizzo , deborah feyerick and kristina sgueglia contributed to this report .<doc-sep>from his cell in a maximum security prison , terrorist zacarias moussaoui is reviving old allegations and making new ones against al qaeda and a handful of saudi royals . the 46-year old french national is claiming that saudi embassy officials were involved in a plot to shoot down air force one to assassinate bill clinton and/or hillary clinton during a trip to the united kingdom . moussaoui says he met with a secret service agent several months ago and told him what he knew . cnn has reached out to the secret service for comment . in two handwritten letters filed this month in federal court in new york and oklahoma , moussaoui claimed that , during the time he was taking flying lessons in norman , oklahoma , he met with a saudi prince and princess and that she `` gave me money , '' and provided funding for 9/11 hijackers . lawyers for the saudi government have repeatedly denied connections , maintaining saudi arabia was cleared by the 9/11 commission . moussaoui , who suffers from mental illness , is in the supermax federal prison in florence , colorado , and is eight years into a life sentence , having pleaded guilty to terrorism and murder conspiracy in connection with the september 11 , 2001 , terror hijackings . moussaoui claims in both letters that he was attacked in prison on orders of terrorist ramzi yousef , who moussaoui says tried to stop him from testifying against the saudis . yousef , a convicted terrorist , is considered the mastermind in the 1993 world trade center bombing , and is in the same supermax prison as moussaoui . it is unclear at this time if prisoners in the colorado federal prison are able to communicate . moussaoui claims he is being mistreated by prison officials in what he calls a `` campaign of harassment and intimidation . '' citing `` venue '' issues , oklahoma magistrate judge shon t erwin ruled to dismiss the case of zacarias moussaoui v. federal bureau of prisons . the court also denied a request for appointment of counsel . a ruling is not yet available with regard to the letter he sent to a new york judge . in the letters , moussaoui asks for new lawyers and says he wants to be moved out of the h-unit within the prison , which he calls a `` saudi stronghold . '' in exchange he says he would provide information against the saudis . he also says he wants a warmer cell , not infested with rodents . he wants authorities to unblock his source to money so he can buy stamps to write to the inspector general . attorneys interview moussaoui . moussaoui reached out to a new york court , seeking lawyers for 9/11 victims , offering to provide what he believed to be important information pertaining to current 9/11 litigation , according to one of the four lead counsels , attorney jerry goldman . lawyers interviewed moussaoui in late october . the counsel believe the interview provided `` relevant '' and `` critical '' information pertinent to pending litigation , according to attorneys . the transcripts of the interview are being reviewed by the department . of justice and limited information can be shared about their contents , goldman said . lawyers for saudi government deny involvement . in a court document filed in september in the southern district of new york in connection to the 9/11 terror attacks , lawyers for saudi arabia deny involvement , financial or otherwise , saying : . `` the kingdom of saudi arabia had no role in the attacks of september 11 , 2001 . '' the saudis ' lawyers highlight that the national commission on terrorist attacks upon the united states , known as the 9/11 commission , in 2004 found `` no evidence '' ... `` the saudi government as an institution or senior saudi officials individually funded '' either al qaeda or the 9/11 hijackers . the original complaint , filed over 10 years ago on behalf of victims and insurance companies , targets various terrorist organizations , and alleges saudi involvement . lawyers want the kingdom of saudi arabia to be dropped from the suit , arguing they had no involvement in 9/11 attacks . the lawyers for the 9/11 families have requested extended time to reply to the motion for dismissal . `` plaintiffs believe that moussaoui 's sworn testimony is not only relevant , but critical to their -lrb- opposition -rrb- , '' according to a court document submitted by the 9/11 lawyers . moussaoui diagnosed with schizophrenia . the expert who literally helped write the book on diagnosing mental illness testified during moussaoui 's 2006 trial that moussaoui is schizophrenic . michael first , a psychiatrist who edited the latest edition of the profession 's standard diagnostic guidebook , told jurors that moussaoui also suffers from paranoid and grandiose delusions and disorganized thinking . both moussaoui 's sisters , who lived in france at the time of the trial , were diagnosed with forms of schizophrenia and took drugs to control their symptoms . moussaoui 's father at the time of the trial was hospitalized in france with bipolar disorder . bin laden distanced himself from moussaoui . 9/11 mastermind osama bin laden at the time denied moussaoui was part of the hijacking plot . in may 2006 , bin laden released an audiotape in which he refutes moussaoui 's confession by saying , `` i am the one in charge of the 19 brothers and i never assigned brother zacarias to be with them in that mission . '' blacked out 28 pages . the u.s. government commission report investigating the 9/11 attacks cleared the saudi arabian government of involvement in al qaeda funding . the commission found that saudi arabia was a rich fundraising ground for al qaeda , but said it had found no evidence that the saudi government as an institution or senior officials within the saudi government funded al qaeda . the saudi government defended its nation 's record in fighting terrorism , and urged then-u.s. president george w. bush to unseal 28 classified pages of an 800-plus-page report on intelligence surrounding the september 11 attacks to allow the saudi government to defend itself . bush refused the request , saying declassifying the entire report , which runs more than 800 pages , would compromise intelligence sources . some of those still grieving the loss of family members from that horrific day are also on a mission to declassify the 28 pages from the congressional investigation into the attacks , pages specifically focused on the role of foreign governments in the al qaeda plot . these 9/11 family members say president barack obama promised he would declassify those 28 pages , but now they say the white house does not even acknowledge them , or their requests .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- the late saudi monarch king abdullah bin abdulaziz al-saud assumed the throne in 2005 , but had effectively been running the kingdom since his half-brother king fahd 's stroke a decade earlier . his two decades at the helm of one of the west 's key strategic allies in the muslim world left an indelible , if ambiguous , legacy . here are the five most notable characteristics of his reign . hopes were high that abdullah 's reputation as a modernizing reformer would translate into gains for women in the ultraconservative kingdom . but in the face of deep-seated cultural opposition to change , the progress was less than expected , said cnn 's senior international correspondent nic robertson . `` he promised a lot of reforms but ... he was limited by the conservative nature of saudi society . '' abdullah was the first saudi monarch to appoint women to government positions . in 2013 , he appointed 30 women to the 150-member shura council , the top consultative body that plays an advisory role within saudi arabia 's absolute monarchy . this year , women will be able to vote and run as candidates in municipal elections for the first time , and women have been elected to boards of chambers of commerce . but many other restrictions on saudi women remain : women can not marry , leave the country , go to school or open bank accounts without permission from a male guardian , usually their father or husband . saudi arabia remains the only country where women are not allowed to drive , despite petitions and civil disobedience campaigns by activists in recent years . in november , the shura council recommended that the ban be lifted , with restrictions , but the recommendation has not been acted on , and those who defy the ban continue to be prosecuted . robert w. jordan , who served as u.s. ambassador to saudi arabia form 2001 to 2003 , said he had frequent conversations with abdullah about human rights , including the rights of women in the kingdom . `` he said , ` do n't push us to breaking point ' , '' jordan told cnn . `` it 's a halting kind of process of reform , one that requires this kind of juggling . '' ali al-ahmed , a former saudi political prisoner and the director of the institute for gulf affairs , said abdullah 's reputation as a reformer in some quarters was unwarranted . the kingdom has been under international scrutiny in recent weeks for carrying out harsh punishments , including executions and floggings . `` reforms in saudi arabia do not exist . this is an absolute monarchy , let 's be honest , '' he said . read more : saudi arabia 's ` reformer ' king abdullah dies . the september 11 , 2001 attacks on saudi arabia 's key ally -- in which 15 of the 19 attackers were saudi -- were an inflection point for the kingdom . abdullah lobbied for the removal of u.s. troops who had been stationed in the country since 1990 -- a prime grievance for the september 11 attackers -- then set about bolstering its military with a $ 150 billion spend . attacks on residential compounds housing many westerners -- in which dozens were killed -- led to a harsh crackdown on terrorist elements within the kingdom seeking to topple the house of saud . leaders were captured , followers driven underground and radical preachers sidelined , said robertson . saudi arabia has taken a lead role in the u.s.-led international coalition fighting the radical sunni terror group isis -- which now rivals al qaeda as the world 's most prolific jihadist group -- in syria and iraq . but questions remain about the links between saudi arabia and islamist terror . | <t> prince bandar bin sultan : u.s. did not engage saudis in serious , credible way . </t> <t> all but four of september 11 hijackers were saudi nationals . </t> <t> u.s. official : bandar 's comments should be taken `` with a grain of salt '' </t> <t> bandar was the saudi ambassador to washington for nearly 22 years . </t> | ex-saudi ambassador : kingdom could have helped u.s. prevent 9 ⁇ 11<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president bush is `` a disgrace , frankly , '' film director oliver stone said wednesday , two days before the release of his biopic on the 43rd u.s. president . director oliver stone says he believes the timing was right for his upcoming film , `` w. '' stone , who has endorsed democratic sen. barack obama for president , seems to thrive on controversy , and his latest foray into filmmaking , `` w. , '' will likely hold true to form . in an interview with cnn 's kiran chetry , stone discussed the rationale behind the release date , his troubles securing financing for the film , and why he thinks president bush 's relationship with his father , president george h.w. bush , played a role in the decision to invade iraq . kiran chetry : we had a chance to see the screening of this movie and i want to ask you a little bit about the timing . this is coming out three weeks before our 2008 presidential election . why did you want to it come out now ? oliver stone : those events are beyond my control . we made the movie as fast as we could starting last may . if i could n't have completed it , it would have come out in january perhaps for the inauguration . it 's not about this election . it 's about the last eight years with one man , george w. bush . it 's his story , how he became the man that he is , how we elected him -- basically , if you start to think about it , where we are now as a country . watch stone discuss why he finds bush `` fascinating '' ''<doc-sep>chetry : is it an anti-war movie ? stone : of course it 's an anti-war movie , because i happen to be an anti-war person . that 's not to say i 'm a pacifist . i believe you fight for the right reasons . this man has us in three wars right now -- iraq , afghanistan , and basically , the war on terror . we have a foreign policy which is a very preventive one , a pre-emptive one . it 's a bush doctrine . it 's a very dangerous place . whoever wins the election , obama or mccain , i think is going to live in the shadow of the events of these last eight years . this man ... will be around , his influence will be felt for 20 years , 40 years . chetry : what did you want viewers of your movie to come away with ? stone : ... i ca n't control that . we made the movie to make people think , to make themselves feel , to walk in the shoes of george bush and to understand him . this is not a job done with malice . this is a fair portrait of the man . i think it 's empathetic . you care for him and your feelings for him . an activist said , `` i never thought i could feel something for george bush . i came out of this movie feeling compassionate for him , and even more important , feeling compassion for our country and where we are now . '' chetry : you had trouble getting financing because people felt it was too , i guess , sympathetic for the president . stone : not for that reason . no , i think that the issues that we had with the american corporations were essentially that it was an inconvenient subject . they thought , he 's gone from office , and they do n't want to know , and he 's controversial , and blah , blah , blah . these are corporations -- large corporations . they 're not going to take risks like this . so , the movie business you 've got to make movies with risks , and unfortunately , america 's moving away from that in all forms , not just movies .<doc-sep>chetry : it 's very interesting . you had a soliloquy , a great monologue , by the character playing vice president dick cheney ... about the rationale for iraq . it was very detailed and it 's safe to say you did n't have dick cheney 's cooperation . where did you compile some of these scenes , some of these dialogues from those scenes ? stone : -lsb- writer -rsb- stanley weiser and myself did a lot of research . there 's not much known about the first -lsb- george w. -rsb- bush administration , the first few years . it 's coming out gradually from -lsb- `` price of loyalty '' author ron -rsb- suskind and -lsb- `` the bush tragedy '' author jacob -rsb- weisburg , and it 's coming out gradually . we 're finding out about oil and the secret meeting . it is supposition . there are geopolitics involved . there are other issues at stake . we 're trying to do justice . we allowed cheney to speak for himself and -lsb- former defense secretary donald -rsb- rumsfeld to speak for himself . and -lsb- former secretary of state colin -rsb- powell , by the way , is the guy that argues with cheney in that scene . ireport.com : will you see ` w. ' ? chetry : you say president bush changed the world . is it something you believe is permanent ? stone : put it this way : we have practically an $ 800 billion pentagon budget every year . that 's a huge amount -- the amount of the bailout right there . are we going to be in a state of reaction in force for everything that happens ? is it an us-versus-them foreign policy ? of course , i 'm very concerned about the constitution and about the stripping of liberties , torture , guantanamo . do you want the whole list ? this guy ... he 's a disgrace , frankly . and his legacy is going to be a hard one to live down . but i hope we take steps in the positive direction . and i am an optimist . chetry : variety 's review said oliver stone 's `` w. '' feels like a rough draft , that it may behoove to make in 10 or 15 years . they say it lacks an ending because we do n't have time as perspective . did we need some more time ? stone : i think the film is quite satisfying in that it shows you the marks for iraq . it ends at the moment he goes to war . we know how things turn out . it 's not a film about those eight years . it 's a film about the character of a man . there 's a first act when he 's in his 20s , a second act in his 40s and the third act when he 's in his mid-50s . it 's a character study and we get to the place at which we know the way he 's going to behave . it 's a father-son story because a lot of his actions are motivated by , let 's call it , rivalry to be stronger than his father . and that 's part of the reason he goes to iraq .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- it seems george w. bush can take a joke -- and tell one . but before the former president sat down with jay leno on the tonight show late tuesday , the comedian turned his successor , barack obama , into the brunt of his hard jabs . leno raked him over the coals over obamacare . `` better him than me , '' bush quipped afterward , relieved . he 's happy to be out of line of fire . `` eight years is plenty , '' he said . `` i do n't miss the spotlight . '' bush has largely avoided it since he left the white house in 2009 , and leno could n't help but immediately pry into the reason why . leno told the 43rd president that he was surprised that he agreed to appear this time . it was bush 's fourth appearance on the show . bush used the opening to land the first shot at the late-night host , who will go off the air next spring after 20 years on the tube . `` you 're about to head out to pasture . just wanted to see what you look like , before you got to the gate , '' he said to laughs . bush , like most predecessors , holds tongue on successor . legacy . then came his serious answer . `` i do n't think it 's good for the country to have a former president criticize his successor , '' bush said . as he has often in the past , bush said that history will judge his legacy . but he did n't appear concerned . historians are still preoccupied with george washington , he said . `` if they 're still writing biographies of the first guy , the 43rd guy does n't need to worry . '' leno asked him for some advice to the sitting president on dealing with tough decisions . `` you have to believe in what you 're doing , '' he said . family , faith and a good team helped him deal with the rest , when he was president , bush said . president obama 's approval ratings have taken a pounding in the wake of the technical glitches that have plagued the launch of the affordable care act .<doc-sep>children are known for their brutal honesty and it 's thanks to an innocent but tactless comment from her young son that a mother lost 13 stone . mother-of-two agnieszka roguska , 32 , from bristol , tipped the scales at 23st and was flabbergasted when her eight-year-old , oliver , asked her why she was so fat . it was thanks to his question that she decided to ` get a grip ' and ditch her diet of crisps , chips and super-sized meals . scroll down for video . fat fighter : agnieszka managed to drop from 23st -lrb- left -rrb- to 10st -lrb- right -rrb- in just 12 months . oliver asked agnieszka why her belly was so much bigger than other mothers . until that moment , she had n't realised how out of control her weight had got . now , just one year later , agnieszka has dropped down to a healthy 10st , after following a strict diet and a regular exercise routine . agnieszka said : ' i remembered facing this same situation when i was a child as my mum was bigger than other mums were . ` when i was a teenager , i remember other mums looking pretty and wearing nice clothes when my mum was hiding in the house from others with her weight problem . agnieszka -lrb- left with oliver before she lost weight , and right , together today -rrb- began to over eat when he was in neonatal intensive care and her diet got worse after her divorce . before : agnieszka used to live on diet of crisps , chips and super-sized meals . ` at that time i promised myself that i would never be like my mum . i wanted to be that pretty mum in nice clothes that he could be proud of . ' agnieszka 's weight rose to 23st after she prematurely gave birth to oliver just 27 weeks - more than three months early . little oliver remained in a neonatal intensive care unit for months where agnieska relied on quick snacks between visits . shortly after oliver returned home , agnieszka 's marriage broke down and she began comfort eating , gorging on super-sized meals and fatty snacks . full-time mother agnieska , now divorced , explained : ` oliver 's prognosis was not good and his stay in nicu took a huge emotional toll upon me . ' i did not have the time or the capacity to think or look after myself and that is when i began to put the weight on . ` when my son was aged one my relationship with his father broke down . facing the end of my marriage was also extremely stressful and my weight continued to increase . ' but after oliver confronted her agnieszka lost 13st in just 12 months using the cambridge weight plan . she swapped her high fat , high calorie comfort foods and large portions for a strict diet , often using shakes , bars and soups to replace meals . agnieszka has now been crowned slimmer of the year by cambridge weight plan after she beat off more than 2,000 competitors for the accolade and is determined to stay slim and fit .<doc-sep>bill hader : there may not be a better impressionist working today , and the `` snl '' mvp is long overdue for a breakout feature film role . ed mcmahon . will ferrell : especially if producers go with a non-comedian for the carson role , ferrell could bring some welcome comedy chops to the production . josh brolin : as george w. bush in oliver stone 's w. , brolin showed he is a crackerjack mimic -- and his snl hosting gig earlier this year proved he 's no slouch at comedy either . jeffrey tambor : he knows this role better than most , having played hapless sidekick hank kingsley on hbo 's brilliant late night send-up `` the larry sanders show . '' plus , his baritone would be perfect saying `` herrrrre 's johnny ! ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former president george w. bush and his wife , laura , are in africa this week , where they renovated a cancer screening clinic in zambia and commemorated the victims of the 1998 u.s. embassy bombing in tanzania . the clinic , which is designed help women fight cervical cancer , builds on the former president 's work fighting aids on the continent . while he was in office , bush set up a plan that dramatically reduced the number of aids deaths in africa . `` i 'm really proud of the american people for their generosity , '' he told cnn in an exclusive interview . `` i wish americans knew how many lives were saved . someday , they will . '' bush also told cnn why he respects nelson mandela , what he thinks about edward snowden and president barack obama , and how he 's not going to be around when his legacy is finally decided . â $ cents on snowden : `` i think he damaged the security of the country . '' â $ cents on mandela : `` his legacy will last for a long time . '' â $ cents on obama : `` it 's a hard job . he 's got plenty on his agenda . '' bush talked about snowden , the computer contractor who leaked details about secret u.s. surveillance programs , to cnn 's robyn curnow in zambia on sunday . he said he believes the obama administration `` will deal '' with the fallout from the controversy unleashed by snowden , who is now thought to be holed up in the transit area of a moscow airport after fleeing there from hong kong . snowden 's disclosures about the programs carried out by the national security agency have shaken the u.s. intelligence community and put the obama administration on the defensive over accusations of government overreach into citizens ' privacy . but bush refrained from criticizing the current president . `` i do n't think it does any good , '' he said . `` it 's a hard job . he 's got plenty on his agenda . it 's difficult . a former president does n't need to make it any harder . other presidents have taken different decisions ; that 's mine . '' the white house has defended the surveillance programs as necessary tools to defuse terrorist threats . obama has said he welcomes a debate over how to strike a balance between security and privacy . `` i think there needs to be a balance , and as the president explained , there is a proper balance , '' bush said . asked about an nsa program that tracks people 's internet activity , bush said , `` i put that program in place to protect the country . one of the certainties was that civil liberties were guaranteed . '' snowden has said he leaked information to journalists about the surveillance programs in the hope of ending what he called an excessively intrusive system . the bushes were at a renovated health clinic in livingstone , zambia , scheduled to open monday as a cervical cancer screening and treatment center . they hope this will save the lives of thousands of women . in his comments , george bush touched on the subject of mandela , who is on life support in a south african hospital . `` sometimes , there are leaders who come and go . his legacy will last for a long time , '' he said of the ailing anti-apartheid icon . reminded by curnow that mandela had criticized him publicly about the war in iraq , bush said he did n't bear a grudge . `` he was n't the only guy , '' he said . `` it 's ok . i made decisions that were the right decisions . history will ultimately judge . i never held someone 's opinion against him ; i did n't look at him differently because he did n't agree with me on an issue . '' bush also initially said he was n't bothered about his ratings in opinion polls , even if some of them now put him at a similar level to obama . `` the only time i really cared was on election day , '' he said . then , drawing laughter from his wife , he checked himself and said , `` you know , i guess it 's nice . i mean , let me rephrase that : thank you for bringing it up . '' in any case , the former president said he does n't expect a fair assessment of his legacy in his lifetime . `` i wo n't be around , because it will take a while for the objective historians to show up , '' he said . `` so i 'm pretty comfortable with it , i did what i did ; i know the spirit in which i did it . '' opinion : george w. bush 's legacy is on the mend . political ticker blog - poll : you 're starting to remember bush fondly . bush 43 : ` history will ultimately judge ... i 'm a content man ' watch erin burnett weekdays 7pm et . for the latest from erin burnett click here . | <t> director insists `` w. '' presents `` a fair portrait of the man , '' is empathetic . </t> <t> bush 's `` rivalry to be stronger than his father '' helped prompt iraq war , stone says . </t> <t> stone says he is anti-war , has concerns about torture , `` stripping of liberties '' </t> <t> `` w. , '' a biopic of president bush , hits theaters friday . </t> | oliver stone : bush legacy ` a hard one to live down '<T> |
honolulu , hawaii -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- bobby maxwell kept a close eye on the oil industry for more than 20 years as a government auditor . but he said the federal agency he worked for is now a `` cult of corruption '' -- a claim backed up by a recent government report . bobby maxwell , a long-time auditor of the oil industry , says his former agency is corrupt `` top to bottom . '' `` i believe the management we were under was showing favoritism to the oil industry , '' maxwell told cnn . maxwell is referring to a tiny agency within the department of the interior called the minerals management service , which manages the nation 's natural gas , oil and other mineral resources on federal lands . a report , conducted by the interior department 's inspector general and released earlier this month , found that employees at the agency received improper gifts from energy industry officials and engaged with them in illegal drug use and inappropriate sexual relations . it looked at activities at the agency from 2003 through 2006 . maxwell said the report does n't surprise him . the agency , he said , is corrupt `` top to bottom . '' watch a failure to `` protect america 's interests '' '' `` it sounds like they forgot they work for the government , '' he said . `` it 's disgusting . ... there 's no excuse for that . those people should not be working in those positions at all . `` they crossed a lot of lines that should never have been crossed , '' he said . `` they lost all objectivity . '' maxwell was in charge of keeping track of the millions in royalty payments owed taxpayers by oil and gas companies who explored and found oil on u.s. government lands . he estimates he and his team were responsible for saving the government close to $ 500 million in royalties , either underpaid or somehow skipped by oil and gas companies , over the years . he received the interior department 's highest award in 2003 for his work . but not long afterward , his job was killed . he believes it was retribution for his cracking down on big oil and blowing the whistle on what he believes was a `` cult of corruption '' within the agency . the interior department denies that , saying his job was reorganized as part of routine restructuring . just before he lost his job , he said , one of his superiors in washington ordered him not to investigate why shell oil had raised its oil transportation costs . maxwell said it jumped from 90 cents to $ 3 a barrel without adequate explanation . the government paid shell to transport oil from offshore platforms . when asked why a government worker would tell an auditor not to investigate , he said : `` i believe it started from the top down , '' he said . shell oil told cnn it `` pays the same rate any shipper does '' and that it has `` never engaged in fraudulent transactions or entered into sham contracts as mr. maxwell alleges . '' maxwell , a registered independent , said the shift in attitude at the agency began about seven or eight years ago , about the time the bush administration came into power . he said he was discouraged from aggressively auditing oil companies . `` laws and regulations were not applied , also not enforced , '' he said . the inspector general 's 27-page summary says that nearly a third of the roughly 60 people in maxwell 's former office received gifts and gratuities from oil industry executives . two received improper , if not illegal , gifts at least 135 times , the report says . it goes on to describe a wild atmosphere in which some staff members admitted using cocaine and marijuana . in addition , two female workers at the minerals management service were known as the `` mms chicks '' and both told investigators they had sex with oil industry officials they were supposed to be auditing . one e-mail from a pipeline company representative invited government workers to a tailgating party : `` have you and the girls meet at my place at 6 a.m. for bubble baths and final prep ... just kidding . '' inspector general earl devaney said in a letter to interior secretary dirk kempthorne accompanying the report that it details `` a textbook example of improperly receiving gifts from prohibited sources . '' maxwell is now retired from the government and teaches at the university of hawaii . he said it was just a matter of time until the agency 's behavior was exposed . he feels vindicated now in the wake of the inspector general 's report , but is still disgusted by what he was happening at the minerals management service . `` their job is to protect united states taxpayers ' interest . it 's like they completely forgot that , like they just became part of the oil companies , '' he said . the interior department said it could not comment on maxwell 's specific allegations or removal , saying his former supervisor no longer works for the interior department either . kempthorne said he was `` outraged '' by the disclosures in the inspector general 's report and that the actions `` of a few has cast a shadow on the entire agency . '' but the department said there is no evidence taxpayers lost money as a result of unethical behavior between government workers and the oil and gas industry . maxwell doubts that . the former auditor said he 'd love to put all the government royalty records under his magnifying glass . `` i think the government should be transparent . we are for the people , by the people . this is the government . we 're here to serve , '' he said . maxwell has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the kerr-mcgee corp. , an energy company involved in oil and gas exploration . in it , he claims the company defrauded taxpayers out of millions in oil royalty payments . the company denies the accusation . if maxwell wins , the government would receive about $ 40 million in additonal revenue and maxwell would be entitled to about a third of that .<doc-sep>azerbaijan for most of the previous three decades , first as the . soviet-era communist party boss and then as its post-soviet president . transparency international , a global . anti-corruption watchdog , says azerbaijan is plagued by endemic . corruption that hampers its development and prevents the population from . sharing in the country 's oil wealth . it ranked azerbaijan 143 out of . 183 countries in its 2011 corruption perceptions index . the . country has also been critized by human rights watch , which said a . crackdown on dissent specifically targeted youth groups after the arab . spring uprisings .<doc-sep>port harcourt , nigeria -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- trash litters its cities . electricity is sporadic at best . there is no clean water . medical and educational services are limited . basic infrastructure is severely lacking . `` planet in peril '' met in a secret location with members of the movement for the emancipation of the niger delta . these are not conditions that should plague one of the richest oil states in the world . hundreds of billions of dollars has been made from the niger delta 's oil reserves and many people have gotten very rich . conversely , the average nigerian has suffered as a result of the country 's oil prosperity . the united states agency for international development says more than 70 percent of the country lives on less than a dollar a day -- the population is among the 20 poorest in the world . oil companies are only part of the equation . the other is the nigerian government . transparency international , a global organization intent on stamping out corruption , has consistently rated nigeria 's government one of the most corrupt in the world . nigeria 's federal government and oil companies split oil profits roughly 60-40 . the money is then supposed to make its way down to the local governments to fund various projects . somehow , little money actually reaches its intended destination . nigeria 's own corruption agency estimates between $ 300 billion to $ 400 billion has been stolen or wasted over the last 50 years . lisa ling travels to secret location to meet notorious nigerian militant group '' gov. rotimi amaechi of rivers state , one of the largest oil producers of nigeria 's 36 states , acknowledges past problems with corruption , but thinks progress is being made . `` there 's a lot of improvement , '' amaechi said . `` the work being done by the corruption agency and the federal government has somehow been able to control the level of corruption in government . '' over the last few years , a culture of militancy and violence has arisen in the absence of jobs and services . kidnappings for ransom , robberies and even murder happen with regularity .<doc-sep>by . glen owen . ryan coetzee , pictured , who has been given the job of rescuing liberal democrat poll ratings . nick clegg 's controversial taxpayer-funded election strategist was censured by a watchdog over his role in the awarding of a multi-million-pound contract . ryan coetzee , who has been given the # 110,000-a-year job of rescuing the lib dems ' plunging poll ratings , was accused of ` maladministration ' in an official probe into suspected cronyism . mr coetzee , who arrived at westminster after nearly 20 years in south african politics , was at the centre of a pay row last week when it emerged that , unlike his rival labour and conservative election gurus , his salary comes from public rather than party funds . intrigue has followed him around in his native country , where he started his career in 1997 as a 24-year-old strategist for the democratic party . he went on to serve as an mp and chief executive of the party and then advised helen zille , premier of the western cape province . last year south africa 's public protector , an anti-corruption watchdog , investigated mr coetzee 's role in the awarding of a # 4 million communications contract by ms zille 's government to a company called tbwa hunt lascaris . the protector , thuli madonsela , launched her investigation after a whistleblower raised questions about why the contract had been awarded without being publicly advertised , as required by law . an interim report said mr coetzee 's role in drafting the tender specifications for the contract , then evaluating the bid and not taking proper minutes , was illegal and should lead to disciplinary action . after mr coetzee 's team mounted a legal challenge , the conclusion was that his involvement was ` improper ' and he had been implicated in ` maladministration ' . the controversial taxpayer-funded election strategist of nick clegg , pictured , was censured by a watchdog over his role in the awarding of a multi-million - pound contract . mr coetzee said the whistleblower was involved in a smear campaign . a south african political source said last night : ` throughout his career ryan has specialised in blurring the lines between political work , civil service work and commercial work . he is now doing the same in the uk . ' last night a liberal democrat spokesman said : ` the protector cleared ryan of any wrongdoing in connection with the communications tender . ` there were minor technical flaws in the way the tender was administered , but overall the tender was valid . '<doc-sep>`` it seemed like a formal process they would go through , '' he said . `` we showed up on the rig . they had a checklist they would run through quickly , check things off , say things like ` hi , joe . hi , john . see you at this weekend 's fishing tournament . ' '' in may , an inspector general 's report on the minerals management service office in lake charles , louisiana , sharply criticized a `` widespread '' culture of taking gifts from industry officials before 2007 . many of the inspectors joined the agency from the industry and had relationships with people in the business that originated `` well before they took their jobs with industry or government , '' the report states . inspectors got paid meals and tickets to sporting events from companies they monitored ; let oil and gas company workers fill out their inspection forms in pencil , with the inspectors writing over those entries in ink before turning them in ; and in 2008 , one conducted inspections of four offshore platforms while negotiating a job with the company that operated them , the report found . and a 2008 inspector general 's report found that regulators in the agency 's denver , colorado , office received improper gifts from energy industry representatives and engaged in illegal drug use and inappropriate sexual relations with them . maxwell worked out of the denver office during that period and traveled to the gulf region frequently . he is now in the fifth year of a whistleblower lawsuit he filed against the kerr-mcgee oil co. , claiming that the firm cheated the interior department and the u.s. treasury out of tens of millions of dollars in revenue from the company 's oil concessions in the gulf . the company , which has since been acquired by anadarko petroleum , denies the accusations . a federal judge in denver is hearing that lawsuit , and should he win , maxwell will stand to gain about $ 6 million in whistleblower fees . interior secretary ken salazar has publicly criticized some minerals management service inspectors , saying they had a `` cozy relationship '' with oil company executives and workers . he has announced plans to split the agency into separate energy development , enforcement and revenue collection divisions , saying they have conflicting missions . | <t> whistleblower said oil regulators in bed with oil industry : `` it 's disgusting '' </t> <t> department of interior said it ca n't comment on bobby maxwell 's specific claims . </t> <t> maxwell was auditor for 20-plus years , said he lost job due to scrutiny of oil giants . </t> <t> recent report found the agency maxwell worked for took improper gifts from oil reps . </t> | whistleblower : oil watchdog agency ` cult of corruption '<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a saudi arabian blogger detained in december , ostensibly because he supported reform advocates accused by the saudi government of backing terrorism , has been released , a fellow blogger posted saturday . web sites like this one pushed for fouad al-farhan 's release . ahmed al-omran said on his blog , saudijeans.org , and later told cnn that he was awakened by a text message from the wife of fouad al-farhan , saying he had been released and was at home with his family . `` that 's great news , and this is just how i wanted to start my morning , '' al-omran wrote . he said he later spoke with al-farhan for several minutes on the telephone . `` he sounded fine ; he seems to be in good spirits , '' al-omran said . `` he said he would have more to talk about later but not at this point . he said now he 'd like to take some time to spend with his family , with his children that he has n't seen for so long . '' watch al-omran describe his conversation with al-farhan '' a web site set up to call for al-farhan 's release said , `` fouad is free . he is back home in jeddah after 137 days in custody . '' the saudi interior ministry said it had no immediate comment on the reports . in january , a ministry spokesman said al-farhan was arrested december 10 `` because he violated the regulations of the kingdom . '' but in an e-mail posted on al-farhan 's web site after his arrest , he told friends that he faced arrest for supporting 10 reform advocates the saudi government accused of backing terrorism . in the e-mail , al-farhan said a senior interior ministry official promised that he would remain in custody for three days at most if he agreed to sign a letter of apology .<doc-sep>`` i 'm not sure if i 'm ready to do that , '' he wrote . `` an apology for what ? apologizing because i said the government is -lsb- a -rsb- liar when they accused those guys of supporting terrorism ? '' al-farhan , who blogs at alfarhan.org , is one of the few saudi web commentators to use his own name , according to the u.s.-based committee to protect journalists . in january , the bush administration expressed its concerns to the saudi government regarding al-farhan 's detention at `` a relatively senior level , '' u.s. state department spokesman sean mccormack said . `` the u.s. stands for freedom of expression , '' mccormack said at the time . `` wherever people are seeking to express themselves , via the internet or via other areas , whether in saudi arabia or elsewhere in the world , we stand with that freedom of expression , and that was our message to the saudi government . '' the american islamic congress , a u.s.-based nonprofit organization , launched an online letter-writing campaign aimed at freeing al-farhan , whom it called `` the godfather of saudi blogging . '' `` all he did was express his opinions in a very obvious way , and he did n't threaten anyone , '' al-omran said . `` he was advocating against violence and terrorism . '' al-omran said al-farhan had stopped blogging for a few months in late 2006 , after the interior ministry ordered him to take down a blog he was operating , but he began again at a new site . he said al-farhan told him he was treated well in jail . he also called al-farhan 's release a turning point for the blogging community in saudi arabia . `` it showed the community of bloggers in saudi arabia can come together and support this cause -- support his freedom of speech -- even those who did n't agree with some of the things he wrote , '' he said . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's mohammed jamjoom contributed to this report .<doc-sep>pardon : lucille mclauchlan , 47 , was 33 when she was freed from a saudi sentence to eight years and 500 lashes . a british nurse who spent more than a year in a saudi arabian jail for helping to murder a colleague was on life support last night after suffering a brain haemorrhage . lucille mclauchlan , 47 , was sentenced to eight years and 500 lashes by a saudi court in 1997 as an accessory to the murder of fellow nurse yvonne gilford and for the theft of her bank card , but was freed after a royal pardon . on sunday , her son zak , 14 , discovered her unconscious at the family home in broughty ferry , near dundee .<doc-sep>by . damien gayle . ` prisoner of conscience ' : saudi blogger raif badawi , who is facing ten years jail , a thousand lashes and a million riyal fine -lrb- # 133,000 -rrb- for ` insulting islam ' a saudi blogger is facing ten years jail , a thousand lashes and a million riyal fine for ` insulting islam ' . raif . badawi originally faced seven years jail and 600 lashes , but an appeal . court overturned that sentence and ordered a retrial . amnesty . international has called the new sentence ` outrageous ' and says badawi . is a ` prisoner of conscience ' . his website has been closed since his . first trial . badawi . was arrested in june 2012 and charged with cyber crime and disobeying . his father - a crime in saudi arabia - in relation to his saudi liberal . network website . . the site . included articles that were critical of senior religious figures such as . saudi arabia 's grand mufti , according to human rights watch . the prosecution had demanded that . badawi be tried for apostasy , a crime which carries the death penalty in . saudi arabia , but his original trial judge dismissed that charge . badawi 's . lawyers have slammed yesterday 's sentence as too harsh , althought the . prosecutor had asked for a harsher penalty , according to news website .<doc-sep>such as saudi arabia 's grand mufti , according to human rights watch . he had originally faced seven years in jail and 600 lashes , but an appeal court overturned that sentence and ordered a retrial . amnesty international called the new sentence ` outrageous ' and said badawi is a ` prisoner of conscience ' . his website has been closed since his first trial . king abdullah : the king employs a religious police to enforce behaviour that goes against strict islamic rule and this has even hit bloggers like raif badawi , right , who faces ten years in jail for insulting islam . citizens of saudi arabia are constantly encouraged to inform on others who break the law . punishment for many offenses is . severe , often involving beatings and humiliation and foreigners are not . excluded from arrest . middle east ally : david cameron receives a , honour from king abdullah . human rights watch says saudi arabia , a staunch ally of the west in the middle east , has a long history of suppressing free expression . philip . luther , director of the middle east and north africa programme at . amnesty international , urged saudi authorities to quash blogger badawi 's . conviction . ` the decision to sentence raif badawi to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes is outrageous , ' he said . human . rights watch said saudi arabia , a staunch ally of the west in the . middle east , has a long history of suppressing free expression .<doc-sep>towards the end of the interview he showed the reporter how they ` had a laugh ' making a blank charlie hebdo newspaper ` which would n't offend anyone . ' he said : ` this is the magazine of those saying ' i am charlie , but . ' luz described how he hugged a muslim friend of charb 's at the editor 's funeral , and how the muslim man cried and told him he was sorry . luz told the man he had no reason to be apologising , and the two men cried together . when asked his opinion of the march of millions of people and world leaders that he was a part of , he said that while he is happy that people are supporting them , the hypocrisy of some world leaders ` makes him sad ' . he said : ` when i saw hollande at the march , a pigeon s *** on him . it was great . ' i told him `` you 're about to have lunch with many heads of state , tell them to allow their people to laugh at them through drawings and newspapers . '' ` what an irony to see that behind us was a representative from saudi arabia , where the blogger badawi is in jail for 10 years , where they lash him every week . ` all of a sudden , saudi arabia says ' i am charlie ' but it is not . ` they are no charlie when the put a blogger in jail and whip him . that 's not being charlie . ` and it makes me really sad . ' watch the interview from vice here . | <t> new : friend says blogger `` in good spirits '' and spending time with family . </t> <t> fouad al-farhan detained in december by saudi government for his blog . </t> <t> al-farhan was held because he supported reform advocates , a blog says . </t> <t> saudi government accused him of supporting terrorism through his blog . </t> | saudi blogger freed from jail , colleague says<T> |
baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. military announced wednesday that coalition forces recently killed al qaeda in iraq 's `` charismatic '' senior leader in northern iraq . abu qaswarah was second only to abu ayyub al-masri -lrb- pictured -rrb- in al qaeda in iraq leadership . abu qaswarah , also known as abu sara , was killed during an operation in mosul on october 5 , the military said . the moroccan native was second-in-command to al qaeda in iraq -lrb- aqi -rrb- leader abu ayyub al-masri , according to the military . he had `` historic ties '' to al-masri 's predecessor , abu musab al-zarqawi , and senior al qaeda leaders in afghanistan and pakistan , the military said . abu qaswarah -- who became aqi 's senior leader in northern iraq in june 2007 -- was the target of the military raid in mosul earlier this month , the military said . coalition forces tracked him down inside a building in the northern iraqi city of mosul , which `` served as a key command and control location for aqi , '' according to the military . `` upon entering the building , forces were immediately fired upon , '' the military said . `` coalition forces returned fire in self-defense , leading to the death of five terrorists . it was later determined that one of the five was positively identified as abu qaswarah . '' the u.s. military described abu qaswarah as a `` charismatic '' leader who rallied al qaeda in iraq 's northern network after `` major setbacks to the terrorist organization across iraq . '' groups comprised mainly of former sunni insurgents -- known as awakening councils or `` sons of iraq '' -- have turned against al qaeda in iraq , helping to diminish its presence in several parts of the country . the u.s. military credits them with playing a key role in bringing about the nationwide drop in violence that coincided with the `` surge '' of u.s. forces . abu qaswarah -- who trained with al qaeda in afghanistan -- helped bring foreign terrorists into northern iraq , where they carried out a spate of suicide attacks , according to the military . he also organized and led aqi 's attacks in mosul , including the `` failed attempt to destroy the mosul civic center during the holy month of ramadan , '' which took place in september , the military said . that attack , the military said , `` could have killed hundreds of innocent iraqis . '' the military said abu qaswarah 's death `` will significantly degrade aqi operations in mosul and northern iraq , leaving the network without a leader to oversee and coordinate its operations in the region . ''<doc-sep>nizar headed al qaeda in iraq 's propaganda network and was a conduit between al-masri and senior al qaeda leaders . the letter to al-masri was found on nizar after he was killed . the bush administration has touted its strides in the battle against al qaeda in iraq , the sunni militant offshoot that emerged after the 2003 u.s.-led invasion of iraq . the military estimates that al qaeda is operating with only a third of the fighters it had two years ago . al qaeda in iraq , officials say , has been battered by military offensives in baghdad , the largely sunni anbar province and other sunni areas . it also has been weakened by growing support among sunnis for the u.s. and iraqi authorities . the sunni support is reflected in the awakening movement -- a collection of predominantly sunni security councils of former insurgents or sympathizers who have turned against al qaeda . political reconciliation efforts directed toward sunni arabs also have helped harness their support . in contrast , al qaeda has alienated sunnis in iraq with heavy-handed , divisive tactics , according to experts with the international crisis group . however , experts warn that al qaeda is resilient , and u.s. defense secretary robert gates says there is always a danger of al qaeda 's re-emergence . gates , who testified wednesday before the u.s. house armed services committee , lauded security achievements in iraq but noted `` the very real threat that al qaeda continues to pose . '' cnn 's arwa damon , jomana karadsheh and youssif basil contributed to this report .<doc-sep>a u.s. national security council spokesman , tommy vietor , said the arrest dealt another blow to al qaeda and added : `` we applaud the actions of pakistan 's intelligence and security services that led to the capture '' of a senior operative involved in planning attacks . news of the arrest comes six days before the 10th anniversary of al qaeda 's attack on the united states , which killed nearly 3,000 people . it also comes as the united states and its allies have made major strides in its fight against al qaeda . a secret u.s. military operation killed bin laden on may 2 . the following month , u.s. officials say , a drone attack in pakistan killed ilyas kashmiri , a senior figure in al qaeda described as the organization 's `` military brain . '' kashmiri operated his own terrorist group , harakat-ul-jihad-islami , or movement for an islamic holy war . in august , an apparent u.s. drone strike killed al qaeda 's second-in-command , atiya abdul rahman , officials said . he had been bin laden 's operations chief and was in charge of running daily operations for al qaeda . however , the issue of combating terrorism also has strained u.s.-pakistani relations over questions of autonomy and cooperation .<doc-sep>baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. military said disturbing video that shows masked boys brandishing guns was an al qaeda in iraq training and recruiting tool . the u.s. says this image of young boys is from an al qaeda in iraq training and recruitment video . `` al qaeda in iraq wants to poison the next generation of iraqis , '' said rear adm. gregory smith during a baghdad news conference about the release of the tape . the video , he said , showed boys , `` many below age 11 '' being used `` to produce the next generation of al qaeda . '' masked boys are seen in the tape armed with grenade launchers , ak-47s and pistols . they 're standing in front of a black banner hung on a wall , shouting slogans . another video shows a boy , surrounded by automatic weapons and wearing a suicide vest , according to the associated press . also in the video , armed boys in black hoods , with weapons pointed , shout and force a man off his bicycle , search a car , and clear a building while a male voice off camera instructs them . smith said the military does n't know how many children al qaeda in iraq uses in its operations . he said it 's believed the boys in the video were willing participants . watch the disturbing video '' `` al qaeda often refers to the children as the new generation of the mujahedeen , '' smith said , using the arabic term for holy warriors . `` we 've also seen evidence of al qaeda entering schools , disseminating propaganda and no doubt terrorizing the children and their teachers . '' the video indicates that al qaeda in iraq was increasingly targeting children and posting propaganda on some of the 5,000 al qaeda-affiliated web sites . the u.s. military said the video excerpts were culled from five propaganda videos obtained during a raid targeting a senior member of al qaeda in iraq in december in diyala province . in baghdad on wednesday , roadside bombings in south-central iraq killed seven people and wounded nine others , iraq 's interior ministry said . a roadside bomb targeting police killed four people and wounded nine others in the south-central iraqi provincial capital of diwaniya on wednesday morning , an interior ministry official told cnn . the city is the provincial seat of the largely shiite qadisiya province . police were transporting prisoners at the time of the attack . the four killed , two women , a child and a man , were civilian passers-by . four civilians , three detainees , and two police officers were wounded . a roadside bomb exploded midmorning in central baghdad 's andalus square , killing three civilians , according to the ministry . in eastern baghdad , a third roadside bomb targeted a u.s. military patrol , the interior ministry said . there was no immediate word on casualties . the u.s. military on wednesday also reported the deaths of two sons of iraq members who were trying to thwart a suicide attack on tuesday in a town northwest of baghdad . watch more on sons of iraq '' a militant detonated a suicide vest outside a photo shop in awad . the pair died in the strike but `` prevented the man from detonating the explosive vest filled with ball bearings in a crowd of local iraqis . the selflessness of these men allowed time for surviving witnesses to recognize the threat and escape the blast , '' the military said . the sons of iraq , concerned local citizens and awakening councils are the names of anti-al qaeda in iraq citizen groups that have emerged across the country in recent months . the u.s. military on wednesday also reported a series of raids across iraq over the last few days that led to the detentions of 20 suspected militants . the operations took place in the baghdad area , in mosul , and near ramadi . iraqi soldiers and sons of iraq members also found weapons caches . e-mail to a friend . cnn 's arwa damon contributed to this report .<doc-sep>baghdad -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the widow of an al qaeda in iraq leader has been sentenced to 20 years in prison , after being convicted of involvement in terrorism . hasna ali was the wife of abu ayyub al-masri , one of the two top leaders of al qaeda in iraq who were killed in a joint iraqi-u.s. operation in april 2010 . al-masri was military leader of al qaeda in iraq . iraqi supreme judicial council spokesman abdul sattar al-berqdar told cnn sunday that hasna ali , who is from yemen , was sentenced in an iraqi court . abu ayyub al-masri was the military leader of al qaeda in iraq . he was killed along with abu omar al-baghdadi , who was . leader of the islamic state of iraq , an umbrella group that includes al qaeda in iraq . when they were killed more than a year ago , then-commander of u.s. forces-iraq gen. raymond odierno called it `` potentially the most significant blow to al qaeda in iraq since the beginning of the insurgency . '' journalists fattah mahmood fattah and muhaimen najm contributed to this report . | <t> abu qaswarah killed during an operation in mosul on october 5 . </t> <t> he was second-in-command to al qaeda in iraq leader abu ayyub al-masri . </t> <t> coalition forces tracked him down inside a building in the northern iraqi city . </t> <t> u.s. military described abu qaswarah as a `` charismatic '' leader . </t> | u.s. military : senior al qaeda chief killed in iraq<T> |
dubai , united arab emirates -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a court in dubai has sentenced two britons to three months in prison for having sex on a public beach in the muslim country . file image of one of the co-accused -- vince acors -- arriving at court in dubai in september . after they complete their sentence , the pair will be deported . they also have to pay a 1,000 dirhams -lrb- $ 367 -rrb- fine for public indecency . police charged michelle palmer , 36 , and vincent acors , 34 , with illicit relations , public indecency and public intoxication after their arrest at a beach shortly after midnight on july 5 . both denied that they had intercourse . `` the public -lrb- prosecutor -rrb- failed to produce corroborative evidence against my clients concerning having consensual sex and committing indecent gestures in public , '' said the pair 's lawyer , hasan mattar .<doc-sep>he said the pair will appeal the verdict . watch how case stirs up dubai 's bar scene '' the united arab emirates -lrb- uae -rrb- -- where dubai is located -- is home to thousands of expatriates and is among the most moderate gulf states . still , the oil-rich gulf kingdom adheres to certain islamic rules . more than a million british visitors traveled to the uae in 2006 , and more than 100,000 british nationals live there , according to the british foreign office . the country is in the midst of a building boom to position itself as one of the world 's premier tourist destinations . it is already home to the world 's largest mall , the world 's largest tower , and -- despite being in the middle east -- boasts the largest indoor snow park in the world . -- cnn 's caroline faraj contributed to this report .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a british businessman jailed in dubai after being convicted with a female companion for having sex on a beach said he had acted naively as he spoke publicly monday for the first time since returning to the uk . vince acors said he had been `` extremely naive '' about muslim law . vince acors , 34 , and michelle palmer , 36 , were arrested on a dubai beach in july and convicted to three-month jail terms in october on charges of public indecency and for having sex outside marriage . their jail sentences were suspended on appeal and both returned to the uk last week . acors , a telecommunications executive , admitted being drunk at the time of the incident after an afternoon of drinking but denied that sex between the couple had occurred and said that worldwide media interest in the case had given authorities no choice but to convict them . `` sex in this country -lrb- the uk -rrb- is not the same as sex in dubai , '' acors told a news conference , adding that there was `` physical contact but intercourse did not take place . '' watch as acors gives his side of the story ''<doc-sep>dubai , united arab emirates -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a british couple convicted for having sex on a public beach in dubai will not face jail after a judge suspended their prison sentences , their lawyer said tuesday . file image of one of the co-accused -- vince acors -- arriving at court in dubai in september . the couple , michelle palmer and vincent acors , had faced a three-month sentence , but they were freed on bail in october pending an appeal .<doc-sep>the case highlights the difficulties faced by more than 100,000 britons who live in dubai . in 2008 , michelle palmer , of oakham , was accused of having sex on jumeirah beach in dubai . officials in the gulf state have prosecuted several britons for indecent behaviour over the past five years . in 2008 , vince acors , of bromley , kent , and michelle palmer , of oakham , rutland , were given three-month jail terms for having sex on jumeirah beach . they claimed they had simply been ` kissing and cuddling ' and the sentences were suspended on appeal .<doc-sep>him ` a lot of money ' to tell prosecutors the pair were kissing rather . than having sex but he refused . the couple 's defence lawyer said there . were gaping inconsistencies in the witness accounts . he also said the . pair could not have been having sex because blake was on her period at . the time , adding : ` this is dubai , not a mosque . everyone drinks . ' neither witness gave evidence in the trial . their statements were instead submitted to judges in the misdemeanours court . fired : a tearful rebecca blake has lost her job at recruitment firm . blake and mcredmond denied having . consensual sex and indecency . they previously pleaded guilty to . consuming alcohol and were fined # 512 . both said they could not comment . they are the latest expats to fall . foul of the united arab emirates ' strict laws preventing drunkenness in . public and sex outside marriage . in 2008 , vince acors , 38 , and michelle . palmer , 40 , were jailed for three months for having sex on a beach . the . sentence was suspended on appeal . and in 2009 charlotte adams and ayman . najafi spent a month in jail after an emirati woman complained they were . kissing in public . strict islamic state : those convicted of having sex outside marriage face a sentence of between one month and three years under dubai law . outrage : the couple 's lawyer shaker al shammary told dubai misdemeanours court the taxi driver made a malicious false accusation after rowing with mr mcredmond over the fare . | <t> the two britons will be deported after they complete their sentence . </t> <t> the pair were arrested at a dubai beach shortly after midnight on july 5 . </t> <t> they were charged with with illicit relations , public indecency , public intoxication . </t> <t> although a relatively moderate gulf state , dubai adheres to certain islamic rules . </t> | dubai beach sex couple given three months in jail<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. treasury secretary henry paulson said golden parachute payments would be banned and the salary deals of bankers `` clawed back '' as part of the government 's $ 250 billion bailout of the financial sector . u.s. president george w. bush announces his government 's bank bailout plan . meanwhile , u.s. president george w. bush on tuesday of a $ 250 billion bailout plan to help stabilize the financial system . in washington , bush said the treasury would buy into banks in return for shares using authority granted in the country 's $ 700 billion bailout bill . however , paulson stressed taxpayers would get a return on their money and banking excesses would be brought to an end . `` institutions that sell shares to the government will accept restrictions on executive compensation , including a clawback provision and a ban on golden parachutes during the period that treasury holds equity issued through this program , '' he said . the world 's sharemarkets climbed again after european governments monday announced bank bailouts worth more than $ 1 trillion and in anticipation of the u.s. bailout . watch market prices . the dow jones industrial average surged 363 points in early trading after bush and paulson spoke before dropping back and eventually closing down by 76 points , or 0.82 percent . bush said the measures taken in europe were right , and had brought stability to the system . watch the european central bank chief 's assessment '' `` this new capital will help struggling banks to fill the hole filled by crisis during the time we are in , '' bush said . `` this is a short-term measure to insure the viability of america 's banking system . '' watch bush announce the plan '' he also announced that the federal deposit insurance corporation -lrb- fdic -rrb- would `` temporarily guarantee most new debt '' issued by banks . `` this will address one of the central problems plaguing our financial system -- banks have been unable to borrow money and that has constricted their ability to lend to consumer and businesses , '' bush said . `` when money flows freely between banks , it will make it easy for americans to borrow money for homes and cars . '' the government , through the fdic , would also immediately and temporarily insure non-interest-bearing transaction accounts which were used mainly by small businesses `` to cover day-to-day operations . '' `` by insuring every dollar in these accounts , we will give small business owners piece of mind and bring greater stability to the banking system , '' bush said . governments have rushed to pump capital into banks after a series of large failures left the financial system teetering on the edge of insolvency . banks have stopped lending to each other and customers for fear they will not be able to recoup debts and over concerns that many institutions are still hiding massive sub-prime mortgage losses . watch nobel prize winner praise uk plan '' paulson said the government would get preference shares in return for its investment . `` nine large financial institutions have already agreed to participate in this program . they have agreed to sell preferred shares to the us government , on the same terms that will be available to a broad array of small and medium-sized banks . '' watch more on the bailout funding '' according to reports banking giants citigroup , bank of america , jpmorgan chase , wells fargo , goldman sachs , morgan stanley and merrill lynch would be among those to receive funding . federal reserve chairman bernanke said : `` i strongly believe that the application of these tools , together with the underlying vitality and resilience of the american economy , will help to restore confidence to our financial system and place our economy back on a path to vigorous , healthy growth . '' markets in europe saw big early gains drop back in afternoon trading . however , london 's ftse , the paris cac 40 and frankfurt 's dax closed between 2.7 and 3.3 percent higher . across the middle east markets were up between 6.5 and 11 percent . earlier , japan 's nikkei 225 posted a record 14.15 percent gain . south korea 's kospi index gained 6.1 percent and australia 's all ordinaries picked up more than 4 percent . watch the nikkei index bounce back '' jesper koll , of tantallon capital research in tokyo , said : `` the system is starting to work . we can see that credit markets are starting to stabilize . '' meanwhile iceland 's stock exchange reopened tuesday for the first time since trading was suspended last wednesday , with a value 76 percent lower than at its close value last week . icelandic officials cautioned , however , that the new value reflected the absence of the three big banks that were nationalized last week and which represented 80 percent of iceland 's stock market . taking that into account , exchange spokeswoman kristen johannsdottir said the market was down only 2 percent in early trading .<doc-sep>sept 7 : fannie mae and freddie mac effectively nationalized by the u.s. treasury which places them into `` conservatorship . '' sept. 9 : lehman brothers shares plummet to lowest level on wall street in more than a decade . sept 14 : lehman brothers files for bankruptcy . stock markets plummet ; central banks inject billions of dollars into money markets . bank of america agrees to buy merrill lynch . sept. 16 : aig corp , the world 's biggest insurer , bailed out by the u.s. federal reserve . morgan stanley and wachovia enter merger talks . sept. 17 : halifax bank of scotland -lrb- hbos -rrb- to merge with uk bank lloyds tsb in an emergency rescue plan . sept. 18 : federal bank and other central banks inject billions into global markets to help ease the crunch . sept. 22 : japan 's nomura holdings buys lehman 's asian operations for up to $ 525 million . sept. 25 : wamu sold to jp morgan . sept. 27 : hsbc announces 1,100 job cuts worldwide . sept. 29 : - u.s. congress rejects $ 700 billion plan to bail out the u.s. financial system . - uk 's bradford & bingley nationalized . santander to buy deposits for $ 38.2 bn - german bank hypo real estate to be bailed out by banks and government . - citigroup , the world 's largest bank , says it will buy wachovia . - belgian giant fortis is bailed out by netherlands , belgium and luxembourg . - royal bank of scotland shares lose a fifth of their value . - iceland part-nationalizes glitnir , one of its biggest banks . sept 30 : - belgian bank dexia bailed out by france , belgium and luxembourg . - swiss bank ubs announces small profit in third quarter . - irish government guarantees safety of bonds , debts and deposits . oct 1 : us senate passes amended $ 700 billion bail-out plan . oct 3 : - us congress passes $ 700 billion bail-out , president bush signs it into law . - swiss bank ubs to cut 2000 jobs . - dutch government nationalizes banking and insurance activities of fortis . oct 4-6 : - proposed hypo real estate bailout collapses . - chancellor angela merkel announces new plan for hypo bailout worth $ 69bn . - merkel also announces guarantee of deposits in german banks . - uk raises limit on guaranteed bank deposits from # 35,000 - # 50,000 . - eu leaders meet in paris for emergency summit to discuss financial crisis . - battle rages between citigroup and wells fargo over purchase of wachovia . - french bank bnp paribas takes 75 % stake in fortis . oct 6 : - danish government announces plan to guarantee bank deposits - wells fargo and citigroup agree to legal standstill in battle for wachovia . - bank of america reports 68 % profit drop , stock sale to raise $ 10bn . oct 7 : icelandic bank landsbanki nationalized ; icesave , landbanki 's internet bank , freezes uk customers ' accounts . oct 8 : - uk treasury freezes assets of landsbanki in the uk ; threatens legal action - uk treasury announces # 500 billion bank rescue package . - u.s. , uk , china , canada , sweden , switzerland and ecb cut interest rates . - imf forecasts `` major global downturn '' . oct 9 : iceland nationalizes its biggest bank kaupthing . oct 10 : black friday - g7 finance ministers meet in washington and issue a five-point plan . - nikkei falls almost 10 % , biggest drop in 20 years . - ftse falls more than 10 % , closes at 8.85 % ; worst daily fall since 1987 . - oil prices fall to $ 80 a barrel . - dow crashes nearly 700 points before regaining some lost ground . - icelandic bank kaupthing is nationalized . oct 11 - 12 : - the fed rubberstamps wachovia takeover by wells fargo . - 15 eu leaders meet in paris for emergency summit on crisis . - gordon brown urges them to adopt similar measures to uk bank rescue plan . - leaders agree to guarantee loans between banks until end of 2009 . - germany , france and italy to announce individual plans monday . - australia agrees to guarantee deposits for next 3 years . - new zealand guarantees bank deposits for 2 years . oct 13 : - eu stock markets bounce back in response to eu leaders ' bailout announcements . - uk bails out 3 banks : rbs , hbos and lloyds tsb at cost of $ 63 billion . - bank of england loans $ 174 million to icelandic bank landsbanki to help repay uk depositors . oct 14 : - iceland in talks with russia to negotiate emergency loan of $ 5.44 billion after bank collapses . - u.s. follows uk lead by part-nationalizing banks . oct 15 : - european and asian stock markets fall after initial upswing . - southeast asian nations agree to start fund to provide financial support to countries in crisis ; world bank commits $ 10 billion to the planned fund . - russian stock market posts losses as rts index falls below 800 points . oct 16 : - global markets fall on fears of global slowdown . - citigroup delays merger of its japanese brokerage units due to costs involved . - swiss government bails out ubs with $ 59.2 billion . - credit suisse posts 1.3 billion-franc third quarter loss ; raises $ 8.7 billion from investors . - hungarian central bank gets cash injection from ecb to value of $ 6.7 billion . - eu leaders at brussels summit call for complete overhaul of international financial system .<doc-sep>sept 7 : fannie mae and freddie mac effectively nationalized by the u.s. treasury which places them into `` conservatorship . '' sept. 9 : lehman brothers shares plummet to lowest level on wall street in more than a decade . sept 14 : lehman brothers files for bankruptcy . stock markets plummet ; central banks inject billions of dollars into money markets . bank of america agrees to buy merrill lynch . sept. 16 : aig corp , the world 's biggest insurer , bailed out by the u.s. federal reserve . morgan stanley and wachovia enter merger talks . sept. 17 : halifax bank of scotland -lrb- hbos -rrb- to merge with uk bank lloyds tsb in an emergency rescue plan . sept. 18 : federal bank and other central banks inject billions into global markets to help ease the crunch . sept. 22 : japan 's nomura holdings buys lehman 's asian operations for up to $ 525 million . sept. 25 : wamu sold to jp morgan . sept. 27 : hsbc announces 1,100 job cuts worldwide . sept. 29 : - u.s. congress rejects $ 700 billion plan to bail out the u.s. financial system . - uk 's bradford & bingley nationalized . santander to buy deposits for $ 38.2 bn - german bank hypo real estate to be bailed out by banks and government . - citigroup , the world 's largest bank , says it will buy wachovia . - belgian giant fortis is bailed out by netherlands , belgium and luxembourg . - royal bank of scotland shares lose a fifth of their value . - iceland part-nationalizes glitnir , one of its biggest banks . sept 30 : - belgian bank dexia bailed out by france , belgium and luxembourg . - swiss bank ubs announces small profit in third quarter . - irish government guarantees safety of bonds , debts and deposits . oct 1 : us senate passes amended $ 700 billion bail-out plan . oct 3 : - us congress passes $ 700 billion bail-out , president bush signs it into law . - swiss bank ubs to cut 2000 jobs . - dutch government nationalizes banking and insurance activities of fortis . oct 4-6 : - proposed hypo real estate bailout collapses . - chancellor angela merkel announces new plan for hypo bailout worth $ 69bn . - merkel also announces guarantee of deposits in german banks . - uk raises limit on guaranteed bank deposits from # 35,000 - # 50,000 . - eu leaders meet in paris for emergency summit to discuss financial crisis . - battle rages between citigroup and wells fargo over purchase of wachovia . - french bank bnp paribas takes 75 % stake in fortis . oct 6 : - danish government announces plan to guarantee bank deposits - wells fargo and citigroup agree to legal standstill in battle for wachovia . - bank of america reports 68 % profit drop , stock sale to raise $ 10bn . oct 7 : icelandic bank landsbanki nationalized ; icesave , landbanki 's internet bank , freezes uk customers ' accounts . oct 8 : - uk treasury freezes assets of landsbanki in the uk ; threatens legal action - uk treasury announces # 500 billion bank rescue package . - u.s. , uk , china , canada , sweden , switzerland and ecb cut interest rates . - imf forecasts `` major global downturn '' . oct 9 : iceland nationalizes its biggest bank kaupthing . oct 10 : black friday - g7 finance ministers meet in washington and issue a five-point plan . - nikkei falls almost 10 % , biggest drop in 20 years . - ftse falls more than 10 % , closes at 8.85 % ; worst daily fall since 1987 . - oil prices fall to $ 80 a barrel . - dow crashes nearly 700 points before regaining some lost ground . - icelandic bank kaupthing is nationalized . oct 11 - 12 : - the fed rubberstamps wachovia takeover by wells fargo . - 15 eu leaders meet in paris for emergency summit on crisis . - gordon brown urges them to adopt similar measures to uk bank rescue plan . - leaders agree to guarantee loans between banks until end of 2009 . - germany , france and italy to announce individual plans monday . - australia agrees to guarantee deposits for next 3 years . - new zealand guarantees bank deposits for 2 years . oct 13 : - eu stock markets bounce back in response to eu leaders ' bailout announcements . - uk bails out 3 banks : rbs , hbos and lloyds tsb at cost of $ 63 billion . - bank of england loans $ 174 million to icelandic bank landsbanki to help repay uk depositors . oct 14 : - iceland in talks with russia to negotiate emergency loan of $ 5.44 billion after bank collapses . - u.s. follows uk lead by part-nationalizing banks . oct 15 : - european and asian stock markets fall after initial upswing . - southeast asian nations agree to start fund to provide financial support to countries in crisis ; world bank commits $ 10 billion to the planned fund . - russian stock market posts losses as rts index falls below 800 points . oct 16 : - global markets fall on fears of global slowdown . - citigroup delays merger of its japanese brokerage units due to costs involved . - swiss government bails out ubs with $ 59.2 billion . - credit suisse posts 1.3 billion-franc third quarter loss ; raises $ 8.7 billion from investors . - hungarian central bank gets cash injection from ecb to value of $ 6.7 billion . - eu leaders at brussels summit call for complete overhaul of international financial system .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at a hearing tuesday before the senate banking committee , federal officials said a bailout is needed immediately for the health of the u.s. economy . sen. christopher dodd is chairing tuesday 's hearing on president bush 's proposed $ 700 billion bailout plan . treasury secretary henry paulson and federal reserve chairman ben bernanke are urging the passage of a $ 700 billion bailout proposed by president bush following the failure of financial institutions and frozen credit markets . the proposal , if adopted , would amount to the most sweeping economic intervention by the government since the great depression . before the hearing , sen. christopher dodd , a connecticut democrat who is the banking committee chairman , spoke tuesday with `` american morning 's '' kiran chetry about whether the bailout is the right option and what may have contributed to the tumultuous economic environment . kiran chetry : you know talk about waking a sleeping giant -- we have almost 2,000 blog posts on cnnmoney.com about this bailout alone . many people are outraged about it . they feel the government is spending $ 700 billion or more to reward bad behavior . what can you do to assure people that this is the right thing ?<doc-sep>as a result the government is expected to reveal a new batch of austerity measures when it announces its budget on october 15 . these are expected to include more unpopular public sector job cuts , cuts to pensions and benefits and plans to raise the retirement age to 66 . but this wo n't be easy . there is a political crisis inside the governing coalition , the constitutional court has ruled four times against the governments ' plans to trim public sector pay and recently there were whispers of a second bailout . read more : mutti merkel is no iron lady thatcher . the troika , which was visiting the country when i was there , was quick to deny the murmurs of another crisis , issuing a statement which said that portugal 's bailout program `` remains broadly on track , with the authorities determined to achieve its objectives . '' there is no doubt that there 's an improvement in the portuguese economy . there are reasons to be optimistic . but let 's not start popping the champagne just yet . for now , pate and bread may be the most appropriate economic aperitif . | <t> u.s. president george w. bush announces $ 250 billion bailout . </t> <t> henry paulson : golden parachute payments and excesses will end . </t> <t> japan 's nikkei closes tuesday up 14 percent , a one-day record . </t> | bush announces $ 250b bailout<T> |
editor 's note : glenn beck is on cnn headline news nightly at 7 and 9 et and also is host of a conservative national radio talk show . glenn beck says wall street 's troubles began with a wild craze for subprime mortages . new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- `` greed is good . '' at least , that 's what michael douglas ' character gordon gekko claimed in the movie wall street . but , just like gekko , the modern-day companies that followed that motto now find themselves wondering how everything could collapse so fast . you know the names by now : countrywide financial , bear stearns , indymac , fannie mae , freddie mac , lehman brothers , aig . and that 's not even counting companies like citigroup , merrill lynch , and goldman sachs that , while still in existence , have lost untold billions in market value and have laid off thousands of employees . maybe greed is n't so good after all . lehman was founded in 1844 when henry lehman , a german immigrant , opened a small shop in montgomery , alabama . his brothers joined him six years later and , by 1858 they were busy turning cotton provided by local farmers into a cash crop -- a business that did n't have anything to do with helping low-income families afford 27-bedroom mcmansions . more than 150 years later , after surviving the great depression , black monday , the savings and loan crisis and the dot-com bust , lehman brothers filed for bankruptcy protection . they had gone 14 years as a public company without ever reporting a single quarterly loss . now they will never again post a profit . bear stearns ' story is eerily similar . founded in 1923 . survived every crisis . never posted a quarterly loss until last year . gone without a trace . so how did 235 years of rock-solid american finance disappear virtually overnight ? well , it 's not as complicated as you think . if you replace all of the acronyms invented by the brainiacs on wall street with references to things that main street understands , it becomes a lot easier to see how it all happened . here 's a quick story i invented that does just that .<doc-sep>-lrb- note to any wall street executives who might be reading this : i know this simple little story is n't perfect , but let 's remember that you 're the ones who tried to make everything complicated and i 'm the one who still has a job . -rrb- . it 's just before christmas ,1996 , and as you watch overeager parents trample each other to buy tickle me elmo dolls for their kids , you see an opportunity . `` this is n't a tickle me elmo bubble , '' you think to yourself , `` this is a long-term trend . every person in america will soon own a tickle me elmo , maybe even two . it 's the american dream . '' you approach your local banker about a loan and , naturally , he loves your idea . in fact , he loves it so much that for every $ 1 you have in your account , he 's willing to lend you $ 34 . great deal , you think , as you max out your credit line and buy as many tickle me elmos as you possibly can . sales are easy at first . people are lining up to buy your dolls and the prices are going far higher than you ever thought . the only person happier than you is your banker . but the following year something unexpected happens : kids stop asking for tickle me elmos . you try to cut the price , but no buyers show up . you cut the price more , but your store remains empty . panic sets in . you 're pretty sure that this downturn is just temporary -lrb- after all , who would n't want a tickle me elmo ? -rrb- but you 're quickly running out of cash . your only option is to buy time and hope that tickle me elmos start flying off your shelves again . you visit every bank in town and , using your piles of tickle me elmo dolls as collateral -lrb- which , of course , you purchased with money you did n't have -rrb- you get as much new capital as possible . soon that money is also gone . even your friends and family refuse to give you any more loans . at the end of your rope , you go to your town council , which gives you a `` bridge loan '' to get you through the next few months -lrb- something that makes your furby-selling competitors extremely upset -rrb- . unfortunately , no matter how much you borrow , there 's still one nagging little problem : no one wants to buy your stupid tickle me elmo dolls anymore .<doc-sep>the longer you wait , the less they 're worth . you sell some for pennies on the dollar , but pretty soon you ca n't even do that . then things get even worse : news breaks that china is poisoning some tickle me elmos before shipping them to the united states . now your dolls are not just out of favor , they 're toxic . you literally ca n't even give them away . soon the rest of your money dries up , as do the people who are willing to lend you any more of it . now you 're out of cash ; out of a job , and , if not for the pile of poisonous tickle me elmo dolls in your basement , completely alone -- which sounds kind of like the ceos of lehman brothers and bear stearns . believe it or not , this ridiculous story may be far from reality , but it 's not that far off from describing what these financial and mortgage companies did to themselves . just replace the tickle me elmo references with the once popular , then discounted , now completely toxic subprime mortgages and you 're pretty much there . when you cut through all the noise about `` bridge loans '' and `` discount windows , '' what you 're left with is the fact that too many companies still own way too many tickle me elmos that no one wants to buy . giving those companies more money does n't solve anything , it just buys time . unless and until the underlying problem is fixed , no real turnaround can happen . but we all know that investors -lrb- and elected leaders worried about their careers this november -rrb- are n't all that patient . that 's why the new chorus you 're likely to soon hear will be from people arguing that the only way out of this mess is for the federal government to step in and purchase all of the toxic mortgages themselves . that would allow the companies with eyes bigger than their balance sheets to start over , with barely any repercussions whatsoever and without ever taking responsibility for their mistakes . come to think of it , maybe greed is n't so bad after all . would the government actually consider that idea ? they already are . in fact , the only thing stopping politicians from `` rewarding '' us with a new government agency that will put billions more of our tax dollars at stake is , ironically enough , the election of new politicians . disclaimer : tickle me elmo is still an extremely popular , non-toxic product and , to the best of my knowledge , is not responsible for the credit crisis . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .<doc-sep>of course , the rub is that this is what parents are for . it 's our job to instill these values and teach children how to become good people . it does n't happen organically . and it wo n't happen magically . it 'll only happen if we set the standards and and lay down the law when they 're not met . and fathers have a special role to play in all of this . it 's not easy being a good dad . in fact , it 's exhausting . and it can often be frustrating . in fact , frankly , a lot of fathers decide it is too hard . they give up , check out , hang back and essentially let their kids raise themselves . it 's one of the reasons why we got into this mess . the only way out is for fathers to get back in the game . we have to be present in our children 's lives . forget about being their friends . they have friends . they need fathers . we have to be in our kids ' faces , just like grandpa and dad used to be . and for the same reason -- because we care enough not to be anywhere else . happy father 's day . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of ruben navarrette .<doc-sep>the war was expensive , not only in terms of the soldiers who were killed and injured but in the trillion-plus dollars spent on it . but if the president thinks the nation and the world are in this economic mess because of a war he did n't want to fight and did n't support , we are in worst shape than i thought . we still have expensive obligations to those men and woman who so bravely served us . it 's not like we can close down the pentagon and use that money to build more buildings to house energy and education department employees . now that iraq is fixed -- and in a few weeks we will hear how the president and his team plan to get the economy moving again -- we now move on to solving the crisis in the middle east . lots of luck ! like most americans , i want my president 's focus to be on the economy . in a few short weeks , we americans get to exercise our voice and vote for a new congress . i promise our voice and our message will be a lot clearer than these two pedestrian speeches the president just made . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of ed rollins .<doc-sep>today , no one is denying that we find ourselves in an almighty mess with the potential for disaster as the clock ticks toward default . but there 's logic to the arguments of everyone involved . barack obama and the senate democrats refuse to give up on obamacare , especially since the president 's re-election . john boehner is indeed being held hostage by members of his republican caucus , but those tea partiers have a right to argue that the polls show obamacare is unpopular , that they have evidence it will threaten the economic recovery , that they can use their sway in the house to say how the money should be spent , and that they are pursuing a valid constitutional strategy to get what they want . the polls also show that the shutdown is bad politics , and that the public blames the gop for it . but would we rather the house do exactly as the president tells it to and not follow its conscience on the vital subjects of health care and finance ? america is not britain , where a party 's control of one aspect of government -lrb- the house of commons -rrb- effectively guarantees control over the entire system . the american way has the potential for divided government built into it , precisely because its founders wanted to protect against the growth of the state and to keep it in check by making it hard to pursue utopian manifestoes through to their glorious end . passing lots of laws and spending lots of money ought to be a difficult , complex business . but for anyone dreaming of a government so hamstrung that it ca n't do anything at all , i have some sad news to impart . the internal revenue service has stopped sending out refunds but is still collecting money . join us facebook/cnnopinion . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of timothy stanley .<doc-sep>mr wickenden , 74 , said : ` we did all the legwork for child support years ago but never got anywhere , so this just shows what a mess they can make of it . ` if he was still alive mitchell would be 27 , so how can something like this happen ? ` at the time we were told we could not claim off our son paul because he was out of work . ` we got some money from their mother but it ended quickly . ` then we got this letter and i was just amazed ... we were only just beginning to get over our grief . ` it 's pure carelessness and i think we deserve an apology . ' mitchell , . a former soldier with the 1st battalion , princess of wales 's royal . regiment , was found hanged at his southampton home in october 2012 after . a break-up and losing his job . the southampton fc fan was 18 when he . was sent on a six-month tour of duty in iraq in 2006 , but he was later . | <t> glenn beck : hundreds of years of wall street history vanished this week . </t> <t> major companies collapsed due to the subprime mortgage fiasco , he says . </t> <t> beck : firms still own too many toxic mortgages they ca n't sell . </t> <t> a new government agency could form to buy up mortgages , beck says . </t> | commentary : how we got into this money mess<T> |
editor 's note : join roland s. martin for his weekly sound-off segment on cnn.com live at 11:10 a.m. et thursday . if you 're passionate about politics , he wants to hear from you . a nationally syndicated columnist and chicago-based radio host , martin has said he will vote for barack obama in november . he is the author of `` listening to the spirit within : 50 perspectives on faith '' and `` speak , brother ! a black man 's view of america . '' visit his web site for more information . roland martin says gov. sarah palin talks tough but ducks a lot of difficult questions . -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- do you know what was so great about magic johnson , larry bird and michael jordan ? they were three of the biggest trash talkers in the history of the nba , but they had the game to back it up . somebody should tell that to gov. sarah palin . sen. john mccain 's vice presidential running mate has been running around the country , firing up her -- yes , her , and not necessarily mccain 's -- loyal supporters by blasting sen. barack obama for `` palling around with terrorists '' and demanding that the american people know exactly when he learned of the past of 1960s radical william ayers . she has stoked the crowds by saying , `` this is not a man who sees america the way that you and i see america . '' we all know what that is designed to do : portray obama as a foreigner who is n't as american as she . or you . or joe six-pack , the hockey mom , soccer mom , wal-mart mom , nascar dad and the other coded words she uses regularly . but what is truly pathetic is that palin talks tough , but is really scared of facing her own issues . since she is good at proclaiming that the american people need to know who barack obama is -- an attempt to paint him as a shady figure who might occupy the white house -- the american people deserve to hear palin answer if her husband , todd , a former member of the alaska independence party , agreed with its founder , who wanted to secede from the union .<doc-sep>is there anything more anti-american than wanting to sever ties with the country ? send roland martin your questions and listen to his program on cnnradio and cnn.com live , thursday at noon et . it 's critical that palin answer questions about whether she disagrees with john mccain 's criticism of the bush administration 's decision to remove north korea from the terrorist nation list . she spoke in favor of it . mccain did n't . are they on the same page or not ? the american people deserve to hear from palin as to why she did n't say a word to rebuke the hateful , pathetic and degrading comments made at rallies featuring her , such as when someone in the crowd called obama a terrorist , someone else shouted , `` off with his head '' and others suggested he is a traitor . lastly , do n't you think the self-described maverick needs to own up to what really happened with the firing of the commissioner in alaska ? she was declared by a special investigator to have been within her rights in firing the commissioner , but she was blasted for abuse of power and violating the state 's ethics act . so what did she say in a conference call with alaska reporters -- who were not allowed by the mccain camp to ask follow-up questions ? that she was cleared of all wrongdoing , legally and ethically . that 's right . she repeated over and over and over an absolute lie , and we are supposed to say , `` hey , it 's all fine . she winks at us . we love her hockey mom schtick . do n't worry about that abuse of power thing . '' well , after having to deal with vice president dick cheney being accused of beating the drum for war by berating and pushing our intelligence apparatus to match his political views on iraq , do n't you think we should really care about someone who has been accused in a report , authorized by democrats and republicans , of using their power and influence to get their way ?<doc-sep>sure , her supporters will say she 's talked to the `` media . '' she was questioned by laura ingraham , rush limbaugh and that self-described journalist -- yes , he really called himself that -- fox 's sean hannity . palin has done interviews with abc 's charlie gibson and cbs 's katie couric , and local tv folks . but why is she so scared of nbc 's brian williams ? and why is she so fearful of cnn ? does she somehow think that our big guns like wolf blitzer , anderson cooper and campbell brown are just too tough in asking questions ? my goodness , tina fey has actually done more interviews about playing sarah palin than sarah palin has done about being sarah palin ! hmmm . mccain , sen. joe biden , barack and michelle obama , sen. hillary clinton , cindy mccain and even mccain 's 95-year-old momma and palin 's daddy have all done interviews with cnn , sharing their thoughts on the campaign . but palin ? not a whisper . it 's clear that palin really is n't a true frontier woman . see , when you tote a gun , carry a big stick and spit fire , you are n't afraid to take on all comers . so , sarah , if you want to talk big on the campaign trail to those audiences that do n't talk back , go right ahead . but if you truly are the maverick politician you say you are , come on and talk to us soft , coddled , elitist journalists . surely we are n't as tough as the moose you like to take down with your second amendment-protected hunting rifle . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .<doc-sep>voters will want to know more about palin 's social views , particularly her views on abortion , which are to the right of public opinion . palin 's decision not to abort her child after she learned that he had down syndrome made her a favorite of anti-abortion advocates , but her opposition to abortion rights , including in the cases of rape and incest , may turn off suburban women , particularly those who supported hillary clinton . watch what palin believes on the issues '' palin , despite her statement wednesday night that she was not going to washington to `` seek the good opinion '' of washington 's elite , will also have to face the media . she has not had any one-on-one interviews since she was tapped as mccain 's running mate . `` after the convention , sarah palin will face a tough news conference , just as geraldine ferraro did in 1984 and dan quayle did in 1988 , '' schneider said . `` ferraro handled her news conference so skillfully , the press effectively declared her innocent even though she really did n't answer all their questions . `` ferraro provides palin a model for how to handle the press , '' he said . `` quayle , not so much . '' and palin will face more questions about her role in the evolving `` trooper-gate '' scandal in which a former public safety commissioner says he was terminated because he did not fire an alaska state trooper who was going through a divorce from palin 's sister . furthermore , palin must prepare for her debate with the democrat 's vice presidential nominee , sen. joe biden . biden , the chairman of the senate foreign policy committee , has been in the senate for more than three decades and is considered one of the foremost foreign policy experts in the capitol . watch biden say he was impressed by palin ''<doc-sep>some scratched their head when she asked her opponent , `` can i call you joe ? '' at another point she admitted that she `` may not answer the questions the way the moderator and you want to hear . '' the performance became fodder for `` saturday night live '' comedians , with tina fey playing palin , constantly winking and talking about being a maverick without any substance . when the segment ends , fey asks : `` are we not doing the talent portion ? '' -lrb- a reference to palin having been in the miss alaska competition . -rrb- . opinion : will big bird be downsized ? it might be that following the first presidential debate , where mitt romney dramatically turned the media narrative in his favor and walked away with a major victory , that interest will be greater than usual in this vice presidential debate , and a decisive victory either way could play some role in the campaign . but the chances are still slim . regardless , we do know that poor performances in vice presidential debates can harm the chances for a candidate to run for higher office down the road . though they will obviously be focused on 2012 , both ryan and biden will need to be careful not to act in ways that undercut their ability to run for the presidency four years from now . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of julian zelizer .<doc-sep>how sincere will it look , after all , in two months when the field is set and both are absent from it , and conservatives suddenly try to pretend that they are satisfied and enthusiastic about rick perry , mitt romney or michele bachmann ? sure , we begged jeb bush , marco rubio , paul ryan , chris christie , sarah palin and everyone else to run before , but now we 're totally behind one of these guys . if there were ever a gift to present to president obama , it 's the gift of obvious apathy . time 's up , governors . if chris christie and sarah palin want to run , get in there . if not , definitively and convincingly take your names out of the running . conservatives need to begin the arduous job of whittling down the field and picking their frontrunner . the fact that there have been five gop straw polls in as many weeks with as many different winners is proof that these unanswered questions are creating a dangerous ambivalence among conservative voters . the breathless speculation has been fun , but now it 's time to get to work . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of s.e. cupp .<doc-sep>`` they do n't have a single answer -lsb- for -rsb- how to dig us out of the hole we 've been dug into the last eight years , '' biden added . palin , whose son is to deploy to iraq soon , praised her running mate john mccain as a man who has met grave challenges and `` knows how tough fights are won . '' she criticized obama 's stance on iraq , saying he `` wants to forfeit '' while victory is `` finally in sight . '' watch palin say mccain has fought for change his entire life '' she praised mccain , a decorated war hero , as a `` true profile in courage . '' `` in politics , there are some candidates who use change to promote their careers . and then there are those , like john mccain , who use their careers to promote change , '' she said . throughout the speech , it was clear the first-term governor of alaska had won over the hearts of the crowd . `` what exactly is our opponent 's plan ? what does he actually seek to accomplish after he 's done turning back the waters and healing the planet ? the answer is to make the government bigger and take more of your money . '' palin , the former mayor of wasilla , alaska , contrasted her résumé as a former mayor of a small town with that of obama . `` i guess a small-town mayor is sort of like a ` community organizer , ' except that you have actual responsibilities . '' palin presented herself as both a mother and as an outside-the-beltway reformer in the mccain mold , saying she `` took on the old politics as usual in juneau '' and `` stood up to the special interests , the lobbyists , big oil companies , and the good ol' boys network . '' she tied oil , a major industry in her home state of alaska , to foreign policy and national security on a night when convention delegates repeatedly burst into chants of `` drill now , baby , drill now ! '' she insisted that the united states seek `` energy independence , '' including through more drilling , in the face of threats as diverse as hurricanes in the gulf and russian military power in the caucasus . ireport.com : a ` free for all ' on obama . and palin dismissed criticism about her that have appeared in the media . `` here 's a little news flash for all those reporters and commentators : i 'm not going to washington to seek their good opinion . i 'm going to washington to serve the people of this country . '' cnn 's political team analyzes palin 's speech '' palin , whose youngest child has down syndrome , also promised that families of special needs children will have `` a friend and advocate in the white house . '' at the end of the speech , mccain came on stage amid raucous cheers and said , `` do n't you think we made the right choice for the next vice president of the united states ? '' watch mccain take stage , get crowd fired up '' just before palin took center stage , former new york mayor rudy giuliani warmed up the crowd by continuing the barrage on obama , calling him a `` celebrity senator '' with no leadership experience . `` he 's never had to lead people in crisis , '' giuliani said . `` this is not a personal attack ; it 's a statement of fact . barack obama has never led anything . nothing . nada . '' `` the choice in this election comes down to substance over style . john mccain has been tested . barack obama has not . tough times require strong leadership , and this is no time for on-the-job training . '' | <t> roland martin : gov. palin talks tough on the campaign trail . </t> <t> martin : palin has ducked questions about many difficult issues . </t> <t> palin has given only a limited number of interviews , martin says . </t> <t> palin has n't been forthcoming on the alaska ethics investigation , he says . </t> | commentary : time for palin to answer tough questions<T> |
arlington , virginia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a suburban washington man was bitten monday by a rattlesnake that found its way into his luggage , a fire department spokesman said . an eastern diamondback rattlesnake appears in a photo from the u.s. geological survey . `` he felt a sharp pain , brought his hand out and saw the bite , '' said benjamin barksdale , assistant chief and chief fire marshal of the arlington county , virginia , fire department . andrew bacas zipped his bag shut and called 911 at about 9:30 a.m. et , the official said .<doc-sep>`` he was conscious and alert but a little anxious , '' barksdale said of the victim . the bite from the young eastern diamond rattlesnake was not life-threatening , and the man is being treated at inova fairfax hospital in falls church , he said . `` we took the bag outside and used a -lsb- carbon dioxide -rsb- fire extinguisher to freeze the snake , '' killing it , barksdale said . bacas , a high school rowing coach , had been on a six-day trip to summerton , south carolina , with about 80 students , said mike krulfeld , director of student activities at yorktown high school in arlington . krulfeld said he did not think the incident was a student prank . `` it 's been rare to find a coach who is as well-liked and highly regarded as andy . i would find it hard to believe they would do anything even in the name of a prank that would cause harm to him , '' krulfeld said .<doc-sep>the web site of the school 's crew team warned members to take precautions unpacking from the trip , adding , `` it 's advisable to open bags and unpack outdoors . '' `` it got into his bag somehow at the location where they were staying , '' said kay speerstra , executive director of the animal welfare league of arlington . `` nobody noticed it until he was unpacking , and then he definitely noticed it . '' speerstra said the snake was about 10 inches long and appeared to be a juvenile . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . ryan gorman . published : . 08:37 est , 8 september 2013 . | . updated : . 11:23 est , 8 september 2013 . a man walked 45 miles through the montana wilderness looking for help after being bitten by a rattlesnake -- then drove himself to the hospital . jason hauge , of bozeman , mt. , was tubing down a local river saturday before being bitten by a rattlesnake on the shore . the grocery store manager walked 45 minutes to his car and drove another 30 minutes to the hospital - doctors could n't believe his story . mr hauge , 31 , told nbc montana the snake had no rattle to warn him , something he called a ` freak coincidence . ' strong willed : jason hauge walked almost an hour , only to drive 30 minutes to a local hospital after being bitten by a rattlesnake . ` -lsb- the snake -rsb- happened to be coming out of the tall grass to sun himself right there on that little island , ' hauge told the station . ` i mean , i would have seen him had he been curled up and ready to spring at me -- but he was n't . ' realizing time was of the essence , hauge started making his way back to his car , almost an hour away on-foot . the bite did n't hurt , but the venom soon started taking its toll .<doc-sep>by . helen pow . published : . 08:36 est , 1 may 2013 . | . updated : . 08:36 est , 1 may 2013 . a florida man suffering alzheimer 's has died of a snake bite after his family chose not to give him anti-venom so he could ` die with dignity . ' richard flora , 76 , was bitten by an eastern diamondback rattlesnake on thursday out the front of his daughter 's home in hobe sound . he was rushed to jupiter medical center where doctors asked his family if they should save his life by injecting him with anti-venom . the hospital requires the permission of the patient 's family before administering such drugs . scroll down for video . bitten : richard flora , 76 , pictured with a young relative , was bitten by an eastern diamondback rattlesnake on thursday out the front of his daughter 's home in hobe sound , florida . ` we knew something was not right . he was having all the symptoms ... a rapid heart rate , sweating , and vomiting , ' flora 's daughter , ellen wilson , said of her father 's reaction to the bite . the elderly man was in the late stages of alzheimer 's and hated the condition , which affects a person 's memory , thinking and behavior and gets worse over time , wilson said .<doc-sep>benjamin smith received a ` record-breaking ' 80 vials of anti-venom after being bitten by the eastern diamondback rattlesnake - north america 's largest venomous snake . the 11-year-old from florida is deciding what to do with the snake 's skin after it was killed by friends . by . daily mail reporter . published : . 16:03 est , 18 june 2013 . | . updated : . 16:50 est , 18 june 2013 . it took a ` record-breaking ' 80 anti-venom vials to save the life of benjamin smith who was bitten by north america 's largest venomous snake in florida more than two weeks ago . but not only did the 11-year-old survive the eastern diamondback rattlesnake 's potentially lethal bite , he has claimed its skin as a symbol of his triumph . record treatment : benjamin smith , 11 , from florida , is lucky to be alive after being bitten by the highly venomous eastern diamondback rattlesnake . benjamin was running through a wooded area at a .<doc-sep>the son of a snake-handling kentucky preacher who died from a snakebite says he 's recovering from his own rattlesnake wound . cody coots told the lexington herald-leader he was bitten on a finger by a 6-foot rattlesnake as he removed snakes from a cage on monday . ` all i could think about -- am i going to make it ? ' coots said . bitten : cody coots , pictured , was bitten by a 6-foot rattlesnake on monday . pastor : cody coots , pictured , is a fourth-generation snake handler . the 21-year coots said he declined medical treatment from an ambulance crew . instead , he said he relied on prayer for healing . ' i told the lord that i would n't go to the hospital , ' coots said . he said his hand swelled and he vomited repeatedly , but by tuesday the pain was gone . ` for a rattler bite , it was n't bad at all , ' coots said . coots is a fourth-generation snake handler and had been bitten five times previously . father : jamie coots , seen here , died of a snakebite in february . he told the paper that he will continue to handle snakes . ` if the lord moves , we 'll handle 'm , ' he told the herald-leader . ` it 's the word of the lord . ' his father , jamie coots , died of a snakebite in february . following his death , cody coots took over as pastor of the full gospel tabernacle in jesus name church in middlesboro , kentucky . speaking to tmz in february , cody coots said ` it was god saying , this is how you wanted it , and it 's your time to go ... if he did n't plan -lsb- to die this way -rsb- he would have stayed alive . ' both father and son were featured last year in national geographic 's snake salvation , the herald-leader points out . | <t> new : high school rowing coach had been on trip with students to south carolina . </t> <t> a 10-inch-long diamondback rattlesnake killed by blast from fire extinguisher . </t> <t> victim treated at hospital ; bite reportedly not life-threatening . </t> | man bitten by rattlesnake in luggage<T> |
editor 's note : fareed zakaria is a foreign affairs analyst who is the host of `` fareed zakaria : gps '' on cnn at 1 p.m. et sundays . `` america will have to fight to attract capital and investment like every other nation , '' says fareed zakaria . new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the crisis in global financial markets will top the agenda as finance ministers from the world 's top industrialized nations and central bank governors meet in washington . in an effort to breathe some life into economies around the world , the federal reserve , in tandem with five other central banks , lowered its key lending rate to 1.5 percent from 2 percent . however , the global financial crisis has sunk its teeth in to the point that analysts say the $ 700 billion bailout plan and coordinated rate cut were merely steps in the right direction , and it will take much more to really get credit moving . cnn spoke to world affairs expert fareed zakaria about the most recent developments .<doc-sep>cnn : is the economy as bad as everyone is saying ? zakaria : what is happening now is a deep , wrenching financial crisis unlike any we 've seen since the 1930s . it 's contributing to a broad slowdown of the american economy . the pain is spreading across the world . it 's ugly . but the history of capitalism is filled with credit crises , panics , financial meltdowns and recessions . it does n't mean the end of capitalism . cnn : then why ca n't we just let the free markets resolve the current economic problems without the federal government getting involved ? zakaria : we just ca n't accept the downswings that used to be routine for western countries in the 19th century , when we saw much less intervention by the government . can you imagine the political fallout from 20 percent unemployment or 5 percent growth rates ? the government must experiment with massive interventions in the market to ensure credit starts flowing smoothly again . these interventions have become part and parcel of modern capitalism . cnn : so what should the government do ? zakaria : that is the real question : how to regulate the markets so you get the maximum innovation and growth , but temper their wilder movements ? the government will have to do this by trial and error . no one knows in theory what the perfect system would look like . in the short run , whatever it takes , including buying up mortgages , debt , equities .<doc-sep>clearly , america 's financial system needs new , different and better regulations for the 21st century , and this crisis should help produce those . cnn : what does it mean for the united states ? zakaria : people around the world once saw the united states as the most modern , sophisticated and productive economy in the world . now they wonder , was this all a house of cards ? they listened to american policymakers with respect , even awe . today , they wonder if these officials know what they are doing . this loss of credibility will have hard consequences . for decades , the united states has attracted massive amounts of capital -- 80 percent of the surplus savings of the world -- which has allowed it to live beyond its means . that era is drawing to a close . america will have to fight to attract capital and investment like every other nation . cnn : what can we do ? zakaria : we need to wake up and get serious about our challenges . we must address all these issues , and fast -- restore confidence , reform the system , return the country to fiscal sanity . we have the opportunity to remain the pivotal player in a richer , more dynamic , more exciting world . but we have to take a substantial shift in our approach .<doc-sep>intervention : ed miliband has said he is prepared to get involved across british industry if he becomes prime minister . ed miliband has revealed he is prepared to launch state intervention across british industry if he becomes prime minister . the labour leader said he would intervene in markets across the economy if he thinks it is justified following his pledge to freeze energy bills if he wins the 2015 election . mr miliband , who has boasted that he is ushering in a return of socialism , said he wants to ` make markets work in the public interest ' . asked whether he is prepared to take more action in other markets , he told radio 5 live : ` yes , we will be doing more to show the difference a labour government would make .<doc-sep>the united kingdom also announced monday it will impose fresh sanctions against iran , cutting all financial ties with the country over concerns about its nuclear program . u.s. diplomatic sources told cnn saturday that the goal of the new measures is to bar foreign companies from doing business with iran 's petrochemical industry by threatening to ban them from u.s. markets . the sources did not want to be named because they are not authorized to speak on record before officials roll out the sanctions . plans for the additional sanctions come on the heels of a report by the u.n. nuclear watchdog agency detailing evidence that the iranian regime is developing the technology needed to build a nuclear weapon . israeli defense minister ehud barak told cnn 's fareed zakaria on sunday that iran is probably less than a year away from reaching the point at which it will be too late to stop its nuclear program . `` it 's true that it would n't take three years , probably three quarters , before no one can do anything practically about it because the iranians are gradually , deliberately entering into what i call a zone of immunity , by widening the redundancy of their plan , making it spread over many more sites , '' barak said on `` fareed zakaria gps . '' on friday , the international atomic energy agency board of governors issued a resolution expressing `` deep and increasing concern about the unresolved issues regarding the iranian nuclear program . '' but the u.n. agency 's resolution did not threaten action to curb iran 's nuclear ambitions .<doc-sep>at the arab league meeting , saudi arabia called for international action , but egypt said it was opposed to foreign intervention in the syrian crisis . britain has voted against taking any military action in syria , and france said it wo n't act without the united states as a partner . german foreign minister guido westerwelle tweeted sunday that the time gained waiting for u.s. congressional approval `` must be used to reach a common position of the international community within the u.n. security council . '' amid the debate over whether to strike syria , u.s. authorities are tightening domestic security measures . the fbi and the department of homeland security are warning of a higher risk of cyberattacks after months of disruptions by hackers known as the syrian electronic army , and authorities say more attacks are likely . opposition : obama gave false hope . the shift to ask for approval from congress left some analysts scratching their heads . `` the decision-making has been so confused and muddled that it 's difficult to put the word ` wise ' in front of anything they 're doing right now , '' cnn 's fareed zakaria said on sunday . `` the administration has hesitated between nonintervention and intervention , and it is caught between those two . '' the obama administration , zakaria said , `` seems to want to have it both ways , but it ca n't . '' others praised the president for taking a step to get more buy-in at home and abroad . `` frankly , i think he looks prudent , and i do n't doubt his resolve on this , '' john negroponte , who served as director of national intelligence for two years under president george w. bush , told cnn 's state of the union . `` i do n't think he 's looking for an excuse to get out from a box or a situation that he painted himself into . '' while some praised the president for giving congress a chance to weigh in , a key group of syrian dissidents said it was surprised and concerned by obama 's new approach . `` we ca n't understand how you can promise to help those who are being slaughtered every day in the hundreds , giving them false hope , then change your mind and say let 's wait and see , '' the syrian national coalition said . iran , a staunch supporter of the syrian regime , warned the united states will pay a price if it strikes syria . syria reacts . the syrian government has denied that it used chemical weapons in the august 21 attack , saying that jihadists fighting with the rebels used them in an effort to turn global sentiments against the regime .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at a hearing tuesday before the senate banking committee , federal officials said a bailout is needed immediately for the health of the u.s. economy . sen. christopher dodd is chairing tuesday 's hearing on president bush 's proposed $ 700 billion bailout plan . treasury secretary henry paulson and federal reserve chairman ben bernanke are urging the passage of a $ 700 billion bailout proposed by president bush following the failure of financial institutions and frozen credit markets . the proposal , if adopted , would amount to the most sweeping economic intervention by the government since the great depression . before the hearing , sen. christopher dodd , a connecticut democrat who is the banking committee chairman , spoke tuesday with `` american morning 's '' kiran chetry about whether the bailout is the right option and what may have contributed to the tumultuous economic environment . kiran chetry : you know talk about waking a sleeping giant -- we have almost 2,000 blog posts on cnnmoney.com about this bailout alone . many people are outraged about it . they feel the government is spending $ 700 billion or more to reward bad behavior . what can you do to assure people that this is the right thing ? | <t> zakaria : credit crises , financial meltdowns , recessions are n't end of capitalism . </t> <t> government must try massive market interventions to get credit to flow , he says . </t> <t> zakaria : america 's financial system needs new , different and better regulations . </t> <t> we must quickly restore confidence , reform system , return fiscal sanity , he says . </t> | zakaria : massive government intervention needed to help markets<T> |
wheaton , illinois -lrb- ap -rrb- -- a gunman who took a dozen hostages in a suburban chicago bank after wresting a gun from a police officer friday died after shooting himself in the head , police said . hostages were released friday after a gunman killed himself in suburban chicago , police say . the standoff began around 1:30 p.m. , after a wheaton police officer responded to a call of a hit-and-run accident near the bank . when the officer arrived , the suspect grabbed the officer from behind , held a knife to his throat and demanded his gun , deputy chief thomas meloni said . during an ensuing struggle , the officer was cut on a forearm and the suspect was able to take the gun and run the lobby of the wheaton bank & trust , where he ordered everyone to the floor , meloni said . police in wheaton , about 20 miles west of chicago , did not immediately release the gunman 's identity . as officers evacuated nearby businesses and homes and shut down streets and rail service , hostage negotiators talked to the gunman by phone . they were able to persuade him to release 10 hostages , leaving two behind , meloni said . `` at one point the suspect began to close the blinds from inside the bank and he disconnected the phone contact with the hostage negotiators , '' meloni said . shortly afterward , about 4:15 p.m. , officers heard a single gunshot and they rushed in , meloni said . he said the man was dead of a single gunshot wound to the head . a spokeswoman for central dupage hospital , amy steinbruecker , said the hospital treated and released the police officer who scuffled with the suspect for minor injuries . television footage showed dozens of people running from the four-story bank building , which includes other businesses , with their hands above their heads . `` we locked our office door , turned off the lights , drew the blinds , '' said donna price , 52 , of mchenry , who works in the office building . `` then we heard a knock on the door and it was a swat guy . he told us to get out right now . `` i said , ` let me get my purse . ' he said , ` no , now . '' ' price said police held people in a stairwell of the building before ordering them out . `` we all had to put our hands up on the back of our heads and run , '' price said from a convenience store across the street where more than 100 people were crowded .<doc-sep>remaining two , and when officers entered the building just before . midnight on tuesday he shot the hostages before being shot and killed by . police . edmonson said ahmed shot the two hostages in the upper body before state police shot and killed him . he said the hostages were taken from the scene in critical condition after the incident , which began when the gunman took two women and a man captive about 12:30 pm yesterday . hours after the standoff began , one of . the hostages was released but their condition and identity has still not . been made public . terrorizing : ahmed was said to be delusional and had left behind notes and a hostage negotiation book at his apartment . family : the suspected gunman with relatives in la. . he moved to louisiana with family after his father died 12 years ago . in talks : the police stormed the bank at around midnight after talks with the hostage-taker failed . edmonson confirmed the release of a female bank teller late tuesday . he said authorities were talking with her about her ordeal . earlier tuesday , edmonson said that . the man had been calm and had made some demands , but he would not . describe the demands or further identify the gunman . ` we 're still working with him to determine exactly what his intent is , ' edmonson said . the gunman , carrying at least a . handgun , took two women and a man captive about 12:30 p.m. at the tensas . state bank branch in st. joseph , and a negotiator talked with him . throughout the afternoon , said trooper albert paxton , a state police . spokesman . the red-brick bank is just off .<doc-sep>president francois hollande hailed the professionalism shown by the police in bringing the situation to a close . `` i rejoice that all the hostages were liberated , safe and sound , and that the hostage-taker was captured , '' he said in a written statement . the incident happened several hundred yards from the scene of a standoff between police and a gunman earlier this year that ended with the gunman dead . in march , police cornered mohammed merah , who was wanted in the killing of seven people . he was killed march 22 by police after the 32-hour siege of a toulouse apartment . crepin said wednesday 's hostage-taking was an armed robbery that went wrong . the hostages were the director of the bank and three employees , he said . valet 's office was in charge of the situation , he said . photographer jenet gautier , who lives near the bank , said the neighborhood was calm during the incident and the situation was not comparable to the merah siege .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the hostage standoff in st. joseph , louisiana , has ended with the hostage-taker and one hostage dead , police said . louisiana state police shot and killed fuaed abdo ahmed as they stormed the tensas state bank , just before midnight local time , according to col. michael edmonson . he said the gunman had threatened to kill the hostages . the two hostages -- a man and a woman -- were both shot by ahmed as the police swat team entered the bank , edmonson said . one of the hostages later died , and the condition of the second former hostage remains critical .<doc-sep>one of the robbers was reportedly barricaded inside the bank with one female hostage , before shooting himself . a woman hostage is evacuated by israeli security forces following a bank robbery that escalated into a hostage situation in the israeli city of beersheva . five people , including the gunman , were killed . the woman , who was held hostage by the robber , is rushed to safety by a security man in body armour . the distressed hostage is comforted by medical workers . witnesses reported hearing gunfire during the siege , while a local school went into lockdown . three men and a woman were reported among those dead . witnesses reported volleys of gunfire , and a nearby school went into lockdown . during the standoff , police apprehended one of the robbers , but the other remained holed up in the bank with at least one hostage , who later emerged unscathed . ` four people have been killed and the robber apparently shot himself dead . the scene is now clear , ' regional police commander yoram levy told israel radio after his forces raided the bank . israeli security gather outside the bank following the bungled , and ultimately tragic , heist . several more people were injured in the attack . | <t> gunman took a dozen hostages in a suburban chicago bank friday . </t> <t> police : suspect held knife to officer 's throat and demanded his gun . </t> <t> suspect was found with a bullet wound to his head , officials said . </t> | police : gunman kills self after standoff in bank<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- when news breaks , d.l. hughley will be ready to mock it . d.l. hughley starred in `` the hughleys '' and `` the original kings of comedy . '' cnn announced wednesday that it will premiere a new , `` unconventional '' weekend show hosted by comedian d.l. hughley . `` d.l. hughley breaks the news , '' as the show is currently titled , will feature hughley 's humorous take on the week 's events . it will also include interviews with newsmakers and reporters , according to the network . `` d.l. hughley breaks the news '' is scheduled to debut saturday , october 25 . `` i am very excited for the opportunity to work with the network that i have watched for a very long time , and that to a large extent , has shaped my comedic view , '' hughley said in a press release . `` cnn offers the perfect blend of news and information on a local , national and international level . what more can a comedian ask for ? '' `` d.l. is a news junkie who is bursting with things to say about what is going on in the world -- most of them funny , all of them thoughtful , none of them predictable , '' said jon klein , president of cnn/u . s. `` when you watch as much news as our audience does , there comes a time you just want to stop and laugh -- and that time will be saturday nights at 10 on cnn . '' the show will resemble the late-night talk shows of jay leno and david letterman more than jon stewart 's `` daily show , '' according to hughley . hughley is known for his acting and his standup performances . the comedian spent four seasons on his own sitcom , `` the hughleys , '' and was one of the stars of aaron `` west wing '' sorkin 's series , `` studio 60 on the sunset strip . '' the performer was also one of the `` original kings of comedy , '' along with bernie mac , steve harvey and cedric the entertainer . cnn and cnn.com are units of time warner .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- when news breaks , d.l. hughley will be ready to mock it . d.l. hughley starred in `` the hughleys '' and `` the original kings of comedy . '' cnn announced wednesday that it will premiere a new , `` unconventional '' weekend show hosted by comedian d.l. hughley . `` d.l. hughley breaks the news , '' as the show is currently titled , will feature hughley 's humorous take on the week 's events . it will also include interviews with newsmakers and reporters , according to the network . `` d.l. hughley breaks the news '' is scheduled to debut saturday , october 25 .<doc-sep>`` i am very excited for the opportunity to work with the network that i have watched for a very long time , and that to a large extent , has shaped my comedic view , '' hughley said in a press release . `` cnn offers the perfect blend of news and information on a local , national and international level . what more can a comedian ask for ? '' `` d.l. is a news junkie who is bursting with things to say about what is going on in the world -- most of them funny , all of them thoughtful , none of them predictable , '' said jon klein , president of cnn/u . s. `` when you watch as much news as our audience does , there comes a time you just want to stop and laugh -- and that time will be saturday nights at 10 on cnn . '' the show will resemble the late-night talk shows of jay leno and david letterman more than jon stewart 's `` daily show , '' according to hughley .<doc-sep>right after news broke of the indictment , the vikings released a statement saying they were `` in the process of gathering information regarding the legal situation . '' the team came back a short time later to announce that its offensive catalyst has been deactivated for sunday 's game against the new england patriots . according to texas law , a person can be convicted of an injury to a child offense if they are proven to have caused bodily or mental injury `` intentionally , knowingly , recklessly or with criminal negligence '' or causing such harm by omission . a child , by this definition , must be 14 years old or younger . peterson 's indictment prompted a flurry of reaction on twitter . some defended him and criticized authorities for pressing charges , saying that such forms of discipline are common and acceptable . `` adrian peterson was indicted in tx for swatting his son with a switch ! who knew that was illegal , cuz my mama would b in jail ! '' tweeted comedian d.l. hughley . others came down hard on the vikings star , including one man who was `` sickened . ''<doc-sep>jones . is also the first raven to post multiple kickoff returns for a . touchdown in one season and is the current record holder for the longest . touchdown at the super bowl . the 28-year-old was recently featured on the cover of sports illustrated and loves to jetski . quick on her feet : olympic gymnast aly raisman is paired with mark ballas . star : aly raisman . professional : mark ballas . about : she won three medals , including two golds , as the captain of the us gymnastics team at last summer 's london olympics . now aly raisman is ready for her next challenge . and the 18-year-old is sure to find even greater recognition with her role on the show . since . returning from london , she has been named bostonian of the year by the . boston globe , was a presenter at the video music awards , appeared on . fashion police and most recently won an award at the cartoon network . hall of game awards . his big moment : comedian d.l hughley will dance with cheryl burke . star : dl hughley . professional : cheryl burke . about : as one of the biggest names on the stand-up circuit , dl makes frequent tv appearances . he is an occasional host of who wants to be a millionaire , a cnn contributor and has worked on the jay leno show . but . dl is perhaps best known as the star of the abc/upn sitcom the . hughleys , and as one of the four comedians featured in the spike lee . film the original kings of comedy . he is married to his wife ladonna , with whom he has three children . his son kyle has aspergers syndrome . dusting off her dancing shoes : olympic figure skater dorothy hamill will join tristan macmanus on the show . star : olympic figure skater dorothy hamill . professional : tristan macmanus . about : . dorothy hamill won the gold medal , and the nation 's attention , at the . 1976 winter games in innsbruck , austria at the age of 19 . but it is her status as a former world champion that hamill is most proud . since her 70s highpoint she has continued to skate , starring on ice capades for eight years . she has produced and starred in her own touring productions , winning an emmy for her lead role in romeo and juliet . now 56 , hamill recently released her memoir a skating life : my story , which made the new york times best-seller list . three times married and twice divorced , she has one daughter . ready to dance : inigo rademacher will dance with kym johnson . star : ingo rademacher . professional : kym johnson . about : . ingo rademacher is best known as the charismatic jasper ` jax ' jacks on . abc 's general hospital which he has played since the show first aired17 . years ago . offsreen ingo has competed at a high level in beach volleyball and triathlon . he . took the pole position in the 2005 long beach grand prix and he . recently completed the grueling 32-mile molokai to oahu channel of bones . stand-up paddle board race as a youth he was a ski champion and competitive equestrian . he and his wife , ehiku have two sons , peanut and pohaku . child star : the disney channel 's zendaya coleman will partner valentin chmerkovskiy . star : disney channel cutie zendaya coleman . professional : val chmerkovskiy . about : at 16 zendaya coleman is the youngest contestant on the new season . the teen stars as raquel ` rocky ' blue , one half of the comedic duo in disney channel series shake it up ! the california native is a name to watch , and is currently recording her debut album on hollywood records . | <t> `` d.l. hughley breaks the news '' premieres on cnn october 25 . </t> <t> comedian hughley known for `` the hughleys , '' `` studio 60 '' </t> <t> show to feature interviews , comedic takes on the news . </t> | comedian d.l. hughley to host cnn show<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. barack obama cautioned supporters thursday against becoming complacent during the final days leading up to the election , noting he lost the new hampshire primary despite a lead in the polls . after debating sen. john mccain , sen. barack obama says there 's still plenty of campaigning to be done . `` for those of you who are feeling giddy or cocky and think this is all set , i just -lsb- have -rsb- two words for you : new hampshire , '' the democratic presidential nominee said during a fundraiser breakfast in new york . `` you know i 've been in these positions before where we were favored and the press starts getting carried away and we end up getting spanked . and so that 's another good lesson that hillary clinton taught me . '' about 10 hours after debating sen. john mccain , obama urged top campaign contributors at the metropolitan club in manhattan to not be overconfident , despite leading in a number of national polls . a cnn poll of polls calculated wednesday showed him leading 51 percent to 42 percent . `` we 've got 19 days , '' obama said . `` we 're going to have to work absolutely as hard as we 've ever worked in our lives in order to just to get to the start of what is going to be a very difficult and very challenging but ultimately a very fulfilling four years where we can get this country back on track . '' watch more of obama 's comments '' hours later , obama spoke to a crowd in londonderry , new hampshire , lashing out at mccain 's debate tactics . `` well , new hampshire , last night we had a debate . i think you saw a bit of the mccain attack strategy in action , '' he said . `` but here 's what sen. mccain does n't seem to understand : with the economy in turmoil and the american dream at risk , the american people do n't want to hear politicians attack each other -- you want to hear about how we 're going to attack the challenges facing middle-class families each and every day . '' obama urged mccain to `` debate our genuine differences on the issues that matter '' rather than making the arizona senator 's campaign `` all about me . '' `` the truth is , this campaign is about you . it 's about your jobs . it 's about your health care . it 's about your retirement . it 's about your children 's future , '' he added . watch obama discuss the economy ''<doc-sep>mccain , speaking at an event in downington , pennsylvania , on thursday , touched on his debate performance . `` we had a good debate last night . it was a lot of fun . ... i thought i did pretty well , '' he said to loud cheers . mccain reiterated his position for taking america forward as economists say a recession is all but inevitable . `` we ca n't spend the next four years waiting for our luck to change ... i 'll take us in a new direction , '' he said . `` our troubles are getting worse , our enemies watch and we have to fight , and that 's what i 'll do for you ... i 'm not afraid of the fight , i 'm ready for it . '' mccain also urged voters there to help him win pennsylvania -- a state where a cnn poll of polls shows obama leading his counterpart 50 percent to 40 percent . `` i need your vote . we will carry pennsylvania . ... we need your help . ... it 's a close race , my friends , '' he said . mccain also responded to obama 's assertions that his crowds are unruly and use dangerous language to describe the illinois senator . `` i can not tell you about how proud i am of you , '' he said . it was a line that he used in wednesday night 's debate . ireport.com : obama survived knock-out punch . obama and mccain are scheduled to speak thursday night at the alfred e. smith dinner , a political tradition that dates back to 1945 . it honors the first catholic ever nominated for president and was begun by francis j. spellman , the archbishop of new york 's roman catholic archdiocese at the time .<doc-sep>the republican presidential nominee will also appear on the `` late show with david letterman , '' after canceling an earlier appearance , which left the host fuming . also thursday , mccain 's running mate , alaska gov. sarah palin , sounded a note of triumph about wednesday 's presidential debate while campaigning in bangor , maine . `` they -lsb- obama and democratic vice presidential nominee joe biden -rsb- look to the past because they 'd rather run against the current administration , it sounds like , and that strategy though , thankfully , it 's really starting to wear very very thin , '' palin said . `` as john mccain reminded barack obama last night , if he wanted to run against george bush , he had his chance four years ago . this year , the name on the ballot is john mccain -- and america knows that john mccain is his own man , he is the maverick . '' though maine has trended democratic for nearly two decades , the mccain campaign is making a push in the state 's rural 2nd congressional district , which is allotted one electoral vote independent of how the state votes at large . despite the mccain camp 's efforts , the republican national committee has stopped running advertisements in the state . palin later traveled to elon , north carolina . at an afternoon rally at elon university , near greensboro , palin pressed the audience to stand firm against accusations of negative campaigning , and told them to pay `` close attention '' to obama 's record . `` it 's not mean-spirited and it 's not negative campaigning when you call someone out on their record , '' she said . `` so do n't let anyone , do n't let them make you believe that you 're being negative or mean-spirited or unpatriotic or unfair when you are asking about somebody 's record , ok ? '' after the rally , palin continued on to a fundraiser at a home in greensboro . biden is traveling to los angeles , california , taping appearances on `` the tonight show with jay leno '' and the `` ellen degeneres show . '' cnn political producer ed hornick contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- is president barack obama running against the gop or the gdp ? in exactly one year -- november 6 , 2012 -- we 'll be lining up at polling places to cast our votes for the next president . how much of that decision will be determined by economic data and poll numbers ? some of the smartest political pros believe you can gauge a president 's chances of re-election by looking at just a couple of key indicators -- job approval , unemployment and growth in gross domestic product . plug in the data and you get the election outcome -- pure , unsentimental and simple . to test this theory , i compared obama 's standing right now with those of recent past presidents one year before the re-election vote . here 's what i found : . there is no reason for overconfidence at obama election headquarters -- the man is presiding over a historically bad economy . but his popularity numbers could be worse , and a lot can change in a year . the most important factor is the momentum heading into election day -- and yes , the opponent matters . for example , at about 1,000 days into their terms , according to gallup , presidents richard nixon and ronald reagan had mediocre approval ratings of 49 % -- roughly one year out from their landslide 49-state re-elections in 1972 and 1984 , respectively . running against george mcgovern and walter mondale , two weak candidates , certainly helped their efforts . bill clinton was also at 49 % approval one year before his 1996 victory over bob dole .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- sen. john mccain cemented his front-runner status tuesday , piling up big wins coast-to-coast , according to cnn projections . democratic voters remain evenly split over which of their candidates they would rather see get the nomination . sen. barack obama won more states tuesday , but sen. hillary clinton won states with higher delegate counts . mccain capped the night by taking california and its 170 delegates . after having been nearly written off last summer , the arizona senator finally felt comfortable enough to call himself the front-runner . `` tonight i think we must get used to the idea that we are the republican party front-runner for the nomination of president of the united states . and i do n't really mind it one bit , '' he said as results came in tuesday . watch mccain claim front-runner status '' on the democratic side , clinton took california , according to cnn projections . while most republican contests are winner-take-all , most democratic contests are awarded proportionally based on the number of congressional districts won .<doc-sep>while clinton was campaigning sunday in new hampton , iowa , an audience member at a town hall-style meeting pressed her on why she voted for the iran measure and asked why she had n't learned from past `` mistakes . '' calling `` the premise of the question '' wrong , the senator from new york argued the resolution calls for the terrorist label so that sanctions can be imposed . the sanctions , clinton said , will in turn `` send a clear message to the leadership '' and lead to stronger diplomatic efforts . earlier this month , clinton also co-sponsored legislation with sen. jim webb , d-virginia , that would prohibit military operations against iran without congressional approval . obama 's comments came on the fifth anniversary of the 77-23 senate vote that authorized the president to use force against iraq . obama , then an illinois state senator , spoke out against the resolution authorizing force at the time . clinton 's 2002 vote shows a clear difference in judgment between the two of them , obama said . watch as obama questions clinton 's judgment '' `` i do n't think it disqualified her , but i think it speaks to her judgment and it speaks to my judgment , '' obama said . `` it speaks to how we will make decisions going forward . `` i think her judgment was flawed on this issue . '' obama said he also will step up efforts to clarify his differences with clinton , whom many political observers view as the front-runner for the democratic nomination .<doc-sep>ditka is a legend in the state as he was a player for the chicago bears football team during their 1963 championship season and then came back to coach the team , leading them to their most recent championship as coach in 1986 . putting their differences aside : president obama hosted the 1985 bears team , which mike ditka coached , to the white house in 2011 since they did not get their original ceremony in 1986 due to the challenger explosion . in 2004 , republican senator peter fitzgerald left the federal government and jack ryan was seen as the gop front runner for much of the campaign . cnn reports that ryan ended up dropping out with little time left in the race after legal papers revealed that he and his ex-wife went to sex clubs and he asked her to perform sex acts in front of other patrons . ryan subsequently dropped out of the race and the local republican political machine called on ditka to run . ` he 's enormously popular . i think if he gets in , he immediately becomes a favorite , ' then-democratic nominee obama said at the time , according to the daily news . ditka 's high approval ratings along with his self-described ` ultra-ultra-ultra conservative ' political leanings would have made him an ideal candidate for the party , but he decided against it . citing his wife 's disapproval of a run and his business obligations , ditka formally announced that he would not be the republican candidate just four months before the election . his biggest regret : ditka was pushed by the local republican machine in 2004 to run against virtual unknown barack obama for the open senate seat in illinois but in july he announced that he would not run -lrb- pictured -rrb- . | <t> new : palin in north carolina : pay `` close attention '' to obama 's record . </t> <t> obama to new hampshire crowd : mccain has become `` all about me '' </t> <t> mccain says `` i thought i did pretty well '' in wednesday 's debate . </t> <t> obama : i was ahead in new hampshire , and we wound up `` getting spanked '' </t> | front-runner obama cautions against overconfidence<T> |
-lrb- coastal living -rrb- -- barefoot on the sandy shore of catalina island , kim francis shades her eyes from the sun and peers back to mainland california . `` i ca n't believe we 're 22 miles from los angeles , '' she says , grinning . `` i may never go back . '' paddlers can experience catalina from the water 's surface . behind her , the rugged terrain of two harbors stretches over rolling hills crossed by winding paths . near the ferry dock , the modest village -lrb- a gift shop , an activities booth and one restaurant -rrb- buzzes with visitors . they come here to catalina 's west end -- away from avalon , the island 's much larger settlement -- to hike and watch wildlife . many have their first try at snorkeling and paddling , says kayak guide jason clarke . adjusting his colorful mask and snorkel , jason plunges from the 45-foot catamaran garibaldi into isthmus cove and encourages a tour group to do the same . `` you wo n't find kelp forests like this just anywhere , '' clarke says . `` and always cross your fingers for a dolphin . '' paddlers can experience catalina from the water 's surface , with tours that visit secluded coves and mysterious caves , all open for exploration . a few strokes of the paddle separate kayakers from pelicans , sea lions and a bison , which watches from land . `` if his tail wags , the buffalo is in a good mood , '' says rod jackson , who helps run hummer tours to see bison . `` but never get too close . '' the bison have been on the island since the 1920s , when they were brought in as film extras . today , they number nearly 250 and are protected by the catalina island conservancy . `` sometimes we get a rebel , '' jackson says , gesturing to a lone bison across from the area 's only inn , the banning house lodge . free hiking permits allow visitors to wander the island at will . adrenaline junkies will want to tackle boushay trail , which climbs 1,800 feet to silver peak , the highest point west of two harbors . those who make it to the top will be rewarded with sweeping pacific views . and , like kim francis , they may not want to leave . best of the west end . for comprehensive information about all of the businesses listed , visit visittwoharbors.com . stay : the banning house lodge , a rustic 1910 bed-and-breakfast with 11 rooms , has no tvs , clocks or telephones . some rooms provide views of isthmus cove and catalina harbor . -lrb- room 11 has spectacular cove vistas . -rrb- winter rates start at $ 89 ; call 310/510 -4228 . to camp in the area , call 310/510 -8368 , or to rent a cabin between november and april , call 800/626 -0720 . play : visitor 's center ; 310/510 -4205 . dive and recreation center ; 310/510 -4272 . for charter-fishing day trips to two harbors , call afishinado charters at 323/447 -4669 or visit fishcatalina.com . dine : the harbor reef restaurant and the harbor reef saloon serve fresh seafood entrées , steaks and unique cocktails . we recommend the signature two harbors `` buffalo milk '' -- a sweet -lrb- and strong -rrb- concoction of liqueurs , vodka and whipped cream ; 310/510 -4215 . e-mail to a friend . enter to win a monthly room makeover giveaway from myhomeideas.com . copyright © coastal living , 2008 .<doc-sep>-lrb- sunset -rrb- -- listen to the ocean from your room in one of these lesser-known coastal inns in the west . two harbors hides out on the quiet side of catalina island , california . two harbors , catalina island , california . on the far side of catalina , away from the main town of avalon , is two harbors , a tiny boaters ' haven that feels like an island on the island . check in : for all the isolation , you do n't have to rough it here . in addition to boat-in and walk-in campgrounds , two harbors has the banning house lodge in the vacation home of catalina 's onetime owners . all 12 rooms have views of the harbor . from $ 128 . explore : at two harbors , you can snorkel through swaying kelp beds and kayak to hidden coves . steep trails lead into the catalina backcountry . or just stroll across the isthmus and look out over the pacific : next stop , hawaii , 2,500 miles away . -- matthew jaffe . sunset.com : 13 great california fall trips . rockwater secret cove resort , near halfmoon bay , british columbia . this ragged stretch of the sunshine coast is so unspoiled and awe-inspiring , it 's sometimes hard to imagine that anyone but a bald eagle or two has been here before you . check in : wooden walkways meander through the forest where the resort 's 13 roomy , light-filled , adults-only canvas tent suites -- with fluffy king-size duvets and tubs for two -- perch above the blue water . each suite has a deck -- and views to inspire castaway fantasies . from $ 315 u.s. through october 12 . explore : at rockwater 's spa without walls , treatments are on a platform at the water 's edge with stunning views . horseback riding , bocce ball , croquet , and beach volleyball , will tempt you to stay on the property , but make time to explore the ocean by kayak . horseback rides $ 52 u.s. for 90 minutes ; sea kayaking $ 57.20 u.s. for half-day . -- deana lancaster . sunset.com : modern beach style . cama beach state park resort , camano island , washington .<doc-sep>on the far side of catalina , away from the main town of avalon , is two harbors , a tiny boaters ' haven that feels like an island on the island . check in : for all the isolation , you do n't have to rough it here . in addition to boat-in and walk-in campgrounds , two harbors has the banning house lodge in the vacation home of catalina 's onetime owners . all 12 rooms have views of the harbor . from $ 128 . explore : at two harbors , you can snorkel through swaying kelp beds and kayak to hidden coves . steep trails lead into the catalina backcountry . or just stroll across the isthmus and look out over the pacific : next stop , hawaii , 2,500 miles away . -- matthew jaffe . sunset.com : 10 places for your life list . timber cove inn on sonoma coast , california . a narrow ribbon of road clings , against all odds , to a grassy slope that plummets into the pacific along this overlooked coastline with views to infinity . check in : it always had the million-dollar spot on a solitary rocky point above the waves , and its rugged lodge look and soaring lounge have n't changed . but with new ownership and a cash infusion , timber cove has shed its swinging '70s decor and gone for a more streamlined , romantic look . private decks are perfect for whale-watching and sharing a sonoma coast pinot . from $ 169 .<doc-sep>by . james nye . the catalina island museum has opened an exhibit dedicated to a notorious native american grave robber who presided over an ` indian museum ' built out of the bones he recovered from the burial grounds . ` the strange and mysterious case of dr. glidden ' delves into the colorful and mysterious past of amateur archaeologist ralph glidden - hoping to shed light on a gruesome period in the californian islands history . the no-holds-barred exhibit features an introduction that says he , through his unscientific plundering , disregarded ` the sanctity of human remains ' and inflicted ` near-permanent damage ' on research into local native american life . the interior of ralph glidden 's indian museum in avalon , california - complete with bones and skulls from native american burial grounds . laying out what visitors can expect , the museum 's executive director michael de marsche compared the exhibition to those at holocaust museum 's in europe saying they explore , ` similar issues : the genocide of a people , the desecration of their graves and the lack of respect for the sacredness of their remains . ' the ` disturbing and troubling exhibition ' was put together after museum curator discovered boxes of glidden 's journals , letters and photographs that document how he went about his dubious methods . throughout the early part of the last century up until the 1930s , the self-proclaimed professor was hired by a foundation to excavate native american graves . he dug up hundreds and obtained thousands of objects , many of which went to prestigious museums . they included bone flutes , war clubs and arrowheads , cooking stones used to boil soup in baskets and beads that were used as currency . grizzly past : a photographic exhibit of the former glidden museum is seen at the catalina island museum . a santa catalina island museum has opened an exhibit on a self-styled archaeologist who dug up hundreds of local american indian graves and made a tourist trap out of their bones . he also built an island museum that incorporated native american bones as architectural elements , including windows edged with finger and toe bones , leg and arm bones as shelf brackets and ceiling panels decorated with vertebra and shoulder blades . his macabre makeshift exhibition tent was described by glidden himself as ` unlike anything else anywhere in this country ' . he modeled the interior on a mortuary chapel on the mediterranean island of malta which had walls created from the bones of monks . the catalina islander said that his museum displayed rows of human skulls and femur bones were deployed as shelving supports .<doc-sep>waddington , who has been with catalina island marine institute since 1994 , said it remains unclear why the oarfish was found in shallow water this time , but it appeared to have died naturally . seal gives shark the slip in great white photo . waddington said while the oarfish 's carcass is still being preserved in ice , catalina island marine institute has been sending some of its tissues and other samples to marine scientists , including dr. milton love , a fish expert from university of california at santa barbara , to study its dna and diet habits . waddington said catalina island marine institute will likely to keep the fish 's skeleton for educational purposes . its program attracts more than 30,000 school-age children each year . another rare ` sea monster ' hits california : 15-foot saber-toothed whale . | <t> two harbors , on catalina 's west end , is much quieter than avalon . </t> <t> paddling tours visit secluded coves and mysterious caves . </t> <t> free hiking permits allow visitors to wander the island at will . </t> | explore the rustic side of catalina island<T> |
new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- global markets were reeling monday after a historic day on wall street that saw two famous names become the latest victims of the credit crunch . the leading u.s. investment bank lehman brothers filed for bankruptcy and brokerage merrill lynch was the subject of a $ 50 billion buyout by bank of america . the fate of other big name financial institutions remained in doubt and stock prices plunged in asia , europe and the united states . in new york , the dow jones industrial average closed 504 points down , or about 4.4 percent . the nasdaq composite lost 3.6 percent , its worst single-session percentage decline since march 24 , 2003 . it left the tech-fueled average at its lowest point since march 17 of this year . in europe , ftse index in london declined 3.92 percent while the paris cac 40 was down 3.78 percent . it was the worst day for the index since the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 . major asian indexes were closed but india 's sensex fell 5.4 percent , taiwan 's benchmark dropped 4.1 , australia 's key index dropped 2 percent and singapore fell 2.9 . check markets .<doc-sep>the turmoil at merrill lynch and lehman is bound to mean job losses in the already hard-hit financial services industry , but so far neither company has indicated how many will be cut . `` this crisis is clearly deeper than anybody had imagined only a short time ago , '' peter stein , an associate editor at the wall street journal in asia , told cnn . the chaos followed a roller-coaster weekend for a wall street already concussed by woes at other major financial firms and mortgage-financing titans fannie mae and freddie mac . sound off : what do you think ? at one point the u.s. federal reserve was forced to step in , announcing plans to loosen lending restrictions to the banking industry in an effort to calm markets , while a consortium of 10 leading domestic and foreign banks agreed a $ 70 billion fund to lend to troubled financial firms . u.s. president george w. bush said monday he is confident that the markets are resilient and can deal with the latest financial blows . `` we are working to reduce disruptions and minimize the impact these financial market developments on the broader economy . '' watch what went wrong '' he added : `` in the short run , adjustments in the financial markets can be painful for people worried about their investments and for employees of the firms . ''<doc-sep>u.s. democratic presidential candidate barack obama said eight years of bush `` brought us the most serious financial crisis since the great depression . '' his republican rival said john mccain said he was happy the federal government decided not to use taxpayer dollars to bail out lehman brothers . in an effort to calm market jitters , the european central bank on monday said it has pumped $ 42.6 billion into money markets . the bank of england in london also took steps , offering nearly $ 9 billion in a three-day auction . in another development , american international group , the world 's largest insurer , was reportedly struggling to secure billions of dollars in capital after months of seeing its share values slide . police cordoned off lehman 's headquarters in new york on sunday as staff , some in suits , others in casual clothes , left the building with cardboard boxes while tourists and onlookers gathered to watch the spectacle . the 158-year-old bank , which has weathered previous financial upheavals and saw its offices destroyed in the september 11 world trade center attacks , filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy , which grants protection while it works out a plan to pay back creditors . the collapse of lehman came after shares declined 94 percent in the space of a year , prompting speculation over its fate . it took a turn for the worse sunday when bank of america and british bank barclays , both viewed as potential `` white knights , '' pulled out of deal talks , sources told cnnmoney.com .<doc-sep>both lehmans and merrill have been caught with huge exposures to unsecured mortgages , the bad debts at the heart of the so-called credit crunch that has devalued the u.s. housing market and sent financial shockwaves worldwide . analysis : different rules for different names '' lehman 's collapse and the sale of merrill reduces the number of independent firms on wall street to two -- morgan stanley and goldman sachs -- following the sale of bear stearns to jp morgan at a bargain price earlier this year . `` acquiring one of the premier wealth management , capital markets and advisory companies is a great opportunity for our shareholders , '' bank of american chairman and chief executive officer ken lewis said in a statement monday . `` together our companies are more valuable because of the synergies in our businesses . '' like lehman , merrill lynch has been suffering from bad real estate bets , and its stock price lost 27 percent last week -- shares are down 65 percent this year . watch why bank of america thinks merrill is the opportunity of a lifetime '' merrill , known for with its famous bull logo , has been an icon of wall street and investing . but billions of dollars in losses in the last year due to fallout in the u.s. mortgage market proved too much for the 94-year old firm . david ellis of cnnmoney.com contributed to this report .<doc-sep>although $ 41 billion sounds like a lot , mf global was a small player compared with lehman brothers or bear stearns . mf global is small enough to fail , and while capital markets are unlikely to seize up , investors , lenders and counterparties are likely to lose a good deal of money . these days , investors in companies such as mf global are not just rich individuals and entities ; they are often pension funds and other entities that pool the funds of small investors . so what happened ? last week , mf global disclosed that it had $ 6.3 billion exposure to the shakiest of european sovereign debt . its balance sheet was huge but terribly fragile . while it had lots of assets on its books , it also had a huge amount of borrowing . for every dollar of its own capital on its books , it had borrowed $ 40 , a leverage even greater than that of lehman brothers at the time of its collapse . why is that a problem in a time when near-zero interest rates extend as far as the eye can see ? because leverage is always treacherous and 40-to-1 leverage is madness . even when interest rates are low , lenders demand security . when the value of that security goes down , the demand for margin -- additional collateral to secure the debt -- goes up . the plunge in the price of european sovereign debt meant that mf global had to stump up more cash or easily marketable securities to its lenders so that they would have adequate security for their loans . a well capitalized , reasonably leveraged firm should be able to handle margin demands and survive . but with only 2.5 % or so of its assets representing capital rather than borrowed money , mf capital could not find enough of its own cash to satisfy its lenders .<doc-sep>futures slipping 1.7 per cent to 1,123.80 . south korea 's benchmark kospi index . was the worst performer in asia , falling 6.2 per cent , its lowest . close in nearly a year . a trader in germany reacts the slump on european markets continued today . plummeting : this graph shows how the ftse crashed yesterday by 5 per . cent yesterday against a backdrop of the euro zone crisis and damaging u.s. unemployment figures . in the last five years , the lowest ebb of the ftse was on march 9 , 2009 , when it plunged to 3,493 points . today 's drop to 4,935 is the second lowest . yesterday the stock market suffered . its biggest collapse as the global economy . plunged deeper into crisis , wiping billions off the value of britain 's . leading companies . every blue-chip firm listed in london . fell in the worst single day of trading in three years , since the dark days of 2008 when . investment bank lehman brothers imploded . as . analysts spoke of ' a tidal wave of selling ' , the ftse 100 index fell . 239.37 points to 5092.23 -- a drop in value of # 62.3 billion . these graphs show how global markets sharply dropped yesterday , with the ftse plummeting to 5,092 points . despair may have engulfed the markets , but one british entrepreneur found himself # 300million richer yesterday . dr mike lynch , the son of an essex fireman , saw his software firm autonomy sold to u.s. giant hewlett-packard for # 7billion . the deal values his 8.1 per cent stake in the ftse 100 firm at # 567million . it was worth just under # 284million before the takeover bid was announced . it is an extraordinary success for dr lynch , who began work on the firm when he was writing his post-doctoral thesis at cambridge university on 18th century theologian thomas bayes , who tried to prove the existence of god through mathematics . autonomy now has more than 16,000 clients worldwide including nasa , procter & gamble , and the u.s. department of homeland security . the technology dr lynch developed allows computers to analyse data across a range of media , making it useful for tracking down fraud or even searching for terrorists . and europe followed suit yesterday , with the german stock market . fell 5.8 per cent , paris dropped 5.5 per cent and the dow jones . industrial average dropped 3.9 per cent in new york . the lehman debacle tipped the global . economy into recession -- and fears are mounting that the developed world . is on the brink of another devastating downturn .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- global markets were reeling monday after a historic day on wall street that saw two famous names become the latest victims of the credit crunch . the leading u.s. investment bank lehman brothers filed for bankruptcy and brokerage merrill lynch was the subject of a $ 50 billion buyout by bank of america . the fate of other big name financial institutions remained in doubt and stock prices plunged in asia , europe and the united states . in new york , the dow jones industrial average closed 504 points down , or about 4.4 percent . the nasdaq composite lost 3.6 percent , its worst single-session percentage decline since march 24 , 2003 . it left the tech-fueled average at its lowest point since march 17 of this year . in europe , ftse index in london declined 3.92 percent while the paris cac 40 was down 3.78 percent . it was the worst day for the index since the 9/11 terror attacks in 2001 . major asian indexes were closed but india 's sensex fell 5.4 percent , taiwan 's benchmark dropped 4.1 , australia 's key index dropped 2 percent and singapore fell 2.9 . check markets . the turmoil at merrill lynch and lehman is bound to mean job losses in the already hard-hit financial services industry , but so far neither company has indicated how many will be cut . `` this crisis is clearly deeper than anybody had imagined only a short time ago , '' peter stein , an associate editor at the wall street journal in asia , told cnn . the chaos followed a roller-coaster weekend for a wall street already concussed by woes at other major financial firms and mortgage-financing titans fannie mae and freddie mac . sound off : what do you think ? at one point the u.s. federal reserve was forced to step in , announcing plans to loosen lending restrictions to the banking industry in an effort to calm markets , while a consortium of 10 leading domestic and foreign banks agreed a $ 70 billion fund to lend to troubled financial firms . u.s. president george w. bush said monday he is confident that the markets are resilient and can deal with the latest financial blows . `` we are working to reduce disruptions and minimize the impact these financial market developments on the broader economy . '' watch what went wrong '' he added : `` in the short run , adjustments in the financial markets can be painful for people worried about their investments and for employees of the firms . '' u.s. democratic presidential candidate barack obama said eight years of bush `` brought us the most serious financial crisis since the great depression . '' his republican rival said john mccain said he was happy the federal government decided not to use taxpayer dollars to bail out lehman brothers . in an effort to calm market jitters , the european central bank on monday said it has pumped $ 42.6 billion into money markets . the bank of england in london also took steps , offering nearly $ 9 billion in a three-day auction . in another development , american international group , the world 's largest insurer , was reportedly struggling to secure billions of dollars in capital after months of seeing its share values slide . police cordoned off lehman 's headquarters in new york on sunday as staff , some in suits , others in casual clothes , left the building with cardboard boxes while tourists and onlookers gathered to watch the spectacle . the 158-year-old bank , which has weathered previous financial upheavals and saw its offices destroyed in the september 11 world trade center attacks , filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy , which grants protection while it works out a plan to pay back creditors . the collapse of lehman came after shares declined 94 percent in the space of a year , prompting speculation over its fate . it took a turn for the worse sunday when bank of america and british bank barclays , both viewed as potential `` white knights , '' pulled out of deal talks , sources told cnnmoney.com . both lehmans and merrill have been caught with huge exposures to unsecured mortgages , the bad debts at the heart of the so-called credit crunch that has devalued the u.s. housing market and sent financial shockwaves worldwide . analysis : different rules for different names '' lehman 's collapse and the sale of merrill reduces the number of independent firms on wall street to two -- morgan stanley and goldman sachs -- following the sale of bear stearns to jp morgan at a bargain price earlier this year . `` acquiring one of the premier wealth management , capital markets and advisory companies is a great opportunity for our shareholders , '' bank of american chairman and chief executive officer ken lewis said in a statement monday . `` together our companies are more valuable because of the synergies in our businesses . '' like lehman , merrill lynch has been suffering from bad real estate bets , and its stock price lost 27 percent last week -- shares are down 65 percent this year . watch why bank of america thinks merrill is the opportunity of a lifetime '' merrill , known for with its famous bull logo , has been an icon of wall street and investing . but billions of dollars in losses in the last year due to fallout in the u.s. mortgage market proved too much for the 94-year old firm . david ellis of cnnmoney.com contributed to this report .<doc-sep>london 's index of leading shares has . lost # 75billion of value in the past four days and is down more than 500 . points , or # 135billion , since its 2011 high in february . louise cooper , an analyst at broker . bgc partners in london , said : ` everybody is phenomenally nervous . there . is a lot of fear out there . ' the carnage in london was mirrored in . europe where the debt crisis sweeping the single currency bloc pushed . italy and spain closer to the brink . more than # 1.2 trillion has been . erased from the value of global shares in the past week amid concern the . economic recovery is faltering . falls of this magnitude affect . millions of families as well as investors because workers ' pension funds . are tied up in the stock market . david jones , chief market strategist . at ig index , said : ` it has been an ugly day for shares . it is the now . familiar double-whammy of sovereign debt and a stumbling recovery that . has smashed sentiment once again . ` it really is bounce or bust time for . markets at the moment , but it is difficult to see what the positive . news could be that pulls stock markets back from the brink . ' a succession of crises has battered . the global economy in recent months , from violent uprisings in the . middle east , to the earthquake , tsunami and subsequent threat of nuclear . meltdown in japan . the eurozone debt crisis that flattened greece , portugal and ireland hurtled across the atlantic to america . the u.s. was only saved from an . unprecedented default by 11th-hour deal to raise the $ 14.3 trillion debt . ceiling on tuesday night . with political leaders heading away . for their summer holidays , analysts warned the global economy faces its . biggest crisis since the collapse of investment bank lehman brothers in . 2008 . spooked investors : obama 's deal on the u.s. debt ceiling has done nothing to instil confidence in the markets . | <t> u.s. investment banking giant lehman brothers to file for bankruptcy . </t> <t> merrill lynch agrees to be taken over by bank of america . </t> <t> job losses certain but numbers not yet known . </t> <t> new : dow jones suffered worst day since 9/11 ; asia , europe markets tumbled . </t> | lehman brothers collapse stuns global markets<T> |
editor 's note : ruben navarrette is a nationally syndicated columnist and a member of the editorial board of the san diego union-tribune . read his column here . ruben navarrette asks whether obama 's cool , calm demeanor will be a plus in negotiating with world leaders . san diego , california -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- make no mistake , barack obama is one cool customer . now , after the last debate , it seems all but certain that the iceman cometh to the white house . radio talk show hosts and rank-and-file republicans spent the last few weeks pleading with john mccain to take the gloves off and take the fight to obama . how 's that working out , folks ? in this week 's match-up , obama snatched the gloves out of mccain 's hands and slapped him silly with them . i suppose the hope was that obama would get rattled and make a mistake . but obama does n't get rattled or make many mistakes . i still have no idea what type of president obama would make . but he 's an extraordinary politician . in fact , he may even be better than bill clinton who , while he had the iq and eq , also had the burden of a legendary red-hot temper . obviously , it takes a lot to get under obama 's skin . mccain sure tried . maybe this is the guy we want negotiating with world leaders . maybe after eight years of george w. bush stubbornness , on the heels of eight years of clinton emotiveness , we need to send out for ice . in a cnn/opinion research corp. poll , 58 percent of those who watched the debate said obama did the better job and 31 percent said that about mccain . that makes three skins for obama . in earlier polls , 54 percent of those who watched thought obama won the second debate , and 51 percent thought he won the first one . this week , mccain turned in his best performance of the debates , and the first 30 minutes -- with mccain bringing up obama 's problematic encounter with the now famous joe the plumber ; and the quip about how he is n't bush and how obama should have run four years ago -- were near flawless for the republican . ireport.com : are you joe the plumber ? get out your plunger and share your thoughts . mccain put obama on the defensive , and it showed . if mccain had been that aggressive throughout the first two debates -- firm but not necessary unlikable -- we might be looking at a different race right now .<doc-sep>but , over the next hour , obama regained his stride and eventually dominated the exchange . and , in the end , with his sarcastic crack about school vouchers -- `` because there 's not enough vouchers ; therefore , we should n't do it , even though it 's working . i got it . '' -- mccain was profoundly unlikable . so said the polls . in the cnn/opinion research corp. poll , 70 percent of debate watchers found obama more likable . only 22 percent said that about mccain . mccain 's supporters wanted him to bring up some of the allegedly shady characters from obama 's circle of acquaintances that give some americans pause and lead them to question the democrat 's values . there are good reasons to have that conversation , and bad ones . a friend and fellow journalist told me obama 's chicago posse was important because it formed `` the political womb where the fetal obama grew into a politician . ... that tells us who he is and what either he believes himself or is at least willing to tolerate as president . '' frankly , that argument makes a lot more sense than what many of the obama haters are saying about how these `` friends of barack '' prove he is a couple of flag pins short of being a full-blooded american . that 's nonsense . for instance , with william ayers -- the unrepentant domestic terrorist who obama first claimed was just a guy who lived in his neighborhood but with whom we now know the illinois senator had a more substantial relationship -- the issue is n't obama 's patriotism but his truthfulness . still , it was obviously a mistake for mccain to bring up ayers during the debate . the tactic backfired . in the cnn/opinion research corp. poll , 62 percent of debate watchers said obama 's connection to ayers mattered to them `` not much '' or `` not at all . '' only 23 percent said it mattered `` a great deal . '' mccain should leave it to the press to mine the question of whether obama has been totally honest about his relationship with ayers -- well , at least those in the press who have n't already sent in requests for tickets to the barack obama inaugural ball . as for mccain , he is an american hero who has given his life to public service , and the country is better for it . that record of service need not come to an end . he can still contribute and finish out his term in the senate . but , unless the political wind changes -- and quickly -- a promotion to the other end of pennsylvania avenue does n't appear to be in the cards . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of ruben navarrette .<doc-sep>so it appears that lack of cool does not equal fantastic president . what is rove 's real point ? is it personal ? was rove picked on as a child by the cool kids in his school ? did they give him wedgies or not let him sit with them at the lunch table in the cafeteria ? is this ad simply rove 's `` revenge of the nerds '' moment to lash out at obama for being the cool guy ? maybe but more likely it 's political . rove knows that the presumptive republican nominee mitt romney is at best `` cool-challenged . '' rove is simply trying to turn one of obama 's assets into a liability . will it work ? do we want a less than cool president ? and if this ad gets traction , will rove release other ads attacking obama 's strengths ? will we soon see ads claiming obama is `` too articulate '' or in too good a shape to be president ? only time will tell , but if this is the type of ridiculous argument we are hearing six months from election day , i ca n't even imagine the insanity we will see as we get closer to november 6 . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of dean obeidallah .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- when i was growing up , my friends and i all wanted to be cool -- like al pacino , robert de niro or , of course , the king of cool at the time : fonzie . -lrb- i should note that i grew up in an italian neighborhood . -rrb- . being `` cool '' was a good thing . today it appears that being `` cool '' could be a bad thing , at least if you are running for president of the united states . that theory surfaced in an ad from a republican super pac headed by karl rove . the super pac american crossroads argues in its campaign ad that barack obama is `` too cool '' to be president . the attack ad shows president obama `` slow jamming '' the news on jimmy fallon 's nbc late-night talk show , singing an al green song and chugging a beer . -lrb- obama drinking a beer must confuse those republicans who still think he is a muslim . -rrb- . sure , obama can sing , spar with late-night comedians and charm talk-show hosts . still i am not so sure i would classify him as being `` too cool . '' to me , obama is more of a mix of cool and nerdy -- sort of a cross between denzel washington and harry potter . obama may have soul , but he likely also has `` star wars '' toys .<doc-sep>barack obama claimed that the aarp had endorsed his plans to reform medicare during the first presidential debate in denver last night . but just a few hours later the senior citizens ' group spoke out to deny that it was supporting the president , and insisted that it did not wish to be drawn into the political horse-race . the rejection of his message came as another blow for mr obama , who has been widely pilloried for his underwhelming performance in a debate which most commentators agreed was won by mitt romney . under fire : barack obama has been criticised for enlisting the support of the aarp during wednesday 's debate . clash : the president criticised mitt romney 's plans to reform medicare and introduce a voucher system .<doc-sep>by . jonathan block . keeping in line with the current ` cool ' thing to do on instagram , biden 's first photo is a selfie in the back of a limousine with president barack obama . the tagline reads ` found a friend to join my first selfie on instagram ' vice president joe biden joined instagram on wednesday and his first post was a selfie with his boss , president barack obama . one of biden 's more artsy pics he posted to instagram on wednesday features his favorite ray ban sunglasses . | <t> ruben navarrette : mccain tried to get under obama 's skin with attacks . </t> <t> obama remained cool and wound up ending strongly in the debate , he says . </t> <t> navarrette says ayers attacks backfired even though issue is legitimate . </t> <t> america may need the cool-headedness of barack obama , he says . </t> | commentary : barack obama , icy cool under fire<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at 51 years of age , polish prime minister donald tusk has come a long way . as part of the kashubian minority living in the gdansk region , he was born to working-class parents -- his father a carpenter and his mother a nurse . polish prime minister donald tusk was elected in november 2007 . as a student of history at the university of gdansk in the late 1970s , a period of growing discontent with the communist regime in poland , he became actively involved in the creation of the opposition students ' solidarity committee . this was founded in reaction to the murder of student activist stanislaw pyjas by the state security service . despite his anti-communist activities , he successfully finished his studies in 1980 and joined the independent solidarity trade union movement .<doc-sep>when the communists imposed martial law in 1981 he continued with his underground activities , writing pamphlets about the ideas of liberal economist friedrich hayek and the concept of private property . his heroes became former u.s. president ronald reagan and british prime minister margaret thatcher . with the fall of communism in 1989 , the solidarity movement splintered . lech walesa , the former solidarity leader was elected president , while tusk went on to co-found the kld -lrb- liberal and democratic congress party -rrb- with other well-known figures . the party stood for among other things : free market economy , privatization , individual freedom of polish citizens and polish accession to the eu . the following year , during the 1991 parliamentary elections , the kld won 37 seats in the lower house of the polish parliament . not being able to follow up on their success in the 1993 elections , the kld merged with the larger democratic union party -lrb- ud -rrb- to form a new party called freedom union -lrb- uw -rrb- . tusk soon became deputy chairman and in the 1997 elections , he was voted into the senate .<doc-sep>in 2001 , tusk formed the civic platform party -lrb- po -rrb- , winning seats in that year 's parliamentary elections and becoming deputy speaker in parliament . but the civic platform was not able to sustain its success in the 2005 elections . tusk and his party lost both the presidential and parliamentary elections to lech kacczynski 's pis -lrb- law and justice party -rrb- . this setback was not to last as tusk triumphed over jaroslaw kaczynsky 's pis in the october 2007 elections and became prime minister of poland . tusk 's economic policies are pro-business : less bureaucratic hurdles and state interference making it easier for entrepreneurs to start businesses . he is also trying to woo back more than a million poles who left the country to work in other european union countries after it joined the eu in 2004 . tusk is a keen footballer , viewed in his youth as a promising striker . he is married to historian malgorzata and has two children , kasia and michal .<doc-sep>the issue has ignited a war of words . this week between david cameron and poland 's prime minister donald tusk , . after mr cameron suggested britain should cease the payments . and she defended the payment of child . benefit to poles in the uk whose children live abroad , saying they pay . tax and spend their money here . the issue has ignited a war of words . this week between david cameron and poland 's prime minister donald tusk , . after mr cameron suggested britain should cease the payments . at the same event priti patel , tory mp for witham , said : ` i think we should be absolutely clear , . we know we have got a skills deficit in this country , i mean this is the . elephant in room . priti patel described the country 's ` skills deficit ' ` immigration of the brightest and the best will always do well and prosper in this country . ' she said the education system in britain .<doc-sep>the polish prime minister , donald tusk , called it a war against humanity itself . tusk also answered critics who felt his country and the world should now move on from world war ii . he warned that if anniversaries are not marked and ceremonies not planned , there may be nothing to shield us from the brutality of future wars . but still today the events of the last 70 years have left their mark and fueled some modern day controversies . send us your war stories . russian prime minister vladimir putin tried to appeal directly to the people of poland in an open letter . he reminded them that at least 27 million russians died in the conflict but also warned against equating the soviet union 's role in world war ii with the menace of hitler 's nazism .<doc-sep>the polish prime minister , donald tusk , called it a war against humanity itself . tusk also answered critics who felt his country and the world should now move on from world war ii . he warned that if anniversaries are not marked and ceremonies not planned , there may be nothing to shield us from the brutality of future wars . but still today the events of the last 70 years have left their mark and fueled some modern day controversies . send us your war stories . russian prime minister vladimir putin tried to appeal directly to the people of poland in an open letter . he reminded them that at least 27 million russians died in the conflict but also warned against equating the soviet union 's role in world war ii with the menace of hitler 's nazism .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- leading figures from poland to the united states have been paying tribute to marek edelman , the anti-nazi resistance fighter and solidarity movement supporter who died friday . marek edelman was one of the leaders of the warsaw ghetto uprising in world war ii . edelman was one of the leaders of the warsaw ghetto uprising , `` the largest , symbolically most important jewish uprising '' against the nazis during world war ii , according to the u.s. holocaust memorial museum . polish president lech kaczynski and prime minister donald tusk both issued statements mourning edelman . tusk called him an `` exceptional man , '' saying `` his bravery was a testament to the courage of the fighters of the jewish fighting organization , '' as the largest jewish resistance movement in the ghetto was known . the prime minister also praised him for standing up against the polish communist government 's anti-semitic campaign of 1968 , and hailed him as an example for free , democratic poland . the u.s. state department saluted `` his life dedicated to the defense of human dignity and freedom . the united states stands with poland as it mourns the loss of a great man . '' | <t> involved in anti-communist activities as a student in gdansk . </t> <t> in 1989 tusk co-founded the kld -lrb- liberal and democratic congress party -rrb- . </t> <t> in 1997 he was voted into the polish senate . </t> <t> became prime minister of poland after 1997 parliamentary election . </t> | introducing poland 's prime minister : donald tusk<T> |
editor 's note : david hawkins is director of public policy and research for the national association for college admission counseling , a nonprofit organization that represents more than 11,000 high school counselors and college admission officers from across the country . he was the author of a report last month by the organization 's commission on the use of standardized tests . david hawkins says test scores should n't be used to rank college quality . arlington , virginia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a recent controversy at baylor university has brought new attention to the widespread misuse of standardized college admission tests to rank the quality of america 's colleges and universities . the sat and act have achieved nearly iconic status in america and throughout the world . as the late author and scholar stephen jay gould noted , the tests are viewed by many as `` abstruse and mysterious , '' with powerful effects on public policy , social mobility , and even individual identity . misuse of test scores as college ranking criteria creates undue pressure on admission offices to pursue increasingly high test scores and fuels the tests ' disproportionate influence . last june , baylor university encouraged its already admitted first-year students to retake the sat . the reward for students who retook the test was $ 300 in bookstore credits . students who increased their score by more than 50 points got a $ 1,000 merit aid scholarship . if enough students retook the sat and increased their scores , the gains might be enough to move baylor up the rankings list . the scarce financial resources allocated for this plan are too badly needed elsewhere , particularly among low-income students in rural and urban areas around the country , to spend on an effort to raise a college 's sat profile . a baylor spokesman told the associated press thursday that the university `` goofed '' and would likely end the incentives . it 's critical to understand that high sat and act scores alone do not equate to merit . last month , our organization 's commission on the use of standardized tests in undergraduate admission issued a report calling for change in the way everyone involved in college admissions uses the tests .<doc-sep>test misuses feed the public perception that the scores are the most influential factor in college admission . for the past 15 years , national association for college admission counseling -lrb- nacac -rrb- research has shown that students ' grades in high school , particularly grades in college preparatory courses , are by far the most important consideration in college admission decisions . one of the most pressing problems regarding the sat and act scores is their misuse in the u.s. news and world report college rankings formula . the sat and act were designed to provide information about a student to colleges and universities and were never meant to be measures of college quality . accordingly , the commission encouraged u.s. news and world report to eliminate test scores as a measure of institutional quality . the u.s. news ranking formula includes a `` student selectivity '' score that constitutes 15 percent of a college 's overall rank . sat or act scores of enrollees make up 50 percent of the student selectivity score . in response to the nacac report , u.s. news and world report said , `` as long as standardized tests play an integral role in the college admissions process , u.s. news will use them as part of our ranking methodology . '' the situation at baylor is a reminder of the inflated value assigned to the sat and act in higher education . the fervor surrounding the rankings , as well as the lengths to which colleges go to increase them , are unfortunate distractions in higher education and admissions . the impression students and families get from the rankings is that higher test scores mean higher quality colleges . to borrow a phrase familiar to admission deans , many colleges recruit great students and then graduate great students . is that because of the institution , or the students ? some credit undoubtedly should go to both . but is a college of lower quality because its students ' sat scores are lower than those of students at another college ?<doc-sep>generally speaking , the ability of admission tests to predict success in higher education is much more limited than most people think . colleges most often determine the utility of admission test scores by assessing how well they predict first-year grades . colleges are wrong to place so much emphasis on test scores as measurements of their institutional worth when admission offices across the board consider the scores to be one among many indicators of a student 's merit . as influential as the rankings have been with students and families , is it any wonder that colleges whose stakeholders often demand higher ranks go to such lengths to influence their position in the rankings ? misuse of test scores has real ramifications for students and families . for every student able to afford test-performance tutoring and fees for taking the test many times , there are many qualified students from under-served backgrounds who become discouraged that they will be unable to compete . for every college that raises its sat or act profile for rankings purposes , there are hundreds , if not thousands , of qualified students who will never apply because artificially inflated test scores signal yet another barrier to higher education . it is critical to re-evaluate the varied uses of admission tests , and protect against their misuse in all forms . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of david hawkins .<doc-sep>editor 's note : david hawkins is director of public policy and research for the national association for college admission counseling , a nonprofit organization that represents more than 11,000 high school counselors and college admission officers from across the country . he was the author of a report last month by the organization 's commission on the use of standardized tests . david hawkins says test scores should n't be used to rank college quality . arlington , virginia -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a recent controversy at baylor university has brought new attention to the widespread misuse of standardized college admission tests to rank the quality of america 's colleges and universities . the sat and act have achieved nearly iconic status in america and throughout the world . as the late author and scholar stephen jay gould noted , the tests are viewed by many as `` abstruse and mysterious , '' with powerful effects on public policy , social mobility , and even individual identity . misuse of test scores as college ranking criteria creates undue pressure on admission offices to pursue increasingly high test scores and fuels the tests ' disproportionate influence . last june , baylor university encouraged its already admitted first-year students to retake the sat . the reward for students who retook the test was $ 300 in bookstore credits . students who increased their score by more than 50 points got a $ 1,000 merit aid scholarship . if enough students retook the sat and increased their scores , the gains might be enough to move baylor up the rankings list .<doc-sep>the scarce financial resources allocated for this plan are too badly needed elsewhere , particularly among low-income students in rural and urban areas around the country , to spend on an effort to raise a college 's sat profile . a baylor spokesman told the associated press thursday that the university `` goofed '' and would likely end the incentives . it 's critical to understand that high sat and act scores alone do not equate to merit . last month , our organization 's commission on the use of standardized tests in undergraduate admission issued a report calling for change in the way everyone involved in college admissions uses the tests . test misuses feed the public perception that the scores are the most influential factor in college admission . for the past 15 years , national association for college admission counseling -lrb- nacac -rrb- research has shown that students ' grades in high school , particularly grades in college preparatory courses , are by far the most important consideration in college admission decisions . one of the most pressing problems regarding the sat and act scores is their misuse in the u.s. news and world report college rankings formula . the sat and act were designed to provide information about a student to colleges and universities and were never meant to be measures of college quality . accordingly , the commission encouraged u.s. news and world report to eliminate test scores as a measure of institutional quality . the u.s. news ranking formula includes a `` student selectivity '' score that constitutes 15 percent of a college 's overall rank . sat or act scores of enrollees make up 50 percent of the student selectivity score .<doc-sep>that pessimism started to make more sense to carter when he transferred to a public high school in his junior year . `` going to private schools , a lot of students who did n't do amazingly academically knew they were going to a four-year college because their parents had gone . it was just a given , '' said carter , 24 . `` whereas a lot of students at my public school , even if they had great gpas and sats , they did n't know if they could go to a four-year college . it was just very foreign to a lot of them . '' it did n't help that there were two guidance counselors for roughly 1,600 students . they just could n't devote themselves to students who failed to approach them about college -- the very students who carter felt needed this help the most . `` this made me realize that my grandpa was right , i was a menso , '' carter said . `` and it made me firmly believe that this was a problem that was solvable . '' carter designed a pilot study during his freshman year at washington university in st. louis . pairing his classmates with low-income high school students at a nearby high school , he hoped to prove that college acceptance rates could be dramatically changed . the pilot 's success was astounding : 24 of the 27 seniors in the study were accepted into four-year colleges . in the previous year , the school 's acceptance rate was only 1 out of every 30 seniors . `` at first it was like , ` wow , look at this amazing miracle that happened , ' '' carter said . `` but i quickly could n't sleep at night thinking how many of the -lrb- students -rrb- the year before had earned the right to go -lrb- to college -rrb- and just no one helped them across the finish line . '' carter found that his study was indicative of a more widespread problem in the united states . `` there 's over 400,000 low-income high school seniors every year who -lrb- are -rrb- qualified to go to a four-year college , and for whatever reason they just do n't go , '' carter said . and the difference between going to college and not going to college can often mean limited career opportunities or growth . over a 40-year career , college graduates on average make nearly $ 1 million more than someone with only a high school degree , according to the u.s. census -lrb- pdf -rrb- .<doc-sep>a schoolgirl who spotted grammatical ` mistakes ' in her english exam has written a letter of complaint - to education secretary michael gove . eagle-eyed rebecca lee , 10 , a pupil at christ church primary school in clifton , bristol , noticed commas ` missing ' from two questions in her sats last tuesday . the year six pupil says she was so ` annoyed ' by the basic punctuation errors that she wanted to take her complaint to the top . rebecca lee , 10 , from bristol , wrote to education secretary michael gove over punctuation errors in her sats . so she wrote to mr gove saying : ' i understand that you are very keen for us to all learn our complex sentences and use of accurate punctuation . ' i believe that your department should also use the correct punctuation in all sats tasks . ' the schoolgirl said she hoped to hear back from mr gove . rebecca , from clifton , said : ` the exam wording should be setting an example and i was annoyed . i had to write . ` i 've not heard back yet and am still waiting - mr gove 's busy but i do hope to get a response back . ' the ` mistakes ' were in a section of the exam on complex sentences - and had commas ` missing ' from two sentences . education secretary michael gove , left , and the letter he was sent by bristol schoolgirl rebecca lee , right . one sentence read : ` if there is not enough rainfall this month there will be a drought ' and ` as he was the chief of the tribe the final decision was his . ' this afternoon a spokesman for the department for education defended the lack of commas in the exam paper . he said : ` the commas here are a matter of choice . they can be used to mark out clauses that appear at the beginning or the end of a sentence , but they are not necessary . ` we decided to use commas sometimes and not at others to make the tests more like real life where people will have their own styles . ` the only clauses that must be surrounded by commas are those in the middle of a sentence . ' the same sentences - featuring commas in the correct places - had appeared in an earlier part of the exam on grammar . around half a million pupils around the country took the same exam last week . bright spark : rebecca lee discussed the errors in her exam with schoolfriends before writing to mr gove . rebecca 's mother jo lee , 40 , a town . planner , said : ' a group of children were discussing in the playground . that there had been a mistake and that it was n't right . ` rebecca . said she thought she should write to whoever was responsible and found . that it was michael gove . i helped her write the letter and we emailed . it . ` it 's great that she . decided to do it . generally , i encourage her to do these types of things . - to stand up to the people who are supposed to be setting an example . i 'm fully behind her . ' the government 's standards and testing agency is meant to check if exams are up to scratch before pupils take them , but a spokesman insisted that using commas in complex sentences was ' a matter of choice ' . rebecca 's teacher barney braithwaite said many of his pupils noticed the mistake when they undertook the new spelling , punctuation and grammar test . he said : ' i laughed my head off when i had heard that rebecca had sent the letter . she obviously felt moved enough by the mistakes . ' susie dent has advised countdown contestants -lrb- and hosts -rrb- on linguistic matters since 1992 . susie dent , the resident word expert on countdown , says that while adding a comma into the two sentences rebecca lee complained about would help them flow better , it is not essential in either one . mrs dent , 45 , who has sat in the channel 4 show 's dictionary corner adjudicating on linguistic matters since 1992 , told mailonline the comma ` serves as a signpost , helping us to understand what lies ahead and , in many cases , removing ambiguity ' . she added : ` each of these two sentences has a subordinate clause -lrb- a combination of words that do not form a complete sentence and which require another to complete the thought : ` if there is not enough rainfall this month ' , and ` as he was the chief of the tribe ' both need more information before the sentence is complete -rrb- . ` adding a comma after each clause in these cases would make the sentences and their style flow smoothly , slowing them down almost to the rhythm of natural speech . ` however , in these particular instances , the comma is not essential and is more a matter of style than necessity ; the reader will understand what is being said without them . ' a comma in the wrong place , however , can change the meaning entirely : ` if there is not enough rainfall , this month there will be a drought -rrb- . oxford-educated mrs dent is the longest-serving member of countdown 's on-screen team , and has appeared with presenters including the much-loved richard whiteley , des lynam , des o'connor , jeff stelling and current host , nick hewer . mrs dent , who studied modern languages at somerville college , oxford , before studying german at princeton , worked as a language teacher and in publishing before going to work for the oxford university press . she has written several reports on language for the oxford university press , and lives in oxford with her husband and two daughters . | <t> david hawkins : admission tests are wrongly used to rank college quality . </t> <t> hawkins says baylor university 's incentives for test scores are a mistake . </t> <t> grades are much more important than test scores in admissions decisions , he says . </t> <t> hawkins : u.s. news should drop sat and act scores in rankings . </t> | commentary : do n't use sats to rank college quality<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police have recovered two of the four impressionist paintings stolen earlier this month in a daring museum heist , police in zurich , switzerland said tuesday . claude monet 's `` poppies near vetheuil '' has been recovered by swiss police . the monet and van gogh oil paintings were in good condition , police said , and the search continued for the other two -- a cezanne and a degas . a parking lot attendant at the psychiatric university hospital in zurich found the paintings monday afternoon in the back of an unlocked white car , police said .<doc-sep>it was not clear how long the car , an opel omega with stolen license plates , had been parked on the lot , police said . `` the two paintings , worth about 70 million francs -lrb- $ 64 million -rrb- , are in good condition and are still protected by the original glass covering , '' police said in a statement . three masked men stole the four paintings in what police called a `` spectacular '' heist feb. 11 at the e.g. buhrle collection -- among the finest collections of impressionist and post-impressionist art in the world . one of the men threatened personnel at the museum 's front door with a pistol and forced them to the ground , police said , while the other two men went into an exhibition room and stole four oil paintings by paul cezanne , edgar degas , claude monet and vincent van gogh .<doc-sep>afterward , the three men loaded the paintings into a white car parked in front of the museum and then drove off , police said . the paintings recovered monday are monet 's `` poppies near vetheuil '' and van gogh 's `` blossoming chestnut branches . '' still missing are degas ' `` count lepic and his daughters '' and cezanne 's `` boy in a red vest . '' the four paintings are worth a total of about $ 163 million -lrb- 180 million swiss francs -rrb- . a reward of $ 91,000 -lrb- 100,00 swiss francs -rrb- has been posted for information leading to the return of the paintings , police said .<doc-sep>a zurich police task force , which includes an art expert , had received tips from around the world , police said . the task force was looking into possible connections with other art thefts inside switzerland and abroad . the zurich heist followed the recent theft in switzerland of two paintings by pablo picasso , said bjoern quellenberg , a spokesman for the kunsthaus , another major art museum in zurich . the director of the kunsthaus serves on the e.g. buhrle private art foundation 's council , quellenberg said . in that theft , thieves stole the 1962 `` tete de cheval '' -lrb- `` horse 's head '' -rrb- and the 1944 `` verre et pichet '' -lrb- `` glass and pitcher '' -rrb- by picasso . they were on loan from a german museum and valued at $ 4.5 million when they were stolen february 6 , according to news reports . e-mail to a friend .<doc-sep>by . tom gardner . published : . 04:44 est , 22 june 2012 . | . updated : . 08:32 est , 22 june 2012 . it 's an unlikely venue for the dramatic culmination of a major world-wide hunt to recover a stolen rembrandt masterpiece . but police may have discovered a treasured work by the dutch artist during a dramatic swoop on croydon high street . in an extraordinary twist in an operation to recover the proceeds of crime , officers are thought to have found a missing oil on canvass . masterpiece : experts have been called into examine the work which is thought to be by legendary artist rembrandt , pictured in this self-portrait . police were seen treating the potentially . precious object with extreme caution . as they removed the work from the building in south london following the raid on monday june 11 . now experts have been called in to examine the work of art to establish if the work recovered , really is a rembrandt masterpiece . scotland yard , who are being tight-lipped about which one of the 205 currently missing works by the dutch master , also arrested a businessman in his sixties . detectives from the metropolitan police 's specialist crime directorate made the discovery during a long-running investigation aimed at recovering assets from criminals . security expert richard ellis , who has worked with the met police 's specialist art and antiques squad , said : ` if this is a genuine rembrandt oil painting , i think # 2million would be a massive undervaluation . ` if you were to put one before an auction today it would fetch between # 30million and # 50million . mr ellis , who last year was part of the . team which recovered two paintings by pablo picasso stolen from a swiss . exhibition in 2008 in belgrade , serbia , added : ` to sell a real rembrandt on the open market would be really , really difficult . ` any buyer undertaking their due . diligence would look at the catalogues of rembrandts and it would n't .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- steven spielberg led the fbi straight to a stolen $ 700,000 norman rockwell painting someone snatched from a missouri gallery . it was in his collection in california . the original of this norman rockwell reproduction was found in the collection of steven spielberg last year . spielberg was n't the thief , and he does n't know who took rockwell 's `` russian schoolroom '' -- an oil of 16 pupils looking at a bust of lenin . all the a-list director knows is he paid about $ 200,000 for the 16 x 37 canvas in a legitimate purchase . the fbi says its just one example of how pilfered art lands in respectable places . and it was an uncommon ending for stolen art -- someone found it . recovering masterpieces happens in less than 5 percent of cases , said bonnie magness-gardiner , the fbi 's art theft program manager . usually , expensive pieces go missing . no one knows who took them . no one gets prosecuted , and everyone wonders , `` why steal something you ca n't turn to cash quickly ? '' art thieves do a simple risk versus reward evaluation , said corine wegener , associate curator of the minneapolis institute of arts . thieves know that `` even if they receive only a fraction of the work 's market value , the cash gained was at low risk of death or injury -- museums can be a relatively soft target , '' said wegener , who 's teaching a university of minnesota class this month on art theft . but it could be years -- or never -- before the thief sees even a small payoff . in 1990 , robbers took $ 300 million worth of certified masterpieces -- among them rembrandt 's `` storm on the sea of galilee '' and vermeer 's `` the concert '' -- from the isabella stewart gardner museum in boston , massachusetts . no one 's seen them since . on sunday , robbers made off with one of the biggest art hauls in european history , grabbing four paintings worth an estimated $ 163 million from the e.g. buehrle collection in zurich , switzerland . they took works by paul cezanne , edgar degas , claude monet and vincent van gogh . see what robbers grabbed in switzerland '' `` these paintings are extremely valuable on the open market , but they 'll never go onto the open market . so at the same time they 're both priceless and worthless , '' said charles hill , the former chief of scotland yard 's art and antiques unit . `` some thieves may buy into the myth that a wealthy but unscrupulous collector will contact them and offer to take the art off their hands , '' wegener said . `` when this does n't happen , the thieves often try to ransom the art back to the museum or the insurance company . '' one london art dealer , who said he has handled stolen works , told cnn on condition of anonymity that an insurance company would rather get art back at a fraction of its original price than pay the owner its insured value . watch how art thieves operate '' ransoming art to an insurance company through an intermediary adds `` up to 10 percent of the market value , which ... given the art market , is quite a lot of money , '' the dealer said . david vuillaume , secretary general of the swiss museums association , told time magazine that ransom may be what the thieves behind the swiss heist want . `` we are thinking that maybe in a week or two there will be a ransom demand . but we just have to wait and see , '' time quoted him as saying . the museum has offered $ 90,000 reward for information leading to their recovery , time reported . options for art thieves . julian radcliffe , chairman of the art loss register , which operates a database to help recover lost and stolen art , said ransom or reward are unlikely to bring results . `` it is very seldom that people have been able to undertake a ransom , '' he said . `` this gang might think that a reward has been offered , and that they 'll get the reward . '' but in fact , `` the reward wo n't be paid unless someone is arrested , or there is proper criminal intelligence , '' and that 's unlikely to happen , radcliffe said . he said the thieves may just be patient , willing to get their payoff decades later . or the art may move through an underground network , gradually increasing in value , before being slipped back onto the legitimate market . take spielberg . he bought `` schoolroom '' in an above-the-board transaction . `` usually , these pictures will change hands in the criminal underworld at a fraction -- 1 percent or less -- of their true market value , '' radcliffe said , before someone tries to get them back into the international market . in such an effort , the seller may hope the work has been forgotten over time or they may disguise it as a copy or student re-creation . `` they may try and sell them not as being by degas , but as being a copy , or school , or by a follower of one of the great artists . and that is the ways in which they try and get them on the market , '' radcliffe said . the original thieves rarely face justice , the fbi 's magness-gardiner said . `` the stolen items turn up years , sometimes decades , after the theft , '' she said . `` because a work of art does not require a title document in order to be transferred from one owner to another , a stolen object easily enters the legitimate stream of commerce . `` it is impossible to trace them back to the original thief in most cases . even if the original thief can be identified , there is also a statute of limitations on prosecution for theft , '' magness-gardiner said . what happens to stolen art ? even if the art is recovered , original owners may not get it back . while museum pieces are likely to go back to their collections , private owners may not be so lucky . `` russian schoolroom '' remains in spielberg 's possession while courts determine the rightful owner , a spokesman for the director said . but art stolen from a los angeles mansion and sold in sweden remains with its swedish purchasers , according to a case file posted on the web site of the los angeles police department 's art theft detail . even though the thief was caught , `` the swedish government refused to return the paintings , claiming that according to swedish law , the auction buyers had purchased the paintings in good faith , '' according to the web site . in the case of rockwell 's `` russian schoolroom , '' someone took it from a gallery in clayton , missouri , a st. louis suburb , in 1973 , according to an fbi synopsis of the case . in 2004 , the fbi 's art crime team found out that the piece had been for sale at a new york rockwell exhibition 15 years earlier and posted a picture and description of the painting on its art recovery web site . spielberg 's staff learned of the search and told the fbi that spielberg had it in his collection in los angeles . he had purchased it from a legitimate dealer in 1989 , an fbi press release said . the agency also determined the painting was auctioned in new orleans in 1988 , but it has yet to determine who took the painting or its whereabouts from 1973 to 1988 . whoever took `` russian schoolroom '' from the suburban st. louis gallery in 1973 , or the masterpieces from the boston museum 1980 , or the works lifted in zurich this week , should n't be mistaken for a high-society , tuxedo-wearing , `` thomas crown affair '' kind of thief , radcliffe said . `` these people are the worst sort of criminal . they are just like the criminals who traffic individuals or sell children , or murder . `` they are thoroughly unpleasant people . there is no romanticism in anyway that should be connected to it . '' e-mail to a friend . cnn 's paula hancocks and teresa martini contributed to this report .<doc-sep>heist : the jewellery was at a temporary exhibition at the carlton which was being organised by leviev . a source at the hotel said : ` the raid took place in broad daylight when there were hundreds of holidaymakers enjoying the sunshine . it could not have been more audacious . the thief took advantage of the crowds and the relaxed sunday atmosphere -- he could easily have had others working with him . ' a cannes police spokesman said : ` a full and urgent operation is under way to catch the culprit and recover these jewels . ' organised gangs frequently target boutiques and hotels in and around cannes . many of the raids turn out to be inside jobs , with staff helping thieves to locate and then steal items . in may , jewellery worth # 1million was stolen from a hotel safe during the annual cannes film festival . an unnamed american woman working for chopard , the swiss jeweller and festival sponsor , was keeping the items in her second-floor room at the cannes novotel . chopard had 40 staff at cannes who tried to persuade stars to wear its products . julianne moore , cindy crawford and cara delevingne were all seen wearing chopard pieces this year.a few days later a necklace worth # 1.6 million vanished after a festival party in the neighbouring resort town of cap d'antibes .<doc-sep>four stolen range rovers worth # 250,000 were found squeezed like tetris pieces into a 40ft container as thieves attempted to sneak them out of the country . police officers discovered the stolen cargo at tilbury port , essex , where the luxury vehicles had been slotted together like puzzle pieces . one of the cars had been fitted with a specialised tracker device , which led police to recover the entire stash of suvs before they were shipped overseas . four stolen range rovers worth # 250,000 were found squeezed into a 40ft container -lrb- pictured -rrb- as thieves attempted to sneak them out of the country . | <t> police in switzerland have recovered two artworks stolen earlier this month . </t> <t> masterpieces stolen in zurich art heist were worth $ 163 million . </t> <t> haul included pieces by cezanne , van gogh , degas and monet . </t> <t> the van gogh and monet were found , the cezanne and degas remain missing . </t> | swiss police recover stolen masterpieces<T> |
editor 's note : joseph e. stiglitz , professor at columbia university , was awarded the nobel prize in economics in 2001 for his work on the economics of information and was on the climate change panel that shared the nobel peace prize in 2008 . stiglitz , a supporter of barack obama , was a member and later chairman of the council of economic advisers during the clinton administration before joining the world bank as chief economist and senior vice president . he is the co-author with linda bilmes of the `` three trillion dollar war : the true costs of the iraq conflict . '' economist joseph stiglitz says federal regulators and executives helped create the wall street crisis . new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- many seem taken aback by the depth and severity of the current financial turmoil . i was among several economists who saw it coming and warned about the risks . there is ample blame to be shared ; but the purpose of parsing out blame is to figure out how to make a recurrence less likely . president bush famously said , a little while ago , that the problem is simple : too many houses were built . yes , but the answer is too simplistic : why did that happen ? one can say the fed failed twice , both as a regulator and in the conduct of monetary policy . its flood of liquidity -lrb- money made available to borrow at low interest rates -rrb- and lax regulations led to a housing bubble . when the bubble broke , the excessively leveraged loans made on the basis of overvalued assets went sour . for all the new-fangled financial instruments , this was just another one of those financial crises based on excess leverage , or borrowing , and a pyramid scheme . the new `` innovations '' simply hid the extent of systemic leverage and made the risks less transparent ; it is these innovations that have made this collapse so much more dramatic than earlier financial crises . but one needs to push further : why did the fed fail ? first , key regulators like alan greenspan did n't really believe in regulation ; when the excesses of the financial system were noted , they called for self-regulation -- an oxymoron . second , the macro-economy was in bad shape with the collapse of the tech bubble . the tax cut of 2001 was not designed to stimulate the economy but to give a largesse to the wealthy -- the group that had been doing so well over the last quarter-century . the coup d'grace was the iraq war , which contributed to soaring oil prices . money that used to be spent on american goods now got diverted abroad . the fed took seriously its responsibility to keep the economy going . it did this by replacing the tech bubble with a new bubble , a housing bubble . household savings plummeted to zero , to the lowest level since the great depression . it managed to sustain the economy , but the way it did it was shortsighted : america was living on borrowed money and borrowed time . finally , at the center of blame must be the financial institutions themselves . they -- and even more their executives -- had incentives that were not well aligned with the needs of our economy and our society . they were amply rewarded , presumably for managing risk and allocating capital , which was supposed to improve the efficiency of the economy so much that it justified their generous compensation . but they misallocated capital ; they mismanaged risk -- they created risk . they did what their incentive structures were designed to do : focusing on short-term profits and encouraging excessive risk-taking . this is not the first crisis in our financial system , not the first time that those who believe in free and unregulated markets have come running to the government for bail-outs . there is a pattern here , one that suggests deep systemic problems -- and a variety of solutions : . 1 . we need first to correct incentives for executives , reducing the scope for conflicts of interest and improving shareholder information about dilution in share value as a result of stock options . we should mitigate the incentives for excessive risk-taking and the short-term focus that has so long prevailed , for instance , by requiring bonuses to be paid on the basis of , say , five-year returns , rather than annual returns . 2 . secondly , we need to create a financial product safety commission , to make sure that products bought and sold by banks , pension funds , etc. are safe for `` human consumption . '' consenting adults should be given great freedom to do whatever they want , but that does not mean they should gamble with other people 's money . some may worry that this may stifle innovation . but that may be a good thing considering the kind of innovation we had -- attempting to subvert accounting and regulations . what we need is more innovation addressing the needs of ordinary americans , so they can stay in their homes when economic conditions change . 3 . we need to create a financial systems stability commission to take an overview of the entire financial system , recognizing the interrelations among the various parts , and to prevent the excessive systemic leveraging that we have just experienced . 4 . we need to impose other regulations to improve the safety and soundness of our financial system , such as `` speed bumps '' to limit borrowing . historically , rapid expansion of lending has been responsible for a large fraction of crises and this crisis is no exception . 5 . we need better consumer protection laws , including laws that prevent predatory lending . 6 . we need better competition laws . the financial institutions have been able to prey on consumers through credit cards partly because of the absence of competition . but even more importantly , we should not be in situations where a firm is `` too big to fail . '' if it is that big , it should be broken up . these reforms will not guarantee that we will not have another crisis . the ingenuity of those in the financial markets is impressive . eventually , they will figure out how to circumvent whatever regulations are imposed . but these reforms will make another crisis of this kind less likely , and , should it occur , make it less severe than it otherwise would be . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the writer .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- president obama will sign into law wednesday the wall street reform bill -- the most-sweeping set of changes to america 's financial regulatory system since the 1930s . the legislation will vastly reform the way big financial firms do business . this is `` reform that will prevent the kind of shadowy deals that led to this crisis , reform that would never again put taxpayers on the hook for wall street 's mistakes , '' the president said last week . the bill aims to strengthen consumer protection , rein in complex financial products and head off more bank bailouts . the senate approved the reforms thursday on a 60 to 39 vote , ending more than a year-long effort to pass legislation in response to the 2008 financial crisis . to secure enough votes , senate democrats made lots of deals , which watered down the bill . for example , wall street banks will get wiggle room to make limited risky bets , which is tougher than the current law , but weaker than earlier drafts . the legislation would establish a consumer financial protection bureau inside the federal reserve that could write new rules to protect consumers from unfair or abusive practices in mortgages and credit cards . the bill creates a new council of regulators , lead by the treasury department , that would set new standards for how much cash banks must keep on hand to prevent them from triggering a financial crisis . it would also establish new procedures for shutting down giant financial firms that are collapsing . the measure would put new limits on wall street banks ' speculative bets for their own accounts and their ability to own hedge funds , while leaving the door open for some investment activities . the bill aims to shine a brighter light on some complex financial products , called derivatives , that are blamed for exacerbating the collapse of financial companies such as american international group and lehman brothers . it would force most derivatives onto clearinghouses and exchanges , to better pinpoint the value of the trades . and it would insert a middleman between trades , so that financial firms are less interconnected , to prevent the domino effect of financial firm failures in 2008 . `` we made a promise in the fall of '08 that we 'd do everything in our power to see to it we 'd never again put the american public in the position we were in september and early october 2008 , '' sen. christopher dodd , d-conn. , said after the senate vote . `` and we have fulfilled that promise with this legislation . '' republicans objected to some of the bill 's major provisions , particularly parts that establish the consumer agency and create new rules for the derivatives . while they generally favored more consumer protection and more regulation of derivatives , they argued that the legislation is too heavy-handed in these areas . they also object to the fact that the bill virtually ignores the increasingly insolvent government-owned mortgage giants fannie mae and freddie mac , beyond studying their problems . '' -lsb- this bill -rsb- is widely expected to stifle growth and kill jobs , '' said senate minority leader mitch mcconnell , r-ky . in fact , house minority leader john boehner , r-ohio , called for the repeal of the reform bill hours before the senate even passed it . yet republican maine sens. olympia snowe and susan collins , as well as massachusetts sen. scott brown voted for the bill , joining 57 democrats to limit debate and move forward . one democrat , sen. russ feingold of wisconsin opposes the bill , saying it is n't aggressive enough against wall street .<doc-sep>the mystery congressman responsible for the inclusion of language in the $ 1.1 trillion dollar spending bill that caused a progressive outcry is coming forward to defend the provision . the measure weakens banking regulations designed to prevent another financial crisis . critics of the language , such as democratic sen. elizabeth warren , claim the provision could invite another fiscal meltdown and was essentially written by the u.s. banking giant , citigroup . in a statement to cnn , rep. kevin yoder , r-kansas , insisted the provision included in the spending bill would not lead to a collapse on wall street , followed by a bailout from taxpayers . `` the amendment does not address the riskier derivatives associated with the mortgage crisis , '' yoder said in the statement . `` other backstops exist in dodd-frank to prevent a bailout based on those instruments . '' as the spending bill , dubbed the cromnibus by capitol hill insiders , was debated in congress last week , warren blasted the banking provision as a `` loophole '' that would allow wall street to gamble with taxpayer money . `` this giveaway that was drafted by citigroup lobbyists has no place in a critical government funding bill , '' warren said in a speech on the senate floor that once again stirred speculation the massachusetts democrat may run for the presidency . a spokesman for yoder acknowledged the wording of the amendment essentially came from a stand-alone bill that passed the house last year . `` we got the language from hr 992 , '' a yoder aide told cnn .<doc-sep>defenders of occupy wall street may well argue that it was never meant to be a political power , but rather a cultural force , more like the counterculture of the '60s than a new civil rights movement . jonathan schell argues that `` it was not a new set of policy ideas that was being born â $ '' the world was already overloaded with these , unacted upon â $ '' but a new spirit . ... '' but the cultural messages occupy wall street carries , say , environmental responsibility or divorce from capitalism , are far from clear . and while the counterculture could thrive -lrb- briefly -rrb- in an age in which america was well-heeled , the message of opting out of the prevailing system does not seem to bring out the masses who seek employment , to avoid foreclosure , or simply to make ends meet . arguably the greatest achievement attributed to occupy wall street is that it put inequality on the agenda of american politics , with its most memorable slogan : `` we are the 99 % . '' writing in the new york times , brian stelter described this line as a new `` national shorthand '' for the vast economic disparities facing the united states , noting that `` whatever the long-term effects of the occupy movement , protesters have succeeded in implanting ` we are the 99 % ' ... into the cultural and political lexicon . '' even an article in the conservative weekly standard declared occupy wall street has changed the public discourse , making inequality the topic of the day . there is no question that inequality has been rising in the united states and that it raises numerous issues concerning what is a fair distribution of income and wealth , what taxes we ought to raise , and how to prevent those who acquire great economic power from also gaining excessive political power -lrb- through campaign contributions -rrb- . i share these social justice concerns . however , i can not help but note that there is a world of difference between putting something on the front pages of the newspapers for a few weeks and achieving changes in laws and , above all , in the distribution of wealth . given that occupy wall street has not advocated any specific ways to reduce inequality and does not have the political organization to back up such an agenda , either others will have to find ways to curb inequality or we will see little progress on this front in the great budget battles to come shortly after the 2012 election . most assuredly , a general strike that fizzles will not serve the cause of reducing inequality , or even help occupy wall street find its sea legs . occupy wall street will have more opportunities to show that it did not flame out ; however , it had better come up with a more cogent strategy , or it will soon be one more wasted force , one more protest movement that vented feelings but engendered precious little real social change . the opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of amitai etzioni .<doc-sep>new york -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- protesters rallied in downtown new york city thursday to voice their anger over what they perceive as the roles wall street and big banks played in america 's economic crisis . marching from city hall to wall street , the protesters chanted `` good jobs for all , '' and held signs with messages including `` hold banks accountable , '' `` make wall street pay , '' and `` reclaim america . '' the afl-cio organized the rally , and union president richard trumka addressed the crowd , saying , `` how long will we allow the spirit of greed to continue to drive us into economic holes ? '' the national people 's action , a group that was involved in organizing the protest , said in a news release that demonstrators represented unemployed workers , foreclosure victims and community activists . protester gerard pettine said he just wants wall street to be held accountable for its involvement in the economic collapse . | <t> joseph stiglitz : fed pumped too much money , aiding housing bubble . </t> <t> new-fangled instruments hid overuse of borrowing , stiglitz says . </t> <t> executives followed short-term interests and magnified risks , he says . </t> <t> stiglitz : widespread changes needed to prevent future crises . </t> | commentary : how to prevent the next wall street crisis<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- for a world-class shopping experience you should head to glitzy ginza . as well as flagship fashion outlets , the area boasts one of the city 's best department stores , mitsukoshi -lrb- 4-6-16 chuo dori -rrb- . the real treat here , as at many tokyo department stores , is the fantastic basement-level food hall -lrb- `` depachika '' -rrb- . for the complete mitsukoshi experience , there 's an ever bigger store in nihombashi . the `` electric town '' of akihabara is tech-head 's heaven . next door is matsuya , another big department store , and while you 're in the area do n't miss the sony building -lrb- 5-3-1 ginza , chuo-ku -rrb- . your inner games geek wo n't be able to resist the entire floor devoted to the playstation . if you 've ever wondered where tokyo teenagers buy their wacky cyber-goth manga-inspired attire , the answer is takeshita-dori , a narrow street in harajuku . on sundays the street fills with fashion-conscious teens , dressed to impress . for the less adventurous , but more discerning shopper , harajuku 's main thoroughfare , omotesando is lined with elegant boutiques , including louis vuitton , prada and loveless -lrb- 3-17-11 minami-aoyama -rrb- . looking unlike any shop you 've seen before , loveless has three floors of hip japanese clothing and a basement decked out like the dungeon of some deranged medieval aristocrat . harajuku is also home to six-floor kiddy land -lrb- 6-1-9 jingu-mae -rrb- , one of the city 's best toy stores , with a huge selection of hello kitty products . the area around shibuya station is a buzzing epicenter of shopping activity . among its highlights are tokyu hands -lrb- takashimaya times square , 5-24-2 sendagaya -rrb- , a department store that sells everything you could ever need , and plenty of stuff you had no idea even existed -lrb- electrically heated pilllows anyone ? -rrb- . a bathing ape -lrb- 1 - rise bld . 13-17 udagawa-cho -rrb- offers funky t-shirts and trainers in an art gallery-style space , and mandarake -lrb- shibuya beam b2 31-2 udagawacho -rrb- is the place to satisfy your manga cravings , should you have any . for more manga , and a glimpse into the future , you 'll want to go to akihabara . also known as electric town , akihabara is a district of electronics stores clad in illuminated signs . visit after dark for the full `` blade runner '' experience . yodobashi camera sells everything from next generation cell phones to cameras that are n't yet available outside japan .<doc-sep>for something more sedate , daikanyama is a refined area popular with in-the-know fashionistas , while jimbocho is the city 's used-book quarter . marunouchi was once a drab business district but is fast becoming the city 's hottest shopping area . shin-marunouchi -lrb- just opposite the marunouchi exit of tokyo stations -rrb- is a huge building , with the lowest seven floors devoted to chic shopping . the basement `` depachika '' is a feast for foodies . tokyo international forum -lrb- 5-1 marunouchi 3-chome , chiyoda-ku -rrb- is a vast space used for art exhibitions and as a concert hall . it also boasts excellent shopping and hosts a flea market every other sunday . where to stay | what to see | where to be seen | where to eat | where to shop . ... . do you agree with our tokyo picks ? send us your comments and suggestions in the `` sound off '' box below and we 'll print the best .<doc-sep>where to stay | what to see | where to be seen | where to eat | where to shop . ... . do you agree with our tokyo picks ? send us your comments and suggestions in the `` sound off '' box below and we 'll print the best .<doc-sep>where to stay | what to see | where to be seen | where to eat | where to shop . ... . do you agree with our tokyo picks ? send us your comments and suggestions in the `` sound off '' box below and we 'll print the best .<doc-sep>if the streets of tokyo are n't enough of an adrenaline rush , head to the suidobashi area of kanda , where korakuen amusement park and la qua boast high-octane thrill rides . la qua 's thunder dolphin is an unbelievable roller coaster that loops among rooftops and takes a short cut through the center of a ferris wheel . for thrills of a more sophisticated nature , the mori art museum on the 53rd floor of the roppongi hills mori tower combines contemporary art with fantastic views , while ueno park is home to tokyo national museum and the national museum of western art , both highly recommended . where to stay | what to see | where to be seen | where to eat | where to shop . ... . do you agree with our tokyo picks ? send us your comments and suggestions in the `` sound off '' box below and we 'll print the best .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a man police believe is a member of the '' pink panther '' ring of thieves was transported from spain to japan on saturday to face charges in a major heist at a jewelry shop , a japanese state news agency reported . rifat hadziahmetovic , 42 , of montenegro , is suspected of stealing a diamond tiara worth 200 million yen -lrb- $ 2.3 million usd -rrb- and other jewelry from a tokyo shop in 2007 , according to the metropolitan police department in tokyo . | <t> ginza offers world-class shopping - check out the food hall in mitsukoshi . </t> <t> takeshita-dori is where teenagers pick up their `` cosplay '' costumes . </t> <t> omotesando is lined with boutiques , including louis vuitton and prada . </t> <t> akihabara , or `` electric town , '' is the place to buy electronics and manga . </t> | tokyo : where to shop<T> |
baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- thousands of people marched in central baghdad on saturday to protest a proposed u.s.-iraqi security agreement that would extend the presence of u.s. troops in the country after the end of the year . thousands staged a mass march through baghdad , iraq , on saturday to protest a planned u.s.-iraq security deal . the political party of iraqi cleric muqtada al-sadr called for the rally . at one point , several speakers at a podium addressed the mass of people , urging the iraqi government to reject the proposal . `` end the u.s. occupation of iraq ! '' one speaker shouted in english . hazem al-araji , a senior al-sadr aide , told protesters their voices would be heard in america .<doc-sep>`` thanks to you , to these voices and the millions of voices , george bush will hear these millions of calls in his ` black house ' -- in which you shouted out , ` no , no , america ! ' '' he said . watch protesters wave flags , swarm street '' `` this talk and these words are that of the leader , muqtada al-sadr : baghdad is free , free ! america , get out . this voice does not reach the green zone . we want to hear everyone who is occupied in that area saying baghdad is free , free , america get out ! '' al-araji exclaimed . protesters clogged several streets in the capital , waving iraqi flags and kicking up dust . the demonstration , the largest in baghdad in several months , was largely peaceful . pentagon spokesman geoff morrell said in washington on thursday a draft status-of-forces agreement authorizing the u.s. troop presence in iraq had `` been agreed upon by u.s. and iraqi negotiators '' and was being reviewed by the two governments . a u.n. mandate authorizing the u.s. troop presence in iraq expires december 31 , and u.s. officials are examining `` contingencies '' in case the iraqi government is unable to sell the status-of-forces deal to the country 's various factions , a senior bush administration official said this week .<doc-sep>the same official said negotiations on the pact had finished and the text was final . the official said the `` final '' draft calls for u.s. troops to be out of iraqi cities by june 2009 and out of iraq by the end of 2011 unless the iraqis ask the united states to stay . the u.s. official , speaking on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions , said negotiators had also `` reached a compromise '' on the issue of u.s. troops remaining immune from iraqi law -- an issue that was a major hurdle in the talks . baghdad has sought the power to arrest and try americans accused of crimes not related to official military operations , plus jurisdiction over troops and contractors who commit grave mistakes in the course of their duties . the united states has insisted its troops and contractors remain immune from iraqi law . cnn state department producer elise labott contributed to this report .<doc-sep>although several calm protests were held across europe on tuesday , several cities in turkey saw violence on the streets and clashes between demonstrators and riot police . hundreds of thousands of kurds live elsewhere in europe , and mobilized quickly via social networks to stage protests after the advance on kobane . some european kurds have gone to the mideast recently to join kurdish forces . in brussels on tuesday , about 50 protesters smashed a glass door and pushed past police to get into the european parliament . once inside , some protesters were received by parliament president martin schulz , who promised to discuss the kurds ' plight with nato and eu leaders . in germany , home to western europe 's largest kurdish population , about 600 people demonstrated in berlin on tuesday , according to police . austria , too , saw protests . kurds peacefully occupied the dutch parliament for several hours monday night , and met tuesday with legislators to press for more dutch action against the insurgents , according to local media . the netherlands has sent six f-16 fighter jets to conduct airstrikes against islamic state in iraq , but says it does not see a mandate for striking in syria . protesters throw stones at a police vehicle in ankara as officers attempt to disperse the crowd . action : turkish riot police detain protesters after using tear gas to disperse people in ankara . france , too , is launching airstrikes on islamic state positions in iraq but not in syria , wary of implications on international efforts against president bashar assad . ` we do n't understand why france is acting in kurdistan in iraq and not kurdistan in syria , ' said fidan unlubayir of the federation of kurdish associations of france . kurds protested overnight at the french parliament and plan another protest tuesday . kurds also staged impromptu protests against the islamic state fighters in helsinki , oslo and stockholm . on monday , protesters at the u.s. embassy in cyprus urged the international coalition to provide heavy weaponry to kurdish fighters and forge a military cooperation pact with the kurdish group ypg .<doc-sep>by . associated press . and reuters . published : . 18:57 est , 2 march 2014 . | . updated : . 11:29 est , 3 march 2014 . police arrested hundreds of people who strapped themselves to the white house fence on sunday to protest the proposed keystone xl oil pipeline . the protesters were mostly college students who participated in a peaceful march that began at georgetown university and ended outside the white house . they chanted ` climate justice now ' and carried signs with slogans such as ` do n't tarnish the earth ' in an effort to persuade president barack obama to reject the pipeline . scroll down for video . demonstration : a group of mostly college students participated in a peaceful march against the proposed keystone pipeline , starting at georgetown university and ending at the white house . chained : 372 of the protesters were arrested when they strapped themselves to the white house fence . others wore white jumpsuits splatterd with blood while laying down on pennsylvania avenue in a simulated oil spill . protesters were passionate but quite orderly . police were waiting for them with buses and vans to speed the process . protesters cheered as u.s. park police warned them that blocking the sidewalk or strapping themselves to the fence would lead to their arrest . in all , 372 were arrested , police said . organizers estimate that about 1,000 people participated in the protest overall . the protesters were speaking out against the $ 5.4 billion pipeline being proposed by canadian energy firm transcanada corp. . if built , the pipeline will transport crude oil from alberta to refineries on the u.s. gulf coast . it 's currently under review by the state department and other agencies , but president obama has a final say on whether it gets approved . their cause : some of the protesters held up signs like ` do n't tarnish the earth ' while others changed ` climate justice now ' climate change : the protesters believe the proposed pipeline will worsen global warming . those against he pipeline fear it will cause oil spills and hasten climate change - which has led to much protesting outside the white house . ` if the democratic party wants to keep our vote , they better make sure president obama rejects that pipeline , ' said nick stracco , a 23-year-old student at tulane university in new orleans . supporters for the pipeline however , believe it will be good for the u.s. economy by creating thousands of temporary construction jobs and improving energy security . ` today 's protest represents a fringe minority of people against any use of fossil fuels , ' said matt dempsey of oil sands fact check . ` this extreme position is well outside the american mainstream . even president obama says we need an `` all of the above '' approach to energy . as a result , today 's protest does little but expose the extreme nature of these last remaining keystone xl opponents . '<doc-sep>calm : protesters who clashed with riot police during a protest against isis in istanbul take a break . in brussels on tuesday , about 50 protesters smashed a glass door and pushed past police to get into the european parliament . once inside , some protesters were received by parliament president martin schulz , who promised to discuss the kurds ' plight with nato and eu leaders . in germany , home to western europe 's largest kurdish population , about 600 people demonstrated in berlin on tuesday , according to police . hundreds demonstrated in other german cities . austria , too , saw protests . kurds peacefully occupied the dutch parliament for several hours monday night , and met tuesday with legislators to press for more dutch action against the insurgents , according to local media . the netherlands has sent six f-16 fighter jets to conduct airstrikes against islamic state in iraq , but says it does not see a mandate for striking in syria . spreading : demonstrations spread across turkey over the course of the day , from istanbul and ankara to diyarbaki and further afield . hiding : a young an covers his face with white cloth as police in diyarbakir fire tear gas . kurdish protesters clash with turkish riot policemen in the southeastern city of diyarbakir on tuesday . armed : a protester wearing a gasmask holds two glass bottles as he prepares to attack police . run for cover : turkish police use water cannon to disperse demonstrators in istanbul on tuesday . promise of peace : a man with his face covered makes a ` peace ' sign as a car burns in the backhground . france , too , is firing airstrikes on islamic state positions in iraq but not in syria , wary of implications on international efforts against president bashar assad . ` we do n't understand why france is acting in kurdistan in iraq and not kurdistan in syria , ' said fidan unlubayir of the federation of kurdish associations of france . kurds protested overnight at the french parliament and plan another protest tuesday . kurds also staged impromptu protests against the islamic state fighters in helsinki , oslo and stockholm . on monday , protesters at the u.s. embassy in cyprus urged the international coalition to provide heavy weaponry to kurdish fighters and forge a military cooperation pact with the kurdish group ypg .<doc-sep>tehran , iran -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- iraq 's prime minister nuri al-maliki on sunday tried to allay iranian fears over a planned u.s.-iraq security pact , saying his government would not allow iraq to become a launching pad for an attack on its neighbor . iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad , left , greets iraq 's prime minister nuri al-maliki on sunday . `` iraq today does n't present any threat as it used to be in the times of the former regime , '' al-maliki told iranian president mahmoud ahmadinejad during a sunday meeting between two leaders , according to a statement from the prime minister 's office . `` today 's iraq is a constitutional state based on the rule of law , and it seeks to develop its relations with the regional countries based on cooperation and mutual respect , '' al-maliki said . earlier , iran 's state-run news agency irna quoted the iraqi leader as saying that `` baghdad would not allow its soil to be used as a base to damage the security of the neighboring countries , including iran . '' his remarks come as the united states and iraq are trying to reach a bilateral agreement on how long the u.s. military will remain in iraq and what role it will play in iraq 's security . but al-maliki media adviser ali hadi said negotiations between iraq and the united states are in their `` very early stages '' and were not part of sunday 's talks . watch ahmadinejad and al-maliki sit down for talks '' `` the treaty is purely an iraqi-american treaty . the iranians have nothing to do with it , '' hadi said . `` we will not discuss the progress or the key elements of agreements or disagreements with them because this is an iraqi issue . '' the proposed u.s.-iraqi pact has triggered street protests in iraq , where many suspect the deal could lead to the establishment of permanent american bases , a long-term presence of u.s. troops and a weakening of iraqi government control over those troops . | <t> proposed deal would extend u.s. troop presence in iraq after end of the year . </t> <t> thousands of protesters urged iraqi government to reject the proposal . </t> <t> u.n. mandate authorizing u.s. troops in iraq expires december 31 . </t> | protesters march against proposed u.s.-iraq pact<T> |
baghdad , iraq -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. troops or contractors who commit `` major and premeditated murders '' in iraq while off-duty and outside u.s. facilities would fall under iraqi jurisdiction , according to a copy of a draft u.s.-iraq agreement obtained by cnn . shiite demonstrators protest a proposed u.s.-iraqi security pact saturday in baghdad . all other crimes -- including murders committed inside u.s. facilities or by on-duty forces -- would fall under american jurisdiction , according to the draft , which would govern u.s. troops ' presence in iraq . the issue of whether u.s. troops would remain immune from iraqi prosecution has been a sticky one for negotiators crafting the status of forces agreement draft , which iraqi lawmakers are reviewing . the united states had preferred its troops and contractors retain immunity . the draft also calls for u.s. combat troops to be out of iraqi cities by july 30 , 2009 , and out of the country entirely by december 31 , 2011 . the agreement allows for an earlier withdrawal or an extension of the u.s. forces ' stay in iraq , by agreement of both parties . it also allows the iraqi government to `` request from the united states government to leave certain forces for training and for support purposes for the iraqi forces . '' the governments have been trying to get a deal before december 31 , when a u.n. mandate authorizing the u.s. troop presence in iraq expires . iraq 's ruling shiite parliamentary bloc said sunday it needs more time before it can approve the draft . the united iraqi alliance bloc found several `` points '' in the draft that `` need more time for discussion , dialogue and amendments -lsb- to -rsb- some of its articles , '' according to the supreme islamic council of iraq , the most powerful party in the bloc . it was unclear what specific `` points '' the parliamentary bloc was questioning . thousands of people marched in central baghdad on saturday to protest the draft u.s.-iraqi security agreement . the political party of iraqi cleric muqtada al-sadr called for the rally . watch marchers protest the agreement '' baghdad had sought the power to arrest and try americans accused of crimes that are not related to official military operations , plus jurisdiction over troops and contractors who commit grave mistakes in the course of their duties .<doc-sep>the united iraqi alliance on sunday night discussed the draft , which was presented by iraqi prime minister nuri al-maliki , whose dawa party is also a member of the ruling bloc . iraq 's political council for national security needs to approve the draft before al-maliki sends it to his cabinet . the council includes the leaders of various political blocs -- including the united iraqi alliance -- as well as iraq 's president , prime minister , vice presidents , and speaker of parliament . if the cabinet passes the draft by a two-thirds majority , al-maliki will submit it to the iraqi parliament for approval . a senior bush administration official said last week that the u.s. is examining `` contingencies '' in case the iraqi government is unable to sell the status-of-forces deal to the country 's various factions . if iraq does not approve the deal , fallback options include `` a new u.n. security council resolution legally authorizing the extension of the u.s. footprint '' or an `` informal agreement between the united states and the iraqis , '' the official told cnn last week . the official spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the discussions . other points covered in the draft agreement include iraqi ownership of `` all the buildings , facilities and structures that can not be transported and are connected to the ground '' and used by american forces . such facilities will be returned to iraq when the agreement expires , it says . further , the agreement requires the united states to immediately return to iraq any `` historic or cultural site '' it discovers at facilities it is using . the agreement allows the united states to use whatever defensive systems it deems necessary in areas under its control . yet it bars `` systems of weapons of mass destruction -lrb- chemical , nuclear , radiological , biological weapons and waste related to these weapons -rrb- . '' the united states is to transfer control of iraqi airspace to iraq when the agreement goes into effect , although iraq can ask for assistance for airspace control and surveillance . the agreement also covers environmental issues ; the comings and goings of troops in and out of iraq ; movement of vehicles , planes and ships ; and the movement of equipment in and out of iraq . secretary of state condoleezza rice is lobbying iraqi leaders to pass the draft text of the agreement by the end of the year , state department spokesman sean mccormack said last week .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- u.s. secretary of state john kerry said saturday that he and afghan president hamid karzai resolved `` the major issues '' of an agreement to keep some u.s. military forces in aghanistan after 2014 . but a potential deal-breaker , legal immunity for u.s. troops , was referred to a council of elders . the immunity issue caused the abrupt pullout of u.s. troops from iraq at the end of 2011 . isaf member killed in afghanistan .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a man in the uniform of an afghan soldier shot and killed a member of the nato-led international security assistance force in eastern afghanistan on sunday , isaf reported . the killing , which was still under investigation sunday afternoon , follows a long series of `` insider '' attacks by afghan troops or infiltrators on u.s. and allied troops , including one in september that killed three americans in eastern afghanistan . so-called `` green on blue '' attacks killed dozens of coalition troops in 2012 , prompting the u.s. command in kabul to stop some joint operations with afghan security forces . sunday 's attack came a day after u.s. secretary of state john kerry and afghan president hamid karzai worked out what kerry called `` the major issues '' in talks aimed at keeping some american military forces in aghanistan after 2014 . but a potential deal-breaker , legal immunity for u.s. troops , was referred to a council of afghan elders . in iraq , the failure to agree on the immunity issue led to the withdrawal of all american troops at the end of 2011 . without an agreement on immunity , u.s. troops would leave afghanistan with other nato contingents at the end of 2014 .<doc-sep>el paso , texas -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a brigade of u.s. troops originally scheduled to be among the very last to leave iraq is being pulled out of the country months ahead of its planned departure , military officials said saturday . the announcement follows news this month that a deal to keep american troops in iraq past a december 31 , 2011 , deadline to withdraw was on shaky ground after iraqi leadership said any remaining u.s. forces would not be granted immunity from iraqi prosecution . secretary of defense leon panetta and other top brass have repeatedly said any deal to keep u.s. troops in iraq beyond the withdrawal deadline must require a guarantee of legal protection for american soldiers . the fourth brigade combat team , first armored division , based at fort bliss , deployed to iraq in august to replace two withdrawing brigades . the troops were sent with the understanding they would be among the last to leave the country and were told to expect up to a 12-month deployment , though it was n't clear how long they would stay in iraq . but brigade officials informed hundreds of military families gathered saturday at its headquarters that their troops would begin returning home within weeks . when family members inquired why soldiers were returning early , they were told by a military official : `` basically , what 's happened ... is that the united states and iraq have not come to an agreement , '' according to a cnn reporter who attended the meeting . additionally , the brigade official told families : `` we were over there for a couple of missions . those missions are finished . '' a u.s. military official in iraq , speaking on condition of anonymity , confirmed to cnn saturday the early withdrawal of this brigade , citing a number of possible reasons , including the lack of a deal on the legal immunity issue and the fact that the state department is `` standing up '' its operations faster than expected . when the united states and iraq agreed in 2008 to a withdrawal deadline , the two countries also signed off on a strategic framework agreement that calls for a long-term bilateral relationship . as part of that agreement , the state department is deploying thousands of workers to iraq to take over where military officials leave off in their dealings with the iraqi government . u.s. officials in washington on saturday declined to comment on reports that troops were being withdrawn ahead of schedule or because of a breakdown in negotiations , except to say the united states is committed to withdrawing all troops by the december 31 deadline . `` at the same time we 're building a comprehensive partnership with iraq under the strategic framework agreement including a robust security relationship , and discussions with the iraqis about the nature of that relationship are ongoing , '' said tommy vietor of the national security council . pentagon spokesman george little also dismissed reports of a breakdown in talks with iraqis , saying `` suggestions that a final decision has been reached about our training relationship with the iraqi government are wrong . those discussions are ongoing . ''<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- the u.s. secretary of defense says any agreement reached that keeps american troops in iraq past an end-of-the-year deadline to withdraw must include immunity from iraqi prosecution . `` if they want the benefits of what we can provide , if they want the assistance , if they want the training , if they want the operational skills that we can provide , then i think they have to understand that they 've got to give us some protections in that process , '' leon panetta told sailors friday during a visit to naples , italy , home of the u.s. 6th fleet . panetta 's statement follows news this week that iraq 's top political leadership agreed that a number of american troops should remain in the country to aid in training and security , though said it was `` unnecessary '' to grant u.s. forces legal immunity . panetta made the comments while answering a question from a sailor , who inquired about iraq refusing to grant legal immunity to american forces and what it might mean for the future role of the u.s. military in iraq . `` this is obviously a very pertinent question right now as we try to deal with the issue of whether or not we 'll have a future presence in iraq , '' panetta said , according to a transcript released by the department of defense . the defense secretary said negotiations were ongoing between iraq 's political leadership , u.s. ambassador james f. jeffrey and gen. lloyd j. austin iii , commander of u.s. forces in iraq . | <t> new : u.s.-iraq draft : troops committing murder in iraq could face iraqi prosecution . </t> <t> iraq 's ruling united iraqi alliance found several `` points '' needing more discussion . </t> <t> ruling bloc did not make clear what issues they had regarding troop agreement . </t> | u.s.-iraq deal would whittle troops ' immunity<T> |
johnstown , pennsylvania -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- alaska gov. sarah palin charged into the culture wars saturday in pennsylvania , painting sen. barack obama as a radical on abortion rights . alaska gov. sarah palin speaks at a rally in johnstown , pennsylvania , saturday . the stop comes amid news that palin violated alaska ethics law by trying to get her former brother-in-law fired from the state police , a state investigator 's report for the bipartisan legislative council concluded friday . ethics woes aside , palin focused her attention on abortion -- an issue that rallies the conservative base but some say alienates independent and women voters . `` in times like these with wars and financial crisis , i know that it may be easy to forget even as deep and abiding a concern as the right to life , and it seems that our opponent kind of hopes you will forget that , '' palin told a crowd in johnstown . `` he hopes that you wo n't notice how radical , absolutely radical his idea is on this , and his record is , until it 's too late . '' palin has mostly avoided raising her opposition to abortion rights on the campaign trail since she was tapped as sen. john mccain 's running mate , a fact she readily acknowledged in her remarks . watch more of palin 's views on abortion '' but palin said obama 's record on the matter is too extreme to be ignored , and she spent 10 minutes of her 30-minute speech discussing abortion . `` a vote for barack obama is a vote for activist courts that will continue to smother the open and democratic debate that we deserve and that we need on this issue of life , '' she said . `` obama is a politician who has long since left behind even the middle ground on the issue of life . '' obama opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the supreme court 's decision in roe v. wade and disagreed with supreme court ruling to uphold the `` partial birth abortion ban act . '' he did not cast a vote on prohibiting funds for groups that perform abortions amendment in 2007 . palin opposes abortion in all cases , including rape and incest , except when a mother 's life is in danger , and said she believes roe v. wade should be overturned and the decision given to the states . mccain voted for the prohibit partial birth abortion bill in 2003 and `` yes '' for prohibiting funds for groups that perform abortions amendment in 2007 . he believes roe v. wade is a flawed decision that must be overturned , and also supports the supreme court ruling upholding the partial birth abortion ban act . palin also talked about a remark obama made about sex education while campaigning in johnstown in march , when he told a voter he did n't want his daughters `` punished with a baby '' or `` punished with an std '' if they were not educated about sex and made a mistake .<doc-sep>`` so i listened when our opponent defended his unconditional support for unlimited abortions and he said he said that a woman should n't have to be ` punished with a baby , ' '' palin said as the audience jeered at obama . `` ladies and gentlemen , he said that right here in johnstown . ` punished with a baby . ' it 's about time we called him on it . '' obama is also in pennsylvania saturday -- campaigning in the heavily democratic city of philadelphia . during his four-stop swing around the city , obama acknowledged mccain 's efforts to `` tone down the rhetoric '' on the campaign trail . `` i appreciated his reminder that we can disagree while still being respectful of each other . i 've said it before , and i 'll say it again -- sen. mccain has served this country with honor , and he deserves our thanks for that , '' obama told an early morning crowd assembled in the northern part of the city . watch more of obama 's comments '' ever since last weekend , when palin first accused obama of `` palling around with a terrorist , '' referring to 1960s radical william ayers , rowdy crowds have called obama a liar , terrorist and worse . at an event friday in lakeville , minnesota , mccain referred to obama as a `` decent person '' and praised him as a `` family man '' after two voters expressed fear over obama being elected . watch mccain tell voters not to be afraid of obama '' but the arizona senator was met by a sea of boos when asking the crowd to be more respectful toward obama . when the crowd began to boo , mccain told them `` no , no . i want everyone to be respectful . '' obama later dispensed with polite talk and pivoted to his main campaign trail argument that mccain is out of touch on the economy . `` sen. mccain 's campaign manager actually said that sen. mccain was n't talking about the market because there 's just not much a candidate for president can say -- and they are n't sure what he 'd say each day even if he did talk about it , '' obama said . `` but here 's the thing philadelphia . they can run misleading ads , and pursue the politics of anything goes , they can try to change the subject . they can do that what they want to do because the american people understand what 's going on -- but it 's not going to work . not this time . '' cnn 's peter hamby , ed hornick and sasha johnson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>washington -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- former alaska gov. sarah palin hit the campaign trail friday , delivering the keynote address at a washington fundraiser for an anti-abortion group supporting socially conservative women running for office in the upcoming midterm elections . `` all across this country , women are standing up and speaking out for common sense solutions , '' palin said at the susan b. anthony list celebration of life breakfast . they are forming a `` new conservative feminist movement '' that will help make `` government work again for us , '' she said . the susan b. anthony list describes itself on its website as part of the `` nerve center of the pro-life movement and political process . '' in 2008 , the group founded `` team sarah , '' a coalition of women supporting palin 's vice presidential bid . during her speech , palin ripped abortion rights opponents in the democratic party who `` promised to hold firm '' during the health care debate , but ultimately backed `` the most pro-abortion president who ever occupied the white house . '' `` we wo n't forget , '' she promised . `` elections have consequences . '' palin mentioned , among other things , her daughter bristol 's decision not to have an abortion after becoming pregnant at age 17 . `` it was an embarrassing time for her , '' palin told the audience . but `` choosing life was the right road . ''<doc-sep>voters will want to know more about palin 's social views , particularly her views on abortion , which are to the right of public opinion . palin 's decision not to abort her child after she learned that he had down syndrome made her a favorite of anti-abortion advocates , but her opposition to abortion rights , including in the cases of rape and incest , may turn off suburban women , particularly those who supported hillary clinton . watch what palin believes on the issues '' palin , despite her statement wednesday night that she was not going to washington to `` seek the good opinion '' of washington 's elite , will also have to face the media . she has not had any one-on-one interviews since she was tapped as mccain 's running mate . `` after the convention , sarah palin will face a tough news conference , just as geraldine ferraro did in 1984 and dan quayle did in 1988 , '' schneider said . `` ferraro handled her news conference so skillfully , the press effectively declared her innocent even though she really did n't answer all their questions . `` ferraro provides palin a model for how to handle the press , '' he said . `` quayle , not so much . '' and palin will face more questions about her role in the evolving `` trooper-gate '' scandal in which a former public safety commissioner says he was terminated because he did not fire an alaska state trooper who was going through a divorce from palin 's sister . furthermore , palin must prepare for her debate with the democrat 's vice presidential nominee , sen. joe biden . biden , the chairman of the senate foreign policy committee , has been in the senate for more than three decades and is considered one of the foremost foreign policy experts in the capitol . watch biden say he was impressed by palin ''<doc-sep>by . francesca chambers . sarah palin thinks chelsea clinton 's pregnancy could cause hillary clinton to change her mind about abortion . palin told extra host mario lopez that , ` just knowing that her daughter chelsea is pregnant with a baby -- it 's a . real baby -- it 's not some disposable something , ' will perhaps make hillary reconsider her stance on the issue . the former vice presidential nominee noted that her comment ` will be . controversial , but those who , perhaps , they 're in this position now as a parent or a . grandparent , they realize sanctity of life , how innocent , how precious . it is . ' sarah palin thinks that hillary clinton will ` kind of broaden her world view ' when she becomes a grandparent , and potentially ` open her eyes ' on the issue of abortion . palin made the remarks during an interview with extra 's mario lopez , after lopez asked her if chelsea clinton 's pregnancy would make hillary clinton ` more electable '<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- there 's no evidence the heated political environment played any role in the shooting spree that left rep. gabrielle giffords in critical condition and killed six others , but observers say if nothing else , the tragedy will force politicians to re-evaluate their rhetoric . militant-themed messages and speeches laced with fear have marked recent dialogue in washington and on the campaign trail , but in the aftermath of the massacre in arizona , lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling on their colleagues to tone it down . `` an event like this really ought to make us rethink the way we speak to each other every day about politics and policy in the country , especially in the congress , '' said thomas benson , professor of rhetoric at penn state university . the night before saturday 's shooting in tucson , arizona , giffords issued a new call for more civility in politics . she sent an e-mail to outgoing kentucky secretary of state trey grayson , a republican , that included a remark about the need to `` tone our rhetoric and partisanship down . '' giffords e-mail : need to ` tone our rhetoric and partisanship down ' the suspected shooter 's motive is unclear , but pima county , arizona , sheriff clarence dupnik was quick to criticize the `` vitriolic rhetoric '' heard on the radio and television . `` that may be free speech , but it 's not without consequences , '' he said saturday . former alaska gov. sarah palin 's political aide removed a controversial web post this weekend that featured cross hairs over the congressional districts of 20 democratic candidates , including giffords . a palin aide denied the web posting from the 2010 congressional campaign was designed to incite violence . adviser : linking palin to shootings ` appalling ' | <t> sarah palin , barack obama both campaign saturday in pennsylvania . </t> <t> palin hammers obama on the abortion issue in johnstown . </t> <t> obama acknowledges mccain 's efforts to `` tone down the rhetoric '' </t> | palin heightens rhetoric on abortion<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- space travel , security threats and increasing passenger numbers are forcing major changes in the way airports are designed . elegant space : the interior of the proposed virgin galactic spaceport in new mexico . in fact , when discussing the future of the airport it is now appropriate to consider both conventional air travel hubs we are familiar with , as well as the imminent ` spaceports ' . the rush of interest in setting up ` space tourism ' companies has seen proposed spaceport projects in dubai in the united arab emirates , and california , oklahoma , new mexico , florida , virginia , alaska and wisconsin in the united states . russia , australia , sweden and portugal have also been rumored as potential spaceport locations . meanwhile , the air travel industry is continuing to expand operations despite the challenges facing some airlines . and there are some radical new ideas being developed for future air and spaceports . see a picture gallery of futuristic airport and spaceport designs '' the adventurous views of dave evans , chief technologist at business solutions company cisco systems , highlight the types of changes we could soon see in airports and indeed the new features we may witness in spaceports . speaking at a faa/nasa/industry airport planning workshop in 2006 , evans suggested that pilots of the future could fly without hands and from the comfort of their own home -lrb- using brain-machine interfaces , in which the human brain actually exchanges electronic signals with a computer -rrb- . he also said future airports would have virtual intelligence personnel to perform the jobs of many airport workers ; and that people would be able to check-in remotely using a cell phone embedded with a rfid -lrb- radio frequency identification -rrb- chip .<doc-sep>but what will these new airports and spaceports look like ? graeme johns , who is an architect at british airport design company , the design solution , believes airports of the future will continue to expand , with bigger security and commercial areas . johns , who is involved in projects in london -lrb- the new heathrow t2 terminal -rrb- , delhi , mumbai , doha , abu dhabi and oman , said many new airports were being more adventurous with designs . `` i think there is definitely a move towards more avant-garde designs . people are trying to do things more site-specific rather than keeping to the same old formula . `` definitely in the middle east they throw everything at it , also in the far east there are some large developments . they are all vying for transit passages , '' he said . johns said one of the biggest challenges was balancing commercial space with operational space . `` there 's lots of pressure to make larger security areas ... but a big thing for us is trying to move up the commercial side of airports . '' future airports would likely include a better range of shops , he said .<doc-sep>`` we are definitely looking at broadening the offering of shops and bringing in things that have n't traditionally been in airports , '' john said . if all of this is n't exciting enough for you -- then of course there are spaceports . internationally renowned design company foster and partners won a competition to build virgin galactic 's spaceport in new mexico . company founder lord norman foster said the project was one of the most exciting and futuristic he had been involved in . `` this technically complex building will not only provide a dramatic experience for the astronauts and visitors , but will set an ecologically sound model for future spaceport facilities . '' and what will this magnificent new structure include ? a tunneled entrance , a ` super-hangar ' for the space-craft , and retaining walls that form an exhibition documenting the history of space exploration alongside the story of the region , are just some of the features . so whether or not you have the money to make the space flight , virgin galactic 's spaceport is going to be a place well worth visiting .<doc-sep>also visit cnn 's photo blog for more great olympic shots , and check out our check out our tips for capturing great sports photos of your own .<doc-sep>others reacted to the gory pictures of spider and snake bites , saying ` never visit australia ' , ` your country is hell . burn it all down ' , ` everything in australia is trying to kill you ' , and ` this is n't funny . this is `` oh god no '' . one user in the us said ` join us in america ! bears and cougars are too big to hide in your shoe . ' even australians jumped on the bandwagon of fear , advising that shoes and dark places should always be checked in case there were any stowaways making an item home . ` if you think an aussie critter is cute , odds are they still probably want to kill you . one way or another , ' claimed one user . ` how are you guys still alive ? ' asked one user . the quick reply was ` we check our shoes first . obviously . ' so bang your shoes , shake out your rugs , check underneath the toilet seat , and beware . so bang your shoes , shake out your rugs , check underneath the toilet seat , and beware .<doc-sep>if you have 2,000 private facebook friends , similar rules apply . but there are conditions to your stay ... you will also be required to like the hotel 's facebook page and tag yourself in your check-in and check-out posts . for those on instagram , similar rules apply . in all posts , guests must use #nordiclighthotel and tag nordic light hotel when you 're there and have checked-in . all social savvy travellers must check-in and post regularly about the hotel and include relevant hashtags . 100,000 fans or more = 100 % discount . 2,000 private friends or more = 100 % discount . 1,500 private friends or more = 15 % discount . 1,000 private friends or more = 10 % discount .<doc-sep>though there is currently a waitlist , they plan to hold another session in the future , since demand has been so high . hanna , a former tech industry whiz himself -lrb- he has worked at couchsurfing.org -rrb- , said the digital detox regularly holds other monthly device-free retreats , as well as device-free events that have a `` phone check '' -lrb- like a coat check -rrb- . but with camp grounded , it 's the largest retreat they 've done so far , according to hanna . `` when you were a kid , your life was not dominated by the technology that it is now , '' he said . `` we want to take people back to that easy state of living where their only concern is ` what 's the next activity that i 'm going to right now and what 's going to be the next fun thing ? ' '' could you survive a tech-free weekend on a `` digital detox ? '' or would it be too difficult for you to disconnect ? share your thoughts on this concept in the comments . this article originally appeared on mashable . | <t> airports are likely to see bigger security and commercial areas in future . </t> <t> foster and partners is building a spaceport in new mexico for virgin galactic . </t> <t> the middle east and far east are creating the most futuristic new airports . </t> | check out your future check-in<T> |
dunn , north carolina -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- barack obama 's campaign announced sunday the democratic presidential candidate raised $ 150 million in donations in september , setting a new high-water mark in campaign fundraising . barack obama calls a prospective voter from a headquarters in kansas city , missouri , on saturday . in a campaign video , obama campaign manager david plouffe said a record 632,000 new donors gave to the campaign , with the average contribution under $ 100 . more than 3 million donors have given so far . the obama campaign raised $ 65 million in august . regardless of the stunning haul , plouffe told supporters the campaign still needed more money because of `` the slime that we 're getting from the mccain campaign . '' plouffe cited recent attack ads and automated phone calls in battleground states and said the campaign needed to have every resource to `` fight back . '' `` their campaign is going to descend even more into the gutter , '' he said .<doc-sep>plouffe also said the campaign was expanding its reach to compete `` aggressively '' in west virginia . tightening polls in georgia and north dakota meant more money and resources could be sent to those two states in the remaining days , he said . `` we ca n't afford to make any cuts . we have to execute everything we think is required to win , '' plouffe said of their battleground strategy . `` none of us can look back on the night of november 4 or the morning of november 5 and wished we had done something extra . '' the mccain campaign accepted $ 85 million in federal matching funds for the last two months of the campaign . the obama campaign opted out of the matching funds program and is free to raise and spend as much money as it can . cnn 's paul steinhauser and sasha johnson contributed to this report .<doc-sep>`` as a matter of policy we do n't comment about clients with whom we are doing business , '' said julie hoover of abc . the obama campaign has bought advertising on abc in the past , she said , `` but they did not buy the half-hour . '' obama taped an interview wednesday with abc 's charles gibson , which is to run thursday , his campaign said . a source familiar with abc policy suggested the network had offered the obama campaign a different time slot . `` hypothetically , we would have offered them equivalent time , '' the source said . `` we do n't have to give them the exact slot they are asking for . '' obama campaign spokesman bill burton said abc had ultimately offered obama the slot he wanted , but the campaign turned it down . `` by the time they agreed , we had already committed our resources , '' burton said . the obama campaign reported last week that it had raised a record-shattering $ 150 million in september . obama has outspent mccain by a huge margin , according to cnn 's consultant on ad spending . between the time the two candidates clinched their party 's nominations in the spring and october 25 , obama spent more than $ 205 million on tv ads . mccain spent more than $ 119 million , according to tns media intelligence/campaign media analysis group .<doc-sep>the obama campaign reported last week that it had raised a record-shattering $ 150 million in september . obama has outspent mccain by a huge margin , according to cnn 's consultant on ad spending . between the time the two candidates clinched their party 's nominations in the spring and october 25 , obama spent more than $ 205 million on tv ads . mccain spent more than $ 119 million , according to tns media intelligence/campaign media analysis group . the mccain campaign launched an ad wednesday attacking obama for his 30-minute special . `` behind the fancy speeches , grand promises and tv special lies the truth : with crises at home and abroad , barack obama lacks the experience america needs , '' the ad said . the timing of obama 's informercial pushed back the start of a world series game , provoking a jab from mccain during a wednesday afternoon appearance in florida . `` it used to be that only rain or some other act of god could delay the world series , '' he said . `` but i guess network executives figured an obama infomercial was close enough . '' the obama campaign did not ask that the game be delayed , said a spokesman for fox , which broadcasts the world series . `` they asked fox to buy the air time , '' the spokesman said . `` fox went to our partner , major league baseball , and asked if it would be ok to delay the game to take this important political advertisement . they agreed . '' mlb 's willingness to delay the fall classic for a political ad shows how very unusual the obama tv spot is . `` ross perot did it in 1992 , but it was n't this close to election day , and now you have a very different media consumption environment . you did n't have the cable then , '' tracey said . `` there is no precedent for this sort of an ad this late in the race . '' cnn associate political editor rebecca sinderbrand and cnn entertainment 's rachel wells contributed to this report .<doc-sep>mr obama has been the target of . political satirists ever since his disappointing debate performance - . and the jokes do not seem to be letting up . jay leno made a reference to the huge audience for the televised event during his talk show on friday . ` they 're saying close to 60 million . people may have watched the debate , ' he said . ` in fact , the only person . who did n't tune in , i think , was president obama . ' comedian bill maher , a passionate . obama supporter who gave $ 1million to a democratic super pac , also had . harsh words for the president . ` it looks like he took my million and spent it all on weed , ' mr maher said . however , mr obama also had good news . as it was revealed that he and the democratic party had together raised . $ 181million in september , the most lucrative month of his re-election . campaign , . the president 's fundraising haul topped the $ 114 million raised during the month of august . he said in a message on twitter that . more than 1.8 million people donated in september , including over 500,000 . who had not donated before in 2008 or 2012 . the $ 181million was slightly less than mr obama 's record of $ 190million in september 2008 . video : romney 's new campaign ad . video : romney 's attack on obama 's ' $ 5trillion tax cut ' claim . video : romney campaigns in florida .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- with many workers stuck at their desks during the late-morning swearing-in of president obama on tuesday , more people than ever went online to watch live video of the historic inauguration . a group crowds around a laptop to watch the inaugural events in washington . news sites , including cnn.com , shattered records for viewers watching live streaming video online . and , sometimes for the first time , news sites carried video feeds on their front pages . about 7.7 million people watched the inauguration on tuesday online at the same time , according to akamai technologies inc. . that likely makes the inauguration the single most-watched event in the history of live web video , according to the company , which handles web traffic for more than 150 news sites worldwide , including nytimes.com , ustream , viacom , wsj.com and others . across the day , nearly 27 million people watched streaming video on cnn.com live on tuesday , according to cnn spokeswoman jennifer martin . that 's more than five times the site 's previous record , set on election day , when 5.3 million people watched streaming video of the day 's events . cnn.com live estimates that it streamed 1.3 million simultaneous video feeds just before obama 's inaugural address tuesday . that may be a record for live video on the internet . youtube set a record with 700,000 viewers on a variety show on election day in november , the los angeles times reported . the record has not been confirmed by third-party sources . the new york times declined to release its tuesday numbers , but spokeswoman stacy green said nytimes.com saw more streaming web users than ever . cbsnews.com also reported a record day for online video , said sarah cain , a spokeswoman for the network . sites tried to attract viewers in new ways , linking their news coverage with social media networks like facebook and twitter . obama himself got in on the action , posting this message to his twitter account after the november 4 election : `` we just made history . all of this happened because you gave your time , talent and passion . all of this happened because of you . '' for some viewers , the inauguration was a first-time experiment with streaming video online , and the high traffic on most sites did n't always make that transition easy . | <t> september amount is biggest monthly fundraising total for a presidential campaign . </t> <t> obama campaign added 632,000 new donors in september . </t> <t> mccain accepted $ 85 million in federal funds for last two months of campaign . </t> | obama raises record $ 150 million in september<T> |
london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- police have launched an investigation after a young disabled sportsman traveled to switzerland to commit suicide , uk media report . daniel james , who played rugby for england under-16s , was paralyzed during match practice last year . daniel james , 23 , from sinton green in western england was paralyzed from the chest down in march 2007 when a rugby scrum collapsed on top of him during match practice , dislocating his spine , the uk 's press association has reported . worcestershire coroner 's service , which is conducing an inquest into the circumstances of his death , states on its web site that james died on september 12 after he `` traveled to switzerland with a view to ending his own life . he was admitted to a clinic where he died . ''<doc-sep>the inquest was adjourned on september 19 for reports . west mercia police say that a man and a woman are helping the force with their enquiries . assisting someone to commit suicide is illegal in the uk , as it is in most other european countries . what do you think of assisted suicide ? james , who played rugby for england under-16s , was a university student at the time of his injury last year . he is believed to be the youngest person from the uk to have traveled to switzerland to commit suicide . in a statement friday , reported by pa , james ' parents said that he had attempted to kill himself several times already . watch why james opted for suicide ''<doc-sep>`` his death was an extremely sad loss for his family , friends and all those that care for him but no doubt a welcome relief from the ` prison ' he felt his body had become and the day-to-day fear and loathing of his living existence , as a result of which he took his own life . `` this is the last way that the family wanted dan 's life to end but he was , as those who know him are aware , an intelligent , strong-willed and some say determined young man , '' pa reported james ' parents as saying . `` the family suffered considerably over the last few months and do wish to be left in peace to allow them to grieve appropriately . '' james ' parents added that their son , `` an intelligent young man of sound mind , '' had never come to terms with his condition and was `` not prepared to live what he felt was a second-class existence '' .<doc-sep>adrian harling , the family solicitor , would not comment on the investigation , pa reported . more than 100 people from the uk who have committed suicide in switzerland have traveled to the dignitas clinic in forch . it is not known if james attended the clinic . switzerland , along with belgium , luxembourg and the netherlands , are the only european countries where authorities will not prosecute those who assist with suicide .<doc-sep>dan james , a 23-year-old british rugby player , ended his life at a swiss assisted suicide clinic last year . he had been paralyzed from the neck down in a rugby accident . his illness was chronic but not terminal . james ' case drew headlines when his parents , who accompanied their son to switzerland , returned home to questions from police . in the end , the jameses were not prosecuted . multiple sclerosis sufferer debbie purdy won a high-profile battle in june to have britain 's law on assisted suicide clarified . purdy , who has said she wants the option of assisted suicide if her condition deteriorates , wanted to know at what point her husband might be prosecuted if he accompanied her to an assisted suicide clinic . purdy 's case went all the way to the law lords , britain 's highest court , who ordered the director of public prosecutions to issue a new policy on assisted suicide . he did so last month . multiple sclerosis is chronic disease and some times can be terminal , leaving open the question whether purdy might qualify if the new swiss proposals are approved . at least 117 britons have traveled abroad for an assisted suicide since 2002 , at an average of two a month , according to dignity in dying , which advocates giving terminally ill adults the option of assisted suicide .<doc-sep>london , england -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- british television audiences will be shown an assisted suicide for the first time wednesday , when a documentary is aired about a man taking his own life at a swiss clinic . craig ewert , along with his wife mary , hears final instructions from dignitas escort arthur bernhard before taking a fatal dose of barbiturates . the documentary for broadcaster sky will show the final moments in the life of 59-year-old briton craig ewert , a retired university professor , as he takes a lethal dose of sedatives under medical supervision . the father-of-two had been diagnosed with motor neurone disease -- a rare condition caused by the breakdown of nerve cells in the brain that control the muscles -- five months before his death at swiss euthanasia clinic , dignitas . he decided that he did n't want to continue suffering as a prisoner in his own body . ewert 's story follows a number of high-profile assisted suicide cases in the uk -- where the practice is illegal -- in recent years , with opinion divided as to whether those involved should face prosecution . what 's your view ? click here to comment . with this in mind , we answer some of the main questions related to the practice . what is assisted suicide ? this is where the person who is going to die needs help to kill themselves and asks for it . it may be something as simple as getting drugs for the person and putting those drugs within their reach . it differs slightly from euthanasia , which involves the deliberate killing of a person for the benefit of that person . what are the laws on assisted suicide in the uk ? assisted suicide is currently illegal in the uk , with the 1961 suicide act making it an offence to `` aid , abet , counsel or procure the suicide of another . '' helping somebody to die carries a prison sentence of up to 14 years . have people been prosecuted here for assisting suicide ? no . a decision by britain 's crown prosecution service on december 10 effectively ruled out the prosecution of families who assist in such `` mercy killings , '' when it decided no charges would be brought against the parents of a paralyzed rugby player .<doc-sep>by . steve doughty . michael irwin , a campaigner nicknamed dr death , claims to have helped at least 25 people who have died at dignitas . he says an 83-year-old man wants to be the first person to die at the clinic solely because of dementia . an 83-year-old dementia sufferer plans to die at the dignitas assisted suicide clinic , it was claimed yesterday . the british professional man would be the first to end his life at the swiss clinic purely because of dementia . his plans were publicised by michael irwin , a campaigner nicknamed dr death , who says he has helped at least 25 people who have died at dignitas and advised many more . mr irwin , 80 , has been investigated in the past over assisted suicide -- an offence carrying a 14-year jail sentence -- but has never been arrested . around 150 britons are thought to have died at the clinic , which exploits liberal swiss laws on assisted dying . among them were a number of people who .<doc-sep>a healthy italian woman paid a swiss right-to-die clinic to take her life because she was ` unhappy about losing her looks ' . oriella cazzanello , 85 , travelled to a clinic in basel , switzerland , where she paid $ 10,000 for an assisted suicide . the elderly woman , who was in good mental and physical health , disappeared from her home in arzignano , near vicenza in northern italy , without telling her relatives where she was going . oriella cazzanello , 85 , who committed suicide using a swiss euthanasia centre , because she was depressed about losing her looks . her family only found out about her death ashes and a death certificate were posted to her lawyer in italy . building of the assisted suicide clinic , dignitas in pfaeffikon near zurich , one of the major assisted suicide clinics that exist in switzerland . dignitas is the largest non-physician assisted suicide group in switzerland , and is well known because of it 's involvement in many british euthanasia cases . her family , who had reported her to the police as missing , only learnt of her death after they received her ashes and death certificate from the clinic . mrs cazzanello chose to end her life because she was ` weighed down by ageing and the inevitable loss of the looks of which she was proud ' the italian news agency ansa reported . | <t> young rugby player , paralyzed after accident , commits suicide in switzerland . </t> <t> police interview man and woman about the death of daniel james , 23 . </t> <t> it is illegal in uk and much of europe to assist with suicide . </t> <t> assisted suicide is legal in switzerland , netherlands , belgium , luxembourg . </t> | uk couple defend son 's assisted suicide at swiss clinic<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- thousands of people turned out saturday in the southern austrian city of klagenfurt for the funeral of politician joerg haider , a popular but polarizing figure who led right-wing austrian politics for decades . harald scheucher , mayor of klagenfurt , speaks in front of the coffin of joerg haider saturday . among those attending the service at the town 's central neuen platz square were austrian president heinz fischer and chancellor alfred gusenbauer . haider 's widow sat in the front row with her two daughters , all of them dressed in black . `` many people expected things of joerg haider that they themselves were n't able to fulfill , and he too expected things of people that he was n't able to fulfill , '' gusenbauer said at the funeral . `` therefore his death , and the end of his life , may be a time to think about whether death 's only consolation is that we can now reconcile things that seemed irreconcilable during his lifetime . '' haider 's coffin was draped in the yellow , red and white flag of the southern state of carinthia , where he was governor , and topped with red roses . haider , 58 , died last saturday in a car accident while driving out of klagenfurt , the state capital . he had just passed another car on a highway when his car hit a concrete post and rolled over several times , police said . his spokesman said this week that haider was drunk at the time of the crash .<doc-sep>besides being carinthia 's governor , haider was also head of the right-wing bzo party -lrb- alliance for the future of austria -rrb- , which he founded in 2005 after years with the conservative freedom party . haider came to prominence in 1986 , when he became head of the freedom party while still in his 30s . a politician who projected youth and style , haider appealed to many working-class austrians , promising to cut their taxes and give money to those with children . some older austrians responded to his demands for strict law and order . but he drew widespread criticism both at home and abroad for his anti-immigrant stance and remarks considered anti-semitic , and in 1991 he publicly praised nazi germany 's employment policy . asked in 2000 about the statement , haider told cnn the quote was taken from a long speech and that he never praised the third reich . he called the remarks a mistake and publicly denounced nazism . but haider continued to draw attention for his controversial remarks . they included an address to veterans of the waffen s.s. , adolf hitler 's elite soldiers , in which he praised their character . the address created an uproar after it was broadcast on german television . haider said he had simply been speaking to elderly citizens of carinthia who included some former waffen s.s. members .<doc-sep>despite the controversy , haider said he was not racist : `` you will not find any anti-semitic position in our party program , and you will not find any anti-semitic speech or statement by me . '' the policies of the freedom party drew international attention during the elections in 1999 . party campaign posters urged voters to stop the flood of immigration and used the term `` over-foreignization , '' the same word used by nazi propaganda minister joseph goebbels in 1933 to criticize what he called jewish influence in germany . haider told cnn he favored restricting immigration simply because of austria 's small size , but that he wanted to keep an open border for refugees . it was his family background , haider said , that kept singling him out for criticism . haider 's parents were activists in the nazi party long before austrian-born hitler annexed austria to germany in 1938 . haider 's father , robert , volunteered for the s.a. , the notorious brown shirts who terrorized jews and others before the war . he then served in the german army . his biographer , melanie sully , said haider felt a strong sense of loyalty to his parents and those in the war generation . `` he feels that what they sacrificed after the war in rebuilding austria in very difficult circumstances needs to be honored and that they were n't all criminals , '' sully told cnn in 2000 .<doc-sep>under haider 's leadership , the freedom party made a strong showing in the 1999 elections , winning 27 percent of the vote and shaking up the traditional two-party system that had ruled austria since world war ii . when the two main parties in that election failed to agree on forming a government together , the freedom party was invited to share power . haider retired as party leader after that but remained governor of carinthia . when haider formed the bzo party three years ago , he took with him a number of freedom party lawmakers . haider was credited with helping the bzo make significant gains in last month 's general elections alongside the freedom party , though austria 's two largest parties , the social democrats and the people 's party , came out on top . the vote reflected reflected public dissatisfaction with the two largest parties as well as support for the social populism , anti-european union and anti-immigrant rhetoric of the bzo and freedom party . southern austrian city of klagenfurt .<doc-sep>islamabad , pakistan -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- at least 43 people were killed and 72 others were injured as widespread violence broke out overnight following the killing of a provincial lawmaker in the southern pakistani port city of karachi tuesday , police said . syed raza haider , a leader of the mqm party , was shot monday evening at a mosque where he was attending the funeral of a relative , according to rafiq gul , karachi 's deputy superintendent of police . the gunman also killed the politician 's bodyguard . gul said haider 's death triggered political and ethnic violence in the city , as mobs set fire to vehicles and gunfire erupted .<doc-sep>a murderer 's llament : anders behring breivik , seen here making a salute at his trial in oslo , is pleading to be let out of jail to attend his mother 's funeral . ` he was allowed to say goodbye . they both knew it would be the final meeting , ' mr jordet said . ' i spoke to him this morning . he was grieving . it was very sad news to him . ' breivik and mr jordet also discussed whether the confessed mass murder would like to attend her funeral . ` he would like to do so but it is up to the prison -lrb- board -rrb- to decide , ' mr jordet said . the 34-year-old right-wing fanatic killed 77 people in twin attacks on july 22 , 2011 , in norway 's worst peacetime massacre . chilling : anders behring breivik walks with a gun in hand among bodies on utoeya island july 22 , last year . terror : teenagers on the norwegian holiday island of utoya had to ` swim for their lives ' and hide in trees when breivik fired indiscriminately at them . he detonated a car bomb outside . government offices in oslo killing eight people and then drove to the . island of utoya where he massacred 69 in a shooting spree at the summer .<doc-sep>last goodbye : the coffin of numan haider is passed along a crowd of mourners at the funeral of the terror suspect . the 18-year-old was killed with a single shot to the head after stabbing two police officers outside the endeavour hills police station and making audible threats against prime minister tony abbott . the two police officers had planned to meet haider to discuss his australian passport being cancelled . counsel assisting the coroner , jessica wilby , said during the first hearing at the victorian coroners court in october that haider attacked without warning as the officers approached him in a car park of a nearby childcare centre , 9news reported . ms wilby said haider stabbed a victoria police officer in the arm and an australian federal police officer in the chest and face . the court heard he was on top of the afp officer continuing his attack when the victoria police officer shouted for him to drop his weapon before opening fire .<doc-sep>by . martin robinson . criticism : hackney mp diane abbott , pictured today , has been accused of disrespect after tweeting from inside tony benn 's funeral . labour mp diane abbott was criticised today after she live tweeted from inside tony benn 's funeral . the politician sent a series of messages to her 63,000 followers as she waited for the service to start at st margaret 's church in westminster . her running commentary led to be her being branded disrespectful , a ` prat ' and ` tacky and horrible ' . left-wing firebrand tony benn , who spent more than 50 years as an mp , died two weeks ago aged 88 . around . 750 politicians and public figures , including cherie blair , labour . leader ed miliband and sinn fein 's gerry adams and martin mcguinness , . paid their last respects at an emotional service in westminster 's st margaret 's , known as ` the parish church of the house of commons ' . as they gathered diane abbott tweeted a picture of the order of service and said she was sat . behind shadow chancellor ed balls and next to former home secretary jack . straw . ` in st margaret 's westminster waiting for #tonybenn funeral to begin . greatest labour politician of his generation , ' she also wrote . but her messages , seen by her 63,000 followers , sparked anger , with one urging her : ` put your phone down you prat ! ' . heather williams wrote : ' @hackneyabbott live tweeting from a funeral . horrible and tacky ' . diane abbott leave st.margaret 's church in central london with former labour minister jack straw and other mourners following the hour-long service . messages : tweets from mp diane abbott 's account described the scene inside the funeral - but it sparked fury from others online . ben kay tweeted : ' @hackneyabbott put the mobile down and pay some attention to the funeral . you 're lucky to be there ' @finkowska said : ' @hackneyabbott do you think live-tweeting a funeral is the respectful way to conduct yourself ? ' . paddy emond said simply : ' @hackneyabbott stop tweeting , you 're at a funeral ' . funeral : ms abbott tweeted from within st margaret 's , often referred to as the parish church of the commons . mr benn 's coffin was carried in by his children and grandchildren . | <t> thousands attend the funeral of right-wing politician joerg haider in austria . </t> <t> chancellor : many people expected things of haider they themselves could not fulfill . </t> <t> haider died last saturday in a car accident , spokesman confirms he was drunk . </t> <t> haider drew support from many but criticized for his praise of some nazi policies . </t> | thousands attend funeral of right-wing politician joerg haider<T> |
bangkok , thailand -lrb- cnn -rrb- -- a thai court has found deposed prime minister thaksin shinawatra guilty of corruption , and sentenced him in absentia to two years imprisonment . thaksin shinawatra lives in self-imposed exile in london . the case stemmed from a bangkok land deal while thaksin was in office . he was convicted of violating a law that bans ministers or their wives from conducting business with government agencies . thaksin , who now lives in the united kingdom , is unlikely to serve any jail time . he fled from thailand in august just as he was to appear in court . in the land deal , thaksin 's wife , pojama , is accused of using her husband 's political influence to buy undeveloped land from a government agency for about a third of its estimated value . watch more about the verdict '' the case is one of several corruption cases against thaksin and his family that are winding their way through the legal system .<doc-sep>the billionaire is accused of abusing the country 's system of checks and balances and bending government policy to benefit his family 's business . thaksin has consistently denied that he or his family was involved in any wrongdoing . in august , thaksin and his wife skipped a court appearance and fled to the united kingdom rather than testify in the real-estate case . he said he did so because he did not think he would get a fair trial in thailand . thaksin , a telecommunications tycoon , once owned the english premier league manchester city football club but sold his stake this year . his party won two landslide victories before he was deposed in a bloodless military coup in september 2006 after massive anti-government street protests . he returned to thailand after his allies in the people power party won nearly half the seats in the lower house in december 's parliamentary elections and formed the ruling coalition .<doc-sep>in recent weeks , the country has seen daily demonstrations from anti-government protesters who want ppp leaders purged from the cabinet . they have laid siege to the government house -- the seat of the thai government -- since august 26 . the protesters -- led by the people 's alliance for democracy -- contend that the ppp is trying to amend the constitution so thaksin does not have to face charges . in september , thailand 's constitutional court stripped then-prime minister samak sundaravej of his position , ruling that he had violated the constitution by appearing as a paid guest on a television cooking show . the ppp responded by picking thaksin 's brother-in-law as samak 's replacement -- further inflaming the protesters . cnn 's dan rivers contributed to this report .<doc-sep>march 5 - tens of thousands attend rally by newly formed people 's alliance for democracy -lrb- pad -rrb- to call for thaksin 's resignation for alleged abuse of power , corruption and business conflicts of interest . april 3 - thaksin claims victory after snap election , which opposition parties boycotted over corruption allegations . thaksin 's thai rak thai party was the only major party to participate . may 8 - constitutional court rules april election invalid . september 19 - military seizes power in a bloodless coup following series of pad rallies , while thaksin is at the u.n. general assembly in new york . 2007 . may 30 - constitutional tribunal dissolves former ruling thai rak thai party and bans 111 leading party executives from holding office for five years . december 23 - thaksin 's allies under the people 's power party -lrb- ppp -rrb- banner win first thai election since 2006 coup , sending a message to the generals behind the coup that ousted thaksin . 2008 . january 28 - parliament chooses ppp leader samak sundaravej as pm-elect . february 28 - thaksin is taken into police custody after returning from exile to thailand . may 25 -- the people 's alliance for democracy -lrb- pad -rrb- stages around-the-clock protests in bangkok and become known as the `` yellow shirts '' for their clothing . they oppose a planned change to the constitution which would protect thaksin and followers from corruption charges . september 9 - constitutional court fires pm samak sundaravej for conflict of interest over hosting a cooking show while in office . september 17 - lawmakers elect thaksin 's brother-in-law somchai wongsawat , a deputy of the people 's power party -lrb- ppp -rrb- , as prime minister .<doc-sep>the anti-government protesters support thaksin , who was ousted in a 2006 bloodless military coup and who fled the country to avoid a corruption trial . in a statement , thaksin accused the thai government of defaming him when it said he was the mastermind behind the violence in the country 's ongoing political crisis .<doc-sep>the two sides met for meetings on march 28 and 29 , but they ended in a stalemate . the demonstrators are supporters of former prime minister thaksin shinawatra , who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006 . thaksin was the only thai prime minister to serve a full term and remains hugely popular . he fled the country in 2008 while facing trial on corruption charges that he says were politically motivated . the protesters say abhisit was not democratically elected and have demanded that he call elections . cnn 's kocha olarn contributed to this report .<doc-sep>what does thaksin 's defense team say ? the defense team argues that neither thaksin nor his wife owned the shin corp shares while he was prime minister , selling them to their son before he took office . it was their son who decided to sell shin corp to the singaporeans . the defense also claims that the assets scrutiny committee -- which has led the investigation in this case -- was politically motivated , having been appointed after the coup that ousted thaksin , and therefore was biased against him . how much money is at stake ? 76.6 billion baht -lrb- about $ 2.3 billion -rrb- . that is the total value of his and his family 's assets that are currently frozen in thailand . but there is speculation that he has a great deal more money elsewhere . why bother going after thaksin when so many other thai leaders have been perceived to be corrupt ? well , thailand certainly has had a checkered history . but current premier abhisit vejjajiva is widely believed to be honest and free from any taint of corruption . he wants to give the country a fresh start by showing no one is above the rule of law and that means ensuring thaksin is n't allowed to get away with his alleged corruption , even though he is in exile . however , many analysts say this case is not just about corruption , but more about thaksin 's challenge to the thai political elite that has ruled for decades . the theory goes that thaksin was dangerously popular and refused to submit to powerful factions in the army , privy council and aristocracy -- hence the 2006 coup and the lengthy efforts to shut him down . cnn producer kocha olarn contributed to this report from bangkok . | <t> ex-pm thaksin shinawatra convicted of corruption , sentenced to jail . </t> <t> court rules thaksin facilitated wife 's purchase of bangkok real estate in 2003 . </t> <t> thaksin , who lives in exile in uk , unlikely to serve time in jail . </t> | ousted thai pm thaksin guilty of corruption<T> |
-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- gas prices across the southeast and midwest soared over the weekend , and while many would blame hurricane ike , human nature may be a more likely scapegoat . ireporter stacy haynes said this harriman , tennessee , station was selling regular gas at $ 5.09 a gallon saturday . experts say that when a perception exists that gas is limited -- warranted or not -- consumers flock to the pumps even if officials implore them to stay calm . it 's a combination of fear , desire , distrust and protectionism , experts say . `` when you have a perceived scarcity of any product , research shows the attractiveness of that product goes up , '' said dr. rao unnava , marketing professor at ohio state university . grocery and department stores are keenly aware of the phenomenon , unnava said , which is why sale flyers often declare things like , `` limit three items per customer '' or `` price valid only through friday . '' research shows that such advertisements can actually double or triple sales of a product , unnava said . `` people do n't feel comfortable with scarcity , '' he said . with gasoline , scarcity is a false perception , unnava said . there is ample gas in the united states , even after ike delivered 110-mph winds to galveston and houston , an area that 's home to a significant portion of the nation 's oil refineries . gov. rick perry announced monday that texas ' oil and gas industry `` dodged a bullet '' and that `` some of those refineries are actually back in operation as we speak . '' this is n't to say human nature alone drove the spike in gas prices ; the oil market 's supply side certainly played its part .<doc-sep>refineries , pipeline and oil platforms are still being assessed after ike , but the damage apparently is n't as severe as predicted , said gregg laskoski , spokesman for the southern region of the american automobile association . despite the rosier-than-expected outlook , prices spiked all over the nation after ike struck the gulf coast -- about 6 cents a gallon saturday , another 6 cents sunday and about 5 cents monday . particularly hard hit was the central and eastern united states . from sunday to monday alone , 23 states saw the average price of gas jump about a nickel or more a gallon , according to aaa . ireport.com : send , see photos of gas prices . in tennessee , the price jumped about 17 cents to $ 4.12 monday . in georgia , the price climbed about 14 cents to $ 4.16 . michigan saw an almost 13-cent increase , and indiana 's gas went up 12 cents a gallon . see gas prices state by state '' several factors drive these fluctuations , laskoski said , including the method in which gasoline is delivered to a state . in florida , he said , the price went up nominally -lrb- about 5 cents -rrb- from sunday to monday because the sunshine state relies more heavily on gas shipped on boats out of louisiana and mississippi , he said . though georgia abuts florida , it does n't have as many ports and relies more on tanker trucks to deliver gas from the galveston-houston area , laskoski said . hear how man ran out of fuel looking for gas in atlanta , georgia '' another factor , laskoski said , is that ike prompted many oil companies to shut down operations ahead of the storm . it could take up to two weeks to get some refineries operational again because it 's not as simple as flipping a switch , he said . the hiatus in oil production has ripple effects , and retailers often raise prices in anticipation of gas shortages . gas station owners earn only a few pennies of profit on each gallon of gas , laskoski said , explaining that proprietors essentially use gas to lure consumers into convenience stores to buy cigarettes , beer and potato chips -- items that draw better profits .<doc-sep>when supply is low and retailers are uncertain when they 'll receive their next gas shipment , some proprietors actually raise their gas prices so they can keep their gas supply longer and maintain profits from their snacks and sundries . but while diminished refinery capacity helps drive prices upward , there is also an element of `` consumer behavior that goes beyond the norm , '' laskoski said . `` when you have consumer behavior that 's irrational , it 's hard for retailers to schedule it , '' he said . dr. lars perner , assistant professor of clinical marketing at the university of southern california , said natural disasters often spawn irrational behavior . the media can also compound fears , he said . `` as soon as somebody starts running for the gas pumps , that 's where the tv cameras go , so it does become a vicious cycle , '' perner said . even though everyone would be better off if consumers continued their normal patterns , people do n't always trust their neighbors to cooperate . this is especially true with an `` emotional commodity '' like gas , perner said . `` because you ca n't count on other people doing that , your best bet is to go ahead and fill up yourself , '' he said . `` if people get excited , rationality tends to be reduced somewhat . '' perner and ohio state 's unnava both note that consumers are often reluctant to trust government officials so an appeal to remain calm might be met with suspicion rather than acquiescence . memories -- whether they 're of the calamitous response after hurricane katrina or of the gas shortages of the 1970s -- also play roles in a consumer 's reaction to an event , the professors said . according to unnava , `` it 's all perception -- what you conclude from what you see around you -- that quickly sets up these behaviors . ''<doc-sep>`` we lost everything , '' jamie holmes . curfews are in place in galveston until dawn monday and in houston 's harris county until 6 a.m. sunday . houston mayor bill white said his city appears to have avoided loss of life , but streets blocked by floodwaters , downed trees and power lines hampered efforts to determine the full extent of the damage . authorities shut down downtown houston , where the streets were littered with traffic lights and glass , for cleanup and damage assessment . the city 's tallest skyscraper , the 75-story jp morgan chase tower , was missing many of its windows . see ireporter 's images of destruction '' white advised residents to drink bottled or boiled tap water as a precaution after a power outage reduced water pressure , but he said nothing indicated that the water supply was contaminated . brennan 's , a popular restaurant in downtown houston for almost four decades , burned down friday night as ike battered the city . north of houston , a 10 - year-old boy died when a falling tree limb hit him in the head , the montgomery county sheriff 's office said . the boy 's father was cutting down a dead tree in the family 's yard in preparation for ike 's heavy winds early saturday . nearly 2.6 million customers in texas and louisiana lack power because of ike , the u.s. energy department said on saturday . in brazoria county , emergency management officials said the main power line for the texas/new mexico grid was down . centerpoint energy said 90 percent of its customers were without electricity and it could take a month or more to get power restored to all of them . ireporter jackie hensler of houston said her apartment building 's power was restored quickly on saturday morning after a stormy night . `` there are lots of trees down ; they 've been uprooted or snapped , '' she said after venturing outside . `` there 's lots of debris in the streets , like boards and plywood from homes . '' watch how the roof peeled off a building '' hurricane ike proved to be a huge storm system , 900 miles across at its largest . it remained a hurricane hours after crashing ashore over galveston at 2:10 a.m. its maximum sustained winds were near 80 mph , with higher gusts . it was expected to continue to weaken and move into western arkansas by saturday night . track the storm '' the storm surge , however , was smaller than forecast . the greatest surge , of 15 feet , happened at sabine pass , near the texas-louisiana line . authorities had predicted surges of 20 to 25 feet . authorities in orange county , texas , on the louisiana line , were using large dump trucks saturday to rescue residents trapped on their roofs by massive flooding , a county judge told cnn . the city of orange and the town of bridge city were flooded , beaumont emergency official brad peneffon said . watch the storm surge in beaumont '' rescuers fanned out in boats saturday in cameron parish , louisiana , after the storm surge flooded 1,800 homes . gas prices soared across the country amid fears the storm would disrupt fuel supplies . ike hit a region that is home to about 25 percent of the united states ' oil refining capacity , and the storm 's progress across the gulf of mexico shut down crude oil collection from gulf oil fields . the u.s. department of energy said 14 refineries were closed by the storm , along with two texas strategic petroleum reserve sites . in knoxville , tennessee , sean kennedy expressed dismay at the difference a day made to gas prices . ireport.com : evacuees , san antonio mayor talk about ike . `` i filled up my tank yesterday morning on the way to work for $ 3.59 a gallon , '' he said . `` this morning , gas prices at the same station were $ 5 a gallon for regular and $ 5.25 for premium . '' the coast guard said early saturday that 22 people aboard a freighter that was adrift in the gulf of mexico were safe after the storm . some good news came out of the region saturday . about 175 miles west of houston , a storm evacuee delivered a baby in the ladies ' bathroom at a shelter in new braunfels . `` the credit goes to the mother , '' said dr. mark burns , who helped deliver the baby . `` she did a beautiful job with her delivery . '' cnn 's jeanne meserve , rusty dornin , sean callebs , rob marciano , gary tuchman , arthur brice , deb krajnak and elise miller contributed to this report .<doc-sep>-lrb- cnn -rrb- -- cheri morgan spent about half-an-hour in line at a houston-area gas station on thursday before evacuating the city . ireporter cheri morgan says drivers were panicking thursday at a houston , texas , gas station . `` everyone was driving crazy and they really need some kind of traffic flow at the gas stations . it 's wild , '' she said . `` everybody 's rushing and panicking . i could have stayed , but i thought it was best to just get out of there . '' morgan said it took her about five hours to make the 200 mile drive to san antonio -- a trip that normally only takes about three hours . ike is expected to make landfall on the gulf coast of texas , which is home to many of the country 's oil refineries . that 's led to a scramble at gas stations as people try to fill up before the storm hits . ireport.com : are you in ike 's path ? people were filling up their cars and their gas cans at a sam 's club in college station , texas , ireporter kyle norton told cnn.com . `` the lines were a tad ridiculous , '' the 30-year-old banker said . norton said his 2002 dodge ram pickup was on empty , so he had no choice but to wait in line for an hour . despite the long lines , norton said gas was about $ 3.49 , which is pretty normal for the area . he said a friend had to go to four different stations before he could find one that still had regular unleaded . ireporter jeremy `` clete '' terrell said the lines also were long at the costco in alpharetta , georgia . `` i was getting gas and realized that everybody else was too , '' he said . ireporter curtis mcneely said a kangaroo express station in evansville , indiana , imposed a 10 gallon limit . `` it 's causing paranoia more than anything , '' he said adding that people are returning to the gas station to fill up multiple times . a spokeswoman for the company that runs the kangaroo express chain says it 's imposed a limit at its 1,660 stores because gas supplies are tight . several stations in ocala , florida , were limiting sales if they still had gas to sell , ireporter christine bailey said . canadian ian mcintosh said gas prices jumped 57 cents per gallon overnight in milton , ontario . `` this stuff 's in the tanks , it 's just sitting in the gas stations , they 're using this as a windfall event , '' the retired teacher said . mcintosh said he heard prices were going up on the news , so he and his wife got gas last night -- along with many other residents of the toronto suburb . `` a gas station that would normally have three or four cars -- you had 15 cars and you had to line up to get to the pumps , '' he said . rumors that gas would jump to $ 6 a gallon caused a panic in sylva , north carolina . ireport.com : police called in at mountain gas station . lines were a half-mile long thursday night at the stations that stayed open , and police were called in to maintain order , ireporter april brendle said . `` supposedly there was a fight at one station , '' she said .<doc-sep>by . daniel martin . published : . 18:09 est , 20 september 2013 . | . updated : . 18:09 est , 20 september 2013 . energy bills have almost doubled since 2000 , turning up the heat on britain 's already hard-pressed families . households last year spent an average of # 1,339 on gas and electricity -- 85 per cent more than the # 710 at the turn of the century , research shows . the figures -- adjusted to 2012 prices to take inflation into account -- show that gas bills went up by 119 per cent and electricity bills by 47 per cent between 2000 and last year . british gas are the worst offenders , with prices 8 per cent higher on average than their newer rivals . utility firms have been accused of raking in massive profits as customers struggle to make ends meet . in the past two years alone , gas bills surged by 19 per cent and electricity by 11 per cent . the worst offenders are british gas and the former regional electricity monopolies , according to the study by the house of commons library . more than 20 years after privatisation , they are still charging far more than their rivals , it says . british gas charges 8 per cent more for gas than the average bill from their newer rivals , researchers said . the figures came as it emerged the firm was planning another price rise before winter . high energy prices are particularly devastating for older people , who often live off modest pensions . in recent years , hypothermia cases have been on the rise as the worst-off are forced to choose between heating or eating . in recent years hypothermia cases have risen as older people on fixed pensions struggle to cope with the surge in prices . experts warn that prices could rise further in coming years thanks to the coalition 's green policies . last year ministers admitted electricity prices were 15 per cent higher than they should be , thanks to government charges to fund renewable energy projects . tom lyon , of the moneysaving website uswitch.com , said last night : ` it 's vital that everyone shops around to find the best deal .<doc-sep>fuel prices have skyrocketed across the country , with a gallon of gas reaching past $ 5.00 in some parts of the country . the price of petrol has been continually climbing for the past 32 days , causing many americans to spend as much as 10 percent of their income on gas . experts are puzzled why prices keep ascending , as many drivers tend to shy away from long trips in the winter months due to slick road conditions . scroll down for video . sticker shock : fuel prices are displayed at a gas station in new york today ; prices have been on the rise for the past 32 days . life in the fast lane : a gallon of bp 's ` ultimate ' fuel costs $ 4.65 a gallon in new york city ; experts predict fuel prices will only get higher into spring and summer . pain of a nation : carolina villar pumps gas on february 4 in miami ; gas pump prices are at their highest level on record for this period of the year . | <t> perception of limited gas sends more people to the pumps , experts say . </t> <t> gas prices spiked across the nation after hurricane ike hit gulf coast . </t> <t> reduced supply after storm plays part , but so does consumer rush . </t> <t> professor : consumers ' fears , tv coverage lead to `` a vicious cycle '' </t> | experts : ` irrational ' behavior drives gas prices more than ike<T> |
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